When we used to live in Turin, we’d never let a week go by without a trip to one of our favourite local restaurants. After all, there is nothing quite like Italian cuisine!
Ristorante (plural: ristoranti) is the Italian word for restaurant and as you can see, the spelling is very similar to the English word.
If you refer to a place simply as a ristorante, the implication is that it is a formal, high quality establishment with excellent service and prices to match. You can expect antipasti (appetisers), primi (first courses), secondi (main courses), contorni (side dishes), and dolci (desserts).
Siamo andati in un ristorante di pesce l’altro giorno.
We went to a seafood restaurant the other day.
Of course not all restaurants in Italy fall into this category. Below is a list of other types you will likely encounter.
Pizzeria
As the name suggests, the pizzeria is a kind of restaurant that primarily serves pizza. However you may also find other items on the menu including pasta and salad. Most pizzerie are have a simple decor and a homely ambiance, but some establishments also offer a full “ristorante-like” service. They are a favourite amongst workers on their pausa pranzo (lunch break) because the service is quick and the food is generally affordable.
Hint: If a word ends in the suffix -eria as in pizzeria, more often than not it refers to an establishment that sells a specific kind of food and/or drink! Some other examples are gelateria (ice cream), birreria (beer), pasticceria (pastry) and panetteria (bread).
Trattoria
A trattoria is a kind of restaurant that is generally less formal than a ristorante, but more formal than an osteria. They are usually family run and offer a several traditional dishes from that particular region. In Torino, for example, many trattorie serve vitello tonnato and tajarin, both of which are local Piedmonese delicacies.
Osteria
Many people tend to confuse trattorie and osterie and I can hardly blame them! The truth is that the differences aren’t nearly as clear cut as they used to be. These days, both serve food and tend to be family run establishments, whereas in the past, people used to go to their local osteria primarily to drink wine and socialise.
Tavola calda / Tavola fredda
In Italy, you’ll find a bar (the word for cafe in Italian) on every corner, sometimes even next to each other. Bar are popular places to get an espresso or a cappuccino, which Italians often drink more than once in a day.
The bar can also be the ideal place to grab a quick lunch when you don’t want to spend a lot or when you don’t have much time to spare. On the menu or the board outside you’ll often find these words: tavola calda (hot table) and tavola fredda (cold table).
At the former, you can expect warm food whereas the latter only provides cold dishes such as panini (sandwiches). Some bars can serve primi, secondi and contorni but the selection isn’t as rich as a ristorante. They don’t usually stay open in the evening.
Rosticceria
The rosticceria is very similar to the tavola calda in that they serve pre-made food to take home with you or eat on the premises. As the name suggests, there are usually roasted cuts of meats on offer.
Taverna / Tavernetta
In the past, a taverna was a pub of low rank that would serve food and wine to the common folk. Today, the term has been adapted to places with a much higher rank like ristoranti and trattorie. They can even be luxury establishments with rustic furniture. They’re often open in the evening.
Important words and phrases:
If you plan on treating yourself to a meal out in Italy, here are a few terms and phrases that will come in handy when making a reservation, ordering and paying the bill:
- prenotare = to book, reserve
- ordinare = to order
- la mancia = tip
- da portare via = take-away
- un tavolo per due / quattro = a table for two / four
- il conto = the bill
- menù = menu
- coperto = service charge
- posate = cutlery
Vorrei / Posso avere un bicchiere di vino?
I would like / Can I have a glass of wine?
Mi scusi, avevo ordinato un dolce… – Controllo subito signorina!
Excuse me, I ordered a dessert… – I’ll check right away, miss!
Mi può portare il conto per favore?
Can you bring me the bill please?
Vorrei prenotare un tavolo per due, per favore.
I’d like to reserve a table for two, please.
Non è obbligatorio lasciare la mancia in Italia ma i camerieri lo apprezzeranno.
It isn’t obligatory to leave a tip in Italy but the waiters will appreciate it.
È possibile portare il resto a casa?
Is it possible to bring the rest home?
«italian word for restaurant» at online dictionary. Definition of italian word for restaurant. What is another word for italian word for restaurant? This is the right place where you will get the proper information. What does italian word for restaurant? However, check italian word for restaurant at our online dictionary below.
Table Of Content:
- Italian Eateries: Ristorante, Trattoria, and the Osteria — Blog — — Four …
- Ways to say “restaurant” in Italian | Living Language
- Italian Restaurant Vocabulary: Essential Italian Words and Phrases …
- How to Say «Restaurant» in Italian — Ristorante — Daily Italian Words
- 100 Italian Food/Drink Words and Phrases — Food Republic
- What’s An Osteria? And Other Italian Restaurant Definitions
- Learn Italian phrases: At the restaurant | Language courses | The …
- 25 Italian Restaurant Words You Need to Know
- Different Kinds of Restaurants in Italy: Italy Logue
- ITALIAN RESTAURANT — crossword answers, clues, definition …
1. Italian Eateries: Ristorante, Trattoria, and the Osteria — Blog — — Four …
http://www.fourbrotherscucina.com/italian-eateries-ristorante-trattoria-and-the-osteria/
Many North American eateries boast of having the most authentic Italian food. They often throw Italian words like ristorante, trattoria, or osteria into …
2. Ways to say “restaurant” in Italian | Living Language
https://www.livinglanguage.com/blog/2013/08/27/ways-to-say-restaurant-in-italian/
Aug 27, 2013 … 4) ristorante, well, restaurant. It is very important to note that while you will see and hear these words many many times while in Italy, their …
3. Italian Restaurant Vocabulary: Essential Italian Words and Phrases …
https://talkinitalian.com/italian-restaurant-vocabulary/
Sep 26, 2018 … Italian Phrases when Entering a Restaurant … When you visit any dining establishment, always start with greetings. You can say, buongiorno (good …
4. How to Say «Restaurant» in Italian — Ristorante — Daily Italian Words
https://dailyitalianwords.com/italian-word-for-restaurant-ristorante/
Sep 11, 2019 … Ristorante (plural: ristoranti) is the Italian word for restaurant and as you can see, the spelling is very similar to the English word. IPA: / …
5. 100 Italian Food/Drink Words and Phrases — Food Republic
https://www.foodrepublic.com/2011/12/14/100-italian-fooddrink-words-and-phrases/
Dec 14, 2011 … A cheat sheet for ordering in Italian · Colazione – breakfast · Pranzo – lunch · Cena – dinner · Merenda – snack, normally acceptable only if you …
6. What’s An Osteria? And Other Italian Restaurant Definitions
https://saltandwind.com/stories/383-what-is-osteria-and-other-italian-restaurant-definitions
Speaking of, a trattoria is indeed a restaurant, but the vibes are more casual than a ristorante. At a trattoria expect traditional, seasonal Italian dishes, …
7. Learn Italian phrases: At the restaurant | Language courses | The …
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/jul/14/learn-italian-phrases-restaurant
Jul 14, 2009 … Learn Italian phrases: At the restaurant · il piatto plate la ciotola bowl la tazza cup · agnello lamb vitello veal · il baccalà cod (dried) la …
8. 25 Italian Restaurant Words You Need to Know
https://www.rd.com/article/25-italian-restaurant-words-you-need-to-know/
Sep 9, 2010 … 25 Italian Restaurant Words You Need to Know · 1. Al dente: Of pasta; cooked – but firm to the bite. · 2. Alla: In the style of; for example, alla …
9. Different Kinds of Restaurants in Italy: Italy Logue
https://www.italylogue.com/food-drink/different-kinds-of-restaurants-in-italy.html
Ristorante (ree-stoh-RAHN-teh) – This word should look familiar to you – it’s the Italian word for “restaurant.” A ristorante is where you can expect perhaps …
10. ITALIAN RESTAURANT — crossword answers, clues, definition …
https://www.the-crossword-solver.com/word/italian+restaurant
Synonyms, crossword answers and other related words for ITALIAN RESTAURANT [pizzeria]. We hope that the following list of synonyms for the word pizzeria …
Conclusion:
In final words, we are at the last stage of your query italian word for restaurant. Already you know about Italian Eateries: Ristorante, Trattoria, and the Osteria — Blog — — Four ….
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Home>Words that start with R>restaurant>English to Italian translation
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Food and Eating
If you want to know how to say restaurant in Italian, you will find the translation here. We hope this will help you to understand Italian better.
Here is the translation and the Italian word for restaurant:
ristorante
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Restaurant in all languages
Dictionary Entries near restaurant
- rest assured
- Rest in peace
- restart
- restaurant
- restitution
- restless
- restlessly
Cite this Entry
«Restaurant in Italian.» In Different Languages, https://www.indifferentlanguages.com/words/restaurant/italian. Accessed 14 Apr 2023.
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Check out other translations to the Italian language:
- chilli pepper
- chocolate bar
- cranberry juice
- diet
- fried chicken
- greengrocery
- perch
- rye
- sausage
- truffle
Browse Words Alphabetically
1. 
ristorante
ristorante L’ho portato nel ristorante più caro del campus.
Puoi consigliarmi un buon ristorante?
Ho trovato questo ristorante per caso.
Mia cara, se il cibo non è pronto alle sette, ho intenzione di andare al ristorante.
Ecco il ristorante dove abbiamo cenato la settimana passata.
Incontriamoci al ristorante.
Negli Stati Uniti si ha la scelta, quando si entra in un ristorante, di sedersi nella sezione per fumatori o nella sezione per non fumatori.
A Parigi ho mangiato coreano in un ristorante nel quartiere latino.
Questo albergo è privo di ristorante.
Questo ristorante si trova sopra il letto del fiume.
Vado al ristorante una volta ogni due giorni.
Questo è il miglior ristorante di kushikatsu di Osaka.
In Francia al ristorante ognuno ha la sua tecnica per non pagare, in Cina è il contrario.
Stando alla guida questo è il migliore ristorante qua intorno.
Vedrai due edifici giusto di fronte al museo, e il ristorante è nel più alto fra i due.
Italian word «restaurant»(ristorante) occurs in sets:
Cibo in inglese — verdura, frutta, spezie, paniffi…
Ristorante — Restaurant
Spazio — Space
Hotel — Hotel
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Last updated:
February 22, 2022
If there is anything in Italy that rivals its beauty, it is the food.
When you visit Italy, going to a restaurant is undoubtedly one of the first things you will do!
Maybe you are keeping to the must-see areas. Or maybe you are taking a more authentic approach. Either way, it is important to have some key Italian skills for ordering correctly (and politely!) at your disposal.
In this post, we will give you all the vocabulary words you need for finding a spot to eat, ordering your meal, getting it cooked the way you like it, washing it down with a delicious drink and lots more.
These vocabulary words are simple and straightforward, and you will likely recognize several cognates with English, which makes things even easier.
Once you have mastered these foundational restaurant words, you can find expressions for talking about food or conversing (…or arguing) with waitstaff in this article.
Hungry yet?
Download:
This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you
can take anywhere.
Click here to get a copy. (Download)
Essential Italian Restaurant Vocabulary to Feast Like a Local
With the exception of a few longer phrases, we have included links with each word where you can hear it pronounced in a native accent. Not only will this teach you how to actually use the words in real life, hearing them spoken can help them stick in your memory.
Where to Eat
Before anything else, you need to know where you are going! Here are some types of eateries you will find in Italy.
Ristorante
This one is pretty easy. It is a standard restaurant.
Trattoria
Much like a pub, these establishments are a more casual option. Here you can get more simple, homemade dishes at a lower price than restaurants.
Bar or caffè
In these places, you will often see people drinking coffee at the counter. That is because these are primarily for a quick drink. They may serve snacks or desserts, but you will also find a cover charge (or coperto) for table service. They are great for a quick shot of espresso!
Thinking of visiting a bar or caffè during your trip? Here is your guide to ordering coffee in Italian like a local.
Paninoteca
This shop is named for what it sells! Here you will find sandwiches, or panini, made simply and with high-quality ingredients.
Pizzeria
This is another easy one. These shops are where you can buy pizza!
Most places sell wood-fired pizzas for individual orders, but there are also many places that sell by the slice or by weight.
Waitstaff
Who is serving you? Being able to address them makes it easier to ask questions or for recommendations.
Il cameriere
This is the Italian word for waiter. Remember that this word is only used for male servers.
La cameriera
This is the Italian term for waitress. This word is only used for female servers.
How to Talk with Your Waiter or Waitress
No matter where you go, it is important to be polite! Here are some common pleasantries and questions you may need to ask while dining out in Italian.
Buongiorno
A formal way to say “hello.” Literally, it means “good day.”
Avete un tavolo per due?
When you arrive at a restaurant, you will want to ask for a table. This phrase means, “Do you have a table for two?”
If you know your numbers, you can easily change due (two) to however many people are looking to dine.
Cosa mi può raccomandare?
When you are not sure what looks good on the menu, ask your server what they can recommend for you!
Io prendo…
When you are ready to order, use this phrase to tell your server, “I will have…”
Possiamo avere il conto?
When you are all finished, here is how to ask the server for your bill.
Per favore
The all important magic word: “please.”
Grazie
The other magic word: “thank you.”
Arrivederci
A formal way to say goodbye on your way out.
Meals
Once you are in the restaurant and settled, what will you be ordering? It depends on the time of day!
Colazione
Breakfast
In Italy, breakfast is light and simple. It usually consists of a pastry and an espresso or cappuccino.
Pranzo
Lunch
For many, it is the most important meal of the day. Pranzo at home usually consists of pasta, a meat dish and a side of vegetables.
Cena
Dinner
Locals tend to make it a lighter meal. It is eaten later in the evening, usually around 8 p.m. or after. It is typically a slow and social meal.
Courses
When you are looking through the menu, this is how the courses will likely be sorted.
Antipasti
These will be starters or appetizers. Usually, you will find cured meats, cheeses and vegetables.
Il primo
This is your first course. This will usually be a pasta dish.
Il secondo
This is your second course, or main course, depending on what region you are dining in. It consists of meat or fish. If you want something alongside it, though, you will have to order a contorno (side dish).
Il dolce
This is the sweetest course! Desserts can be anything from tiramisu to gelato, panna cotta to zeppole and a number of other sweet treats.
Tableware
Is your table fully set? Do you need extra cutlery or plates? Here is what you need to ask for.
Il piatto
The plate
La ciotola
The bowl
La tazza
The cup
Il bicchiere
The glass
La forchetta
The fork
Il cucchiaio
The spoon
Il coltello
The knife
Food
Now the really important part! Here is a wide variety of foods that you will likely see and order at Italian restaurants.
La zuppa
Soup
L’insalata
L’insalata, or “salad,” usually follows il secondo in Italy.
The selection will be more diverse than you might initially think.
You could get l’insalata caprese, with tomato, basil and mozzarella. Panzanella, or bread salad, is another delicious option. You can also get a more traditional salad with a mix of greens and veggies, and topped with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. L’insalata usually follows il secondo in Italy.
Il pane
Bread
Il riso
Rice
Il pasta
Pasta
La pizza
Pizza
Polpette
Meatballs
In Italy, they would be served as il secondo, rather than with pasta in il primo.
La verdura
Vegetables
You will mostly find these on your menu in il contorno.
La carne
Meat
Il manzo
Beef
La bistecca
Steak
Florence is known for its beautiful bistecca alla fiorentina.
Il maiale
Pork
Il pollo
Chicken
Il pesce
Fish
Il sugo
Sauce
In simplest terms, it refers to pasta sauces (such as sugo di pomodoro, or “tomato sauce”) but can also refer to pan juices from meats.
Formaggio
Cheese
Aglio
Garlic
You will often see dishes such as pasta con olio e aglio (pasta with oil and garlic).
Cooking Methods
Now that you know what you want to eat, how is it going to be cooked? Here are common preparation methods you will find on the menu.
Al forno
This refers to food that has been baked in the oven.
Fritto
Fried food
Cotto
The technical translation of this is “cooked,” although it can also mean “well done.”
Crudo
Raw
This is often used to describe cured and thinly cut meats.
Arrosto
Roasted
Drinks
Your perfect meal needs the perfect drink to pair with it! Whether you are looking for water, coffee or alcohol, there are lots of options to choose from.
Vino rosso
Red wine
Vino bianco
White wine
Vino rosato
Rosé wine
La birra
Beer
Acqua naturale
Flat water
Acqua frizzante
Sparkling water
Acqua gassata
Carbonated water
Il succo
Juice
Cappuccino
Coffee with foamed milk
Il caffè
Espresso coffee
You will be served a shot in a small cup. For a more familiar coffee, order il caffè Americano.
Digestivo
A post-dinner liqueur
This list of Italian restaurant vocabulary will help prepare you for dining out in Italy. You should now feel comfortable in most restaurant scenarios you will come across! Happy eating!
Download:
This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you
can take anywhere.
Click here to get a copy. (Download)