Chefs share the 5 best things to order at an Italian restaurant — and 6 you should skip if you want value

Sophia MitrokostasSep 16, 2024, 23:33 IST

Chefs told Business Insider that certain dishes, like Margherita pizza, are usually overpriced.Shutterstock

Some dishes at Italian restaurants are worth ordering, but others you're better off making at home.
Ordering a braised dish or meal that takes a long time to make is a smart way to spend your money.

Many Italian restaurants serve up tasty classics, but not everything on the menu is equal.

Business Insider consulted with real chefs to pinpoint which common Italian-restaurant offerings are worthy of space on your plate and which are better prepared at home — or skipped altogether because they're a bad value.

Here's what to order and what to avoid next time you visit an Italian eatery.

An Italian restaurant is the ideal place to get lasagna.

Lasagna can be time-consuming to make at home.Irina Marwan/Getty Images

Don't overlook handmade pasta.

Pasta is often one of the cheapest items in the grocery store, but it tastes different when it's made by hand.Gu Studio/Getty Images

Ordering a braised dish is a smart way to spend your money.

Although much of Italian cuisine can be easy to whip up at home, some meals are a bit more labor-intensive.Shutterstock

Veal dishes like osso buco are usually worth the extra money.

Osso buco can be challenging to make at home.Rebeca Mello/Getty Images

Arancini are a deep-fried Italian comfort food.

Rice balls sometimes contain meat.Thurtell/Getty Images

On the other hand, Margherita pizza is often way overpriced for what it is.

Margherita pizza is made with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil.Pixabay

Unless tomatoes are in season, skip the caprese salad.

Caprese salad probably won't be very good if the tomatoes aren't in season.MediaNews Group/Bay Area News via Getty Images/Contributor

Pass on the garlic bread unless it is served in a traditional style.

Garlic lovers may struggle not to order a basket of garlic bread, but this is one side dish that's perhaps best prepared in your own kitchen.Richard Drew/AP

Spaghetti Bolognese is another dish that is likely cheaper to make at home.

Ordering it at a restaurant may be tasty, but isn't very economical.Pixabay/RitaE

Unless you're only drinking one serving, ordering wine by the glass is usually a bad money move.

A bottle often holds more pours than you think.Shutterstock

Cacio e pepe is a three-ingredient meal that's very cheap and quick to make at home.

Cacio e pepe could be the most basic Italian pasta dish out there.Shutterstock

I ordered the same meal at STK and Capital Grille. One steak was the best I've ever had, but the other was the opposite.

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Chefs share the 5 best things to order at an Italian restaurant &mdash; and 6 you should skip if you want value