Dinner

We usually have dinner around 8.00-9.00 p.m., even if especially in the centre you’ll find restaurants open well before that time, used to foreigners having dinner at an earlier hour. In the menu, you’ll find: Antipasti (starters); Primi (pasta, risotto or soup); Secondi (meat or fish); Contorni (side dishes) and Dolci (desserts). While waiting for your order, they will bring you some bread, but don’t expect it to come with butter; we eat it plain. You might want to start with an antipasto (prosciutto e melone - ham and melon - is very popular in summer) and then have a primo (typical from Rome are: carbonara, amatriciana and one of my favourite cacio e pepe); we use to put parmigiano (parmesan) on pasta (except pasta dish with fish). If you’re not filled yet or you prefer a secondo with a side dish, go on with it, but especially if you have a sweet tooth like I do, be sure you have enough space for one of our typical desserts such as tiramisu or panna cotta! If you have opted for a pizzeria instead, you might find either a very thin kind of pizza or a thick one (Neapolitan style). Toppings vary, but the typical pizzas are Margherita, Napoli and Capricciosa. Please, do not ask for a pizza with pineapple on: it doesn’t exist in Italy and I’m still wondering why it’s such a popular topping abroad! And in the very end, you can ask for a coffee, but not a cappuccino which we never drink after a meal!