The waiter pulls out your chair, hands you a menu the size of a newspaper, and waits. Prego. Go ahead. Here's everything you need to order with confidence.
Quick answer
Eating out in Italy takes a handful of lines: un tavolo per due, per favore (a table for two), vorrei… (I'd like…) for ordering, and il conto, per favore for the bill — which never arrives until you ask. Use vorrei, not voglio: it's the polite register.
An Italian meal has movements — antipasto, primo, secondo, dolce — and you don't need to order all of them. What you do need is a handful of phrases to navigate the menu, ask what's good, and settle the bill without the awkward hovering. Here they are.
The phrases that carry the meal
Tap any line to hear it spoken.
Lexicon · al ristorante
Un tavolo per due/un ˈtaːvolo per ˈdue/
a table for two
Cosa mi consiglia?/ˈkɔza mi konˈsiʎʎa/
what do you recommend?
Per me…/per ˈme/
for me… (to order)
Il conto, per favore/il ˈkonto/
the bill, please
Ordering, in practice
CamerierePrego, cosa prendete?Go ahead — what will you have?
YouCosa mi consiglia?What do you recommend?
CameriereLe tagliatelle sono ottime oggi.The tagliatelle are excellent today.
YouPerfetto. Per me le tagliatelle.Perfect. The tagliatelle for me.
Now you order
Run the meal yourself. Type each line, or tap the mic and say it.
Ask for a table for two.
RevealUn tavolo per due, per favore/un ˈtaːvolo per ˈduːe per faˈvore/A table for two, please.
Say you'd like to order.
RevealVorrei ordinare/vorˈrɛi ordiˈnaːre/I'd like to order.
Ask for the bill.
RevealIl conto, per favore/il ˈkonto per faˈvore/The bill, please.
Ask whether you pay at the table or the till.
RevealPaghiamo al tavolo o alla cassa?/paˈɡjaːmo al ˈtaːvolo o ˈalla ˈkassa/Do we pay at the table or at the till?
Tip — tap 🎙 to say it, 🔊 to hear it. Speaking practice needs a browser that supports speech input.
Common questions
How do I ask for a table?
Un tavolo per due, per favore — a table for two, please. With a booking: ho prenotato a nome… (I have a reservation under the name…).
How do I order politely in Italian?
Use vorrei (“I'd like”): vorrei la carbonara, per favore. Prendo… (“I'll have…”) is also natural. Avoid voglio — it reads as blunt.
Why hasn't the bill come?
In Italy the bill never arrives until you ask — bringing it unrequested would be rushing you. Say il conto, per favore when you're ready.
What is the “coperto” on my bill?
A per-person cover charge (usually €1–3) for bread and the table setting. It's normal, legal, and listed on the menu — not a scam and not a tip.
Do I need to tip in Italy?
No — service is included and tipping isn't expected. Rounding up or leaving a couple of euros for great service is appreciated, never required.
What are the courses on an Italian menu?
Antipasto (starter), primo (pasta, rice or soup), secondo (meat or fish) with a contorno (side), then dolce (dessert). Nobody orders all of them — a primo or a secondo alone is fine.
— Aleksander
Practice it for real
Now try it yourself — out loud.
Run the whole meal in Sentiero — order, ask questions, and pay, out loud.
