Don't Even Bother If An Italian Restaurant Doesn't Have This Drink On Its Menu, According To Scott Conant

If you've eaten enough Italian cuisine in both Italy and abroad, you've experienced the drastic differences in quality and authenticity of Italian restaurants depending on where you go. For example, Olive Garden's over-reliance on cheese is a sign that the restaurant isn't up to snuff. However, to know if your Italian eatery of choice is truly as authentic as they come, there's one beloved item that needs to be on the menu: a shot of espresso.

Now, while many Italian restaurants in America likely won't have espresso on the menu, the signature drink's inclusion is enough to certify that an establishment is truly bringing the stylings and taste of Italy to your table. This was reinforced by Scott Conant in an interview with Tasting Table; the celebrity chef even went as far as to say that a restaurant that claims to be authentic and doesn't serve espresso isn't worth visiting at all. "There have been restaurants that call themselves Italian that don't have espresso, and that's unacceptable," Conant remarked, " ... If you don't have an espresso at your restaurant, thank you very much, I'll see what's happening next door."

You might not know this if you're accustomed to visiting bad Italian restaurants, but espresso is a key part of any great Italian meal. Similarly to how important Italian wine is on the menu, the highly caffeinated drink is considered to be the perfect dessert in some European countries, but is especially common within its country of origin — Italy. The most prevalent reason for this tendency is ultimately a widely-held belief that a strong shot of espresso is great for digestion, which is a must if you've just finished a large Italian meal. In fact, espresso is actually better for your stomach than your body than you might think, as it has relatively low acidity compared to other types of coffee, helps stimulate the liver and gallbladder, and is generally gut-friendly.

However, there is more to the classic post-meal espresso. While a large dinner might make having dessert sound like a bad idea, espresso is the perfect beverage to drink as you finish your conversations and enjoy your party's company before bidding them farewell. Many have called the time when you get a shot of espresso after lunch or dinner essentially an epilogue for the outing.

Static Media owns and operates Tasting Table and The Takeout.