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Lunch and dinner in Italy
According to tradition in the countryside and small towns, lunch is the big meal. Restaurants are generally open for the lunch between 12:30pm and 2:00pm and lunch can take over two hours. It is best to arrive between 1:00pm and 2:00pm. If you are seated and order before 2:00pm, you can linger as long as you wish, but if you arrive after 2:00pm, you risk being turned away.
As in any situation, your lunch choice will change based on your breakfast, your activity of the day and your dinner arrangements. The Paninoteca and Rosticcerie are your best alternatives for a quick and light lunch. Hope to stand while you enjoy a selection of hot and cold dishes, mostly prepared ahead of time. Complete meals are often elaborate affairs, generally served in either a Trattoria or a Ristorante. According to tradition, a Trattoria is a small, family run establishment with modest decor but great food for less money. The traditional Ristorante will feature a full course selection, moderate to high end décor, great food but higher prices. In fact, you will find that lunch and dinner menus rarely differ so expect a full meal at full price when ordering Ristorante fare midday. If you want a quicker, lighter lunch, you may find small places that sell pizza by the slice in some of the bigger towns. Or stop at a coffee for a panino or sandwich.
Dinner is like a late night feast in Italy. It is usually served from 7:30 p.m. through the later evening hours, wrapping up at about 10:00 or 11:00 p.m.. For a more traditional Italian experience enjoy your final meal of the day after 8:30 or 9:00 p.m. in good, local company. Ristorante start opening at 8:00P.M. and don’t become busy until after 9:30 P.M. The menu, la lista, is loaded with courses, but you do not have to order them all. Listed below are the names of each course and an idea of what you might order.
The appetizers or antipasti might be bruschetta (grilled garlic bread with chopped tomato) or fresh mozzarella with melon.
The first plate or Primo Piatto is most often pasta but could easily be a bowl of soup. If you ordered antipasti, you may decide to order this course as your main dish, or skip it and move on.
The second plate or Secondo Piatto is a main dish such as meat or fish; this is often the most expensive part of the meal and is usually served a la carte. Sometimes a vegetable is served with this dish but more often than not you must order side dishes separately.
Desert or Dolce is very rich in Italy. Try the tiramisu, gelati or crème brule.
Italians are known for their ice cream or gelato. It tastes more like a frozen sherbet than ice cream. The real difference is that it is made with milk instead of cream. Gelaterias are open all day and late into the evening, and a nice stroll after a meal with gelato in hand can be a memorable event.
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