At the Restaurant

Eating at a restaurant in Italy is a wonderful experience, but it has its own structure and customs. Italian meals follow a specific order, the menu is divided differently than in many other countries, and there are cultural norms around tipping, water, bread, and paying. This lesson will prepare you to dine out with confidence.

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The Structure of an Italian Meal

A traditional Italian meal has several courses. You are NOT expected to order every course — Italians often choose just two or three:

Course	Italian	Description
Aperitivo	l'aperitivo	A pre-dinner drink with small snacks
Starters	l'antipasto	Cold cuts, bruschetta, seafood, vegetables
First course	il primo (piatto)	Pasta, risotto, soup, or gnocchi
Second course	il secondo (piatto)	Meat or fish
Side dish	il contorno	Vegetables or salad (ordered separately)
Cheese	il formaggio	Cheese selection
Dessert	il dolce	Tiramisù, panna cotta, gelato
Coffee	il caffè	Espresso after dessert (NEVER cappuccino)
Digestivo	il digestivo	Grappa, limoncello, or amaro

Cultural Note: The most common combination for locals is an antipasto and a primo, or a primo and a secondo. Ordering just a primo is perfectly acceptable. Don't feel pressured to order every course.

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Restaurant Vocabulary

Italian	English
il ristorante	the restaurant
la trattoria	a traditional, family-run restaurant
l'osteria	a casual eatery (historically a wine bar with food)
il menù / la carta	the menu
il cameriere / la cameriera	the waiter / waitress
il coperto	the cover charge
il conto	the bill
la mancia	the tip
prenotare un tavolo	to book a table

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Arriving and Being Seated

Italian	English
Buonasera. Ho prenotato un tavolo per due.	Good evening. I've booked a table for two.
Avete un tavolo per quattro?	Do you have a table for four?
Possiamo sederci fuori?	Can we sit outside?
Possiamo sederci vicino alla finestra?	Can we sit near the window?
Avete il menù in inglese?	Do you have the menu in English?
Qual è il piatto del giorno?	What is the dish of the day?

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Ordering Food

Italian	English
Siamo pronti per ordinare.	We are ready to order.
Per antipasto, prendo il prosciutto e melone.	For starter, I'll have prosciutto and melon.
Per primo, vorrei le tagliatelle al ragù.	For first course, I'd like tagliatelle with ragù.
Per secondo, prendo la bistecca alla fiorentina.	For second course, I'll have Florentine steak.
Come contorno, un'insalata mista.	As a side, a mixed salad.
Per dolce, un tiramisù.	For dessert, a tiramisù.
Niente secondo, grazie.	No second course, thanks.
Solo un primo per me.	Just a first course for me.

Sample Dialogue: Ordering at a Restaurant

Cameriere: Buonasera. Avete scelto? You: Sì. Per antipasto, la bruschetta. Poi per primo, gli spaghetti alle vongole. Cameriere: E per secondo? You: Niente secondo, grazie. Solo il primo. Cameriere: Benissimo. Da bere? You: Una bottiglia di vino bianco della casa e una bottiglia d'acqua naturale. Cameriere: Perfetto.

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Water and Wine