# data[].attributes.body
ITALIANS EAT DINNER LATE
THE PACE OF SERVICE IS LEISURELY

If you want fast paced service then go to dinner around 7-730. Italians typically sit down for dinner from 9 to 10 and could stay until 11 or even midnight.

Eating too fast in Italy is considered rude.  The server will not come to your table every 5 minutes and bug you about what you want.

# data[].attributes.body
MARINARA SAUCE
FETTUCCINE ALFREDO
ITALIAN SALAD DRESSING

Marinara sauce isn't usually on many dishes.  They usually prefer marinara sauce on items including shellfish or olives.

Italians usually eat something lighter and simpler than the heavy cream that Americans use.  Pasta is usually dressed with butter  and cheese.

Salads in Italy are usually dressed with olive oil or vinegar. Not the American Italian salad dressing.

# data[].attributes.body
CHEESECAKE
RAINBOW COOKIES

Italians think of cheesecake as an overkill, they prefer fruit tarts or cannolis.  The reason they have cheesecake is because the Italian immagrants had to adapt to the ingredients they had.

Rainbow cookies were invented to represent the Italian flag by the immigrants. These were popular back then, but not as much today.

# data[].attributes.body
SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS
NO CHICKEN ON PASTA

Italians DO eat meatballs but never over a bed of spaghetti.  They like to eat meatballs as a course of their own.

In Italy, chicken does not belong on pasta. They are very much, their own courses. Fish on pasta is great but never chicken.

# data[].attributes.body
DONT FEEL COMPELLED TO LEAVE A TIP
DONT RUSH

It will make your barista or server happy by leaving a tip.  But if you do not they will be perfectly fine with that.  Just try your best to be nice to them if you are not planning on leaving a tip.

Italian resaurants will not rush you, at all. So just sit back, talk to your friends, and savor every bite of every course and realize how amazing and different the Italian food is then American.

# data[].attributes.body
DONT SNACK BETWEEN MEALS
DONT ORDER A CAPPUCINO AFTER 10 A.M. (unless you really want one)
DONT EAT DINNER TOO EARLY

Since Italy has such big meals with so many courses, eating snacks in between is not recommended.

Italians typaclly drink milky drinks in the morning only.  Although baristas will serve your needs at any time of the day, asking for a cappucino after 10 may give you a funny look.

Italians usually are sipping wine at 8 p.m. not even thinking about breaking bread for dinner.

# data[].attributes.body
DONT EXPECT TO EAT AMERICAN STYLE ITALIAN FOOD
DONT ORDER EVERY COURSE UNLESS YOUR REALLY HUNGRY
DONT ORDER TAP WATER

Its not that the tap water is bad, its just that tap water isn't usually ordered in Italy.  Also sparkling water is very popular and bottled water is very inexpensive.

We take Italian food for granted.  We expect stuff like Spaghetti and meatballs.  Yes, they do have that, sold seperatly.  We need to take in all the delicious foods that Italy actually makes and serves that we have never really thought to be "Italian"

You do not need to order all four courses. Although you may get two pastas and no meat course.

# data[].attributes.body
DRINK YOUR MORNING COFFEE WHILE STANDING AT THE BAR
ORDER WINE AT ALMOST EVERY MEAL
END YOUR MEAL WITH AN ESPRESSO

The typical "coffee protocol" in Italy is to go to order your coffee and pay at the register, then to bring your reciept to the bar.  The barista will then bring you water or sparkling water, whichever you prefer.  If you ordered food you will eat your food their with your coffee.

You would not usually order wine for breakfast, but for lunch and dinner, yes.  Unlike America, most Italian retaurants have  "house wine" that is both inexpensive and local.

It is not uncommon to see Italians drinking coffee after dinner. They like to embrace coffee's digestive benefits. A typical reason for doing this is to extend the social aspect of the meal.

# data[].attributes.body
EAT A BIG LUNCH
PRE-GAME DINNER WITH APERITIVO (APPETIZERS)
EAT PASTA AS THE FIRST COURSE
SAVE ROOM FOR GELATO (ICE CREAM)

Italians like to linger through their lunch and order/eat a whole meal; pasta starter, main dish, side dish, wine, fruit, dessert, and an espresso.

Instead of the American "happy hour" Italians do "Aperitivo time" around 5 p.m. This is a time to get together with your friends while the sun goes down while enjoying delicious appetizers like; nuts, olives, cheeses, and salami. Sometimes this appetizer time can turn into your dinner.

You will typically want to eat pasta as the first course because at most restaurants, the starter will be pasta and the main will be the meat.

Ice cream is a very popular Italian dessert and at most restaurants, the dessert, typically ice cream, gets ordered a lot, just like you would order an appetizer.

# data[].attributes.body
EAT LOCAL BY REGION
SHOP AT LOCAL FOOD MARKETS
MAKE ADVANCE RESTAURANT RESERVATIONS

A respectful thing to do in each Italian region is to look at that local's specials and be prepared for that dining experience.

Shopping at the local food market can give you a feel of what that region's food is like.  You can also see what the locals are buying from there since that is where they like to shop for food.

Always try to plan about a month ahead to make reservations for the restaurants you might preferably want to go to. Many times for American travelers, not having a reservation to certain places can cause a disruption.

# data[].attributes.body
EAT PIZZA WITH UTENSILS
GET CREATIVE WITH BALSAMIC VINEGAR

A lot of times in Italy their pizza would be served as whole "pies" cut into slices.  They would be cut into slices by weight, thin crust, or fried pizza.  Typically Italians like to fold their slices with the utensils then stab it with a fork and eat it like fruit.

Another thing that Italians like to do that isn't exactly "American" like eating pizza with utensils, is putting balsamic vinegar on many things. A famous item to put it on is ice cream.

# data[].attributes.body
THE COURSE AND ORDER: APPETIZER, PASTA, MEAT

They will also have sides and desserts, but these are optional. At some fancier restaurants they will divide the menu into two parts, Terra (land) and Mare (Sea).

# data[].attributes.body
KIDS EAT OFF THE ADULT MENU
NO SPLITTING BILLS

In Italy there is no such thing as an adult or kids menu.  For the kids you can usually just ask for a half portion.

# data[].attributes.body
PEPPERONI PIZZA
GARLIC BREAD
CHICKEN PARMESAN

Pepperoni pizza is still a thing in Italy but it is much less common.  They prefer to have a thin crust with veggies.  Prosciutto is much more common the pepperoni.

Garlic bread is always served plain with olive oil instead of butter.  The closest thing you will get is Bruschetta.

Eggplant is the only thing that gets the parmesan in Italian resaurants. Not chicken, veal, or meatballs.

# data[].attributes.headline
What are some foods that we think are "Italian" but they really don't eat all the time?

# data[].attributes.subject
What are some foods that we think are "Italian" but they really don't eat all the time?

# data[].attributes.headline
What are the dos and don'ts for a Restaurant in Italy?

# data[].attributes.subject
What are the dos and don'ts for a Restaurant in Italy?

# data[].attributes.headline
WHAT IS THE RESTAURANT EXPERIENCE IN ITALY LIKE?

# data[].attributes.subject
WHAT IS THE RESTAURANT EXPERIENCE IN ITALY LIKE?