We firmly believe that life is for enjoying, so over the years we’ve established rituals that help us appreciate its pleasures to the full - especially when it comes to food and drink.
These rituals can make eating like an Italian seem complicated to outsiders, so here’s a few simple tips to get you enjoying life like us in no time…
Coffee
Ask an Italian for anything other than a cappuccino, a macchiato or an espresso (known to us simply as ‘un café’) and we’re likely to look horrified. Don’t take it personally, we’re simply thinking of all the wonderful flavour you’ll be missing out on - we invest a lot of effort in creating the perfect espresso and want to enjoy every drop, so we drink our coffee without copious amounts of sugar or cream.
However, if you like your coffee milky, you’re in good company - we love to start our day with a cappuccino. Just be sure to get your frothy-coffee fix before 11am, as true Italians know that drinking milk later in the day is bad for digestion.
Drinks
We generally enjoy our alcohol alongside food, so be prepared for your barman to assume you’ll be ordering food to accompany your Menabrea. Embrace this – you’ll discover some delicious dishes along the way.
Dinner
Don’t be worried if your waiter prompts you to order two main courses - he hasn’t mistaken you for someone who hasn’t eaten for a week. We simply prefer to enjoy our pasta or risotto (primo patti) separately from our meat or fish (segundi patti), so we can appreciate the full flavours of everything individually.
