Italian for restaurants: ordering, the bill and Italian food rules
Italian restaurants run on rules tourists don't always know, from what you order first to how the bill works. These are the phrases for getting through a meal smoothly, and the words that look familiar in English but mean something else.
Getting a table and ordering
Un tavolo per due, per favore.
A table for two, please.
Possiamo sederci fuori?
Could we sit outside?
Cosa ci consiglia?
What do you recommend?
Prendo il primo e questo piatto.
I'll have the first course and this dish.
Italian meals are often split into primo (pasta or rice) and secondo (meat or fish).
Il coperto è incluso?
Is the cover charge included?
coperto is a small per-person table charge, common across Italy, separate from the tip.
Talking about the food
Questo pane è proprio morbido.
This bread is really soft.
morbido means soft, not morbid. Morbid, in the grim sense, is macabro.
Questo formaggio è di una fattoria locale?
Is this cheese from a local farm?
fattoria means farm. A factory is fabbrica.
Il nostro cameriere è stato molto simpatico.
Our waiter was very nice.
simpatico means nice or likeable, not sympathetic.
Possiamo parlare di un altro argomento?
Can we talk about something else?
argomento means topic, not a heated argument. A quarrel is litigio.
È stato molto educato da parte dello staff.
That was really polite of the staff.
educato means polite, not educated. Educated is istruito.
C'è glutine in questo?
Is there gluten in this?
Paying and finishing
Il conto, per favore.
The check, please.
Il servizio è incluso?
Is service included?
Possiamo pagare separatamente?
Can we pay separately?
Era tutto delizioso.
Everything was delicious.
Dov'è il bagno?
Where's the restroom?
False friend traps
morbido looks like morbid, but means soft
Un cuscino morbido is a soft pillow. Morbid, as in disturbing or about death, is macabro.
fattoria looks like factory, but means farm
Formaggio di fattoria is farmhouse cheese. A factory is fabbrica - swapping the two changes the whole pitch.
simpatico looks like sympathetic, but means nice, likeable
È molto simpatico just means he's a nice, likeable person. Sympathetic, in the comforting sense, is comprensivo.
argomento looks like argument, but means topic, subject
Cambiamo argomento means let's change the subject. A heated argument is litigio or discussione accesa.
educato looks like educated, but means polite, well-mannered
Un bambino educato is a well-behaved child, not necessarily a well-schooled one. Educated, academically, is istruito or colto.
FAQ
Common questions
Short answers to what people ask most about this situation.
What is il coperto?
A small per-person cover charge, usually a couple of euros, that covers bread and table service. It's standard across most of Italy and isn't a scam, though tourist-heavy areas sometimes charge more than they should.
Do I need to order a primo and a secondo?
No, ordering just one course is completely normal and increasingly common, especially at lunch. Older-style trattorie may expect the full sequence, but nobody will force you.
Should I tip in Italy?
Not the way you would in the US. A euro or two left in cash for good service is appreciated, but there's no expected percentage, and service is often already folded into il coperto or servizio.
Is it rude to ask for a cappuccino after dinner?
Locals will notice, though nobody will refuse you. Cappuccino is considered a morning drink; after a meal, Italians order espresso or a digestivo instead.