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Menu guide

Spot octopus on any menu.

Octopus goes by a lot of names, and sometimes it's hiding inside a dish. Here's how to recognize it anywhere, plus a card you can show your server in eight languages.

NamesDishesGet the phrase card

What it's called

  • pulpo

    Spanish

  • polpo

    also polipo

    Italian

  • polvo

    Portuguese

  • poulpe

    also pieuvre

    French

  • χταπόδι

    chtapódi

    Greek

  • タコ / 蛸

    tako

    Japanese

  • 문어 · 낙지

    muneo · nakji

    Korean

  • 章鱼

    zhāngyú

    Chinese (Mandarin)

  • Oktopus

    also Krake

    German

  • ahtapot

    Turkish

  • pop

    Catalan

  • heʻe

    or tako

    Hawaiian menus

  • bạch tuộc

    Vietnamese

  • pugita

    Filipino

  • أخطبوط

    akhṭabūṭ

    Arabic

  • hobotnica

    Croatian

Calamari is squid, not octopus. Our pledge is about octopus; what you do about their cousins is up to you.

Dishes to watch for

Bucky's tipWhen in doubt, just ask. Most kitchens are happy to tell you what's in a dish.

Japanese

  • Takoyaki

    Round batter balls with pieces of octopus inside. Easy to miss.

  • Tako sashimi or nigiri

    Sliced octopus, raw or lightly boiled.

  • Tako wasa

    Chopped raw octopus with wasabi, a common bar snack.

  • Akashiyaki

    An eggy cousin of takoyaki from Akashi, also with octopus.

Korean

  • Sannakji

    Raw long-arm octopus (nakji), often served moving.

  • Nakji bokkeum

    Spicy stir-fried long-arm octopus.

  • Jukkumi

    Webfoot octopus, often grilled or stir-fried.

Spanish & Portuguese

  • Pulpo a la gallega

    Galician boiled octopus with paprika and olive oil. Also called pulpo á feira.

  • Polvo à lagareiro

    Portuguese roasted octopus with potatoes and olive oil.

  • Empanada de pulpo

    Galician pie with an octopus filling.

Italian & Greek

  • Polpo alla luciana

    Neapolitan octopus stewed in tomato.

  • Insalata di polpo

    Octopus salad, often with potatoes.

  • Chtapodi sti schara

    Greek grilled octopus.

Elsewhere

  • Tako poke

    Hawaiian poke made with octopus instead of fish.

  • Pulpo al olivo

    Peruvian octopus in a purple olive sauce.

  • Grilled or charred octopus

    A staple on many modern menus, often as a starter.

Might include octopus

These don't always contain octopus, but often can. Worth a quick question.

  • Seafood salad
  • Frutti di mare
  • Seafood paella
  • Mixed seafood platters
  • Cóctel de mariscos
  • Fritto misto
  • Seafood pasta
  • Ceviche mixto

Phrase card

“No octopus, please.”

Pick a language. Save the card to your phone for your next trip.

Sin pulpo, por favor. No como pulpo.

No octopus, please. I don't eat octopus.

Save to my phoneShow full screen

Save it to your photos and show it to your server. Bucky does the talking.

Phrase card in Spanish: Sin pulpo, por favor. No como pulpo. (No octopus, please. I don't eat octopus.)

Spotted a better translation? Tell us at hello@octopedarian.com. Not an Octopedarian yet? Join the movement.