7 Quick Tips for Italian Dining Etiquette

What are the table manners in Italy?

Where Does the Bread Go?

It's common in our neck of the woods in southern Italy to be served bread before the meal comes out or with the first course. Some people will munch on a slice as part of an antipasto, but it is principally for eating after the first course.

So, where do you put your piece of bread? On the table. Once you take a slice from the basket in the center of the table, place it on the table next to your plate. I tend to put mine to the upper left of my plate, opposite the glasses.

The most polite way to eat your slice is to pull a bite size piece off at a time, not chomping directly into the bread. Olive oil for dipping? Sorry, that's an American invention. Some restaurants in the north or Tuscany will give you a bottle of olive oil of you ask for it, but it's not common.

Clean Plate Club - Fare La Scarpetta

I hated the idea of the "clean plate club" as a kid and still do in general, but in Italy I think of it differently. Of course people will be delighted when you eat all the food they have prepared for you, but whether the portion was more than you expected or you just didn't love it, it's okay to not eat every little thing. So what do I mean by "clean plate club"? I think of this phrase when I hear "fare la scarpetta," which means "To make/to do the little shoe." This is when you scoop up the extra sauce with a piece a bread after finishing your pasta (meat or vegetables too, but mostly pasta sauce). You literally clean your plate with a piece of bread to eat every little bit of delicious sauce.

Silverware

These are likely the same rules you follow anywhere, but they're good to remember.

First, eat "outside in," if their are multiple forks, knives, spoons, start with the outer utensil for the first plate and the second set for the second plate, etc.

Second, most restaurants will start you with one set of silverware and when you finish the first course, they will take them and bring you a clean set for the next plate. However, if you're eating at a family style restaurant and want to be nice, you can offer to keep the same set for the whole meal (of course, you'll get new utensils for dessert).

And, if you're eating in someone's home, you will likely keep one set throughout the meal. As anywhere, if you're eating at someone's house, it is polite to offer to do the dishes, but you will have to insist!

The Big Glass is for Water

When you sit down for a meal in Italy, you will likely be confronted with two glasses. Sometimes, it will be a long-stemmed wine glass and small cup, in this case it's obvious, the wine goes in the long-stemmed glass and the water in the small glass cup. In other cases you will have two glasses that look fairly similar, both with a short stem and bowl (the part that holds the water or wine). The bigger glass is for water, the smaller glass is for wine. It's easy to think it's the other way around, but to look like a true Italian, put your water in your big glass.

Prosecco First

Prosecco (the sparkling Italian wine from the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia regions) is considered an aperitivo beverage and consumed primarily before a meal or with the antipasto to start, not during the meal.

Coffee and Digestivo After

Coffee and digestivi (plural of digestivo) are often served after a meal. You will likely be asked of you want one or the other. A digestivo is a liqueur served in what most Americans would consider a "shot glass," but keep in mind, it is not meant as a shot! Yes, Italians may look like they drink a lot, but the meal is curated in a way that is built for digestion, not for getting drunk. The digestivo is meant to help aid digestion, like coffee. It is often a dark liquid made from various herbs. Limoncello is also consumed after dinner, but isn't thought of as having the same digestive benefits.

Cheers! - Brindisi

So, what are the rules for making a toast, or "cheers-ing"?

1) When you clink a glass with someone to "cheers", look at them in the eye.

2) Do not cross arms with someone else. For example if you're four people at a table, the people on opposite corners cannot cross to cheers at the same time (effectively making an "X" with your arms), but you have to wait your turn.

3) Do not "cheers" with water! This is considered bad luck.

4) When you "cheers" or "fare un brindisi" (make a toast) you can say "Salute" which means "To health!", or "cin-cin" (pronounced "cheen-cheen") which comes from the sound the glasses make when they clink together.

You could consider rules 1-3 as superstitions and not every Italian follows them, but they're fun!

I hope these Italian dining etiquette tips help you feel prepared for eating and drinking in Italy! My final tip? Just do your best and be respectful. People tend to be forgiving, especially when they see you trying.