If you’ve never sat down to a traditional Italian meal before, the menu can take a little getting used to. There are Italian names you may not recognise, several courses to choose from and probably a few ingredients you haven’t tried before.
Don’t let that put you off.
Italian food is, at heart, quite simple. Good ingredients are treated with care, and there’s rarely a need to dress them up too much. A beautiful plate of pasta might contain only a handful of ingredients. Fresh seafood can be cooked simply with garlic, herbs and wine and still have plenty of flavour.
At Beppi’s, that approach has been part of the kitchen since 1956. If it’s your first time, you don’t need to work your way through every course or understand every Italian word on the menu. Pick a few things that sound good, ask questions if you’re unsure and give yourself plenty of time to enjoy the meal.
Start with a Few Plates for the Table
Antipasti is a lovely way to start an Italian meal, especially when there are a few of you around the table. Rather than ordering too much straight away, choose a couple of dishes to share, have a taste of everything and take your time deciding what comes next.
If it’s your first time trying authentic Italian food, these are three approachable choices:
- Insalata Caprese: Heirloom tomatoes, fresh basil and creamy buffalo mozzarella finished with aged balsamic vinegar. It’s fresh, simple and a great example of how a few quality ingredients can speak for themselves.
- Zuppa di Cozze e Vongole: Mussels and pipis simmered in fish stock with wine, tomato, parsley and garlic. It’s warm, full of flavour and particularly good if you enjoy seafood.
- Parmigiana di Melanzane: Roasted eggplant layered with mozzarella, tomato and basil, topped with parmesan and baked. Rich and comforting without being overly heavy, it’s a classic choice for the table.
There’s no need to order a long list of starters. Pick two or three, pass them around and enjoy them together. It’s a relaxed and very Italian way to begin the meal.
Pasta Is a Good Place to Start
If you’re still unsure what to order, pasta is hard to go past.
The difference with a good Italian pasta dish is that the sauce isn’t meant to do all the work. The pasta matters too. It should have some bite, and there should be enough sauce to bring everything together without burying what’s underneath.
When people search for “best pasta Sydney,” they’re often looking for the small details that make one plate stand out from another. The texture of the pasta, the quality of the ingredients and the balance of the sauce can all make a difference.
The easiest way to choose is to forget about what you think you should order and go with flavours you already like.
If you enjoy rich, comforting food, gnocchi with cheese might be right up your alley. If mushrooms, butter, sage or truffle sound more appealing, try a filled pasta such as ravioli.
Don’t dismiss a simple tomato and basil pasta because it doesn’t sound elaborate. With only a few ingredients on the plate, there’s nowhere to hide. When it’s done well, simplicity is exactly what makes it good.
Give Something Other Than Pasta a Go
Pasta gets plenty of attention, but it’s only one part of Italian dining.
Once the pasta plates are cleared, you might feel like trying a seafood or meat dish. If you’ve already ordered a few starters and pasta, sharing a main between two people may be more than enough.
Seafood is a good choice if you want to keep things relatively light. If you’re after something heartier, have a look at the meat dishes.
There’s no prize for ordering the most traditional or adventurous thing on the menu. If something sounds good, order it. If you don’t know what something is, ask.
That’s a much better way to discover Italian food than spending dinner worrying about whether you’re ordering correctly.
Not Sure About the Wine? Just Ask
Italian wine lists can be a bit daunting if you don’t know the regions or grape varieties.
You really don’t need to.
Tell your server what you’ve ordered and what you usually enjoy drinking. Maybe you prefer a crisp white, a lighter red or something fuller and richer. From there, they can suggest something that works with the food.
A fresh white can be lovely with seafood, while richer pasta or meat may call for something with a little more weight.
Wine has long been part of the experience at Beppi’s, but choosing a bottle shouldn’t feel like a test of your knowledge. Sometimes, the most enjoyable part is trying something you wouldn’t normally pick for yourself.
Save Room If You Can
It’s easy to order too much at the start, especially when you’re hungry and everything on the menu sounds good.
If you can manage it, though, leave a little room for dessert.
Tiramisu is an obvious first choice. Coffee, mascarpone and cocoa make it rich enough to feel indulgent without needing anything overly complicated.
You might prefer to finish with an espresso and leave it there.
Either way, there’s no need to hurry off as soon as the main plates disappear. Part of the pleasure of an Italian meal is having time to sit, talk and let the evening wind down naturally.
What Should You Order the First Time?
There’s no set menu you have to follow, but if you’re stuck, keep it simple:
- Order one or two antipasti for the table. It’s an easy way to try a few things without filling up too quickly.
- Choose the pasta that sounds good to you. Forget about what’s supposed to be the most traditional option. Rich, cheesy, tomato-based, seafood or mushrooms, it’s entirely up to you.
- Share a main if you’re still hungry. You’ll get to try another side of Italian cooking without turning dinner into a marathon.
- Ask someone to help with the wine. A recommendation is much easier than trying to decipher every bottle on the list.
- Stay for dessert or coffee. If you have room, it’s a lovely way to finish the meal.
Finding the best pasta in Sydney isn’t about ordering the most complicated dish. Often, a simple plate made properly tells you far more about a kitchen.
What Does Good Pasta Actually Taste Like?
You don’t need to be an expert to know when pasta is good.
The first thing you’ll probably notice is the texture. It shouldn’t be soft or soggy. There should still be a little bite to it.
Then there’s the sauce. You want enough to coat the pasta, but not so much that every mouthful tastes exactly the same. Cheese, herbs, mushrooms, tomato or seafood should all have their place rather than fighting for attention.
That balance is an important part of what makes a great pasta dish. More ingredients don’t automatically make it better. Quite often, the opposite is true.
A simple pasta made carefully can be much more satisfying than one with everything thrown at it.
Some Things Are Better Left Simple
Sydney’s restaurant scene has changed a lot over the years. Tastes change, new dining trends arrive and menus naturally move with the times.
But the basics of good Italian cooking haven’t needed much changing.
It still comes back to fresh produce, careful preparation and knowing when to leave an ingredient alone. It’s pasta with the right texture, seafood cooked without hiding its natural flavour and a sauce that tastes as though it has been given the time it needs.
The same goes for hospitality.
A good restaurant should make you feel welcome without hovering over the table. Service should be there when you need it and almost disappear when you don’t.
That has been part of Beppi’s approach since 1956, through generations of Sydney diners coming in for family dinners, birthdays, anniversaries and plenty of ordinary nights out.
Finding Your Favourite Is Half the Fun
Your first authentic Italian meal probably won’t answer the question of what your favourite Italian dish is. That might take a few dinners.
You may start with ravioli and discover you prefer gnocchi. You might order seafood because it feels familiar and end up talking about the pasta all the way home. Perhaps the surprise of the night will be a wine you chose because someone at the restaurant suggested it.
That’s how it should be.
If you’re hoping to discover Sydney’s best pasta, give yourself a chance to explore rather than deciding beforehand what the perfect dish is supposed to be.
Good Italian food doesn’t need much explaining once it reaches the table. When the ingredients are fresh, the pasta is cooked properly and everything works together, you’ll know.
Come Hungry and Take Your Time
Trying authentic Italian food for the first time doesn’t need to be complicated. Share something to begin, order the pasta that catches your eye and try another course if you’re still hungry. Have a glass of wine, save room for dessert if you can and don’t rush the evening.
For anyone curious about trying some of the best pasta in Sydney, that slower way of dining is part of the experience. The food matters, of course, but so does the time spent around the table.
Whether it’s your first proper Italian dinner or you’re simply keen to try something different, come with an appetite and a bit of curiosity.
Call (02) 9360 4558 or email beppis@beppis.com.au to learn more about the menu or reserve a table.