Food is incredibly important in Italy, for both locals and visitors alike and most travellers who book a villa in Italy will be looking forward to eating well with a good degree of anticipation. In order to well and truly savour your meal like a local and avoid dining disasters, here are some things that you might keep in mind:
Taking Your Time
Meals out in Italy are typically multi-course and enjoyed over a long period of time in a leisurely manner. Trying to rush a meal in a restaurant will be difficult and could be perceived as rude. Lean into the experience, savour it, and slow down. Want a quick snack instead? Then street food options from a stall along a street like Florence's famous lampredotto sandwich or a nice browse of products at a market are always a good way to go and a great opportunity to inexpensively sample some regional specialities.
Waiting Your Turn
Meal times vary a bit throughout the country but proper sit-down meals are usually only possible when restaurants open for lunch between 12pm and 2pm and dinner between around 7:30 pm and 9:30 pm. Snacks (even better with a spritz!) at a bar or café are a great way to keep you going in between or you can always prepare something in your own kitchen with one of our vacation rentals in Italy.
While we're on the topic of waiting and timing, it is also worth keeping in mind that generally it is considered polite to ask wait staff if there is availability and allow them to seat you, rather than just walking in and sitting at a table yourself. If it seems quiet when you arrive at a place, it might also be worth asking to see if the kitchen is open yet.
Wait staff will also likely not check in with you throughout the meal unless you get their attention so don't be shy if you need something.
Ordering And Paying For Your Meal
While some cultures don't mind, asking for changes to a dish (unless for allergies) is seen as impolite to the chef in Italy. It is better to just have a dish as is and try something authentic or new while you are experiencing a holiday in Italy!
Tipping for exceptional service is considered a nice thing to do but it is not necessary. You will, however, almost always see a “coperto” charge on your bill which covers the cost of service, tableware, breadsticks (or grissini), and water for the table.
There is no need to ask for tap water in a restaurant. Tap water is perfectly fine to drink in Italy but it isn't the done thing in restaurants. However, still and/or sparkling water for the table is usually covered in the aforementioned coperto charge.
Coffee Culture
Coffee, like food, is serious business in Italy. We have previously spoken in detail about how to order coffee in Italy and what you should keep in mind when doing so but there are a couple of things that are worth saying here as well. Firstly, it is possible that your coffee might be a little cooler than you are used to – this is not a mistake but rather a local expectation and is considered better for your digestion. Similarly, cold foods are often not served at as frosty temperatures as they are in some other countries for this reason. Another key thing to be aware of is that cappuccino is typically only ordered with breakfast in Italy. Ordering one with a meal at other times of the day is a pet peeve for many and may get some raised eyebrows, especially outside touristy areas. If you don't care about being judged, then this is not a concern but if you want to blend in a little more then it is something to consider.
So, find your vacation rental in Italy and come dine with confidence...
