The Complete Guide to Eating Out in Italy

Whatever reason you’ve chosen to vacation in Italy, you’ve got to be pretty excited about all the delicious food you’re going to be eating!

You might not know that there really isn’t one Italian cuisine that you’re going to enjoying. Each region has its own dishes based on local ingredients, giving you even more mouthwatering things to try when you’re eating out in Italy.

We’ve poured our years of experience learning to eat like locals into this guide to help you find the best food in Italy and avoid common tourist mistakes.

Meals

Colazione (Breakfast)

Italians generally start the day with coffee (espresso or cappuccino) and a pastry like a cornetto. Breakfast is a quick meal that is often eaten out, standing up at a bar. Not so in hotels where you’re likely to find a great selection of pastries, fruit, toast, yogurt, cakes, pancakes, cheese, eggs and some hot dishes, along with the coffee.

Pranzo (Lunch)

For Italians, lunch tends to be around 1pm. You can go for something light and grab a slice of pizza or a panino or go for a more traditional lunch that will get you off your feet and help you recharge.

Traditional menus have 4 courses: antipasti (starters), primi (usually pasta or rice), secondi (meat or fish), dolci (dessert). If that sounds like a lot of food, portions won’t be as large as you are used to and it’s not unusual to just order one or two of them.

Aperitivo

If Italian dinner time is later than you are used to, you’ll definitely want an aperitivo after a hard day’s sightseeing. This can be as simple as a glass of prosecco and some potato chips and olives in a local bar, but it can also be quite an art. Popular drinks are Aperol Spritz, Campari Spritz, Negroni (or the lighter Negroni Sbagliato) and Americano, though wine, beer and cocktails are also ok! In the summer months, look for rooftop bars for cooler air and an aperitivo with a view.

Cena (Dinner)

To eat like an Italian, head out for dinner at around 8pm (or later in the south). Like lunch, you can decide whether to have a starter, pasta dish, meat or fish and dessert. If a place also has a pizza oven, this might only be fired up in the evening.

Even though they eat late, Italians won’t rush home to bed. For the real Italian experience, get a gelato and wander slowly back to your hotel, enjoying the evening air and the beauty around you.

If you’d prefer to eat early, don’t worry, you will find places open especially in large tourist centers.

Types of Eateries in Italy

There’s so much choice when it comes to eating out in Italy, from simple family-run places, to upmarket dining experiences. Here’s what to expect in each of them:

Ristorante

Think white table cloths, professional service and an extensive wine list! Menus can be traditional or with modern takes on Italian dishes, always with top-notch ingredients. Good for a special occasion or if you enjoy fine dining.

Trattoria

A casual, family-run restaurant serving local dishes. A good trattoria will be full of locals and have a seasonal menu. Don’t expect a huge menu, but if you don’t see something you can eat, they should be happy to prepare something.

Osteria

Traditionally an osteria is more about drinking than eating. Menus tend to be small and based on what’s in season. Modern osterie often make inventive use of seasonal ingredients and local traditions.

Pizzeria

Many pizzerie only open for dinner as Italians don’t tend to eat pizza for lunch, though you won’t have problems finding one in Naples or Rome. Pizza can be rosso (with tomato sauce) or bianco (without tomato sauce).

Enoteca

These places are generally packed with bottles of wine from around Italy and staffed by wine experts. Enotecas tend to serve easy to prepare options like cheese boards and cold cuts.

Tavola Calda

Very informal where food is prepared in advance and served from hot plates. Options are limited and usually simple, a good option if you’re on a budget or pressed for time.

Understanding Menus and Courses

Italian menus are usually divided into different courses. Here’s what you’ll usually find in restaurants and trattorie:

How to Order Like a Local

Here are a few tips to help you navigate eating out in Italy with confidence:

• Ignore the line: A line of people queuing down the block for a table is only a good sign if they are locals.
• Wait to Be Seated: Wait at the entrance for a staff member to seat you.
• Bread: If you order pasta or meat, the waiter will bring bread to the table. Don’t expect a massive selection, or to get bread if you order pizza. In Italy, bread is for mopping up sauces rather than pre-dinner snacking.
• Drinks: Water isn’t free and neither are refills. Order ‘naturale’ (still) or ‘frizzante’ (fizzy). In Rome, you might be offered ‘leggermente’ or ‘acqua di Nepi’. This is water from local sources that is naturally slightly fizzy.
• Wine: House wines are usually light, local wines ordered by the liter (or half liter) and are perfect with a simple pasta dish and lunchtime drinking. In restaurants, the wine list can be a heavy book and your waiter will suggest the best pairing with your order.
• Don’t Expect Butter or Dips: Butter isn’t a big thing in Italy where olive oil is king and bread is for cleaning the sauce from your plate at the end of the meal!
• Substitutions: Asking for changes to dishes on the menu isn’t usual in Italy. If you have a special diet, tell the waiter and let them suggest alternatives.
• Service: Don’t expect the wait staff to check in regularly. If you need something, catch their eye but otherwise they will leave you in peace to enjoy your food.
• Go slow: eating in Italy is an experience to savour. Avoid places catering for tourists (easily identified by photos on the menu, pasta being made in the window or somebody standing on the street trying to encourage you to go inside). Get the Slow Food app before you travel (available to buy on Apple or GooglePlay) to help you find places where you can discover local dishes made with seasonal ingredients.

Language Essentials

In big cities, plenty of places have English-speaking staff and menus in English. In smaller locations, communication might be more about pointing and asking Google for help. This is when having a few words of Italian up your sleeve can really help.

Un tavolo per 2(due) per favore – a table for 2 please

Abbiamo prenotato – we have a reservation

Per me – For me (the easiest way to start ordering)

Io prendo.. – I will have…

Vorrei… – I would like…

Una bottiglia di Shiraz – a bottle of Shiraz

Un bicchiere di (rosso) – a glass of (red)

Un’altra bottiglia di acqua – another bottle of water

Non mangio (pesce) – I don’t eat (fish)

Sono vegetariano (masc.) / vegetariana (fem.) – I’m vegetarian

Sono vegano/a – I’m vegan

è vegetariano? – is it vegetarian?

un tiramisu con 2 cucchiaini – tiramisu with 2 spoons (very useful when you’re stuffed but simply must have a dessert)

il conto per favore – the check please

Check out some videos on YouTube (like this one) to hear these phrases in action and practice your pronunciation😃

Reservations

There’s no hard and fast rule when it comes to reservations and you’ll need to do a bit of research.

High-end places

If Michellin-star dining is your goal, then book as early as you can. Massimo Bottura’s Osteria Francescana in Moderna (which has topped the World’s Best Restaurants list twice), releases dates 6 months in advance and fills up quickly.

Popular places

If your itinerary planning includes a list of places you simply must eat, then find out the reservation policy before you travel. Two of the most popular places for traditional Roman cuisine have very different policies: Trattoria Da Enzo al 29 doesn’t accept bookings and waiting on the street for a table is part of the experience, while Felice a Testaccio uses an online booking system and rarely has tables available in summer.

Pizzerie

With fast service and quick turnaround, reservations would probably slow them down! To request a table in most places, you need to be there waiting in line. Check if there’s a member of staff taking names at the door – you might need to get on a list! While you won’t have to wait long in most places, at Sorbillo or Pizzeria da Michele in Naples, waits of 1-2 hours are not uncommon.

How to Pay and Tipping Culture

The Check

The check won’t usually arrive automatically, you’ll need to signal to your waiter when you’re ready to pay. Just ask for “Il conto, per favore”. Making a scribbling gesture in the air usually works too!

Post-pandemic, everywhere takes credit cards (VISA and Mastercard). Many places won’t take American Express because of higher transaction fees. Sometimes the server brings the machine to the table, sometimes you’ll get the check and go to the entrance to pay.

Coperto

Most restaurants charge a coperto, a cover charge of €2–3 per person. It covers the bread and supposedly the use of the table and linen. It might look like a fake charge, but it’s perfectly normal in Italy and should be listed on the menu.

Tipping

When eating out in Italy, tipping isn’t required but most people will leave something when the service is good. Here’s what to remember when tipping:

• A couple of euros per person is right for most places (a trattoria or pizzeria)
• For fancy restaurants with exceptional service, you might leave around 10%
• Tip in cash when possible to make sure it goes to your server
• If you have a bad experience, don’t feel obliged to tip

Eating out in Italy: Final Thoughts

Every meal you eat in Italy should be a story you take home with you. Make sure you have an authentic experience by eating in places filled with locals and avoiding anywhere aimed at tourists. Look for local restaurants and choose local dishes, even if you’ve never heard of them before. Don’t worry about the language barrier, most places will know some English, and don’t be afraid to try some Italian 🇮🇹