Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK
For members

LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

The words and phrases you need to know to decipher Italian restaurant menus

Italian might be known as the language of love but - far more importantly - it's also the language of food.

Published: 23 January 2020 09:17 CET
Updated: 22 June 2020 15:06 CEST
The words and phrases you need to know to decipher Italian restaurant menus
Restaurants in Italy are open once more. Photo: Tiziana Fabi/AFP

And if you're looking for an authentic Italian foodie experience, your best bet is to steer clear of chequered tablecloths, ostentatious signage, and menus with English translations or pictures.

READ ALSO: 12 of the most useful Italian words you need to know

That might be a daunting prospect, particularly as Italians have plenty of unwritten rules when it comes to food, but with our guide you should be able to navigate restaurant menus with ease.

Ristorante, trattoria, osteria | Restaurant

In your dictionary, these terms might all share an English translation, but there's an important difference. A ristorante is the most formal and upmarket of the three with waiter service, while a trattoria is less formal, usually family-run and slightly cheaper, and an osteria – or hostaria or taverna – is the budget option.

Osterias were once local watering holes: they served only wine and you'd bring along your own food. This is still the case in a very few places, such as the historic Osteria del Sole in Bologna, but nowadays most will offer a pared-down menu made up of local specialties.


Photo: Alberto Pizzoli/AFP

The distinction between eateries is becoming less important, with many osterie shifting upmarket on the one hand and ristoranti calling themselves 'trattorie' to seem cosier on the other.

Meanwhile, if a drink is all you're after, head to an enoteca (wine bar) or birreria (pub), which will often serve small appetizers too.  

READ ALSO: Italy's worst tourist scams and how to avoid them

Photo: bekassine/Flickr

Tavola calda | Buffet-style cafeteria

Literally translating as 'hot table', a 'tavola calda' is a cafeteria or takeout place – but not as you know it. 

It's a great way of getting a good lunch without spending too much: there's a selection of hot food, usually kept in dishes behind a counter, almost always prepared that day and reheated to order. There's usually a selection of several warm pasta or meat dishes, as well as salads and possibly pizza and pastries too. 

Bar, caffè | Cafe

Confusingly, these are more or less the same thing and sometimes you'll see them called a 'caffè bar'. Often, they will stay open late, serving alcohol and/or aperitivo in the evening, but unlike bars in the English-speaking world, by day they're the go-to place for your coffee and 'brioche' (pastry). 


Photo: Andrea Pattaro/AFP

The ordering system is usually different here compared to places which serve sit-down meals. After eating in a trattoria or ristorante, you'll have to call a waiter over to ask for the bill, as it's considered rude to interrupt your meal – even if you finished a while ago.

However, in an Italian cafe you'll usually pay first, and it's often a confusing two-step procedure where you'll order first and get a receipt, which you then take to the till to pay and receive your food.

Pizzeria (al taglio) | Pizzeria (by the slice)

At a pizzeria, you'll sit down and have a full pizza, while at shops serving pizza al taglio you can pick up a slice for just a couple of euros.

It's worth noting that while pizzerie al taglio might be commonplace, takeaway food is much less popular in Italy than elsewhere. In particular, some visitors may be surprised to find that not all cafes offer takeaway cups, so make sure to ask if you can get a caffè da asporto (coffee to go).


Photo: Dimitris Kamaras/Flickr

Menu a prezzo fisso | Fixed price menu

If the prospect of deciphering the entire menu seems far too complex, a set menu could be the saving grace.

Here you pay a certain price for one of a limited range of dishes, and a drink or coffee is often included (note: it will be an espresso, as Italians drink milky coffees for breakfast rather than after meals).

It's an option worth considering if you're a less adventurous eater, since the set menus typically include simple, popular dishes such as pasta with ragu or pesto. However, proceed with caution, particularly if the alternative wording 'menu turistico' (tourist menu) is used – sometimes these menus are a way of overcharging confused visitors for mediocre food.

Primo/secondo | Main course

The difference between Italian primo and secondo is not the same as English first and second course. 'Primo' dishes include pasta, risotto, broth, while the secondo is usually a type of meat dish, and may be further divided into 'mare' (sea, denoting seafood) and 'terra' (earth, denoting all other meats and vegetarian dishes). Another term indicating fish is 'alla pescatora' (fishermen's style).

READ MORE: How to decipher Italy's mind-boggling pasta menus


Photo: Randy OHC/Flickr

Be aware that secondi are often served alone, without any vegetables or other sides, so if you want an accompaniment order something from the 'contorni' (sides) section too. You can order both a primo and secondo, but it's also perfectly acceptable to choose one – and this is the norm if you're planning to have an antipasto (starter), contorno, or dolce (dessert) as well.

Al tavolo, al bar | At the table, at the bar/counter

Usually found on the menus at bars and caffes, these terms refer to two different prices, depending on whether you have your coffee and pastry while standing at the counter or sitting at a table, with a surcharge for the latter.

This is a common grumble among tourists who consider it deceptive, but it's the same logic as charging less for takeaway. Just make sure to watch out for those tourist traps which multiply the amount by a huge amount for the pleasure of a table seat – normally, the price difference shouldn't be more than around 50 cents per item.


Photo: Andrea Pattaro/AFP

Coperto | Service/cover charge

Another thing that often catches out first-time visitors is the cover charge, usually mentioned in small font at the bottom of a menu. This includes service as well as the bread (pane) or breadsticks (grissini) that usually arrive at the table.

Note that the price mentioned is usually per person, and is typically between €1 and €2 each – though restaurants in touristy areas might try to make extra money off visitors by hiking up the cover charge.

READ ALSO: The bizarre Italian food rules foreigners fall foul of


Photo: Jorge Franganillo/Flickr

Because of the ubiquity of the coperto, it's not obligatory to tip in Italy, but if you particularly enjoyed the experience you could add ten percent to the bill, or simply tell the waiter 'tenga il resto' (keep the change).

Surgelati | Frozen

In Italy, it's illegal to serve frozen food without informing customers with a disclaimer on the menu. This is typically done in one of two ways.

Some eateries will attach an asterisk to certain dishes, with an explanation at the bottom: 'Prodotti surgelati'. Alternatively, at the end of long menus, you might come across a phrase along the lines of 'alcuni prodotti potrebbero essere surgelati' (some products may be frozen), which usually means that whether dishes are frozen or fresh depends on the season. You can always ask your waiter to clarify.

Di nostra produzione | Made by us

On the other hand, if you see any dishes marked with this description, it's a sign they'll be fresh. They might also be described as 'fatto/a/i/e' in casa' (homemade).


Photo: Marco Bertorello/AFP

The traditional advice for choosing a great Italian restaurant is to go for one which only has a short menu – if there are too many meals on the list, it's unlikely they'll all be done well. However, these days it's common for chefs to bulk up their menus with frozen crowd-pleasers to cater for tourists, while still devoting special attention to their signature dishes, so this is the phrase to look out for.

Buon appetito!

This article was first published in 2017.

READ ALSO: 

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

FOOD AND DRINK

What to do (and avoid) when paying a restaurant bill in Italy

If you have plans for dinner out in Italy, here's a look at the etiquette over the bill - from where and how to pay to the culture around tipping.

Published: 12 June 2024 12:11 CEST
What to do (and avoid) when paying a restaurant bill in Italy

If you go out to eat in Italy, then there are a few things you should know about paying the bill afterwards.

This sounds like it should be straightforward, but the etiquette may differ from your home country.

Uncertainty around how it all works in Italy leads some visitors to worry about causing offence, or to wonder if they’ve been overcharged (which is thankfully rare, although it does happen.)

But becoming familiar with a few local norms should make dining out in Italy a stress-free experience.

How to ask for the bill – When you’re ready, try to catch the waiter’s eye and ask for the bill (possiamo avere il conto?). You can always ask for the bill while they clear your plates.

Unless you’re in a very busy or touristy place the bill is not usually presented until you ask for it – this is deliberate, as Italian waiters normally don’t like to hurry their customers and once you’ve finished dinner it’s perfectly OK to linger and chat over the dregs of the wine.

If you’re in a place that runs two service periods at night (usually one at around 7.30pm and one at 9pm) then you may be asked to clear your table by a certain time, but this should be made clear to you when you book or when you arrive. 

If it’s getting late and the place is emptying out the waiter may bring over the bill and ask you to pay so they can close up the till – but they’re not necessarily saying that you have to leave. If they start stacking up chairs, however, then that’s your cue to go home.

What to expect on the bill – On top of the cost of your food and drink, in many places you can expect to see an extra fee for coperto, or a cover/table charge, on your Italian restaurant bill.

Coperto is a a fixed fee which is charged by restaurants in Italy on a per-person basis, in addition to the price of food and drinks, to cover expenses for washing or replacing cutlery, plates, napkins and tablecloths used by customers.

The coperto charge only applies to seated customers (both children and adults), meaning that you won’t have it tacked onto a takeaway order – and should definitely complain if you do.

READ ALSO: ‘A rip-off’: Should you really get mad about Italy’s table charge?

It’s usually around €2-€4 per person, but can rise as high as €10 or even €15 per person at major tourist sites such as Venice’s Piazza San Marco or right next to Milan’s Duomo cathedral.

Coperto has been banned by regional law throughout Lazio since 2006, so you shouldn’t see it listed on your bill in a Rome restaurant, though it may be snuck in in the form of an extra charge for bread (pane) or service (servizio).

There’s nothing illegal about charging these fees, and a restaurant could in theory add all three to your bill – but they must be clearly listed on the menu or price board, and you can refuse bread when it’s brought to your table so you don’t have to pay an extra charge for pane.

Where to pay the bill – One major difference between Italy and other countries is that many restaurants – usually more casual ones – will expect you to walk up to the cash register to pay the bill.

This means that once you feel ready to go you can just walk up and pay at the counter, rather than waiting for the bill.

You can always double check with the server by asking paghiamo qui o alla cassa? (do we pay here or at the counter?)

In many cases, the answer will be ‘either’ so it’s really up to you – but be prepared to wait a while for both your bill and your change if you want to pay at the table.

Tourists sit in the shade of umbrellas at an open-air restaurant on a street in central Rome, on July 19 2022. Photo by Andreas SOLARO / AFP.

How to split the bill – If you dined with a friend or friends, then you may want to split the bill. Some Italian restaurants use smart tablets that allow servers to click each of the items you ordered and then inform you of exactly how much you owe individually, while others will expect you to do the maths yourself. 

The waiter will likely ask how you want to pay (come volete pagare?). In response, you and your friend can tell the waiter vogliamo dividere il conto (we want to split the bill) once they come out with the card reader.

READ ALSO: How to spot the Italian restaurants to avoid

If you want to split it, you can say possiamo dividerlo in three/cinque? (can we split it three ways/divide it by five?). If there’s two of you can also say paghiamo metà a testa.

If you don’t want to do an equal split – let’s say your friend had the bistecca alla fiorentina and was drinking wine while you had a salad and a water – you can just do the maths yourself and then tell the server exactly how much you want to put on each card when they come out with the card machine.

How to leave a tip – Italian wait staff aren’t reliant on tips to get by like they are in many parts of the US. As is the case elsewhere in Europe, they are paid a standard wage and tips are viewed as an added, and optional, extra.

Italians may tell you they rarely leave a tip, or only do so if service was exceptional.

While tipping is always appreciated, then, it’s entirely at the customer’s discretion (beyond ‘servizio’ charges on the bill).

READ ALSO: When and how much should I tip in Italy?

If you don’t see servizio listed on the bill, you might want to leave one or two extra euros per person, and if there’s a group of you paying the bill together, you’d want to round up to at least the nearest five.

If you’re paying by card, bear in mind that not many places will be able to add a tip to the card payment – so you might want to carry some change or small notes so you are able to leave something behind.

SHOW COMMENTS