The Dishes Professional Chefs Always Order at Italian Restaurants

Handmade pasta

“Pasta is the big tell of a great Italian restaurant,” says Brian Moll, executive chef of La Tavola Trattoria, a cozy neighborhood trattoria in Atlanta. Other chefs agree that handmade pasta is the difference between a good and truly great Italian dish. “When I go to an Italian restaurant, I’m looking for handmade pastas, and I always order a classic—carbonara. I look for the eggs on top, smoked bacon, creamy sauce—everything done right. That’s how I judge if it’s a good spot,” says Gabriel Israel, chef at the Israeli-inspired eatery Green Fig in New York City. Even the freshest handmade pasta needs a delicious sauce to make it come alive. Moll’s favorite is a classic ragu, such as an aromatic bolognese, or traditional neapolitana. (You may love pasta, but please don’t order it on a first date. Here’s why.)