20+ Italian Dinner Party Ideas (Easy, Fun, & Delicious Ideas)

If you’re looking to host a dinner party and want an easy way to spruce things up, adding a theme is always a good idea. Especially when it comes to Italian dinner party ideas. 

From potluck style dinners to seasonal themed dinner ideas; there are so many fun (and delicious) themes you can use to make your dinner feel more exciting.

Lately, Italian dinner party ideas have been trending online, and I had to hop on the trend. So I’m sharing some easy, fun, and delicious ideas to help you bring your Italian dinner party to life.

Italian Dinner Party Ideas

Create a Party Vision Board

One of the best things I love about Italian food is how versatile it is. And when it comes to your Italian dinner party, you can make it as fancy or as casual as you’d like.

For example, if you want more of a casual Italian dinner party, you can serve something like pizza, or even turn it into a DIY pizza night. Another casual option is serving spaghetti bolognese with a side salad and garlic bread.

If you want to make your dinner party a little bit fancier, you can start by putting a nice tablecloth on your dining table. You can also create a three course menu with an appetizer, a main course, and dessert.

When it comes to creating a mood board for how you want your table setting and party space to look; I highly recommend looking online on platforms like Pinterest or Instagram. There, you can search for different decoration ideas and recipes that you can incorporate into your party.

Send Out a Cute Invite

Now that you have a general gist of how you want to set up your Italian dinner party, it’s time to create and send out the invites. If you know me, I’m all about creating excitement and anticipation when it comes to parties; and a themed dinner party is no exception.

Quickly hop on a flyer design app like Canva or PicMonkey and create an invite to send to your friends. Make sure it includes the date, time, location, and the type of party you’re hosting. You can also give them a little sneak peek of the vibe by adding Italian themed elements to the flyer. Like pizza, pasta, or other foods that will be on the menu. Have fun with it and don’t overthink it.

Once it’s done, simply text the digital invite to your friends as a fun reminder about the party.

Italian Dinner Party Menu

As mentioned earlier, there are so many different types of Italian foods that you can add to your menu. 

From pizza to pastas to chicken recipes, Italian cuisine is nothing short of delicious. Meaning, there’s plenty of options when it comes to choosing Italian dishes for your dinner party. 

You can find great recipes online or even try recreating something new for your party. Another easy option is getting catering from a local Italian restaurant. Then putting everything in serving dishes so it still looks like a fancy and home cooked meal.

Appetizers

Here are some great appetizer ideas you can serve at your dinner party. That said, definitely look online and see what other amazing recipes and food ideas stand out to you and feel free to recreate them for your party.

Italian Bread and Seasoned Olive Oil

For me, I think the easiest appetizer on this list is simply Italian bread and seasoned olive oil. You can usually find Italian bread in the fresh bread aisle at your local grocery store. I have a Publix near me that sells Italian bread by the loaf, so when my guests arrive, I can pop the bread in the oven, slice it, and serve it while it’s hot and fresh.

For the olive oil mixture, all you need is a really good extra-virgin olive oil along with Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, and sea salt. Mix everything together to your liking. Adjust for salt and spiciness, and you’ll have a flavorful olive oil that works perfectly as a dipping sauce for the bread.

Charcuterie Board

When I think of Italian food, I always think of communal and family style eating. Where there’s large plates and everyone is sitting around a table and sharing that dish.

And honestly, that’s what a charcuterie board is all about. You place it in the center of the table and let everyone grab different meats, crackers, and cheeses and add them to their own little appetizer plates.

Caprese Salad

A Caprese salad is another easy and crowd pleasing appetizer idea, especially if you and your guests love tomatoes and cheese. 

Plus, this is a great option if you’re hosting your dinner party during the warm summer months when tomatoes are in season. So, you can take advantage of fresh, juicy, and ripe tomatoes and incorporate them into your menu.

A Caprese salad is also super easy to assemble. All you need are tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, balsamic glaze, and salt and pepper for seasoning. You can easily put this appetizer together in under 10 minutes. Honestly, the hardest and longest part is just slicing the tomatoes and the cheese. 

Bruschetta

Bruschetta is another classic and popular Italian appetizer, and it’s a great way to use fresh tomatoes. 

For this, you’re going to dice your tomatoes and get a really good sliced bread. Top the bread with the seasoned tomato mixture, and you’ve got a light, fresh snack that’s perfect for munching.

It’s not meant to fill you up, but it looks beautiful on the table and is super easy to prepare. Just find a recipe you like and recreate it for your party.

Meatballs

Now on to the meats! If you’re looking for a meatier (if that’s even a word, lol) appetizer, consider serving meatballs in marinara sauce topped with melted mozzarella. 

I had these at an Italian restaurant once, and honestly, I was so full after the appetizer because the meatballs are super filling. Served with marinara, they’re juicy, saucy, and absolutely delicious. 

If you want to keep your main courses a little lighter, consider serving a simple salad or light carbs to balance out this hearty appetizer.

Calamari

If you’re like me, whenever you see calamari on a restaurant menu, you’re probably going to order it. And if you’ve never tried it before, you’re seriously missing out. It’s definitely worth a try! This appetizer is super popular and shows up on so many Italian restaurant menus.

Main course

If you want to make it at home, just find an easy, highly reviewed recipe and give it a try. Honestly, you might even make it better than your favorite restaurant version, and it’s such a fun addition to your appetizer rotation. 

Here are some popular and “easy” food ideas you can include on your Italian dinner party menu:

Pastas: spaghetti bolognese, lasagna, fettuccini alfredo, vodka pasta, pesto pasta

Chicken options: Chicken marsala, chicken Milanese, chicken piccata, chicken parm

Side dishes: sautéed broccoli rabe, side salad

Desserts: cannolis, tiramisu, sorbet, gelato, sfogliatelle

Drinks: (non-alcoholic: sparkling cider, sparkling water)  alcohol: red wine, white wine (my personal favorite is Prosecco)

Casual Food Ideas

If you want a less traditional dinner setup and chill, you can go for casual food ideas like pizza. 

Another fun option is to set up a pasta bar! You can cook a variety of plain noodles and offer different sauces, like Bolognese, Alfredo, and pesto. Add a few toppings like: crispy onions, fresh basil, Parmesan cheese, sausage, bacon bits, and chicken; and let your guests customize and build their own pasta bowls. 

Italian Dinner Party Decorations

If you’re going for a classic dinner setup, start with a beautiful tablecloth. Something simple, like white, works perfectly. 

Honestly, you don’t have to go overboard with decorations for this party because the main focus is the food. Just set up a nicely arranged table with plates, utensils, and maybe even some fresh flowers and candles (real or faux).

That said, if you’re doing your Italian dinner party as a mini theme or to celebrate something. Like a Galentine’s or a Christmas dinner, then of course, you can add seasonal or themed decor to make it extra festive. But at the end of the day, as long as the food is amazing, the party is going to be a hit!