The moment you sit down at an Italian dinner table, your journey begins with a mosaic of antipasto: olives, artisanal cheeses, cured meats, salted fish, sun-ripened vegetables, bruschetta, and crostini. This vibrant assortment of appetizers, full of color and flavor, awakens your senses and primes you for the meal to come. The Italian word antipasto (plural form is antipasti) translates to "before the meal" and remains an essential part of Italian culinary tradition and hospitality.

Traditionally presented family-style on a big, shared platter, antipasti are a carefully curated spread that unfolds a wide range of well-balanced but contrasting colors, flavors, and textures; often featuring a symphony of regional specialties and seasonal ingredients both cold and warm.