Every tourist, of course, would like to put questions like: What do Italians eat, and what one should eat during the vacation?
We'll tell you about main Italian dishes, tentative prices and features of different types of establishments, where you are likely to dine. Besides at the bottom of the page you will find frequently asked questions (FAQ) and their answers, you can ask your queries in the comments section, if the given information is inadequate.

Main Italian dishes

Italian lunch or dinner is divided into 4 parts: starter (antipasto), first course (primo), second course (secondo) and dessert (dolce). Since the portions are usually large, they are often ordered like one starter for two and any one dish between the first and the second, and then you just have room for sweets.

1. Starter (antipasto)

You must try different Italian meats (prosciutto, culatello, speck, pancetta, coppa and salami), as well as assorted seafood: assaggi di mare. If you do not eat a lot, take one dish for two people, prices vary from 6 to 12 euros.
As far as the wine is concerned, if you want to save, buy home-made wine (vino di casa), it is served in a carafe of 0.5 or 1 litre. Approx. 8 euros per litre.

Cold cuts: prosciutto, pancetta, speck, salami

Seafood salad

Assorted Seafood

2. First meal

Italy is known for its pasta, the most popular are: carbonara (with bacon bits), tagliatelle with porcini (mushrooms), spaghetti with different types of fish, mussels (cozze) and other molluscs (vongole). And yet, you can, instead of pasta, take gnocchi, Cappelletti, Risotto or the most traditional Italian pizza. Price per course varies from 6 to 15 euros at an average restaurant.

Tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms

Pasta with mussels

Carbonara

Risotto

3. Main dishes

For the main dishes, you are offered different types of meat and fish, which are available in many countries around the world. You should definitely try the Italian varieties of mixed grilled fish (grigliata mista di pesce) and fish soup (zuppa di pesce).

Roast Beef

Grilled fish

4. Desert

As far as the Italian dessert is concerned, you should definitely try the traditional sweets such as tiramisu, mascarpone cream, panna cotta and creme caramel.

Tiramisu

Mascarpone cream

Pannacotta

What could be a quick bite?

We do not always have the opportunity or desire to visit a restaurant, in this case, you can quickly and economically eat at any of the bars, pizzerias and snack bars, and here you find many of them. Piadina is very popular in Rimini: Lavash stuffed with what you choose. Most popular: ham with rocket salad (prosciutto crudo con rucola), Smoked ham (Prosciutto Cotto) plus mayonnaise plus cheese and others.
You can also have quick bite like pizza, sandwich (panino), or kebab (shawarma), the latter is not an Italian dish, but has become very popular in recent years. A slice of pizza costs about 2 euros; everything else will cost you 4 to 5 euros per serving.

Piadina

Slice of pizza

Kebab

Sandwich (panino)

Breakfast

Breakfast for Italians - it's almost like a religion: a small cup of hot coffee or cappuccino along with a small bun (brioche) and reading the latest issue of a newspaper; this is how every Italian starts his morning. Approximate price of breakfast - 2 euros, in some bars, if you drink coffee not at the bar-stand, but want it served on your table - you may have to shell out 50% extra.

Where to eat snacks: restaurants, trattorias, bars and other places

Restaurants in Italy are different, usually in appearance and design and one can easily make out what would be the price, but it is better to look at the menu, which should be available at the main entrance.
Trattoria are places very similar to restaurants, the main difference is simple service, lower prices and more homely atmosphere.
Besides, there are a large number of small food points (with wide range of food choices), bars, pizzerias and barbecue points, where you can have a quick bite or take a meal with you and it is the most wallet-friendly option.

What you need to know about food, frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Tipping in Italia.
It is not necessary to leave a tip in Italy and local residents would practically never do this, although attendants, of course, are happy and do not refuse them.

How much will lunch or dinner cost about in Italy?
Everything depends on places you are going to eat in. You can have a snack in a bar or self-service food-point for 5 euros, eat pizza with a glass of beer for 10 euros or have a full dinner in a restaurant from 20 euros per person. Of course, there are also luxurious restaurants, which will cost you 2 or 3 times more.

Opening times of restaurants in Italia.
Restaurants and pizzerias (except bars and pizza takeaways) are closed from 3 pm to 7 pm. And nearly every restaurant has one holiday, which does not fall on the holiday of nearby restaurants.