GUIDESA PASTA FOR EVERY PLATE: CELEBRATE WORLD PASTA DAY
WHEN IS WORLD PASTA DAY?
World Pasta Day falls on 25 October every year. It's the perfect excuse to twirl, scoop and share one of the world's favourite comfort foods.
The celebration goes back to 1995, when pasta makers from around the world met in Rome for the first World Pasta Congress. They agreed pasta deserved its own day in the calendar, and it has been celebrated around the globe every 25 October since 1998. We couldn't agree more.
WHY DOES PASTA COME IN SO MANY SHAPES?
Pasta has a special talent for bringing people together. It's the midweek dinner that never lets you down, the big bowl passed around the table on a Sunday and the dish you order when you want something that feels like a hug.
Part of the magic is the variety. Italy is home to hundreds of pasta shapes, and each one is designed to do something slightly different.
Long pasta is made for twirling. Spaghetti is the classic, perfect with silky sauces that cling to every strand (napkins recommended).
Short shapes are the sauce-catchers. Fusilli's spirals and Casareccia's rolled, S-shaped twists trap sauce in every curl, so every forkful is loaded.
Filled, layered and ribboned pasta brings the drama. Ravioli hides a tasty surprise in every parcel. Lasagne stacks up layer after layer of comfort. And Mafaldine, with its broad ribbons and ruffled edges, looks as good as it tastes.
FRESH OR DRIED: WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?
Dried pasta is usually made from durum wheat and water, which gives it a firm, springy bite. Fresh pasta is often enriched with eggs, making it softer and silkier, and it's brilliant with rich, creamy sauces.
Both have their place, and Italian cooks have been matching shapes to sauces for generations. But there's no need to take it too seriously. The best pasta is always the one you enjoy most.
FIND YOUR PERFECT PASTA AT ZIZZI
At Zizzi, we're pretty passionate about pasta (we'd be penne-less without it). Our pasta menu is made with free-range eggs and Wildfarmed flour, and our sauces are freshly cooked to order.
MEET OUR FRESH MAFALDINE
The star of the show is our fresh Mafaldine. Its broad, generous ribbons have ruffled edges on both sides, which gives it a soft bite and helps it hold on to every drop of sauce. It's the kind of pasta that makes you slow down and savour every mouthful.
For something bold and bright, try Mafaldine with king prawn spiedini and a seafood and Roquito chilli bisque. It's rich and sunny, with just a little kick, and brings a taste of the Italian coast to your table.
SOMETHING FOR EVERY CRAVING
Prefer your pasta with some heat? Our Casareccia with spicy harissa chicken, creamy harissa sauce, spinach and flamed chilli packs a punch in every twist.
If comfort is what you're craving, keep it classic. Spinach and goat's cheese ravioli with pomodoro sauce and pesto is light and fresh. Our lasagne brings six layers of egg pasta, rich beef ragu and béchamel, finished with a golden crumb. It's the ultimate cosy autumn dinner.
HOW TO CELEBRATE WORLD PASTA DAY
Pasta is made for sharing, so bring your family, round up your friends or book a date night and swap forkfuls across the table. Try a shape you've never ordered before, and share your plate with #WorldPastaDay.
From comforting classics to generous ribbons of fresh Mafaldine, there are plenty of ways to celebrate World Pasta Day at Zizzi. Explore the latest Zizzi menu and find your perfect plate.
WIN THE ULTIMATE PASTA EXPERIENCE
WIN THE ULTIMATE PASTA EXPERIENCE
Why stop at dinner? This World Pasta Day, your love of pasta could take you all the way to where it all began.
From 19 October to 2 November, enter our World Pasta Day competition for the chance to win a holiday to Italy and a pasta-making workshop. Sponsored by Peroni, it's a once-in-a-lifetime chance to go from enjoying pasta to making it yourself.
WHAT COULD YOU WIN?
Picture sunshine, stunning scenery, long lunches and the chance to discover the craft and culture behind your favourite dishes. Pasta is woven into Italian life, from family kitchens to local traditions, and there's no better place to experience it.
At your pasta-making workshop, you'll get hands-on with the dough and learn how fresh pasta is mixed, rolled and shaped by hand. You'll come home with memories to treasure, a brand-new skill and some serious bragging rights at your next dinner party.
HOW TO ENTER
How to enter
Entering is easy:
- Follow the link to the competition page
- Fill in your details before 2 November
- Keep everything crossed
Full terms and conditions, eligibility details and the closing time are available on the competition page.
Whether you love to twirl spaghetti, scoop up sauce with Casareccia or tuck into ruffled ribbons of fresh Mafaldine, there's a pasta dish with your name on it at Zizzi. And this World Pasta Day, your love of pasta could take you even further.
Explore the latest Zizzi menu, then enter the World Pasta Day competition. Buon appetito!
Explore the menu | Enter the competition
Competition runs 19 October to 2 November 2026. View full terms and conditions, including eligibility and closing time.