Tips on Eating in Europe
Very often, Europeans think "vegetarian" means "no red meat" or "not much meat." If you are a strict vegetarian, you'll have to make things very clear. Write the appropriate phrase, keep it handy, and show it to each waiter before ordering your meal.
For inexpensive Italian eateries, look for the term osteria, tavola calda, rosticceria, trattoria, pizzeria, or "self-service." A meal-sized pizza (sold everywhere for under $7) and a cold beer is my idea of a good, fast, cheap Italian dinner. For a stand-up super bargain meal, look for a Pizza Rustica shop, which sells pizza by weight. Just point to the best-looking pizza and tell them how much you want (200 grams is a filling meal). They weigh, you pay. They heat it, you eat it.
University cafeterias (often closed during summer holidays) offer a surefire way to meet educated English-speaking young locals with open and stimulating minds. They're often eager to practice their politics and economics, as well as their English, on a foreign friend. This is especially handy as you travel beyond Europe.
In France, many cafes offer fixed-price meals such as a plat du jour or menu touristique. You'll get your choice of an appetizer, entre, and dessert at a set price. Service compris (s.c.) means the tip is included.
Eat hearty in Scandinavia, Europe's most expensive corner. Fill up at the breakfast smorgasbord (usually included in your hotel cost). Keep your eyes peeled for daily lunch specials called dagens ratt. If you order an entree, get extra vegetables (usually potatoes) by asking for seconds. The cheapest cafeterias often close at 5:00 or 6:00 p.m. Many pizzerias offer amazing all-you-can-eat deals and tempting salad bars. Fresh produce, colorful markets, and efficient supermarkets abound. Picnic!
At most European restaurants, the price of drinks can spoil your appetite. Ask for tap water in Britain, l'eau du robinet in France, Leitungswasser in Germany, acqua del rubinetto in Italy, and agua del grifo in Spain. In other countries, just do the international charade: hold an imaginary glass, turn on an imaginary tap, make the sound of running water, drink up, then smile.
In European groceries and open-air markets, most food is priced by the kilo (about two pounds). Watch the scales while your food is being weighed. It'll show grams, which are thousandths of a kilo. If cheese costs €5 a kilo, 200 grams (about a half a pound) is €1. In Italy, 100 gams (about a quarter-pound) is called an etto. Be careful. Specialty items are sometimes priced per 100 grams. Look for "kilo," "kg" (kilogram), or "100 grams" listed next to the price. Whether you understand the numbers or not, act as though you do. In European supermarkets, it's a snap to buy produce. Try the easy push-button pricing system. Put a banana on the scale, push the button that shows a picture of a banana (or the banana bin number), and a sticky price tag prints out. Voila!
In open-air markets throughout Europe, only shop at stalls that post prices. Tourists are routinely ripped off by market merchants in tourist centers. Find places that print the prices. Assume any market with no printed prices has a double price standard: one for locals and a more expensive one for tourists. In Europe, morning markets offer mountains of delectable fresh fruit. But you want only one or two pieces, and many merchants refuse to deal in small quantities. Roughly estimate the cost of what you want. Hold out the coins in one hand, the fruit in the other. Rarely will a vendor refuse your offer.
Milk-drinkers in Europe can check the carton for the local words for whole or light, such as voll or lett. Cold milk is rare in most countries. Avoid the "longlife" kind of milk, sold off the shelf, that needs no refrigeration. This milk will never go bad or taste good.
Very often, Europeans think "vegetarian" means "no red meat" or "not much meat." If you are a strict vegetarian, you'll have to make things very clear. Write the appropriate phrase, keep it handy, and show it to each waiter before ordering your meal.
For inexpensive Italian eateries, look for the term osteria, tavola calda, rosticceria, trattoria, pizzeria, or "self-service." A meal-sized pizza (sold everywhere for under $7) and a cold beer is my idea of a good, fast, cheap Italian dinner. For a stand-up super bargain meal, look for a Pizza Rustica shop, which sells pizza by weight. Just point to the best-looking pizza and tell them how much you want (200 grams is a filling meal). They weigh, you pay. They heat it, you eat it.
University cafeterias (often closed during summer holidays) offer a surefire way to meet educated English-speaking young locals with open and stimulating minds. They're often eager to practice their politics and economics, as well as their English, on a foreign friend. This is especially handy as you travel beyond Europe.
In France, many cafes offer fixed-price meals such as a plat du jour or menu touristique. You'll get your choice of an appetizer, entre, and dessert at a set price. Service compris (s.c.) means the tip is included.
Eat hearty in Scandinavia, Europe's most expensive corner. Fill up at the breakfast smorgasbord (usually included in your hotel cost). Keep your eyes peeled for daily lunch specials called dagens ratt. If you order an entree, get extra vegetables (usually potatoes) by asking for seconds. The cheapest cafeterias often close at 5:00 or 6:00 p.m. Many pizzerias offer amazing all-you-can-eat deals and tempting salad bars. Fresh produce, colorful markets, and efficient supermarkets abound. Picnic!
At most European restaurants, the price of drinks can spoil your appetite. Ask for tap water in Britain, l'eau du robinet in France, Leitungswasser in Germany, acqua del rubinetto in Italy, and agua del grifo in Spain. In other countries, just do the international charade: hold an imaginary glass, turn on an imaginary tap, make the sound of running water, drink up, then smile.
In European groceries and open-air markets, most food is priced by the kilo (about two pounds). Watch the scales while your food is being weighed. It'll show grams, which are thousandths of a kilo. If cheese costs €5 a kilo, 200 grams (about a half a pound) is €1. In Italy, 100 gams (about a quarter-pound) is called an etto. Be careful. Specialty items are sometimes priced per 100 grams. Look for "kilo," "kg" (kilogram), or "100 grams" listed next to the price. Whether you understand the numbers or not, act as though you do. In European supermarkets, it's a snap to buy produce. Try the easy push-button pricing system. Put a banana on the scale, push the button that shows a picture of a banana (or the banana bin number), and a sticky price tag prints out. Voila!
In open-air markets throughout Europe, only shop at stalls that post prices. Tourists are routinely ripped off by market merchants in tourist centers. Find places that print the prices. Assume any market with no printed prices has a double price standard: one for locals and a more expensive one for tourists. In Europe, morning markets offer mountains of delectable fresh fruit. But you want only one or two pieces, and many merchants refuse to deal in small quantities. Roughly estimate the cost of what you want. Hold out the coins in one hand, the fruit in the other. Rarely will a vendor refuse your offer.
Milk-drinkers in Europe can check the carton for the local words for whole or light, such as voll or lett. Cold milk is rare in most countries. Avoid the "longlife" kind of milk, sold off the shelf, that needs no refrigeration. This milk will never go bad or taste good.
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