Last month we devoted one blog post to the cultural differences you might encounter as you visit Rome. It was a long one, touching on many different topics, and we only scratched the surface when it came to certain subjects. Which is why we went back and decided to write something specifically for restaurants, which at some point during your holiday you’re bound to enter!
We have tried to briefly summarize the main unique features about the restaurant scene in Italy and Rome here, but this is no one-size-fits-all type of article – some eateries have rules of their own. This should cover about 90% of the places you’ll encounter in the city center, where the accommodations in our portfolio are.
Booking a table
Ah, spontaneity! Walking around marveling at ancient landmarks just to find a place that looks good and deciding right there and then that it’s where you want to spend your next couple of hours (Yes, that much! But more on that later)! Sounds like a dream, right? And exactly like the kind of experience you will want to tell your loved ones when you’re finally back home (“… And then we found this delightful little place where it was just the two of us…”).
Well. First off, those romantic experiences might be easier someplace else, just not in Rome, where you will be competing not only with fellow tourists but also an army of 4 million locals. Also, following Covid, a huge amount of restaurants has ceased operations, and those that haven’t are not in the greatest shape, unless they’re recommended internationally. On top of that, those surviving ones may still have limited seating because social distancing won’t go away anytime soon.
All these factors make it so that it’s crucial to book your table. For some popular places, consider doing so a couple of weeks in advance, as to avoid any disappointment, particularly if it’s a restaurant you have heard a lot about in the press or from food critics. Case in point: world-famous food writer Katie Parla explains in the first paragraph here why it is so important to book a table ahead of time in Rome (and Italy at large).
Remember that if you’re feeling self-conscious about calling an Italian phone number, the most part of restaurants now adheres to online booking platform. This is a post we wrote about this very subject.
What time should you be eating?
By now we trust you to know from multiple books on Rome and other tourism websites how to avoid tourist trap restaurants: those with huge stock pictures of food outside, laminated menus in multiple languages, waiters trying to lure you in or located right by a landmark. But want to know how else to recognize a place that’s not authentic or geared exclusively towards tourists? Their opening hours.
Italians eat later than what you are used to, which is particularly true if you’re from Northern Europe or North America, so always be wary of places dishing out carbonara or meatballs starting at 11AM or at 5PM.
Inside a restaurant: what to expect
Unless you’re eating in a Michelin-starred restaurant or a very upscale establishment, you won’t find a maître d’ welcoming you (valets for your cars are not a thing either). You will be taken to your table by a regular waiter (more often than not, the one with the most seniority) or even one of the owners. It’s a huge no-no to go ahead and take a seat by yourself, even if outdoors – always ask first if it’s ok to do so (this happens mostly at bars, cafes and bistros).
Since we’ve mentioned bars – restaurants don’t serve drinks without their food, and particularly co*cktails. This is why aperitivo exists in other establishments!
Once you’re seated, you will be asked how would you like your water – fizzy or still. Again, we’d like to point you to the “Restaurants and hospitality” section of our recent article: water is not free in restaurants, ice in drinks is mostly unavailable and everything that is put on your table will have a cost, unless it’s clearly specificied that it’s on the house.
Don’t expect the service to be like at home, particularly if you’re from the U.S. Waiters won’t hover and keep asking how you’re doing. Them refilling your glass is also unheard of. Employees (they do get a living wage) will mostly leave you alone while you eat – the idea is they shouldn’t eavesdrop because it’s considered rude. They will come to you when there’s a lull in the conversation, or if you signal for them.
Speaking of conversation, meals in Italian restaurants are considered a way to pamper yourself. Food is to be savored with good drinks and good company and a good chat. So there will be no rushing, unless you’re on your lunch break! Because of this difference in approach, many first time visitors can get nervous because they feel that the service is too slow. As we like to say to our guests, this is not inherently better or worse – just a different way to do things.
When you ask for the check, see what other patrons are doing: different restaurants, different rules. Wait for the check at your table, though! Splitting bills if you’re eating out with friends is most definitely a thing – recently, our experience is that someone will pay for the whole thing with a card and then get individual quotas in cash from the rest of their party. Specifics and arrangements are up to you, but know that it’s absolutely doable.
Rome and restaurants: what is coperto? And should you be tipping?
Some travelers may be put off by the fact that when the bill comes, this appears to be higher than expected. A voice in the bill itself will list a mysterious “coperto”, which accounts for roughly 1-3 Euros more, per person. What is coperto? A charge that covers laundry expenses, the costs of cutlery and glassware that get broken or damaged due to heavy use, or to sanitize the premises after each services. This excellent post will explain in detail what it is and what it isn’t (hint: it’s not a scam).
Speaking of extra costs: should you tip in restaurants in Italy and in Rome? While it is not a standard practice nor it is required by law, once again we’d like to refer you to the excellent post by Katie Parla we linked before: restaurants have taken quite the hit due to the pandemic, and rounding up your bill to the nearest whole amount will be extremely appreciated. Do so, particularly, if you have outstanding service – a waiter that has gone above and beyond to accomodate your children, for instance, or that has helped you choose navigating around food allergies…
Back to your meal: the menus and how to choose from them
Most visitors to Rome can feel overwhelmed when menus are produced. There are so many sections!
- Antipasti (starters)
- Primi (pasta-based or rice-based mains)
- Secondi (meat-based, seafood-based or vegetable-based mains)
- Contorni (side dishes)
- Dolci (desserts)
There will be additional sections for wines, soft drinks, amari (herbal based liqueurs).
Note that there is no kids’ menu, unless the restaurant you’ve picked is known as being for families.
Should you pick one item or more from every section? Absolutely not! Menus in Italy show the ability of the chef, include classics that every reputable eatery in a city famous for its food should offer and… tell a story. The story, for instance, of how peasant food ingredients have been elevated and reclaimed to create modern dishes. Or the story of how every dish is made with locally sourced ingredients.
Bottom line is that a menu in Rome will be there to show the range of a specific restaurant, but you can pick items just for one or two sections, if you don’t have a big appetite. We at From Home to Rome usually have lunch or dine on one starter and one main!
Specials of the day could be listed too – but if they’re not ask about them! Because the food is so seasonal in the whole of Italy, this is usually the best way to order.
It’s also important to remember that every price on the menus refers to a portion. However, the prices for seafood and meat (steaks, or fiorentina – this is not done with roasted meats) will be indicated as per (usually) 100 grams. Use an online converter to know how many pounds (or other units of your liking) that would be, and order accordingly.
Portions are also smaller, and if you order a “secondo” (meat-based, vegetable-based or seafood-based main) you will notice it will come with just a handful of leaves of spinach, green salad, or roasted potatoes – if you do want a side, you’ll have to order from the appropriate section (“contorni”). No white rice with your Italian mains, nor (God forbid!) pasta!
Have you ordered too much in spite of all of the above? Doggie bags do exist here too!
Finally: see something translated in English? Doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re in a tourist trap. Perhaps this particular establishment has been featured in a show on Italy, or in an international publication, and they’ve gotten a surge in visitors from abroad. If translations don’t seem accurate, most smartphones now have a features to do that, which you can use to your advantage.
Feel like there is something we missed? Need information on specific situations? Feel free to reach out!
