Anchovies have a unique taste that has many different flavor notes, including saltiness and umami. If you enjoy this type of fish, you might often order pizzas that include it as a topping. When you visit an Italian restaurant, you don't necessarily have to choose a pizza if you want to enjoy the taste of anchovies. Instead, browse the menu from top to bottom to look for other dishes that include anchovies among their ingredients. Lots of Italian eateries have a variety of dishes that have anchovies to add flavor. Here are three things that you might want to order.

Pasta Puttanesca

Most Italian restaurants have a long list of pasta dishes, and these dishes can contain protein sources such as beef, pork, and chicken. If you love anchovies, look for a dish called pasta puttanesca. It features a tomato-based sauce in which the primary protein source is anchovies, helping to give the sauce a flavor that is probably unlike any other pasta sauce you've had. Pasta puttanesca also contains many ingredients such as capers, garlic, and chili peppers. The result is that every bite you take will be highly flavorful and even offer some degree of spiciness.

Anchovy Dip

It's possible that you have a favorite main course that you want to order, but this doesn't mean that you won't be able to enjoy an anchovy-based dish. At a lot of Italian eateries, you'll find one or more appetizers that feature anchovies. One popular option is an anchovy dip. The exact preparation of this dip will vary between restaurants, but it often includes olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and other ingredients in addition to the anchovies. Everything is pureed into a thick, creamy dip that comes with several pieces of crusty Italian bread for dipping.

Marinated Anchovies

It's also common for Italian restaurants to have marinated anchovies on their menu. Depending on its size, this dish may be available as an appetizer or as a main course. Typically, the anchovies are marinated in a combination of olive oil, lemon juice, and several different herbs and spices. They're arranged tastefully on a plate and served with Italian bread and a small fork. You can use the fork to cut off a piece of the dish and place it on a piece of bread. Visit an Italian food restaurant in your community to look for these and other dishes that feature anchovies.