An Italian menu is organized by courses, and knowing the order makes ordering easy. The full sequence belongs to Sunday lunches, holidays and special dinners — on an ordinary day most Italians eat just one or two courses.
The courses, in order
- Antipasto — the starter: cured meats, cheeses, bruschetta, marinated vegetables.
- Primo — the first course: pasta, risotto or soup.
- Secondo — the main course: meat or fish, usually served on its own.
- Contorno — the side dish, ordered separately: salad, roast potatoes, grilled vegetables.
- Dolce, then caffè — dessert, then an espresso to close the meal.
Per primo prendo gli spaghetti alle vongole, e per secondo il pesce del giorno.
Don't feel obliged to order everything: a primo alone, or a secondo with a contorno, is completely normal. Two more things to expect on the bill: many restaurants add a small 'coperto' (cover charge) per person, and tap water is not always offered — you'll usually be asked 'Naturale o frizzante?' for bottled still or sparkling water.