Are you wondering how to order food in Italian in a café? Well, that is a fantastic way to practise the language and feel like a local, whether at a café in Rome or a cosy trattoria in Florence. To help you with that, in this blog, we’ll cover some essential Italian phrases and vocabulary to navigate a menu. 

Don’t forget to listen to the podcast in order to discover how to pronounce these newly found words. 

Asking for the menu and food

The first step to knowing how to order food in Italian in a café asking for the menu. Here’s how:

• Avete un menù? Do you have a menu?
• Avete un menù in inglese? Do you have a menu in English?
• Avete un menù per bambini? Do you have a children’s menu?

These phrases are essential, just remember, using per favore please at the end of your question will show politeness. Now let’s get to the fun part: ordering food! Italian menus feature a variety of delicious items, so let’s go over some of the basics you might encounter:

• Un panino al… a sandwich
  • Un panino al prosciutto a ham sandwich
  • Un panino al formaggio a cheese sandwich
  • Un panino con pomodoro e mozzarella a sandwich with tomato and mozzarella

If you’re in the mood for pizza, here are some classic choices:

• Una pizza a pizza
  • Una pizza con prosciutto cotto A pizza with cooked ham
  • Una pizza con funghi A pizza with mushrooms
  • Una pizza con gli zucchini / le zucchine A pizza with zucchini
  • Una pizza con funghi e olive A pizza with mushrooms and olives

To make your order even more complete, you can use a set phrase to say I would like in Italian using vorrei. For example: Vorrei una pizza con prosciutto crudo, funghi, olive e melanzane. I would like a pizza with cured ham, mushrooms, olives, and aubergines.

Read also: 8 essential Italian restaurant phrases for learners

Helpful phrases for ordering food in Italian

If you would like a recommendation from the waiter or manager of the café, a good set phrase to have under your belt is:

• Cosa consiglia? What do you recommend?

The person you are talking to will probably suggest a snack from the menu, so if you miss something you can always ask him or her to point it out to you.  And if you need something specific, here are a few more handy phrases:

• mi può dare una forchetta, per favore? can you give me a fork, please?
• mi può dare un coltello, per favore? can you give me a knife, please?
• mi può dare un cucchiaio, per favore? can you give me a spoon, please?

Before digging into your meal, people will probably say buon appetito. And there you have it! Now you know how to order food in Italian. With these essential phrases and vocabulary, you’re equipped to handle your Italian dining experience with ease. 

Read the blog post we prepared on eating out in an Italian restaurant to keep learning important vocabulary on asking for food in Italian!