![\"Ordering](\"https:\/\/assets.devourtours.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ordering-in-Italy-1.png\")
<\/figure>\r\n\r\nPhoto Credit: Abbie Stark<\/a>, Text Overlay: Devour Rome Food Tours<\/a><\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n A tip:<\/strong> if a restaurant has a big, multilingual menu on a poster outside, and\/or someone trying to coax you in, go in the other direction. This is most likely a tourist trap, and they\u2019re quite common near monuments and in city centers. Do your research and find a well-regarded place where Italians actually want to go, without someone needing to convince them to step inside. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n On that note, once you\u2019ve got your restaurant picked out, it\u2019s always best to make a reservation ahead of time. Many restaurants will turn you away without one, because meals are leisurely and therefore they have no way of telling you when a table might free up.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Italians tend to eat both lunch and dinner later than Americans. Most places open for lunch around 12:30, get really busy around 1:30, and finish up around 3:00. At dinner, the restaurant might open at 7:30, but doesn\u2019t start to fill up until 8:30 or 9:00. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Generally, the further south in Italy you go, the later people eat. A good rule of thumb? Reserve at 1:00 for lunch, and 9:00 at dinner.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n When you sit down, the first thing the waiter will ask you is if you want acqua naturale<\/em> or acqua frizzante<\/em>. The former is still water, the latter sparkling (both will be bottled, as Italians think tap water is uncivilized for a restaurant).<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n He\u2019ll also ask you about wine. If you want the list, ask for the <\/a>carta dei vini<\/a><\/em>. If the house rosso<\/em> (red) or bianco <\/em>(white) is more your thing, you can get either in a quartino<\/em> or mezzo<\/em> carafe (quarter or half liter).<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n At many restaurants, they\u2019ll hand you a written menu, divided into antipasti, primi, secondi <\/em>and contorni <\/em>(more on those below). However, this is Italy we\u2019re talking about, so it\u2019s never that simple. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n A lot of places will have specials written on the blackboard, or rattled off by the owner of the restaurant when she comes to greet you. There\u2019s also the distinct possibility the waiter will just name a few dishes he thinks you should get, without even giving you a menu. In Italy, where restaurants are viewed as homes rather than businesses, this is considered as a sign of hospitality.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Italians tend to not eat very elaborate or composed dishes as antipasti<\/em>. Instead, you\u2019ll find cured meats and cheeses, marinated vegetables, bread and fried things. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Some typical plates are sliced prosciutto with mozzarella, bruschetta<\/em> (toasted bread with anything from tomatoes to truffle), and fritto misto vegetale <\/em>(a mix of fried vegetables). All are usually meant to be shared.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Primi<\/em> are first courses, which means starches. The obvious one is pasta, which comes in hundreds of varieties around Italy. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n In the south, it tends to be dried pasta, served with vegetables or fish, whereas the north places more emphasis on fresh pasta with meat or butter. In the north, you tend to also find more rice, made into risotto<\/em>. Soups like minestrone <\/em>(mixed vegetable) and Roman stracciatella <\/em>(chicken broth with beaten egg) are also here. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Primi<\/em> are not usually shared, so if you want less, you can ask the waiter for a mezza porzione (<\/em>half-portion).<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Like with antipasti<\/em>, secondi<\/em> tend to be very bare-bones, with just a portion of the chosen protein and a little sauce. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Where you are in Italy determines the offering. In Florence, you\u2019ll find bistecca alla fiorentina<\/a><\/em>, a giant porterhouse steak priced by the etto <\/em>(100 grams), and always served rare. Near the sea, there will be lots of fish, cooked alla brace <\/em>(on a wood grill), served with just some lemon and parsley. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Sharing main courses is common, so if you want it like that, just say da dividere.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Contorni <\/em>are side dishes, usually whatever vegetable is in season, simply prepared. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Romans and Florentines like to eat greens like chicory, spinach and bieta <\/em>(chard) with meat. The greens are usually ripassati<\/em>, meaning they\u2019ve been boiled and then \u201crepassed\u201d in a pan with olive oil.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n All throughout Italy, you\u2019ll find patate al forno <\/em>(roasted potatoes), and insalata<\/em> (mixed salad, meant to be dressed with oil and vinegar at the table). \u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Italian desserts are often al cucchiaio<\/em>, literally \u201cby the spoon,\u201d meaning they\u2019re served in little glasses and meant to be eaten with the titular utensil. The waiter might bring you a menu, but equally likely she\u2019ll gesture to a refrigerated case that contains individual tiramisu<\/em>, macedonia <\/em>(marinated fruit salad), creme caramel<\/em> (flan) and millefoglie <\/em>(puff pastry layered with cream). Or, you can get a slice of a simple cake like torta di nonna <\/em>(pie crust with pastry cream and pine nuts). Fresh fruit is always available, especially ananas <\/em>(pineapple), for which Italians have a perverse love. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n After dessert you can have an espresso (never a cappuccino<\/a>). And only then are you ready for a digestivo<\/em>. It could be limoncello<\/em> (lemon liqueur), grappa <\/em>(made from grapes), or an amaro <\/em>(alcohol steeped with spices and flavorings).<\/p>\r\n1. Finding a Restaurant<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
2. When to eat<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
![\"Before](\"https:\/\/assets.devourtours.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ordering-in-italy-meal-on-table-1.jpg\")
\r\n3. Drinks<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
![\"When](\"https:\/\/assets.devourtours.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ordering-in-italy-drinking-wine-1.jpg\")
\r\n4. Understanding the menu<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
5. Appetizers<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
![\"When](\"https:\/\/assets.devourtours.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ordering-in-italy-bruschetta-1.jpg\")
\r\n6. First courses<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
![\"Cacio](\"https:\/\/assets.devourtours.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Roman-pasta-cacio-e-pepe-2.jpg\")
\r\n7. Main Courses<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
8. Sides<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
9. Dessert and more drinks<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
![\"First](\"https:\/\/assets.devourtours.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ordering-coffee-in-italian-espresso-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\r\n10. Tipping<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n