Italy from the Inside

A gelato menu? Yes, indeed.

Gelato menu- Italy from the Inside

An Italian gelato menu

Did you know that some Italian gelaterie have a menu? If you decide to sit (sedere) at the gelateria table to taste your Italian treat instead of eating it on the go, occasionally a complete ice cream menu will be given to you, and sometimes pictures will help you decide which ice cream will make your day. On the menu you can also find some salty snacks. As you can see, the four “intruders” have been placed on the far right of the page: pizzette, ciabatta farcita, tramezzini vari and ‘tost’. Yes, tost. But make no mistake, the spaghetti (last row, fourth from the left) are made of gelato!

{This is an excerpt from chapter 4 “Gelaterie and coffeehouses” of the eBook “Italy from the Inside. A native Italian reveals the secrets of traveling in Italy”. Buy our eBook on Amazon and leave us a review! If it’s good, you’ll make us happy, if it’s bad, you’ll make us improve. Thank you either way!}

 

This is why you should always carry some coins when you travel in Italy

Coin for the supermarket cart- Italy from the Inside

Photo by Francesca Tosolini

While alimentari are great for satisfying your hunger and picking up a few items, there are times when nothing but a supermarket will do. In big supermarkets, you often need a Euro coin deposit to unlock the cart (carrello) from the rack. The coin is given back once you put the cart away.  So, make sure you always have a few coins with you!

{This is an excerpt from chapter 5 “Stores” of the eBook “Italy from the Inside. A native Italian reveals the secrets of traveling in Italy”. To buy our eBook click here}

Time to eat

What time Italians eat- Italy from the Inside

Photo by Francesca Tosolini

In Italy, lunch is usually between noon and 2pm, while dinner is between 7:30pm and 9:30pm. The further south you go, the later you eat.
Try to get to the restaurant before 2pm (or 9:30pm), because if you order your meal before 2pm (or 9:30pm), then you can stay in the restaurant as long as you want, but if you arrive after 2pm (or 9:30pm) you risk being turned away.

{This is an excerpt from chapter 3 “Italian cuisine and food establishments” of the eBook “Italy from the Inside. A native Italian reveals the secrets of traveling in Italy”. To buy our eBook click here}