How to eat in Italy without getting ripped off

Types

Ristorante: formal, overrated. Trattoria: casual, family-run, €15–25 full meal, the sweet spot. Osteria: was wine bar, now often trendy. Pizzeria: €5–9. Enoteca: wine bar + food. Bar: coffee, not alcohol.

Rules

Coperto €1–3: legal, normal. Servizio 10–15%: sometimes added. Water: ask for "acqua del rubinetto" (tap, free). Bread: comes with coperto.

Red flags

Photos of food outside. 8-language menus. Waiters beckoning. "Tourist menu" €12–15. Anything within 50m of a monument.

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