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Read an Italian menu: courses, choices and useful phrases
Learn how antipasti, primi, secondi, contorni and dolci guide your order, then use SeEat to compare dishes.
SeEat editorial · Reviewed ·
Start here
An Italian menu is easier to read when you separate course headings from dish names. Find the section that suits your appetite, use SeEat for unfamiliar dishes and ask about accompaniments before adding another course.
From the menu to your choice
1. Photograph or upload
Open SeEat and capture a readable menu page, including headings and notes.
2. Understand each dish
Compare original names, explanations and AI reference images in English, Chinese or Spanish.
3. Decide what to order
Compare dishes for your taste, check the printed menu and confirm important details with staff.
A map of the course headings
Antipasti are starters; primi include pasta or rice dishes; secondi are a later course; contorni are sides; dolci are sweets. These headings appear in Italian teaching material as a course-reading map.[1]
Use the headings to find options, not as an instruction to order from every section. Start with the dish you most want, then ask about its portion and accompaniments before building the rest of the meal.
Keep a course and its sauce together
For a pasta decision, compare the sauce description and filling rather than judging by the pasta name alone. For a fish or meat decision, check whether a contorno is listed separately. Use SeEat’s explanation to identify the question you need to ask.
Phrases to ask for a menu and place an order
“Posso avere il menù, per favore?” — may I have the menu, please? “Vorrei questo, per favore.” — I would like this, please. Point to the dish while using the second phrase.
“Il contorno è incluso?” — is the side included? “Possiamo condividere questo piatto?” — can we share this dish? These are suggested questions, not a promise of the restaurant’s serving policy.
How do you say “menu” in Italian? It is “il menù”, often printed simply as “menu”, so “Posso avere il menù?” works in most restaurants.
Before you order
Do I have to order both a primo and a secondo?
Use the headings to organize your choices. Ask the restaurant about portions, minimum orders or any set-menu requirement; do not infer its rules from a vocabulary guide.
Do I need an account or a subscription?
The web app checks available menu credits before creating a menu. When credits are exhausted, it can ask you to sign in or show subscription options. Check the app for your current allowance and plan; unlimited free use is not promised.
Are images and dietary labels verified by the restaurant?
No. Images are AI-generated references, not photographs of the restaurant’s dishes. Explanations and dietary or allergen labels can be inaccurate. Confirm any important ingredient or preparation detail with staff before ordering.
Sources
- Académie de Poitiers. Buon appetito — La cucina italiana: i pasti. Accessed
Use it with the menu in front of you
Compare a few dishes and choose what appeals to you. AI images are references; confirm ingredients, preparation and dietary requirements with the restaurant.