Meal times in Italy & Booking a Table

Meal times in Italy vary slightly according to the region, though most restaurants in tourist areas have similar hours. It’s in the home where you will find the biggest difference, with the south having later hours. While meal times in Italy tend to be fairly conventional for breakfast and lunch, dinner can be a little later than in the US and northern Europe.

Breakfast. Obviously, this depends on when people get up or go to work. Let’s say breakfast is between 7:00 and 10:00m which is much the same as everywhere else. Italians tend not to have a large breakfast, and it will often consist of coffee or cappuccino, with a pastry or small sandwich. It’s also quite common not to have breakfast at home but standing at the counter of a bar. In this case the whole procedure takes only a few minutes. Italians may sit down and take more time over their bar breakfast if it’s a non-workday. In this case they may take a seat and engage in conversation.

A typical Italian breakfast at the bar – espresso coffee and croissant

What is a bar? Unless you’ve already been to Italy, an explanation on the Italian concept of a bar needs to be explained. These are very common establishments and even the smallest town may have several. In a city like Florence or Rome, they can be found every hundred yards or so.  As well as alcoholic drinks, they sell coffee, cappuccino, soda and even water. Pastries and sandwiches are always available, and some also have gelato. Their opening hours are quite long, and in busy areas they may only be closed for a few hours after midnight. Some reopen as early as 05.00am or 06:00am.

Meal times in Italy: Lunch in the home and in the place of work is usually between 12.00pm and 1.30pm, in north and central Italy, and a little later from 1:oopm to 2:00 pm in the south. These are not hard and fast rules, and there will be differences depending on the type of job etc. However, we can say that they are fairly conventional times.

Unless it’s Sunday or a holiday, it will not be a large meal. It will usually consist of two courses; a primo (first course of pasta, rice or soup) and a secondo (second course with meat, fish or a salad). It’s also common to have just a first or a second course.

If it’s  not a workday and you’re staying with a family in Naples or further south, be prepared as lunch could be served quite late from 2:30pm to 3:00pm. You will however eat sublimely.

Lunch times in restaurants are from 12.00pm to 3:00pm. However, unless it’s a round the clock restaurant, I’d advise checking on their closing times, as some close a little earlier.

Be aware that the kitchens often close about a half hour before the general closing time.

This will be your table at Oltre il Giardino restaurant when taking one of my private Tuscany wine tours

Meal times in Italy: Dinner at home in northern and central Italy is usually served between 7:30pm and 08:30pm. It will likely be a two-course meal, and the portions could be a little larger than the midday meal. Meal times in southern Italy (more or less from Rome down) will later from 08:00pm and even up to 10:00pm. As I mentioned above, if you’re staying with a family, be prepared.

Dinner times in restaurants are generally from 7:00pm to 10:30pm, while pizza restaurants may well serve till midnight. Again I advise checking as variations are possible, and remember, the kitchen may close before the general closing time.

Meal times in Italy what time should I book?

If like me you’re impatient, the earlier you take your place at the table the better. Restaurants get busy by 12:30/12:45 for lunch, and around 7:45/08.00 for dinner, and they can be packed by 08:30.

I prefer to arrive at opening time whenever possible. This is of course a personal thing, but the best restaurants prepare food with fresh ingredients as and when its ordered. Consequently, the more meals they have to prepare, the longer you will wait, and the later you will leave. Obviously, a meat sauce which can have a cooking time of up to three hours will be prepared in advance,

On the other hand you’re on vacation, so spending time in conversation and enjoying the atmosphere may be the reason you are in the restaurant anyway. If so, please enjoy the art of slow eating..

Dining customs

Dining customs are quite varied from north to south, but for sure you will eat well everywhere in Italy. Here’s a brief take on dining in Florence. Many restaurants pride themselves on serving typical Tuscan typical dishes such as Ribollita, which is a thick bread and vegetable soup, Penne Strascicate, which is pasta that is partially cooked in a meat sauce, and the famous Florentine steak, Fiorentina. Restaurants usually offer seasonal menus, celebrating the freshness of local ingredients.

Penna Strascicate a famous Florentine pasta

One thing that my guests sometimes complain about of Tuscan restaurants, is the lack of salads and greens. Unfortunately, though the food is fantastic, this is true. We do eat greens at home, and if you go to any supermarket, you will see they are available in abundance and generally quite fresh.

Do Italians always eat for courses?

I often get asked this question, and the answer is; only occasionally and for special occasions, though we can sometimes find a reason to make it a special occasion. The meal will start with appetizers, consisting of cold cuts, crostini and bruschetta, followed by a pasta or rice dish, then we proceed with a meat dish, and close with sweet. The first three courses will be accompanied by dry wines, and in Tuscany that will likely be a Chianti or a Brunello. The sweet will be accompanied by a semisweet wine like Vin Santo, and the meal will finish with an Espresso or Moka coffee and/or an amaro (a bitter liqueur).

Meal times in Italy are always something to look forward to, as the quality and taste of Italian food are second to none. If you’d like to experience genuine home cooking with wine tasting on a private wine tour Tuscany, maybe you could take a look at my farm to table tour.

Asking for the bill and tipping in Italy

Restaurants only bring the bill when the customer asks for it. So, unless you ask, you could wait till closing time. Even then they will find an excuse, such as asking if you would like something else because they must close. It’s up to the client to leave in a reasonable amount of time when they have finished, and not hog a table if other guests are waiting. Here’s a short video on how to ask.

Il Conto – The Bill

Tipping. Tipping in Italy is different than in the US. There is no hard and fast rule, but it’s customary to leave 10% if the service was satisfactory. Or to put it another way, no one will get offended if you don’t tip, but it’s very much appreciated if you do. It’s entirely up to you, but if you want some extra info, please read my article on the subject.

About the bill: You will always see the word COPERTO on the bill, and it will amount to a few Euro per person. This is a standard seating and bread charge, and it’s applied to all customers locals and tourists alike. It isn’t a tip as it goes to the management, and not the serving staff. In more touristy areas you may see SERVIZIO as well COPERTO. This is in fact a mandatory tip, and in this case you don’t need to leave any further sum. However, it’s not found very often.

By the way, if you like wine and would like to experience a genuine Tuscan home cooked lunch, why not consider taking a Private Tuscany wine tour from Florence with myself. I look forward to hearing from you.