Restaurant Types

Traditionally, a ristorante is the most formal and expensive eatery; a trattoria is a family-run, moderately priced place; an osteria anything from a simple trattoria to the equivalent of a pub with a few dishes of mixed meats and cheeses along with wine.

The Italian Meal

Italian meals, especially dinner, are drawnout affairs of two to four hours, followed by an espresso (small, strong coffee) and liqueur (digestivo) such as grappa . Breakfast is traditionally just an espresso or cappuccino (coffee with steamed milk) with a sweetened croissant (cornetto). Many hotels lay out a large breakfast buffet.

Antipasto

The appetizer course is traditionally bruschetta in pizzerias (toasted bread rubbed with garlic, olive oil, salt and often topped with tomatoes) and/or cured meats such as prosciutto and salami. And most places have a buffet table of vegetables where you can help yourself.

Primo

The first course. Pastas include bucatini all’amatriciana, spaghetti alla carbonara, gnocchi di patate and cacio e Pepe . Soups (minestre) include minestrone (vegetable) and straciatella (egg with Parmesan in chicken broth). Risotto (creamy rice) is usually cooked with vegetables.

Secondo

The main course. Meats include bistecca or manzo (beef), vitello (veal), agnello/abbacchio (mutton/lamb), pollo (chicken), maiale (pork), cinghiale (boar), coniglio (rabbit) and anatra (duck). They are usually grilled (alla griglia) or roasted (arrosto). Fish include branzino (bass), acciughe (anchovies), baccalà (cod), sogliola (sole), orata (bream) and rombo (turbot), usually grilled, roasted, or all’acqua pazza (simmered in white wine and seasonings).

Dolce

The dessert. Most popular are simple cantucci con vin santo (biscuits with dessert wine) or ice cream such as the tartufo ice cream ball. Custards of milk (panna cotta, latte portugese) and egg (crème caramel) are also favourites, as is tiramisù (trifle of sponge fingers soaked in espresso and perhaps alcohol and layered with mascarpone cheese and dusted with cocoa).

Wine and Water

No Italian meal is complete without red (rosso) or white (bianco) wine (vino), either a carafe (un litro) or a half-carafe (mezzo litro) of the house wine (vino della casa), or a labelled bottle (see Top 10 Wines and Liqueurs). Italians temper their wine with water, either fizzy (gassata) or still (non-gassata).

Cover Charges and Tipping

The pane (bread) charge of €1–€4 per person can be avoided, but this won’t endear you to the waiters. If the menu says “servizio incluso” service charge is built in, although it is customary to round up by a few coins each. If not, tip a discretionary 10 per cent.

Restaurant Etiquette

Jacket and tie are almost never required, although in more up-market places reservations often are. Waiters expect you to linger over your meal, and won’t rush you (some mistake this for slow service).

Bars, Pizza Rustica and Tavole Calde

Most Italian bars serve morning cappuccino and cornetto, espresso all day, and apéritifs (aperitivi) in the evening, along with sandwiches (panini), pastries and ice cream (gelato). A tavola calda is a glorified bar/cafeteria with prepared dishes behind a counter. A pizza rustica or pizza a taglio sells pizza by the slice, priced by the etto (100 grams).