A practical guide to translating restaurant menus

Start with the original menu PDF or webpage when possible. For a photo, hold the camera parallel to the page and make sure small descriptions and prices are readable before uploading. Process long menus as complete pages in their natural order so headings keep their context.

A dish name alone may not explain what arrives at the table. Read the original name, translation, description, section, and price together. Preparation words such as grilled, cured, raw, braised, or fried often matter as much as the main ingredient.

A translated menu cannot observe recipe substitutions, shared fryers, or cross-contact. Use the translation to prepare specific questions, then show the original dish name to staff. For serious allergies or medical restrictions, direct restaurant confirmation is essential.

Price columns often contain more than one number. A pair such as 9 / 14 may describe two portion sizes, while +3 usually marks an optional addition rather than the complete dish price. Labels such as market price, per person, minimum two people, and service included change how the number should be read.

Keep each number beside the original dish while reviewing the translation. If a price is missing, attached to a heading, or shown without its qualifier, return to the source instead of guessing from nearby items.

Before ordering, compare the translated result with the source in a fixed order: section heading, dish name, description, price, and footnotes. This catches common layout mistakes faster than rereading the translated menu alone.