Real Italian, part 2. In part 1 we talked about food. This time that food goes into a real meal, from the door to the bill.
This time there are two parts. First you read the whole scene like a script, from the door to the bill: only the words you say out loud. Then comes the explanation of everything: why you say it that way, what to do if the waiter answers differently, and what’s worth knowing before you sit down.
Many lines have two possible answers. The second is written after “oppure” (or). Neither is more correct: both get you to dinner. Choose the one that suits you.
Let me say it right away: most Italian restaurants are perfectly honest. In this scene I’ve also included a few awkward cases, a menu that doesn’t arrive, fish sold by weight, because that’s exactly when you need the words. Not to fight anyone, but to relax and enjoy the evening.
Before you go out: how to choose the place
Dinner starts long before you walk in. Three things, in order of importance.
One: look at the entrance. A menu with prices displayed outside, and local people sitting inside. Places with photo boards of the dishes and someone touting for customers in the street are usually aimed at tourists.
Two: reviews on specialist sites, meaning sites where the reviewers really ate there. The one I’ll mention is TheFork: only people who booked through it and actually went can leave a review, so it’s far more reliable than ratings anyone can write.
I have no financial ties with TheFork and nobody there I know personally. I mention it only in the hope it makes your evening a little easier, and only for those who want it. Choose your restaurant however you like.
Three: book, or don’t. Booking through TheFork is handy for a practical reason more than anything else: you book in writing, without having to phone in Italian, and you get a written confirmation with the time and the name. But only restaurants that have signed up are listed, and, especially in small towns, wonderful trattorias are often missing. So just walking in is perfectly fine too. Most Italians do exactly that.
Just one thing: platform rankings and discounts are not a map of the best food in town. They’re a help, not an answer. At the door, your own eyes still count most.
Part one: the scene
From here to the end of the scene, it’s Italian only: these are the lines actually said at the table. The explanations come afterwards.
The characters: the waiter and two people out for dinner (we call them Cliente and Cliente 2). Sentences in brackets aren’t said aloud: they describe what’s happening.
The amber lines are a detour: you use them only if that situation comes up. When the amber ends, you’re back on the main path. No need to remember the numbers.
(You’re outside the door. There’s a menu outside: you read it and the prices look fine. You go in, because you’ve booked, or because you’ve just decided to eat here.)
Cameriere: Buonasera! Ha prenotato?
Cliente: Buonasera. Sì, ho prenotato su TheFork per le venti. Il nome è Yuki.
oppure Buonasera. No, non abbiamo prenotato. Siamo in due.
Cameriere: Benissimo. Preferite dentro o fuori?
Cliente: Fuori, grazie.
oppure Dentro, grazie.
(The waiter points to a free table.)
Cameriere: Come preferite: sono liberi quello vicino alla porta e quelli in fondo.
Cliente: Possiamo sederci lì? (indicando il tavolo che vi piace)
oppure Posso sedermi lì? (se siete da soli)
Cameriere: Certo, accomodatevi.
(You sit down.)
Now the scene splits into two paths. Only one thing decides it: whether the menu comes by itself. You take one path and skip the other.
First path — the menu comes by itself
The waiter comes back and puts the menu on the table. There’s nothing to say: just thank them and read. This is what happens most of the time; go straight to “Grazie, molto gentile”.
Second path — the menu doesn’t come
The amber lines below are said only in this case.
Cliente: Mi scusi, ci porta il menù per favore, così decidiamo?
Cameriere: Non serve il menù, ve lo dico io a voce: abbiamo le orecchiette, la tiella, il pesce fresco…
Cliente: Ci può portare il menù per favore? Abbiamo bisogno di leggere, non parliamo tanto bene l'italiano.
Cameriere: Ma ve lo dico io a voce, stia tranquilla…
Cliente: Mi dispiace, ma senza menù non ordiniamo: è obbligatorio per legge.
oppure Mi dispiace, senza menù non ordiniamo. Se non ce lo porta, andiamo via.
Cameriere: Va bene, ve lo porto subito. Poi, se c'è qualcosa che non capite, ve lo spiego io.
From here the two paths become one again (the menu is on the table)
Cliente: Grazie, molto gentile.
Cameriere: Intanto vi porto qualcosa da bere?
Cliente: Sì, un'acqua leggermente frizzante, grazie.
oppure Sì, un'acqua naturale, grazie.
Cameriere: Bottiglia grande?
Cliente: Sì, una bottiglia, grazie.
oppure Una bottiglia piccola, grazie.
Cameriere: Vino?
Cliente: Guardiamo sul menù e ordiniamo tutto insieme, grazie.
oppure No, grazie.
Cameriere: Allora intanto porto l'acqua.
Cliente: Va bene, grazie.
(A few minutes later. The menu is open on the table.)
Cameriere: Allora, avete deciso?
Cliente: Quasi. Mi scusi, che cos'è la tiella?
Cameriere: Riso, patate e cozze, al forno. È un piatto di qui.
Cliente 2: E le orecchiette sono fatte in casa?
Cameriere: Sì, le fa mia madre la mattina.
Cliente 2: Il pesce è fresco o congelato?
Cameriere: Fresco. Arriva da Gallipoli la mattina.
Cliente: Grazie, così capiamo meglio. E questo piatto di pesce, quanto viene tutto il piatto? (indicandolo sul menù con il dito)
Cameriere: Dipende dal peso, signora: è pesce fresco, si paga a etto.
Cliente: Ah, capisco. Allora mi può fare un piatto da venticinque euro?
oppure Ah, capisco. Me lo scrive per favore? Che pesce è, e quanto viene tutto il piatto. Non parlo bene l'italiano.
Cameriere: Certo. È un'orata: con questo peso viene ventisei euro.
Cliente: Va bene, grazie. Allora io prendo le orecchiette, e una burrata da dividere.
Cliente 2: Per me la tiella, grazie. E se possibile senza aglio.
oppure Per me la tiella. Le cozze sono di oggi?
Cameriere: Va bene. Da bere, oltre all'acqua?
Cliente: Mezzo litro di rosso della casa.
oppure Ci consiglia un vino di qui? Vorremmo assaggiare qualcosa del posto.
Cameriere: Vi porto un Primitivo del Salento: è il nostro.
Cliente 2: Quanto viene la bottiglia? E quanti gradi ha?
Cameriere: Ventidue euro, quattordici gradi e mezzo.
Cliente: È un po' forte per noi. Avete un rosato del Salento?
oppure Va benissimo, grazie.
Cameriere: Sì, ne abbiamo uno molto buono a diciotto euro.
Cliente: Perfetto, quello. Grazie.
Cameriere: Posso portare via i menù?
Cliente: Sì, me ne lasci uno: dopo ordiniamo un dolce.
oppure Sì, grazie.
(At the end of the meal. The bill doesn’t come by itself: you ask for it.)
Cliente: Il conto, per favore.
Cameriere: Subito.
Cliente: Possiamo pagare con la carta?
Cameriere: Certo.
Cliente: Grazie, è stato tutto buonissimo. Buonasera!
Part two: the explanation of everything
From here we go through the same scene bit by bit, in the same order. For each part I explain what’s going on, why you say it that way, and how to answer if the waiter says something different.
1. Walking in, and choosing the table
In Italy you don’t walk in silently: you say hello. Buongiorno during the day, Buonasera from the afternoon on. Just one word, but it changes the mood of the whole evening.
The first question is always the same: do you have a booking? If you do, say the time and the name. If you booked online, just show the confirmation on your phone: problem solved without a word.
Sì, ho prenotato per le venti. Il nome è Yuki.
Yes, I’ve booked for eight o’clock. The name is Yuki.
If you haven’t booked, say so, and then give the number of people: that’s what the waiter wants to know next. If you’re on your own: Sono sola (a woman) / Sono solo (a man).
No, non abbiamo prenotato. Siamo in due.
No, we haven’t booked. There are two of us.
Next you’ll be asked dentro o fuori? (inside or outside?). Answer in a word. Then the waiter shows you the free tables: you choose from those, rather than picking one yourself.
Here’s a useful phrase. If you like one of the tables you’re shown, point to it and ask. Italians ask this all the time, and the answer is usually yes.
Possiamo sederci lì?
Can we sit there?
Posso sedermi lì?
(On your own) May I sit there?
2. The menu: asking for it is normal, and the law is on your side
In most restaurants the menu comes by itself: the waiter comes back and puts it on the table. In that case there’s nothing to say: thank them and read. Skip the amber lines of the scene: they’re for the opposite case.
If it doesn’t come, ask for it, calmly, in the same tone you’d use to ask for bread.
Ci porta il menù per favore, così decidiamo?
Could you bring us the menu, please? Then we’ll decide.
The waiter may answer “I’ll tell you what we have”. Most of the time it’s in good faith: the day’s dishes change and aren’t printed. The problem isn’t politeness: it’s that spoken, you can’t see the prices. What isn’t written down can’t be checked when the bill comes.
So you ask again, but in a way that doesn’t offend anyone. The best way is to make it about neither money nor rights, but about language. For a foreigner it’s the strongest card of all, and nobody takes offence.
Could we have the menu, please? We need to read it: our Italian isn’t very good.
If the waiter still insists, go on to the third phrase. It’s the only one that mentions the law, but it’s no bluff: in Italy the price list (the menu) must be available to the customer before ordering (article 180 of the 1940 regulation, still in force, and Legislative Decree 84 of 2000). Failing to do so can be fined up to 308 euros.
Mi dispiace, ma senza menù non ordiniamo: è obbligatorio per legge.
I’m sorry, but without a menu we won’t order: it’s required by law.
You can also add “if there’s no menu, we’ll leave”: it’s the other answer, written after “oppure”. It’s optional, only for when the waiter still pretends not to hear. Usually it’s enough to keep it ready in your mind.
Said like this, it sounds harsh. It is, and it isn’t pleasant. But not bringing the menu after being asked twice isn’t pleasant either. At this point, almost always, the waiter comes back with the menu and a kind word: “If there’s anything you don’t understand, I’ll explain.” From there you’re on the same side, and the dinner gets off to a good start.
The three phrases go up one step at a time: first a request, then language, finally the law. Almost always, the first one is enough.
3. Something to drink, meanwhile: order only water
Right after the menu comes the same question every time: “Something to drink in the meantime?” The smart move is to order only water. Choose the wine later, calmly, while reading the menu. Wine is what makes the bill grow, so deciding in a hurry is a loss.
There are three ways to say water: naturale (still), frizzante (sparkling), leggermente frizzante (lightly sparkling). At the table, the third is just leggermente.
Then you’ll be asked what size. There are only two answers: the usual bottle is one litre, the small one 500 millilitres. It costs about 2.5–4 euros.
Sì, una bottiglia, grazie.
Yes, a bottle, please.
Una bottiglia piccola, grazie.
A small bottle, please.
Finally comes the second question, always the same: “Any wine?” You can answer no, grazie, or buy yourself time with a gentle way of saying “we’re reading now”.
Guardiamo sul menù e ordiniamo tutto insieme, grazie.
We’ll look at the menu and order everything together.
4. Ordering, and asking questions
Before ordering, it’s worth doing something tourists hardly ever do: ask the waiter what a dish is. It isn’t a waste of time. A waiter who starts talking about their restaurant’s dishes is no longer a stranger: they’re on your side and will recommend better things. And from then on it’s much harder to treat the person in front of them badly.
Mi scusi, che cos'è la tiella?
Excuse me, what is tiella?
In this scene it’s Cliente 2 who asks most of the questions: the kind a slightly fussy Italian asks. Is the pasta handmade, is the fish fresh or frozen, are the mussels today’s, can it be made without garlic. In Italy these are not rude questions: it’s the normal conversation of people eating out.
Le orecchiette sono fatte in casa?
Are the orecchiette handmade?
Il pesce è fresco o congelato?
Is the fish fresh or frozen?
Le cozze sono di oggi?
Are the mussels today’s?
Se possibile, senza aglio.
Without garlic, if possible.
Frozen isn’t a defect, nor is it illegal. But it must be indicated on the menu, usually with an asterisk. A waiter who answers these questions happily is a good sign. One who resents them is a sign too.
After that, everyone orders what they like. The set phrase is Io prendo… (I’ll have…), the short form per me…. da dividere means “to share between the two of us”, common for starters. If there’s something you can’t eat, say so before ordering: they’ll always accommodate you.
Non posso mangiare il pesce.
I can’t eat fish.
No, basta così. Grazie.
That’s all, thank you.
5. Fish by weight: get them to tell you the price of the whole dish
There’s only one thing to watch out for, and it’s always the same: fresh fish sold by weight. There’s a number on the menu, but often it’s the price per 100 grams or per kilo, not the price of the dish that arrives. A 700-gram fish at 9 euros per 100 grams comes to 63 euros for one person.
It isn’t a con: it’s the normal way fresh fish is sold all over Italy. It only becomes a problem when the price of the whole dish is never mentioned. And, very rarely, someone raises the price by saying it’s “a rare, prized fish”. To prevent it, one question before ordering is enough, asked out of curiosity, not suspicion.
Quanto viene tutto il piatto?
How much is the whole dish?
If the answer is “it depends on the weight”, there’s a simpler and friendlier way: turn the question around. Instead of asking the price, say how much you want to spend. The waiter will pick a fish of the right size. Everyone is happy, and the evening stays light.
Mi può fare un piatto da venticinque euro?
Could you make me a dish for 25 euros?
If the price still isn’t clear, there’s the surest way: have it written down. To be honest, it’s a little awkward, and it’s rarely needed. But it’s the only thing that really protects you, because a written price can’t change any more. The reason you give is always “language”, never suspicion: that way nobody is offended.
Could you write it down for me? Which fish, and the price of the whole dish. My Italian isn’t very good.
The name of the fish matters as much as the price, because you can check it on your phone in two minutes: the “rare fish” turns into an orata (gilt-head bream) at 20 euros a kilo. This episode’s printable sheet has a space to fill in for exactly this. Hold out the sheet and point to the space: no other words needed.
⚠️ Bring a pen too: anyone who doesn’t want to write will say they don’t have one. But remember the other half as well: in the vast majority of cases the first question is enough, and dinner mustn’t turn into an interrogation.
6. Wine: three ways to order it, and the wines of Puglia
Puglia is a wine region. Rather than your usual, it’s worth drinking the local wine. There are three ways to order it, and the difference is mainly the price.
il vino della casa — house wine
The restaurant’s own wine, sold by volume. You order un quarto (250 ml), mezzo litro (500 ml) or un litro. About 7–12 euros for 500 ml: cheap, and usually good.
un calice — a glass
5–8 euros a glass. Handy if you want to taste without ordering a bottle.
una bottiglia — a bottle
In a trattoria a good bottle costs about 18–30 euros. Asking the price first is perfectly normal.
Quanto viene la bottiglia?
How much is that bottle?
The local wines: for reds, Primitivo (Primitivo di Manduria) and Negroamaro; the name you’ll see most on labels is Salice Salentino. Salento rosé is the region’s speciality, a summer wine. For whites there are Verdeca, Fiano and Bombino.
⚠️ Puglian reds are high in alcohol: 13.5–15%, much stronger than beer and stronger than many wines. If you’re not used to it, a rosé or a white suits better. It’s fine to say so.
È un po' forte per noi. Avete un rosato del Salento?
It’s a bit strong for us. Do you have a Salento rosé?
But there’s an even better move: ask for a recommendation. Waiters love it, and almost always you’ll get something better than what you’d have picked yourself.
Ci consiglia un vino di qui?
Can you recommend a local wine?
One more practical tip. Reds are drunk at cellar temperature, not too cold; rosés and whites are chilled. If a red arrives warm, you can ask to have it cooled a little: a normal request.
7. The bill
Before the bill, a small but useful thing. The waiter will ask whether they can take the menus away. If you’re going to order dessert or coffee, keep one. It isn’t essential, but it saves asking for it again later.
Sì, me ne lasci uno: dopo ordiniamo un dolce.
Yes, but leave us one, please: we’ll order dessert later.
In Italy the bill doesn’t come by itself: it comes only when you ask. Until you do, the table is yours, and nobody will throw you out, even at midnight.
Il conto, per favore.
The bill, please.
Possiamo pagare con la carta?
Can I pay by card?
Something tourists rarely know about cards: in Italy shops and restaurants are obliged to accept them, whatever the amount. Refusing costs a fine of 30 euros plus 4% of the refused amount. So “the POS is broken” isn’t an answer. Point that out gently, and the POS usually starts working again.
The bill may include a coperto (cover charge): 2–3.50 euros a person, for the bread and the table. If it’s on the menu, it’s a legitimate charge: pay it and that’s that. Tipping is not compulsory: if you had a good time, leaving 2–3 euros is plenty.
Real prices in Puglia (around Lecce): a fish dish 18–30 euros, dinner in a trattoria 30–45 euros a person, water 2.5–4, a bottle of wine 18–30, a coffee at the counter 1.20–1.50. The trick is to budget a bit high: then a few euros won’t spoil your mood.
8. If something doesn’t add up
In this order: first ask for the itemised bill, then pay by card (it leaves a record). Anything beyond that isn’t worth it on vacation: your time and your mood are worth more.
Il conto dettagliato, per favore.
Could I have the itemised bill, please?
One last thing, worth repeating because it’s the truest thing in this whole episode: most of what’s written here won’t happen. Nearly all Italian restaurants bring the menu by themselves, charge a fair price for fish, and have waiters happy to explain the dishes. Today’s phrases are for the few cases where that isn’t so, and above all for sitting down knowing that, if you need them, you have the words.
This week’s practice
1. Go through the scene in order: greeting → booking and number of people → table → menu → water → questions → order → wine → bill.
2. Say the three entrance lines out loud: Buonasera. Non abbiamo prenotato. Siamo in due. If you’ve booked: Sì, ho prenotato per le venti. Il nome è …
3. Practice the table phrase. Point to a table and say Possiamo sederci lì?
4. Say the three menu steps in a row: Ci porta il menù per favore? → Abbiamo bisogno di leggere, non parliamo tanto bene l'italiano. → Senza menù non ordiniamo: è obbligatorio per legge.
5. The drinks exchange: Un'acqua leggermente frizzante. → Sì, una bottiglia. / Una bottiglia piccola. → Guardiamo sul menù e ordiniamo tutto insieme.
6. Learn the fish phrases just as they are: Quanto viene tutto il piatto? → Mi può fare un piatto da venticinque euro?
7. Choose one wine and order it: Ci consiglia un vino di qui? / Mezzo litro di rosso della casa. / Quanto viene la bottiglia?
8. When you take the printable sheet, take a pen too: the spaces are for them to write in.
9. On Wednesday we’ll act out this scene from start to finish. We’ll play the waiter, even the one who doesn’t want to bring the menu.
Printable PDF
Below is this episode’s printable PDF: two sheets, printed on both sides. The first two pages are the whole scene (the menu fork is shown as a diagram), page three has the phrases in order, page four has the spaces for the wine and the fish. Print it, fold it in two and put it in your bag. With a pen.
Puntata_2_Al_ristorante_en.pdf
Every Wednesday at 9 pm Japan time we talk Italian online for an hour, free, no booking needed. Sometimes we act out these very scenes, taking turns as customer and waiter.
Photos: Piazza del Duomo, Lecce RMLE1 (CC BY-SA 4.0), Piazza Sant’Oronzo Sailko (CC BY-SA 4.0), a terrace facing the Basilica of Santa Croce Gianni AtticoBarocco (CC BY-SA 4.0), a Puglian table in the evening Walter Schärer (CC BY-SA 3.0) / Wikimedia Commons
