Whether you are planning a trip to Italy to take in the sites and sounds or are simply visiting an Italian fine dining restaurant in New Jersey, you may have questions about Italian dining culture. The experience of dining in Italy is unlike anything many have ever experienced as the locals are passionate and appreciate the pleasures of life. If you want to know more about the dining culture, whether to implement in Italy or in your own hometown, we have the information you need.
Dinner is Eaten Late
Compared to the United States, Italy often does thing a bit later. If you get up at the crack of dawn, you may find yourself alone. If you eat dinner before six, you may find a lack of restaurants are open. Many Italians don’t sit down for their final daily meal until nine o’clock or later, which is a bit different from here in the states. If you want to give Italian dining a go, have your next dinner date a bit later and enjoy the nighttime with someone you love.
Courses are Different
There are five different sections to a typical Italian fine dining restaurant menu, from appetizers to pasta to meat then sides and desserts. However, don’t worry. In many cases, eating all of these courses is not a regular affair. It is something that is mostly done on special occasions. In that case, it may also be the only meal eaten all day, so indulging is a normal thing to do.
No Kid’s Menus
In Italy, most restaurants do not have a separate menu for children. Everyone eats the same sorts of foods, no matter how young or old they happen to be. If you have a small child, you can share off your own plate. Since Italian contains a lot of pizza and pasta, most children are likely to have no issue eating the adult food. If the child is picky, pasta with butter and cheese is a great option.
People Do Not Split Bills
Most Italian restaurants do not allow splitting bills. You will want to figure out who owes what amongst your party and one person can pay with the others reimbursing them. This might not be convenient and not all restaurants operate this way, but it is something to be aware of.
If you are looking for fantastic Italian food in New Jersey, rather than flying all the way to Italy, keep The Windlass in mind. We offer all sorts of fantastic food right on the lakeside.
