Stanley Tucci's Go-To Italian Restaurant Order

As much as Stanley Tucci is an actor, he's also quite the foodie. Most recently he's taken audiences on a culinary adventure through Italy with his popular cooking and travel show on CNN, "Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy." He's also the author of "Taste: My Life Through Food," the follow-up to the bestselling cookbooks "The Tucci Table" and "The Tucci Cookbook," all of which cover Italian-American culture and cuisine from his own perspective. And let's not forget, his Instagram is always filled with videos of him cooking at home.

But before Tucci became an acclaimed cookbook author and cooking show host, he wrote the screenplay for "Big Night," which is largely considered one of the best food movies in cinematic history (via The Guardian). According to Tucci, making "Big Night" was as much a turning point for him personally as it was for the Italian-American restaurant industry. "This made me want to explore food more, and it's become a huge part of my life," Tucci told Bon Appetit. "I think about it as much, if not more, than I do acting. It has almost taken me over." It's no surprise that Tucci loves dining at Italian restaurants, given his relationship with food and cooking. Even less shocking is that he has a go-to order when grabbing a quick bite at Italian eateries. 

Considering "Big Night" tells the story of two brothers struggling to preserve the authenticity of Italian food while opening up a restaurant in 1950s America, it makes perfect sense that Stanley Tucci is particular when it comes to dining at Italian restaurants. You definitely won't find him at an Olive Garden — he'd much rather eat his dad's eggplant parmigiana or leftover cold pizza. While Italian-American restaurant chains may be out of the question, one of Tucci's favorite spots to dine at is La Scalinatella in New York, and if he's in London, Locanda Locatelli. He also is a fan of Mario Batali's many restaurants.

As for what he orders off the menu, Tucci has two go-to's: gnocchi or veal Milanese. The actor-turned-foodie of course has a refined palate when it comes to these options, so he won't eat just any gnocchi or veal Milanese. "It's got to be really, really good," he stressed to Bon Appetit. Apparently quite a bit of Secondo, Tucci's character in "Big Night," has rubbed off on his eating preferences.