Italy and food are two words that cannot be separated. Hopefully, you'll be having some of the best food and wine that you've ever had in your life during your trip. Possibly a traveler's worst nightmare is to end up in some "tourist trap" restaurant where the experience would be all but a pleasant and authentic local Italian meal. Let's take a look at some practical advice for finding good places to eat as well as how meals work in Italy. Enjoying a leisurely meal is one of the pleasures of traveling in Italy, so keep in mind that for this reason, sometimes service is slightly slower compared to the fast-paced, get-in get-out attitude of many American restaurants. Italians take food very seriously and are very proud of the local traditions, sometimes with a somewhat closed-minded, skeptic position towards new and experimental food pairings. This rigidity in maintaining recipes true to the original version has kept the Italian cuisine relatively unchanged for centuries. Each region, and sometimes even a city, will have regional specialties that you cannot find anywhere else. Enhance your dining experience by asking your waiter about the typical dishes. Understanding how Italians traditionally eat will help you get the most out of your travel experience.

Where to eat? Different types of restaurants & eateries.

The differences between different eating places (Ristorante, Trattoria, Osteria) used to be much greater in the past. Nowadays it is up to the owner to choose the appropriate name based on his/her judgement and the kind of clientele he/she wishes to attract.

Ristorante: restaurant (can be fancy and expensive, make sure you see the menu before sitting down)

Trattoria : family run restaurant, home-style cooking, moderately priced. Usually more casual compared to a Ristorante.

Tavola calda : cafeteria-style restaurant, moderately priced

Osteria: informal and rustic wine bar that serves regional food, appetizers, tastings. Usually moderately priced, but some new osterias can be trendy and more upscale.

Taverna : rustic wine bar with local specialties. This used to be a very casual eating place but now there are some more formal ones.

Pizzeria: pizza restaurant, usually wood-fired oven. Sometimes sold “al taglio” (by the slice) or boxed and sold for take-out. As the most popular type of eatery in Italy, the pizzeria no longer confines choices to pizza, but often provides other dishes (mostly pasta) usually at lower prices than a ristorante.

Bar: serves coffee and snacks, sometimes first courses. If you just want a sandwich, you can go to a bar. A bar in Italy is not just a place for drinking alcohol and there are no age restrictions. People go to the bar for their morning coffee and pastry, to grab a sandwich, and even to buy ice cream. This is a great place where you can easily walk in, purchase something (anything.. pack of gum, orange juice, coffee) and use the restroom so you can avoid going to a public one that may be dirtier and unsupplied. Many bars and cafes will have a stand up bar where you can order food or drinks. TIP: keep in mind that if you sit down, the price for what you are ordering is usually HIGHER than if you were to eat/drink at the bar, standing up. Sometimes bars will have two distinct "sit-down" and a "stand up" price lists, this is because once you sit down, there is usually a waiter that comes to take your order. Make sure you ask before sitting down if the prices are the same or different.

Pasticceria : A cafe' that has its own bakery, serving fresh pastries, cakes, and sandwiches. A great place to have your "colazione" (breakfast) with a fresh pastry and a cappuccino, Italian-style! When ordering to eat at a busy bar or pasticceria, you usually have to pay for what you want at the register (cassa) first, then take the receipt and repeat your order to the barman. If the bar is quiet and you are known there the barman may take your order and you pay before leaving. There is no set rule on what to do – watch what the locals are doing.

When do Italians eat? Meals & times.

Breakfast (8.00 – 11.00) or 'Colazione'

For an Italian, this is always a light meal. May consist of a cappuccino or coffee & a pastry at a bar or pasticceria (often standing up) or at home dipping cookies in caffellatte (coffee and milk).The pastry (typically a croissant) can be plain (vuota), filled with jam (con marmellata) or creamy custard (con crema), even occasionally with chocolate (con cioccolata). Italians usually do not have a big breakfast as Americans do. Sometimes they will have some cereal, fruit, perhaps a poached egg, but you won't catch an Italian eating scrambled eggs or ham in the morning. Breakfast is considered a "sweet" ingredient meal, not savory. If you stay in a hotel, you will most likely be served a continental breakfast, including eggs, ham, cheese, and other more "American style" items.
Note: For Italians cappuccino is a breakfast drink and most do not drink it after 11 am. During the day Italians drink several espressos, especially to get that "kick" after a heavy meal. Anyone who consumes a cappuccino after 11am (especially after a meal) is considered "un turista" (a tourist). Still, if you cannot resist the urge, just go for it! You are on vacation anyway, so who cares what people think, right?!

Lunch (1:00pm - 2:00pm) or 'Pranzo'

As times have changed, it is more rare for Italian families to gather at the table during lunch and have a full home-made meal. Italy's economical situation has caused many mothers to take on full-time jobs, therefore children are in school until mid-afternoon and less people have time to go home at lunch time. Typically speaking, people working in offices have a 1-hour break, while retail stores still do close down for a longer period of time (usually from 1:30pm to 3:30 or 4pm). Lunch in Italy is not the main meal, but it is common for Italians to have a glass of wine with an entree before going back to work. There are a variety of options for places to eat. A bar or pasticceria offer foods to go, such as fresh made sandwiches that you can select from a case, prepared salads, or thick square slices of pizza or stuffed focaccia. A trattoria, Ristorante, and tavola calda offer a sit down experience with hot dishes or pizza. If you feel quite confident with your Italian, you can consider walking into a deli (gastronomia, paninoteca) and ordering a sandwich. Keep in mind that Italian sandwiches aren't "as loaded" as American-style sandwiches. Often you will find a simple focaccia bread with a few lean slices of prosciutto, and if you are lucky, some sliced tomatoes with mozzarella or pecorino cheese. Make sure you don't delay in grabbing something to eat, as most restaurants will stop serving after 2pm, and often close until they re-open for dinner service, which is usually around 7:30pm. On Sundays, many families will have a large, 2-3 hour lunch out, so make sure to reserve as restaurants are very busy at this time.

Happy Hour (6:30pm - 7:30pm) or 'Aperitivo'

Rather than an actual meal, this is more a snacking and socializing opportunity for Italians after a hard-day's work. It has been a tradition in Northern Italy for many years, but more recently it has spread to the rest of the peninsula. A Bar will host this event as a pre-dinner social with a free buffet of both hot and cold dishes that people are welcome to as long as they purchase a drink, which does not necessarily need to be alcoholic. Whether you get a cocktail or a coke, rest assured that you will be well over-charged for it to make up for the 'all-you-can-eat buffet'. Still, the Aperitivo is a hip and trendy way to start your evening out.

Dinner (7:30pm - 10:00pm) or 'Cena'

Restaurants typically don't start serving until 7:30pm at the absolute earliest and don’t become busy until after 9:30pm. Dinner is the main meal of an Italian's day and usually this is when they go all-out. Consider that most items on a menu are a' la carte, which means an entree usually does not include a side, so what you order is what you get. You'll notice that menu items are much more simplified than in American menus. For instance, an item that you would find on an American menu such as "Home-made Egg Pappardelle Tossed with Braised Rabbit marinated in balsamic vinegar and Italian parsley, freshly cut imported Roma Tomatoes, roasted Garlic and Parmesan cheese", in Italy would appear more similar to this: "Rabbit Pappardelle". So if you need to inquire more about what's actually in a particular dish, make sure to learn some specific phrases and keywords. It is common for Italians to have an Antipasto (appetizer), Primo (pasta, soup, or rice dish), Secondo (meat, poultry or fish course), a Contorno (side item such as a mixed salad or grilled vegetables) and a Dolce (dessert) all for dinner. Obviously you don't have to order all of that, if you are not very hungry you can just have an appetizer and/or one entree, just as you would in the States. As a general rule, salads are served at the end of the meal and the dressing is very simple: oil, vinegar, salt & pepper. Guess what? There is no such thing as "Italian dressing" in Italy!!! Also, at the end of such a big meal, Italians will often have an espresso, sometimes paired with a "digestivo" (a digestive liqueur such as GRAPPA or SANBUCA) or "amaro" (bitter, herbal liqueur such as FERNET or AVERNA).

What do Italians eat? Sample menu & courses.

First, let's begin with coffee...

Un caffé = If you ask for "a coffee" you will get espresso.
Un caffé americano = Espresso diluted with hot water, served in a larger cup. This is what you want to order if you want something more similar to American coffee. Chances are, it will still taste much stronger than the coffee you are used to.
Un cappuccino = Espresso with some steamed milk. This is usually consumed for breakfast. Having one with your meal or after it is considered a "tourist" thing.
Un caffellatte = Hot milk with a shot of espresso, typically served in a tall glass (this is more similar to what would be considered a "latte" in the U.S.).
Un caffe' DEK (or decaffeinato) = Decaf espresso. If you want American decaf, ask for "un caffe' americano dek".
Un macchiato = espresso with a dollup of steamed milk (litterally 'macchiato' means stained, as if the milk 'stains' the coffee).
Un caffe' corretto = 'corrected coffee', this is what Italians will have after a meal, an espresso with a shot of grappa or other liqueur.

Traditional Italian menus have five sections: Antipasti, Primi, Secondi, Contorni, Dolci.

Antipasti (starters) = appetizers, typically cold cuts, salame, crostini, bruschetta, etc. The word "antipasto (or anti-pasto)" litterally means "before the meal".
Primi (1st course) = usually is a starch-based dish such as rice (risotto) or pasta, or soup. Usually there are several pasta choices. Italian pasta dishes may have less sauce than Americans are usually used to. In Italy, the type of pasta is often more important than the sauce. Some dishes may say minimum of 2 persons, especially the ones with seafood or very elaborate ones. You can order pasta as your main dish or skip it all together. Usually the pasta serving is not as large as you would see at home. Pizza is also considered a "Primo". Sometimes people will just have pizza as their dinner. In Italy pizza is an institution: social and family life revolves around this circular delight! Pizza in Italy is different from the one in the States, it has a much thinner crust, which is really what makes a good pizza, well, good. Each pizza has a name and that determines what is on the pizza. If an ingredient is not listed, it is not on the pizza (including cheese). If you'd like an additional topping, you can usually just tell your server. TIP: In Italian, 'peperoni' means bell peppers. You will want to order ‘salamino piccante’ if you want something like the American style pepperoni. Also when your pizza comes, it will not be sliced. You can cut as you go and although pizzas are individually-portioned, smaller than in America, sharing is allowed. The crust is thinner and the tomato sauce is usually lighter and more diluted, so it's up to you to choose whether you want to eat it with your hands or with your fork & knife.
Secondi (2nd course) = a protein-based dish such as a meat, poultry, fish. This is considered the main course, often the most expensive. Sometimes Italians will have an Antipasto and then if they don't want to fill up on pasta, they will skip that and have a Secondo. Fish and seafood are considered the most expensive food items.
Contorni (side dish) = vegetables (vedure) or salad (insalata). Sides are typically NOT included with your entree, so you will need to order these separately.
Dolci (dessert) = Most Italians will skip dessert and head out for a gelato as they walk off part of their meal. Desserts include Tiramisu', Panna Cotta (a type of milky pudding) and the all-American cheesecake, but are usually lighter compared to American desserts. Cheese platters are also consumed at the end of a meal with some seasonal fruit.
Beverages = Most Italians drink wine and bottled water with their meal. Often the waiter will take the drink order before your food order, just like in the States. There is no particular reason why Italians drink bottled water, the tap is just as good, but they will look at you 'funny' if you do not order bottled water. 'Acqua Minerale Naturale' is the terminology for ordering bottled water. There may be a house wine that can be ordered by the quarter, half, or full liter and will not cost much, sometimes less than the bottled water. This is what most Italians will drink with their meal. TIP: So many Italians drink sparkling water, so often the waiter assumes that is what you want. To make sure they do NOT bring you sparkling, make sure you say "NON GASSATA" (not sparkling). Italians are not big beer drinkers. They prefer red wine. There are a few popular Italian beers that generally taste like a light beer in the States, such as "Peroni", "Nastro Azzurro" and "Moretti". If you plan to have a beer, you can also order 'birra alla spina' (beer on tap) and choose among PICCOLA (small) and MEDIA (medium). For some reason Italians don't typically have a "large" size for beer. You can also say CHIARA (light), ROSSA (ale, double malt), or SCURA (dark, pilsner).

How it works. Restaurant service, Tipping, Getting the Bill.

Restaurant service in Italy is different than in the US. No front of the house host and no “Hi! My name is Jerry, and I’ll be your server today." You may have more than one waiter serving you, so if you need something, you can usually just get the attention of the server walking closest to your table.

Getting the Bill = The waiter will almost never bring the bill until you ask for it. When you are ready for the bill, simply ask for 'il conto' or do the internationally-known hand gesture with your hand raised as if you are "signing your name in the air". The bill will include a bread and cover charge but the prices listed on the menu include the sales tax . Not all restaurants accept credit cards so be prepared with cash, just in case.

Leaving a Tip = Most restaurants have a cover charge and sometimes a service charge. The cover charge is supposed to cover the consumption of bread and things like salt, pepper, olive oil, and vinegar, as well as linens and dishwashing expenses. This will be listed somewhere in the menu as "COPERTO" (sometimes it will say "PANE E COPERTO"). NOTE: NONE OF THESE CHARGES INCLUDE A TIP FOR YOUR SERVER. You may also see an additional charge on your bill for "SERVIZIO" meaning "service" and can be 12-15% of your total, but it is NOT a tip!!! It actually goes to the restaurant as "help" to pay for the waiters' wages, but it is not a tip. Truthfully, waiters in Italy are paid more than American waiters, but it's still not a lot. Consider that the average pay for a full-time waiter varies between €6 and €8/hour. Leaving a tip is not required as it is in the US, but it is a special "thank you" just for the waiter. You will not find a space on your credit card slip to leave a gratuity, so if you wish to do so, leave between 5%-10% as cash, directly on the table, or give it to your waiter. This is what most Italians do when eating out.

Practical phrases regarding eating, drinking, and ordering.

Vorrei: I would like....
Per favore: Please
Grazie: Thank you
Prego: You’re welcome
Quale e’ la specialita’ della casa?: What’s the house specialty?
Cosa consiglia?: What would you recommend?
Un tavolo per una persona/ due persone/ tre persone/ quattro persone: A table for 1/2/3/4 people.
Acqua: water
Bicchiere: glass
Carne/Pesce: Meat/ Fish.
Un bicchiere di Acqua, per favore.: A glass of water, please.
Acqua Gassata/ Non Gassata: Sparkling/ Non-sparkling water.
Vino: wine
Vorrei il vino della casa: I would like some house wine.
Un litro: One litre
Mezzo litro: Half a litre
Una bottiglia: a bottle
Vorrei un’altra bottiglia, per favore: I would like another bottle, please.
Bibita: soft drink
Birra: beer
Non ho ordinato questo. : I didn’t order this!
Mi scusi! : Excuse me!
Il conto, per favore.: Check, please.
Ancora un po’ di .... : Some more ....
Posso avere un altro coltello / cucchiaio / forchetta / piatto?: May I have another knife / spoon / fork / plate?
Sono vegetariano. - I am vegetarian.
Sono allergico a.. : I am allergic to..
Non mangio – I don’t eat…