Phrases › Dietary Restrictions › Niente di piccante, per favore.

Niente di piccante, per favore.

Nothing spicy, please.

Pronunciation

peek-KAHN-teh — stress on second syllable. 'Niente' = NYEHN-teh, two syllables.

When to use it

Use when ordering dishes in regions known for spicy food, like Calabria or when ordering arrabbiata sauce. Italian food is not generally spicy, but chili (peperoncino) appears in some dishes.

What it means

'Niente di + adjective' means 'nothing + adjective'. You could also say 'senza peperoncino' (without chili pepper). 'Piccante' refers to spicy heat, not just strong flavor.

Variations

Senza peperoncino, per favore.

Without chili pepper, please.

More specific — peperoncino is the spicy element in most Italian dishes.

Non sopporto il piccante.

I can't handle spicy food.

Stronger statement about inability to eat spice.

È molto piccante?

Is it very spicy?

Question to assess spice level before ordering.

Mini Dialogue

Cliente: La pasta all'arrabbiata è molto piccante? Cameriere: Abbastanza, sì. Ha il peperoncino. Cliente: Allora niente di piccante, per favore. Cosa mi consiglia? Cameriere: Le consiglio la pasta al pomodoro semplice, senza peperoncino.

Client: Is pasta all'arrabbiata very spicy? Waiter: Quite, yes. It has chili pepper. Client: Then nothing spicy, please. What do you recommend? Waiter: I recommend simple tomato pasta, without chili pepper.

Cultural Note

Southern Italian cuisine, especially from Calabria, uses peperoncino liberally. 'Nduja, a spreadable spicy salami from Calabria, is becoming fashionable across Italy — always ask if it appears in sauces.

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Seguo una dieta kosher.

Sono allergico/allergica ai molluschi.

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