Le portate in Italia
Meal Courses in Italy
Let's learn about the traditional Italian meal structure.
In Italy, a formal lunch or dinner consists of five distinct courses.
In Italy, a formal lunch or dinner consists of five distinct courses.
The five courses are:
Important note: When dining at Italian restaurants, you don't have to order all five courses! Many Italians choose just antipasto + primo, or primo + secondo. It's perfectly acceptable to mix and match based on your appetite.
- ANTIPASTO - appetizers (literally "before the meal", cured meats, mozzarella, pickled vegetables...)
- PRIMO - first course (pasta, risotto, or soup)
- SECONDO - second course (meat or fish)
- CONTORNO - side dish (vegetables)
- DOLCE - dessert (literally "sweet")
Important note: When dining at Italian restaurants, you don't have to order all five courses! Many Italians choose just antipasto + primo, or primo + secondo. It's perfectly acceptable to mix and match based on your appetite.
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