How to Really Order Food in Italy:

Real Italian Restaurant Phrases You Need to Know

When we talk about how to order in an Italian restaurant, many of my students ask me whether they should say “Vorrei…” (“I would like…”).

Soooooo!!!

“Vorrei…” is not wrong. Nobody will threaten you or send you away if you use it. 😄

It is correct and it makes perfect sense. BUT…

It sounds a little bit like you have just stepped out of an Italian grammar book.

Yes, Italians understand it. Yes, it is polite. But the reality is that this is not the way people usually order food in Italy in everyday situations.

If you enter an Italian bar or restaurant, you will much more often hear expressions like:

• Per me un caffè, grazie.
  → A coffee for me, thank you.

• Prendo una pizza margherita.
  → I’ll have a Margherita pizza.

• Come primo gli spaghetti alla carbonara.
  → For my first course, spaghetti carbonara.

• Per secondo il pollo con le patate.
  → For my main course, chicken with potatoes.

These expressions sound much more natural and spontaneous.

At an Italian Restaurant: How Do Italians Really Order? 👩🏻‍🍳

Imagine you are sitting at a table in an Italian restaurant. The waiter comes and asks:

Pronti per ordinare?
Are you ready to order?

At this point, you can simply start with:

Sì!
Yes!

And then place your order.

If you are alone, you can say:

Per me gli gnocchi al pesto.
For me, pesto gnocchi.

or:

Prendo la lasagna.
I’ll have the lasagna.

or:

Come primo gli spaghetti alle vongole.
For my first course, spaghetti with clams.

If you are with other people, it is completely normal to specify who is ordering what:

Per me gli spaghetti all'amatriciana, per lui la carbonara.
For me, spaghetti all’amatriciana, and for him, carbonara.

or:

Io prendo la pizza, lei invece l'insalata.
I’ll have the pizza, while she’ll have the salad.

There is no need to build complicated sentences. Italians usually get straight to the point.

Primo? Secondo? What Do These Words Mean? 🍕

If you are not familiar with the traditional structure of an Italian meal, it may seem a little confusing.

The primo is usually a dish made with:

• pasta

• rice

• soup

• gnocchi

The secondo is the main course, usually based on:

• meat

• fish

• eggs

It is often served with a contorno (side dish), such as vegetables or potatoes.

This is why you often hear expressions like:

Come primo gli spaghetti alla carbonara.
For my first course, spaghetti carbonara.

or:

Per secondo la bistecca con le verdure grigliate.
For my main course, steak with grilled vegetables.

Of course, nobody forces you to order both a primo and a secondo.

Many Italians simply choose one of the two.

How to Order Drinks in Italian 🍹

After taking your food order, the waiter will almost always ask:

Da bere?
Something to drink?

At this point, you can answer very simply:

• Una bottiglia d'acqua frizzante, grazie.
  → A bottle of sparkling water, thank you.

• Acqua naturale.
  → Still water.

• Una birra media.
  → A medium beer.

• Un calice di vino rosso.
  → A glass of red wine.

• Una Coca-Cola.
  → A Coca-Cola.

Again, there is no need to say “Vorrei…” every single time.

After Eating: How to Order Dessert in Italy 🍨

When you finish your meal, the waiter may come back and ask:

A posto così o volete un dolce?
Are you finished, or would you like a dessert?

“A posto così” simply means:

Abbiamo finito. Non vogliamo altro.
We are finished. We don’t want anything else.

You can answer:

Siamo a posto, grazie.
We’re good, thank you.

Or, if you still have some space for dessert…

You can ask:

Che dolci avete?
What desserts do you have?

or:

Posso vedere il menù dei dolci?
Can I see the dessert menu?

If you choose a dessert, the waiter might say:

Abbiamo il tiramisù.
We have tiramisù.

And you can simply reply:

Perfetto, prendo quello!
Perfect, I’ll have that one!

Do You Have to Leave a Tip in Italy?

Many students also ask me whether leaving a tip in Italy is mandatory.

The answer is: no.

Unlike in many other countries, tipping in Italy is not obligatory, and nobody expects you to leave a fixed percentage of the bill.

However, if you really enjoyed the service, it is quite common to leave one or two euros on the table or simply round up the bill.

It is just a small gesture of appreciation — not a rule.

PS (Are you travelling to Italy soon and want to know how to order food, pay, call a cab, buy a train ticket, check-in at a hotel and more? Check out my "Survival Italian course"! 😉 )