Food & Drink

In Italy, food is culture, identity, and passion. There are rules that Italians take for granted and that tourists regularly violate:

• Cappuccino only in the morning. After 11 a.m., one drinks espresso (caffè), macchiato, or caffè lungo. Milk in coffee after meals? For Italians, a culinary crime.
• Pasta is a Primo, not a side dish. A traditional Italian meal has a clear order: Antipasto → Primo (pasta, risotto) → Secondo (meat, fish with Contorno/side dish) → Dolce (dessert) → Caffè. You don't have to order all courses, but respect the order.
• No Parmesan on fish dishes. And no pasta as a side dish to meat. And no spaghetti Bolognese (it doesn't exist in Bologna — there it's called Ragù, and it's served with tagliatelle).
• Bread is not an appetizer. Bread is served with the meal to mop up sauce (fare la scarpetta — make the little shoe). It is not served with olive oil and balsamic as an appetizer — that's an American invention.
• Dinner starts no earlier than 8 p.m. In the south, more like 9 p.m. An Italian who eats dinner at 6 p.m. does not exist.

Italy did not invent coffee (that honor goes to Ethiopia and Yemen), but perfected it. The espresso machine (1884), the Moka pot (Bialetti, 1933), and the coffee bar culture are Italian contributions to civilization.

The Coffee Bible

• Caffè / Espresso — The standard: a short, strong shot. Standing at the bar: €1.10–1.50. At the table: €2.50–5.
• Caffè Doppio — Double espresso. For the morning after the morning after.
• Caffè Macchiato — Espresso with a spot (macchia) of frothed milk.
• Caffè Lungo — Extended espresso, more water, milder taste.
• Caffè Ristretto — Extra short, concentrated espresso. For purists.
• Cappuccino — Espresso + frothed milk + milk foam. Only in the morning! Max. until 11 a.m.
• Latte Macchiato — Lots of milk, little coffee. More for tourists and children.
• Caffè Corretto — Espresso "corrected" with a shot of Grappa, Sambuca, or Brandy. After meals.
• Caffè Shakerato — In summer: espresso shaken with ice and sugar in a cocktail shaker. Refreshing and elegant.
• Caffè d'Orzo — Barley coffee, caffeine-free. For the evening.

Italy is the largest wine producer in the world (ahead of France!) with over 500 indigenous grape varieties and 20 wine regions, each producing something unique.

The most important wines by region

Italian Gelato fundamentally differs from industrial ice cream: less fat, less air, more intense flavor, softer texture. Good Gelato is made fresh daily (produzione artigianale) and contains natural ingredients.

How to recognize a good Gelateria?

• Pistachio ice cream: Must be greenish-brown. Bright green = dye = bad.
• Colors in general: Subdued, natural colors. Neon tones = chemicals.
• Storage: In metal containers with lids, not piled high and airy (too much air and stabilizers).
• Seasonal flavors: Strawberry in winter? Suspicious. Good Gelaterie change their flavors according to the season.
• "Artigianale" / "Produzione propria": Indicates in-house production (but not always guaranteed).

Classic flavors

Crema (vanilla-egg), Fior di Latte (pure milk), Stracciatella (milk with chocolate chips), Nocciola (hazelnut — the Piedmontese hazelnut is the best!), Pistacchio (best from Bronte/Sicily), Fragola (strawberry), Limone (lemon, as sorbet), Cioccolato (chocolate), Amarena (sour cherry).

Prices: 2 scoops (coppetta/cono piccolo): €2.50–4. 3 scoops: €3.50–5. In tourist hotspots (Venice, Capri) also €5–7.