At the table
Eating in Italian restaurants as a foreign visitor: how a menu works, what to order when, and the mistakes that mark you out.
How an Italian menu is built
Antipasto, primo, secondo, contorno, dolce. What each one is for, and why the pasta is not the main course.
Coffee, and when to order what
The rules are real, they are not written down anywhere, and nobody will correct you.
Coperto, servizio and the bill
What the cover charge is, what it is not, and whether you are expected to tip.
Trattoria, osteria, ristorante
The word on the sign tells you the price, the pace and how to dress. Usually.
When Italians eat, and what is open
The restaurant is empty at seven because it is not open yet. Kitchens keep hours, and they are not the ones you are used to.
The bar, and the two prices
Pay first, then order, and drink it standing up. Sitting down at the same counter can cost three times as much, legally and openly.
Water and wine, and what people actually drink
You will be asked one question about water before anything else. Wine comes by the quarter, the half and the litre, and the house one is usually the right answer.
Aperitivo, and what comes with the drink
A drink between seven and nine that arrives with food attached. How much food depends on the city, and in Milan it can replace dinner.
Pizza al taglio, and buying food by weight
Point at the tray, say how much you want, and it is cut, weighed and priced by the etto. The best lunch in Rome costs whatever you decide it costs.
Asking for the bill, and paying it
The bill does not arrive until you ask, and the waiting is a courtesy rather than neglect. Cards are accepted, splitting is normal, and the receipt matters.