The Comprehensive Guide to Exploring Italy’s Dining Culture

As my very Italian father once famously said, “I’ve been on this planet for 60 years. I’m sick of women, I’m sick of you kids, I’m sick of working. But I never get sick of three meals a day.” When you eat well, there’s no reason to. To me, every meal is a chance to be wowed, an opportunity to be sustained and paste a smile on my face for another few hours (until dinner, at least). Turns out, this is where the Italian in my blood flows the deepest. I found that out firsthand throughout my many visits to Italy, including when I moved to Florence. 

In Italy, the plate is as reverent as the pew and taken just as seriously. You’ll find that it isn’t hard to adopt this attitude on a visit, though it comes with a slew of cultural differences. So, we created the ultimate guide on what you need to know about dining in the Boot country, from how to pick a restaurant that will make your palate sing to getting a hold of that ever-reclusive bill. This is also how much you should expect to pay for food while traveling in Italy. Here’s what to know before chowing down in the land of sumptuous cuisines.

If you visit a country renowned for its culinary scene, don’t waste time eating a mediocre meal. Unfortunately, chowing down forgettable food is possible due to the many tourist-trap restaurants that seek to capitalize on Italy’s culinary reputation. The best way to avoid those overpriced, unappetizing restaurants is to stay out of their territory. They’re usually as close to major tourist sites as possible, such as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Colosseum in Rome, and the Duomo in Florence. Instead, just walk a few blocks away from these major sites — we promise, it’s worth it — and you’re bound to have a meal worth mentioning on a postcard.

Another indicator that a restaurant is a tourist trap is if it has an extensive menu featuring tons of colorful photos printed on cheap, laminated paper with English translations. If you also see colorful photos of Italian tourist sites lining the walls, run away even faster. You can even tell if the restaurant is a tourist trap by its olive oil. Tourist traps are also known to have employees attempting to beckon you inside, smiling with a charismatic charm, and waving the menu at you. But think about it — does Eleven Madison Park try to convince you to visit? What about Noma? Decidedly not. Instead of wandering right into a tourist trap, ask locals and hotel concierge about their favorite restaurants.

If you’re like me, it drives you nuts when a server asks if you’ve visited the eatery before and then proceeds to explain the menu as if it’s your first time sitting at any restaurant table. But in Italy, you might find yourself wishing someone would explain the menu to you. Italian menus consist of several need-to-know categories (they are written in Italian, which you will never see at tourist-trap restaurants). Your first course, the appetizer course, is antipasti, which is derived from two Latin words meaning “before meal.” You’ll find small Italian snacks and charcuterie in antipasti sections, such as bread, prosciutto, cheese, and bruschetta. Then, you’ll choose from the primi course, which is the pasta course. Depending on which region of Italy you’re in, you’ll see different pasta options. For example, Bologna is known for its tortellini, while Rome is reputed for its spaghetti alla carbonara.

Next, you can choose a larger meat or fish entrée from the secondi section of the menu. But don’t feel bad if you want to go right to secondi from antipasti or skip the former altogether. You’ll then choose a contorni, or side, which is usually vegetable-based, such as fennel and orange salad or fried Italian green peppers. Finally, you’ll finish it all off with dolci or dessert. Some of the popular options you’ll see — depending on which region you’re in — will include tiramisu, panna cotta, gelato, and cannoli.

Even in the heart of Tuscan tourist country, I couldn’t figure out why I couldn’t find cannoli, a staple of Italian cuisine, on a dessert menu. It turns out that’s because cannoli is a Southern Italian sweet, perhaps dating back to when Sicily was under Arab control. Although Italy is a small country, its 20 regions take locality seriously, especially since they were completely separated from one another until 1861. Till today, they would be hard-pressed to serve anything but their best specialties. So, instead of insisting on finding your favorite Italian dish from back home, it’s best to opt for the fare that a region is known for.

For instance, while in Emilia-Romagna, the birthplace of many of Italy’s most acclaimed foods, try dishes featuring Parmigiano Reggiano or prosciutto di Parma, both of which originate in this region. Or, if you’re heading to Naples, don’t leave without a few slices, as the first pizzeria on the planet was here, and the city continues to be known for its saucy, cheesy delights. Down in Sicily, don’t leave without a plate of meatballs since they were first created on this Southern island. Citrus fruits and almonds are also well-known in Sicily since they thrive in the volcanic soil of Mount Etna. In Florence, opt for a colossal, bone-in Florentine steak paired with a tall glass of rich, dry Chianti.

Some of my favorite memories of eating out in Florence took place at Il Gatto e la Volpe, a warm, rustic eatery. But although the food is amazing, that’s not why it stands out in my mind. It’s due to its family-serving style, where I crowded around a table with friends and dug into everything from gargantuan platters of charcuterie to bruschetta. Italian food is so good that it’s tough to look at a menu and decide just one dish to get. That’s why it’s to our benefit that most meals in Italy are eaten family-style, with one large plate placed in the center for everyone to dish from. Just a few of the dishes you’ll often see served family-style include bread, pasta al forno, risotto, polenta, and braciole. You can even try the bread trick that doubles as a good etiquette rule in Italy.

Even though you’ll see food served this way on restaurant tables, it actually originates from the way Italians eat at home. To create connection, nurture inclusion, and interact with everyone from nonna to fratellino (little brother), Italians have enjoyed their cuisine in this manner for generations. Plus, it keeps a meal fun, warm, and filling. How can you go home hungry if there’s a massive plate in front of you?

I’m a go-getter, and despite my love for food, I tend to eat quickly so I can move on to the next task on my to-do list. But in Italy, I remember the precise moment that I thought, “For the first time, I’m tasting this food,” as I ate a casual sandwich on a side street, no less. I finally learned to slow down, relish the taste of the country’s spectacular ingredients, and enjoy my meal instead of just getting through it. In Italy, that’s the norm. Even a standard lunch or dinner can stretch up to three hours or even longer. Those lengths are even prolonged in Southern Italian regions like Sicily or Calabria. So, linger in the restaurant, but do not adopt this eating style that’s rude and sometimes considered illegal in some Italian regions.

If you’re wondering why the meals take so long, remember that the courses in a traditional Italian dining session are never-ending. Plus, Italians love their families and chatting. So, it’s only natural that the conversation is just as flowing as the wine. With the food being so delicious, there’s certainly no need to rush. In a restaurant, this style is also reflected in the service, which means that servers won’t hover over a table or even bring out a check unless it’s asked for. It might even take multiple requests.

High-quality ingredients are a must in Italian cuisine, as you won’t see tomatoes or cheese flown halfway across the world to be enjoyed here. That’s why, instead of overcomplicating dishes with countless ingredients, they are simple and straightforward. They usually contain just four to eight ingredients. This also makes it easier for cooks to create meals with ingredients that complement each other. It also helps them stay true to the original recipes, often nonna’s, that they’ve been following for generations. Many of these ingredients even come from Italians’ gardens, as they often grow vegetables and herbs. Ingredients are also seasonal, which is why you shouldn’t make this embarrassing mistake while dining in Italy. 

With such high-quality ingredients, there’s no need for Italian fare to be swamped with sauces or other flavor-enhancing items. For example, pasta carbonara contains just pancetta, eggs, garlic, Parmesan, pasta, and extra virgin olive oil. Or, arancini is just risotto, cheese, peas, flour, eggs, breadcrumbs, and tomato sauce. If these pastas have your mouth watering, then don’t miss out on these locals’ recommended pasta dishes to try while you’re in Italy.

You might have rolled your eyes the last time you heard someone say wine is cheaper than water in Italy. But it’s true, especially considering that even tap water costs a few euros at restaurants. With costs like that, you might as well do as the Italians do and indulge in a few glasses while at lunch or dinner. As the national beverage, Italy has 500 native grape varieties, some of which have yielded the finest wines on the planet. Just a few worth trying while in Italy include Nero d’Avola, Fiano, and Sagrantino.

Even if you don’t want to shell out big bucks for fancy wines, you can still enjoy a sip in Italy thanks to house wines that can be as cheap as €5 for a liter. At some eateries less catered to tourists (and these are the ones you should be visiting anyway), you might only be able to choose from house wines. Made locally and from nearby vineyards, their quality varies vastly from amazing to gets-the-job-done. These wines are such bare-bones operations that they’re often served in carafes rather than bottles. If you are choosing wines in Italy based on wine labels, then keep an eye on the notes at the top of the bottles, which say either DOCG, DOC, IGT, or VdT. The former labels are made according to the strictest regulations in particular areas, while the latter are not.

The bill does not follow the end of meals in Italy. Before that is digestivo, a high-ABV cocktail thought to help diners digest that heavy sauce, bread, meat, and cheese. These sugary, herb-based drinks range vastly depending on which region of Italy you’re in — just like how fare is intensely regional. Served neat, on ice, or cold, digestivi are also sometimes referred to as ammazzacaffe or coffee killer. That’s because they clean out the flavor of coffee, which is served prior to the digestivo.

Limoncello is one of the most widely known types of digistivi, although it originates in Southern Italy, where lemons are at their best. Another one you have likely heard of before is sambuca, which dates back to the 1800s. With a star anise base, it’s sometimes served with espresso or a coffee bean. Those looking for something sweeter will enjoy amaretto, which lacks the bitterness of some of the other digestivi. With a strong almond taste, it comes from Northern Italy. However, you won’t always get to pick your digestivo. Sometimes, restaurants offer their own homemade digestivi or even give them to their customers for free.

Many of us are used to colossal meals that are more than enough for dinner as well as lunch the next day, but that isn’t the case in Italy. In this country, where food is an art form, the high-quality ingredients are designed for just one serving. Plus, those premium ingredients are only at their best, piping hot off the stove — not for reheating in a microwave the next day. That’s why some Italians see it as rude when customers ask for a doggy bag to take the leftovers of their meals home.

The Italians aren’t wrong when it comes to quality post-microwave. Food in Italy lacks the preservatives that Americans are used to, which means you won’t be able to chow down on your lasagna from several nights ago anyway without being seriously concerned about getting an upset stomach. As discussed earlier, food is meant to be relished and enjoyed slowly in Italy, which means you shouldn’t rush to finish just to become full sooner and bring the leftovers home.

Never being rushed while dining in Italy is so serious that you might find it difficult to even get ahold of your check at the end of a meal. Unlike in the United States, where good service is seen as a server visiting a table multiple times and moving the meal forward, the pace is up to the guests in Italy. That means that a server will never bring you your check unless you ask for it. What if you felt like staying for another hour for wine, espresso, digestivi, or the conversation? If you haven’t seen your server in a while, which is entirely possible, you might even have to go up to the cashier to ask for your bill.

This quirk first struck me at Acqua Al 2 in Florence, which remains one of my all-time favorite restaurants (so don’t let this story deter you). As the dining room pulsed with life, and customers and plates filled the space, I could not for the life of me get ahold of our server to ask for the check. When I eventually did — and thought I could finally stumble home to bed — I soon learned that I would have to ask just a few more times to get ahold of that bill. I thought of it more as a quirk that they didn’t understand why I should be leaving so soon rather than rudeness on the part of the server.

Once you finally get that bill, don’t expect it to look exactly like that of your favorite restaurant at home. First, you’ll see the per-person coperto or cover charge. Usually, it’s about €2 per person, including kids. However, it can skyrocket up to €20 per person in very touristy areas, so keep an eye out for it. If you look closely enough, you’ll see it written on the menu or outside of the restaurant since, legally, it must be posted. The mandatory charge covers the table linens, utensils, and sometimes bread, so it’s essentially a charge for sitting down at a table — no matter how much you order or don’t. The coperto has been a staple since medieval times when people would go to bars for a respite from the outdoors but bring their own food to save money. So, taverns would charge them a cover charge to recoup some of that lack of income.

Your bill might also include a 10% service charge. That’s one of the reasons why you won’t be expected to pay a tip throughout Europe, including in Italy. In the continent, servers are paid full salaries and are not dependent on tips. So, don’t feel obligated to leave a tip, although feel free to leave up to 10% of your bill if you’re particularly impressed with your service.