I’ve Been Offended: Some Etiquette Rules For Italian Dining

Food. The essential heart of any Italian. Although Italy has exported their cuisine throughout the world, much like America has exported McDonald’s, no Italian would ever shy away from being Italian when you mention your favorite pizza place. But when you talk about cuisine you do get some strange looks. Much of Italy still thinks of itself as individual sections, the Veneto cuisine is known only in the northeast and nobody makes a pizza like the people from Napoli. Still, they all view their food as the center of their soul, as I think we all agree…they should.

With all of this aside, I must say that watching many of the tourists out there this summer, I have been completely offended by some of their behavior when it comes to dining in the Italian culture. For all of you who are planning a trip over in the near future, please read this carefully…if you do, Italians will view you as a wonderful friend and not an annoying tourist.

Let’s start with the basics; pizza. Pizza in the northeast is different from pizza in the south. Here, it’s super thin and loaded with everything you can imagine. You will get your own pizza when you order, so don’t ask to share one with another person…this is impossible. When eating your pizza you have a couple of options. First option: eat it like American pizza. Cut across the center and then cut one slice at a time. NEVER cut all the slices at once. Once you get your slice, pick it up like you would at home, bend it in half for added support and enjoy. If you’re interested in fitting in with the locals, try eating it with a knife and fork…especially if you’re in a swanky place. But then again, if you’re at a swanky place you’re probably not ordering pizza.

Pasta
When it comes to pasta…don’t be dainty. If you shove a heaping forkful into your mouth, any hanging bits are simply bitten through to allow them to fall back to the plate. They ARE NOT slurped up!!! You will almost never have a spoon to twirl your pasta on because most Italians consider this the highest insult, so go ahead and use your plate.

If an Italian invites you to their home as a guest for dinner…consider this a huge honor and go hungry. The generosity to your plate that you will experience is an open gesture of hospitality and they are very glad to have you, the smaller the portion and more you refuse, the higher your chances are of offending your host and not being asked back. Above all, everything your mother told you about not mopping your sauce up with your bread can be forgotten. You absolutely should do this, and make sure that you wipe your plate clean. In this way your enjoyment of the meal will be well understood from everybody at the table. But do remember what your mother told you about talking with your mouth full and chew with their mouth open…regardless of your culture, these acts are considered rude.

I hope that this hasn’t been too harsh, but I’ve simply seen too many tourists do things that have offended their Italian hosts this summer. Hopefully, this will help any future traveller…if it does, then I guarantee that the waiter will love you, your bill will be lower, and you might get that free shot of Limoncello at the end of the meal!