Meals Guide

Breakfast‍‍

Breakfast in Italy is typically light and sweet. The classic Italian breakfast consists of a cappuccino and a croissant. Croissants can be plain or filled with delicious options like cream, chocolate, jam, or pistachio cream. ‍‍

You can enjoy this kind of breakfast in any pasticceria, café, or bar, as restaurants are generally closed in the morning. While sweet options dominate, many cafés and bars also offer savory sandwiches for those who prefer something less sugary.

Lunch and Dinner‍

Lunch is usually served between 12:00 and 14:00, while dinner is typically between 19:30 and 21:30, though you can stay longer.

One important thing to note is that restaurants close between meal times, so don’t expect to find a full menu available mid-afternoon. If a restaurant stays open all afternoon, it’s likely catering to tourists rather than locals, so be mindful that it might be a tourist trap.

Menu‍

An Italian menu is traditionally divided into 5 sections. A good restaurant typically doesn’t offer too many dishes per category. A menu with too many choices can be a red flag, as it often means the food is not freshly prepared.

Antipasti: Starters or appetizers

Primi: Pasta dishes, including filled pasta, gnocchi, and risotto

Contorni: Side dishes, usually ordered separately to accompany your Secondi

Antipasti: Starters or appetizers

Dolci: Desserts

Local Tastes of Verona‍

Verona’s cuisine is deeply rooted in rich flavors, slow-cooked dishes, and hearty ingredients, reflecting the region’s history and traditions.

One thing that might surprise you is the presence of horse meat on many menus, sometimes even donkey. Don’t be put off; both are delicious, healthy, and quite similar to beef, often slow-cooked in rich, flavorful sauces.

For pasta lovers, don’t miss Bigoli, a regional fresh pasta that looks like thick spaghetti, traditionally served with a variety of sauces, including duck ragù or sardines.

Verona is also the land of potato gnocchi, another staple paired with various sauces.

If you love risotto, you must try Risotto all’Amarone, a specialty made with local rice cooked in Amarone wine, giving it a deep, bold flavor.

Wine

For wine, you really can’t go wrong, Verona is one of the wine capitals of the world, producing an impressive variety of reds and whites.

For red wine, the Valpolicella area is the most famous, offering different styles: Valpolicella Classico (light and fresh), Superiore (more structured), Ripasso (richer, with deeper notes), and the legendary Amarone, a bold, full-bodied wine made from dried grapes.

If you prefer white wine, you must try Lugana, a smooth, elegant wine from near Lake Garda, or Soave, a crisp, mineral-rich wine from the eastern hills of the region.

If you're into sparkling wines, Prosecco is the most widely known, and as a product of the Veneto region, it’s available just about everywhere. But if you want to go even more local, try a glass of Durello, a crisp, mineral sparkling wine made from the native Durella grape, produced in the nearby Monti Lessini hills.

As for dessert wines, don’t miss Recioto, the sweet predecessor of Amarone. It’s made with dried grapes like Amarone, but fermentation is stopped early to retain natural sugars. Legend says Amarone was born from a Recioto batch that was accidentally left to ferment too long.

Pizza‍

For the best pizza experience, always go to a real pizzeria. Places that serve both pizza and a full restaurant menu are often a red flag, especially in city centers, as they tend to cater more to tourists than locals. While there are a few exceptions, most of the time, this is a sign of a tourist trap.

Also, avoid ordering pizza from bars, you’re likely going to get a frozen one. In general, bars are not the best places for food, unless you’re just grabbing a small sandwich or a snack.

Stick to pizzerias for the real deal!

End of the Meal

To finish the meal, it’s customary to order a coffee, but keep in mind that in Italy, this means espresso! Ordering a cappuccino after a meal is uncommon and considered strange and disgusting by locals.

Many Italians also enjoy a digestivo, a small alcoholic drink to aid digestion. Popular choices include grappa, amaro, or sambuca. If you want to drink like a local, order a caffè corretto, an espresso with a small amount of liquor added. It’s best enjoyed with grappa or sambuca for an authentic Italian experience.