May 16, 2025
5 Steps to Hosting the Perfect Italian Dinner Party
Is there anything better than lounging on the balcony of your Italian villa, staring into the rolling hills of the Tuscan countryside as you drink your espresso? Or lazily sipping on a glass of vino as the hum of Italian music surrounds you, the waft of freshly made pasta seeping across the piazza?
Well, okay, for many of us, we wouldn’t know. This is how we imagine Italy to be…endless sun soaked days filled with music, laughter, good company and even better food. But with the cost of a round trip to Rome constantly going up, and a flight from Australia taking over twenty hours, nipping over to Europe for a spontaneous weekend away is looking increasingly unlikely. But why should that mean we miss out on all the fun?
Bringing a taste of Europe to you can be as simple as hosting an Italian-themed dinner party. Whether you invite around all your best friends for a Saturday night festa, or simply get into theme with the family on a random weeknight, these tips will provide you with everything you need to know to put together a dinner that is authentically and deliciously Italian, without spending a fortune or sacrificing hours in the kitchen.
1. Choose your table setting:
Dare to delve into the depths of your linen cupboard- you might be surprised what you find. Think reds, greens, stripes, checks, but don’t be limited. Do you have a baby blue or yellow tablecloth? Sicilian theme! Do you only seem to have one white tablecloth that is strictly reserved for the all-important Christmas lunch? Think outside the square- old sheets can work brilliantly as tablecloths, or…ditch the tablecloth all together and instead opt to define the theme in other ways: perhaps in placemats made from leftover material, or those red napkins you’ve never got around to using. Don’t be afraid to add some greenery with flowers, or create a romantic ambience with some candlesticks. Going for a Sicilian theme? Some lemons in a bowl can offer a simple but on-theme centrepiece. Even the most simple of table settings can be brought to life with some great embellishments.
2. Select your music:
There are plenty of pre-curated playlists on Spotify. Simply type in words that describe what vibe you’re going for- you might be surprised by how specific some of these playlists are. Try searching “Chill Sicily”, “Groovy Mediterranean” or “Smooth Italian”. The playlist can really set the tone for your event, so have fun with it!
3. Pair your drinks:
Sunny afternoon? Who can go wrong with an aperol spritz in the sun, or for a twist on this classic, perhaps a limoncello spritz. Gather your liqueur of choice (aperol, limoncello, campari or elderflower for a Hugo Spritz); fill a glass with ice; pour in one to two shots of liqueur, depending on your preference; fill three-quarters of the glass up with prosecco; top with soda water; and garnish with fresh fruit or herbs (think orange slices for aperol, rosemary for limoncello and mint for elderflower).
Misty winter evening? How about a nice bottle of red wine?
For non-alcoholic options, try chinotto, an Italian soft drink that’s bittersweet in taste, or get creative and mix together some mocktails.
4. Prepare your food:
Here’s the great part. You’ve just spent some time curating the perfect decor, music and drinks for your Italian dinner party, and where you would usually be throwing on an apron and preparing yourself to spend hours painstakingly laboring over a hot stove, for this dinner party, the work is already done.
You get the fun part of selecting the menu, and then you can sit back and let the event unfold with ease of mind (and a clean kitchen).
Aston Lucas Gourmet has a huge range of options to choose from, including vegan, vegetarian and gluten free meals that can be delivered to your door*. If you’ve got only a few guests and are hoping to try a variety of options, opt for our 400 gram or 1kg meals. If you’re entertaining a larger group, we suggest making use of our 2.8kg dishes to feed the masses.
From classic lasagna to basil pesto gnocchi to eggplant parmigiana, our diverse range of gourmet ready-made meals ensure there’s something to please everybody- even the fussiest guest!
Wanting something fresh on the side? Try our 2kg salad options- perfect for entertaining.
All of our packaging is oven and microwave safe, so it’s a matter of heating up and setting on the table. To really elevate your dinner, dig out your fanciest dishes and plate up your pasta with a little garnish on top.
Aston Lucas Gourmet is all homemade from authentic family recipes, so you can easily pass this off as your own (we won’t mind), leaving your guests pondering when you nipped off to culinary school without them knowing.
Check if our online store delivers to your postcode
5. Feeling extra motivated? Add some activities
If conversation is exhausted after dinner, or everybody is in the depths of a food coma after your mouth-watering Italian feast, why not get everybody re-engaged with a few party games?
Try SCOPA, an iconic Italian card game that is said to have been played across the nation since the 15th century, maybe even longer. All you need is a deck of cards and a fiery attitude.
If cards aren’t your thing, what about trying a little Italian trivia? Have everybody contribute a few questions before the evening begins to reduce the load, or simply use a pre-crafted question set from online.
Whether you’re looking to bring a group together for a spicy weekend festa, or hoping to beat the mid-week blues with an intimate, laid-back dinner party, these five simple steps will have your event rivalling the hundreds of European Summer posts overloading your Instagram feed.
So what are you waiting for? Gather your best crockery, select your ALG meals and let the vibes of the Mediterranean transport you from your living room to the sunny piazzas of Italy.