Italian restaurant red flags revealed and how to know if it's a tourist trap – the garlic bread is a giveaway
One expert has offered their advice on how to tell whether you're in a good
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One expert revealed the way to tell if an Italian restaurant is authentic
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The menu won't be too long if it's a good restaurant
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Orazio Salvini, founder of
And sadly for Brits, there's one tasty side dish that shouldn't be on the menu.
Orazio said: "If you see garlic bread listed as a starter, you're probably not in a good restaurant.
"This dish simply doesn't exist in Italy in the form Brits know it. What Italians actually eat is 'bruschetta' - toasted bread rubbed with garlic and topped with good olive oil, sometimes with fresh tomatoes added."
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There's more bad news for anyone who loves a carbonara with chicken and mushrooms.
Orazio added: "Real
"If you see cream, peas, chicken, or mushrooms, the restaurant isn't following traditional recipes."
Another way to know whether or not you're at a good eatery is quite simple - all you need to do is glance at the menu.
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According to Orazio, if the menu has lots on offer then it might be a sign that it's not authentic.
Most real Italian restaurants have small menus with dishes that change seasonally.
I visited the tiny island that is Italy's best kept secret and you can avoid the summer crowds
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Garlic bread shouldn't be on the menu
Credit: Alamy
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Carbonara is made up of five ingredients with no extra toppings
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If there are lots of various dishes on offer, then it could be a sign that the eatery is using frozen ingredients and that the food isn't fresh.
And when you order a seafood pasta, hopefully you won't be offered any
Orazio advised that "no Italian would ever add cheese to seafood pasta".
He even added that it's considered a "culinary sin" - so a definite no no.
Another sign of inauthenticity is if a restaurant is mixing specialities from across regions.
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If you really want to put a place to the test, ask a server about ingredients and cooking techniques.
The expert revealed that most authentic restaurants will happily divulge facts like where the olive oil is from, or which region a dish is from.
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An Italian expert reveals the signs of a truly authentic Italian restaurant
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