The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word ANTIPASTO
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
A
N
T
I
P
A
S
T
O
More clues leading to the result ANTIPASTO
- A new suggestion regarding appetiser
- Starter that’s Spain to a T, somehow
- Opponents welcome old man to first course
- For the present perhaps nothing as starter
- Turn pasta into an Italian starter
- Against former old Italian food
- Starter not for pot, as in a stew
- Bully into a gripping history course
- A new betting hint regarding course leader
- Asti on tap — novel provision for start of Italian meal
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "What whets appetite" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case what whets appetite = antipasto.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does ANTIPASTO mean?
ANTIPASTO noun- An Italian starter for a meal; normally a cold assortment of salami, cheese, seafood and vegetables.