How to Order Food in Italian: Coperto, Courses and Coffee Rules

The words you need most are “Vorrei…” (I would like…), “Per favore” (please) and “Il conto, per favore” (the bill, please). Italian restaurants have their own rhythm: courses, a cover charge, and a bill that only arrives when you ask. This guide gives you the phrases, with audio, and explains how it all works.

• I would like...

  Vorrei...

  vor-REH-ee

  Polite and natural. Never say "Voglio" (I want), which sounds blunt.
• Do you have a menu in English?

  Avete un menu in inglese?

  ah-VEH-teh oon meh-NOO een een-GLEH-zeh

  Most tourist-area restaurants have one.
• Water, please

  Acqua, per favore

  AH-kwah per fah-VOH-reh
• The bill, please

  Il conto, per favore

  eel KOHN-toh per fah-VOH-reh

  The bill does not come until you ask.
• Please

  Per favore

  per fah-VOH-reh

  Add it to every request.

How eating out in Italy works

• Courses. A full meal is antipasto (starter), primo (pasta, rice or soup), secondo (meat or fish), contorno (side dish) and dolce (dessert). You do not have to order all of them.
• Coperto. A small cover charge per person. It is on the bill and is not a tip.
• The bill. It will not arrive on its own. Ask for it, and expect to pay at the table.
• Tipping. Not expected. If service was included (servizio incluso) you do not need to add anything.
• Timing. Lunch is usually from about 12:30 to 2:30 and dinner from about 7:30. Many kitchens close in the afternoon.
• Greeting. Say “Buongiorno” or “Buonasera” when you enter. It is polite and expected.
• Bar, trattoria, ristorante. A bar serves coffee, pastries and snacks. A trattoria or osteria is a casual, often family-run restaurant. A ristorante is usually more formal.

Getting a table

• A table for two, please

  Un tavolo per due, per favore

  oon TAH-voh-loh pehr DOO-eh pehr fah-VOH-reh
• Do you have a table available?

  Avete un tavolo disponibile?

  ah-veh-teh oon TAH-voh-loh dees-poh-NEE-bee-leh
• I have a reservation for two

  Ho una prenotazione per due persone

  oh oo-nah preh-noh-taht-see-OH-neh pehr DOO-eh pehr-SOH-neh

  Change "due" (two) to another number: "tre" for three, "quattro" for four.
• How long is the wait?

  Quanto dura l'attesa?

  KWAHN-toh DOO-rah lah-TEH-zah

Ordering

You can order what you like, in any order. A waiter may ask whether you want to start with a primo.

• What do you recommend?

  Cosa mi consiglia?

  KOH-zah mee kohn-SEE-lyah

  A good way to get the house speciality.
• What is the dish of the day?

  Qual è il piatto del giorno?

  kwahl eh eel PYAHT-toh dehl JOR-noh
• Do you have a set menu?

  Avete un menù fisso?

  ah-veh-teh oon meh-NOO FEES-soh

  A fixed-price menu. Not every place has one.
• What does this come with?

  Cosa include?

  KAW-zah eenk-LOO-deh
• For me, the carbonara, please

  Per me la carbonara, per favore

  pehr meh lah kar-boh-NAH-rah pehr fah-VOH-reh

  Replace the dish with whatever you want. "Per me..." means "For me...".
• Can I get this to go?

  Posso averlo da asporto?

  PAWS-soh ah-VEHR-loh dah ahs-PAWR-toh

Drinks and coffee

Water usually comes in a bottle. Ask for naturale (still) or frizzante (sparkling). House wine (vino della casa) is a good, cheap choice.

• Still water, please

  Acqua naturale, per favore

  AH-kwah nah-too-RAH-leh pehr fah-VOH-reh
• Sparkling water, please

  Acqua frizzante, per favore

  AH-kwah freed-DZAHN-teh pehr fah-VOH-reh
• A glass of house wine, please

  Un bicchiere di vino della casa, per favore

  oon beek-KYEH-reh dee VEE-noh DEHL-lah KAH-zah pehr fah-VOH-reh
• A coffee, please

  Un caffè, per favore

  oon kaf-FEH per fah-VOH-reh

  "Un caffè" is an espresso. There is no need to say "espresso".
• A cappuccino, please

  Un cappuccino, per favore

  oon kahp-poot-CHEE-noh pehr fah-VOH-reh

  Italians usually drink it only in the morning, not after a meal.

At a bar, you often pay at the cash register first, then give the receipt (lo scontrino) to the barista. Coffee is cheaper standing at the counter (al banco) than sitting at a table (al tavolo).

Dietary needs and allergies

Italy is very aware of coeliac disease, and many restaurants offer gluten-free pasta and pizza (senza glutine). In the EU, restaurants must be able to tell you which of the 14 listed allergens a dish contains if you ask.

• I am vegetarian

  Sono vegetariano/a

  SOH-noh veh-jeh-tah-ree-AH-noh

  Use "vegetariana" if you are a woman.
• Is this dish vegetarian?

  Questo piatto è vegetariano?

  kwehs-toh PYAH-toh eh veh-jeh-tah-ree-AH-noh
• I am coeliac (I cannot eat gluten)

  Sono celiaco/a

  SOH-noh cheh-LEE-ah-koh / cheh-LEE-ah-kah
• Is this gluten-free?

  È senza glutine?

  eh sehnt-sah GLOO-tee-neh
• I'm allergic to peanuts

  Sono allergico alle arachidi

  soh-noh ahl-LEHR-jee-koh ahl-leh ah-RAH-kee-dih

  Use "allergica" if you are a woman.
• I'm allergic to dairy

  Sono allergico ai latticini

  soh-noh ahl-LEHR-jee-koh ahy lah-tee-CHEE-nih

  Use "allergica" if you are a woman.

Paying and leaving

Ask for the bill when you are ready. Check whether the coperto and servizio are on it. Most places take cards, but small ones may prefer cash.

• Can we split the bill?

  Possiamo dividere il conto?

  pohss-YAH-moh dee-VEE-deh-reh eel KOHN-toh

  Italians often say "Facciamo alla romana", meaning split it equally.
• Let us split it equally

  Facciamo alla romana

  fah-CHAH-moh AHL-lah roh-MAH-nah
• Can I pay by card?

  Posso pagare con la carta?

  POS-soh pah-GAH-reh kon lah KAR-tah

  Ask before you order in a small place.
• That was delicious!

  Era tutto buonissimo!

  EH-rah TOOT-toh bwoh-NEES-see-moh

  A warm thank-you for the meal.
• Delicious

  Delizioso

  deh-lee-tsee-OH-zoh

  Short and sweet. "Buonissimo" is more common.

A short scene: dinner for two

1. WaiterBuonasera! Quanti siete?bwoh-nah-SEH-rah KWAHN-tee SYEH-tehGood evening! How many are you?
2. YouSiamo in due.SYAH-moh een DOO-ehThere are two of us.
3. WaiterPrego, si accomodi.PREH-goh see ahk-KOH-moh-deePlease, sit down.
4. YouPer me la carbonara, e acqua frizzante, per favore.pehr meh lah kar-boh-NAH-rah eh AH-kwah freed-DZAHN-teh pehr fah-VOH-rehFor me the carbonara, and sparkling water, please.
5. WaiterVa bene. Altro?vah BEH-neh AHL-trohFine. Anything else?
6. YouNo, grazie. Il conto, per favore.noh GRAH-tsyeh eel KOHN-toh pehr fah-VOH-rehNo, thank you. The bill, please.

Common mistakes

1. Saying “Voglio” (I want). It sounds rude. Say “Vorrei” (I would like).
2. Ordering a cappuccino after dinner. It is a morning drink for most Italians. Order an espresso instead.
3. Waiting for the bill. It will not come until you ask.
4. Being surprised by the coperto. It is normal, and it is not a tip.
5. Forgetting to greet. Say “Buongiorno” or “Buonasera” when you walk in.

For the rest of the phrases you will need on a trip, see our Italian phrases for travel. Two small ones that come up at every meal are where the bathroom is and how much something costs.