Last updated: 28 May 2026
In 30 seconds: the Italian gastronomic calendar for Swiss restaurateurs
The Italian gastronomic calendar links each month of the year to a holiday or season and to a typical dish. Planning your menu around it gives Swiss restaurants and pizzerias a clear, authentic and profitable seasonal rhythm: lentils and cotechino in January, chiacchiere and cannoli at Carnival, pastiera and colomba at Easter, granita and gelato in summer, mushrooms and pumpkin in autumn, truffle and chestnuts in November, panettone and pandoro at Christmas.
Below you will find the complete 12-month table (month, holiday or season, typical dish, key LAPA ingredient), a short section for each month with tradition, dish, ingredients and a menu suggestion, a practical method to plan the seasonal menu, an 8-question FAQ and how to source authentic Italian ingredients in Switzerland all year round.
12-month calendar table
| Month | Holiday / season | Typical dish | Key LAPA ingredient |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Post-holidays, winter | Cotechino with lentils, ribollita | Cotechino, Castelluccio lentils |
| February | Carnival | Chiacchiere, cannoli, sanguinaccio | Flour 00, sheep ricotta, lard |
| March | Beginning of spring | Risotto with asparagus, savoury Easter pie | Carnaroli rice, Parmigiano Reggiano DOP |
| April | Easter | Pastiera, colomba, roast lamb | Cooked wheat, candied fruit, ricotta |
| May | Spring | Pasta with fresh fava beans, primavera salads | Pecorino Romano DOP, extra virgin olive oil |
| June | Early summer | Caprese, cold pasta salad | Buffalo mozzarella DOP, datterini tomatoes |
| July | High summer | Granita, gelato, panzanella | Lemon and pistachio paste, Tuscan bread |
| August | Ferragosto | Sicilian granita with brioche, swordfish | Bronte pistachio, brioche col tuppo |
| September | Grape harvest | Risotto with grapes, schiacciata with grapes | Carnaroli rice, must, walnuts |
| October | Mushrooms and pumpkin | Pumpkin tortelli, porcini tagliatelle | Porcini mushrooms, pumpkin, fresh egg pasta |
| November | Truffle and chestnuts | Tagliolini with truffle, castagnaccio | White truffle, chestnut flour, fondue cheese |
| December | Christmas | Panettone, pandoro, stuffed capon | Artisan panettone, pandoro, nougat |
January: starting the year with lentils and cotechino
January opens with the New Year tradition: lentils, symbol of money and prosperity, served with cotechino or zampone. It is comfort food that brings warmth back after the holidays and works well as a cover-charge starter or daily special.
The reference dish is cotechino with Castelluccio di Norcia PGI lentils. For lunch menus, the Tuscan ribollita and bean soups are ideal. Menu suggestion: a winter set menu with cotechino and lentils as the main course, between 22 and 28 CHF.
February: Carnival and fried sweets
Carnival is the busiest fried-pastry season of the year. The stars are the chiacchiere (also called frappe, bugie or cenci depending on the region), the Sicilian cannoli and, in the south, the sanguinaccio with chocolate.
For chiacchiere you need 00 flour, eggs and a dash of grappa or Marsala; for cannoli, well-drained sheep ricotta. Menu suggestion: a Carnival dessert trolley with chiacchiere and mini-cannoli, priced at 7 to 9 CHF per portion.
March: spring and the first vegetables
March marks the start of spring and of fresh produce: asparagus, peas, artichokes. It is the time for delicate risottos and for the savoury Easter pie that anticipates the upcoming holiday.
The classic dish is asparagus risotto with Carnaroli rice and Parmigiano Reggiano DOP. Menu suggestion: a spring risotto of the day, between 18 and 24 CHF, that highlights vegetable seasonality on the menu.
April: Easter between pastiera and colomba
Easter is the most important pastry event after Christmas. The two icons are the Neapolitan pastiera (cooked wheat, ricotta, candied fruit, orange-blossom water) and the colomba, the leavened Easter cake. Roast lamb dominates the savoury side.
The pastiera needs cooked wheat, sheep or cow ricotta and candied fruit; the colomba calls for strong flour and natural sourdough. Menu suggestion: an Easter set menu with roast lamb and a slice of pastiera, between 38 and 52 CHF.
May: spring at its peak
May brings fresh fava beans, the first courgettes and tender herbs. It is the month of light pasta dishes and of primavera salads that lighten the menu after winter.
The signature dish is pasta with fresh fava beans and Pecorino Romano DOP, with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Menu suggestion: a spring pasta of the day, between 16 and 22 CHF, ideal for business lunches.
June: summer and Caprese
June opens the summer season: Caprese, cold pasta salads, fresh dishes built around tomato and mozzarella. Customers look for lightness and colour on the plate.
The flagship dish is the Caprese with buffalo mozzarella DOP, datterini tomatoes and basil. Menu suggestion: a buffalo-mozzarella Caprese as a starter, between 12 and 18 CHF, with a clearly stated DOP origin.
July: granita, gelato and panzanella
July is the peak of summer: Sicilian granita, artisan gelato and Tuscan panzanella. Refreshing dishes and frozen desserts drive margins in this period.
The reference products are lemon and pistachio granita, made with quality pastes, and the bread-based panzanella salad. Menu suggestion: a granita and brioche corner for breakfast and afternoon service, between 5 and 8 CHF.
August: Ferragosto and Sicilian granita
August revolves around Ferragosto and the most iconic Sicilian breakfast: granita with brioche col tuppo. Swordfish and seafood dishes complete the summer menu.
The leading ingredients are Bronte pistachio and the brioche col tuppo. Menu suggestion: a complete Sicilian breakfast with almond or pistachio granita and brioche, between 6 and 9 CHF, perfect for tourist-area venues.
September: the grape harvest
September is the month of the grape harvest: grapes, must and the first walnuts arrive. It is the time for risottos with grapes and for the Tuscan schiacciata with grapes.
The signature dish is risotto with grapes and Carnaroli rice, finished with must. Menu suggestion: a harvest dish of the day paired with a glass of new wine, between 20 and 26 CHF.
October: mushrooms and pumpkin
October is dominated by porcini mushrooms and pumpkin. It is the season of Mantuan pumpkin tortelli and of porcini tagliatelle, two pillars of the Italian autumn menu.
The reference ingredients are porcini mushrooms, pumpkin and fresh egg pasta. Menu suggestion: a fresh-pasta tasting between pumpkin tortelli and porcini tagliatelle, between 19 and 26 CHF.
November: truffle and chestnuts
November is the king month for white truffle and for chestnuts. Tagliolini with truffle and castagnaccio mark the most prestigious moment of the autumn menu.
The star ingredients are white truffle, chestnut flour and fondue cheeses. Menu suggestion: a tagliolino with fresh truffle as a signature dish, between 32 and 48 CHF depending on the daily truffle price.
December: Christmas, panettone and pandoro
December is the most important pastry month of the year: panettone and pandoro dominate, alongside nougat and stuffed capon for Christmas lunch.
The flagship products are artisan panettone, pandoro and nougat. Menu suggestion: a Christmas dessert plate with panettone, mascarpone cream and a glass of passito, between 9 and 14 CHF.
How to plan the seasonal menu
A seasonal menu is not improvised: it is built two to three months ahead. Here is a practical method for Swiss restaurateurs.
1. Work three months ahead. Plan the Easter menu in February, the summer menu in April, the Christmas menu in October. Seasonal raw materials must be booked in advance with the supplier.
2. Two fixed dishes plus one seasonal special. Keep the bestsellers on the menu all year round and rotate one or two seasonal dishes that follow the calendar. This balances familiarity and novelty.
3. Make seasonality explicit on the menu. Write "autumn dish", "Easter special", "DOP origin": customers pay more for a product that is clearly seasonal and certified.
4. Calculate food cost dish by dish. Seasonal raw materials fluctuate in price (the truffle is the clearest example). Keep food cost between 28 and 35% by adjusting the selling price each month.
FAQ — the Italian gastronomic calendar
What is the Italian gastronomic calendar?
It is the link between each month of the year and a holiday, a season and a typical dish of the Italian tradition. It helps restaurateurs plan a seasonal menu following the natural availability of ingredients and the most relevant festivities.
Why plan a seasonal menu?
Seasonal raw materials cost less, taste better and tell a story to the customer. A seasonal menu reduces waste, improves margins and clearly distinguishes an authentic Italian restaurant from a generic one.
Which dish do you serve at the Italian New Year?
Lentils with cotechino or zampone. Lentils symbolise money and prosperity for the coming year. It is a comfort dish, easy to standardise as a starter or main course in the January menu.
What is the typical dessert of Italian Carnival?
Chiacchiere (also called frappe, bugie or cenci) and cannoli. They are fried sweets dusted with icing sugar. Carnival is the strongest fried-pastry season of the year for Italian restaurants and pastry shops.
What do you cook for Italian Easter?
The pastiera napoletana and the colomba on the sweet side, roast lamb on the savoury side. The pastiera is made with cooked wheat, ricotta and candied fruit; the colomba is a leavened cake similar to panettone.
What are the summer Italian dishes for a restaurant?
Caprese, cold pasta salads, panzanella, Sicilian granita and artisan gelato. In summer customers look for lightness, freshness and colour: tomato, buffalo mozzarella and citrus take centre stage.
When is the truffle in season in Italy?
The prized white truffle runs from October to December, peaking in November. The black truffle has a longer season. November is the ideal month to feature a tagliolino with truffle as a signature dish.
Where can I buy seasonal Italian ingredients in Switzerland?
LAPA supplies restaurants and pizzerias throughout Switzerland with seasonal Italian ingredients all year round: cooked wheat for pastiera, panettone, truffle, porcini, buffalo mozzarella DOP. Refrigerated delivery 6 days a week, orders on +41 76 361 70 21.
LAPA: seasonal Italian ingredients all year round
LAPA is the Italian food wholesaler in Switzerland for restaurants, pizzerias and professional delicatessens. 3,000+ authentic products, refrigerated delivery 6 days a week, a direct supply chain with selected Italian producers.
Following the gastronomic calendar, LAPA brings the right seasonal product to the table every month: cotechino and lentils in January, ricotta and 00 flour for Carnival, cooked wheat and candied fruit for the Easter pastiera, buffalo mozzarella DOP and datterini in summer, pistachio paste for granita, porcini and pumpkin in autumn, truffle and chestnut flour in November, artisan panettone and pandoro at Christmas.
Orders: lapa.ch/shop or +41 76 361 70 21. Free technical advice for chefs and restaurateurs on building the seasonal menu.