The table experience: bread, water & wine

When you sit down at an Italian restaurant, a basket of fresh bread will arrive at your table. Notice what does not arrive: there is no butter dish, and there are no little bowls of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. In Italy, bread is not an appetizer to binge on before the meal begins. Bread is meant to accompany your food: to take between bites of prosciutto, to balance a savory bite of meat, and above all, for 'fare la scarpetta' (making the little shoe). Fare la scarpetta means using a small piece of bread to wipe up the last of the sauce on your plate. It is informal, so it is best avoided in fine dining, but in a relaxed trattoria or at a family table it is common and is usually taken as a sign you enjoyed the food.

The first question an Italian server will ask within two minutes of seating you is: 'Acqua naturale o frizzante?' (Still or sparkling water?). In Italy, people almost never drink tap water at a restaurant. Restaurants serve cold, sealed glass bottles of regional mineral water priced between €1.50 and €3.00. Naturale (or liscia) is still, non-carbonated mineral water. Frizzante (or gassata) is sparkling, effervescent water. If you order tap water (acqua del rubinetto), the server will generally accommodate you, but it is considered unusual in Italian dining culture, where mineral water is treated as a natural pairing with wine and olive oil.

You do not need to spend €60 on a vintage bottle to drink incredible wine in Italy. In almost every trattoria, the most authentic and economical choice is the vino della casa (house wine), also known as vino sfuso (bulk wine). It is usually a simple local wine served in a carafe, red chilled lightly or not at all, white and rosé cold. You order it by volume: un quartino (1/4 liter, about two glasses), un mezzo litro (1/2 liter, about four glasses, perfect for two diners), or un litro (1 full liter). House wine is unpretentious and usually good value. Quality varies, so if the first quartino is not to your taste, simply order a bottle instead.