The Best And Worst Pasta To Order From A Restaurant, According To Chefs Who Make It

Julia Child famously said, “People who love to eat are always the best people.” And studies show that Americans really love to eat pasta. We consume almost 6 billion pounds of pasta per year, proving that a heaping bowl of noodles is one of life’s great pleasures.

The shapes, sizes and sauce combinations are endless, from spaghetti to rigatoni to cavatelli. But are some shapes better than others? We interviewed Italian chefs nationwide on what you should and shouldn’t order when pasta cravings come calling.

The Best Pastas To Order At A Restaurant

Spaghetti

Arguably the world’s most popular pasta shape, there’s a reason it’s a carb lover’s go-to. “Spaghetti is definitely the best to order at a restaurant because it is a world-renowned shape. Many restaurants make their spaghetti in-house because of how iconic the shape is, making it very high quality,” said Nadia Caterina Munno, a chef and author known as The Pasta Queen .

It’s also incredibly hard to mess up when cooking. “I usually order a longer noodle pasta like spaghetti. They’re usually more difficult to overcook, and generally, there’s a little more sauce to work with,” said Craig Richards, chef and owner of Lyla Lila in Atlanta, Georgia.

Tagliatelle

This northern Italian egg pasta is known for its long ribbon-like strands. Folklore says a chef created it to honor the golden locks of his soon-to-be-wife. Although history has since debunked that romantic tale, the pasta shape remains incredibly popular paired with meaty sauces like bolognese.

“Anything labeled tagliatelle will denote a hand-cut noodle. It is a great way of gauging a restaurant’s noodle quality and is generally worth the price tag because of all the labor and love that goes into it,” said