Read the navigation on its own
Look at the category names without the dishes below them. Could someone tell which section to open? A playful label may be familiar to regular guests and less clear to a person reading the menu for the first time.
Keep the restaurant's voice, but give it enough context. A short descriptive word beside an unusual name may be enough. The decision should follow the content and the available space, rather than a rule that every label must be either plain or expressive.
Check the grouping underneath
Open each section and compare its contents with the name. A label that promises small plates should lead to the selection the restaurant has placed in that category. If the grouping changes, review the label at the same time.
Consider how many categories appear in the mobile navigation. A long row may need horizontal movement, a compact menu or a different hierarchy. Whatever the treatment, make the selected section apparent and keep the route back to other categories easy to find.
Keep the names consistent
Use the same category wording in the navigation and the section heading unless there is a clear reason to vary it. A diner should not have to decide whether two similar names refer to the same part of the menu.
Before the page is approved, read the sequence with the restaurant. The business supplies the menu and decides its contents; the design work organises those choices for the screen. A useful category system lets the dishes keep their character while giving readers an understandable way to move through them.