"Ristorante" (this one near my apartment not only has great food, it also has 60s era modern decor. Looks like some Italian places in the States, unusual for Florence).
"Trattoria" is a traditional sit-down restaurant, same as a "restaurante," usually family owned and operated. If there are chain restaurants in Florence (besides the occasional McDonalds), they are well disguised.
A "Bar" is not a drinking establishment, it is a snack-bar with stand at the counter espresso, sweet rolls for breakfast, and sandwiches for lunch. Sometimes a few small tables. There is one on almost every corner. When I first arrived I thought it was the land of pubs. Turns out there are very few pubs and they are for tourists or students.
Then there are combinations that can't quite make up their minds.
"Rosticceria" is for take-out and has been commandeered by the foreign take-out communities.
"Pizzerias" are not what you expect. They are sit down restaurants, trattorias really, that also offer pizzas. Oddly, a plain cheese pizza in Italy is called a Margherita.
Then there are official "Tabacchis" which are snack-bars that also sell cigarettes, bus tickets, postage stamps, and lottery tickets.
2 comments:
It's great you are reflecting on these every day realities of Italian life. All too soon you will be back in Albany, attending faculty meetings... wondering how and why you left the world of trattorias, ristorantes, pizzerias, gelaterias.....
Claire
Here I am again, your favorite 'Florence Coordinator' ;-)
Consider, Pizzeria is just a pizza restaurant. Did you know, usually a good wood/stone oven pizza is served only for dinner?
A Tabaccheria is just a tobacco reseller. If it's combined with a bar (ergo Bar Tabacchi) then you may find snacks and coffee. But you may find it combined with a Cartoleria (stationery) or most preferebly with a Ricevitoria (lottery)!
Rosticceria, as the word suggests, is a take-away grill corner offering grilled meat, chicken, 'salsicce', potatoes etc - if you are lucky there are a few standing places to eat there, in other cases it is combined with a larger food store.
Similarly, 'friggitoria' is a tiny take-away counter where they mostly deep fry. That's a nostalgic place since you'll find also sweet cream filled 'bomboloni' and 'frittelle di mele'. While rosticcerie still survive, it's the friggitoria which is sadly taken over by Chinese stir-fry families!
After that there was a great spreading of Doner Kebab, and lately, guess what, sushi!!!
Buon appetito!
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