Frequently Asked Question #21:
Q: Why are there no menus in Piedmontese restaurants?
A: The Piedmontese are very relaxed and informal - the owners of small family restaurants see no need for the extra effort and expense of a written menu. They simply tell you, or show you, what they have - and what they have changes with the seasons.
A good start is to ask che antipasti avete? (what antipasti do you have?) which will usually elicit a lengthy response. If you don't understand this, just say prendiamo tutti (we take everything) - and in the unlikely event that you don't like something, leave it.
It's quite common to get no further than the antipasti. However, there are usually primo (usually a home-made pasta dish) and secondo (main) courses available, which you can skip altogether to go straight to qualcosa dolce - something sweet.
The only other essential vocabulary is qualcosa da bere? - something to drink? If you need something light at lunchtime in Piedmont, a bottle of Dolcetto is a local favorite.
Pizzerias - very popular in Piedmont, particularly among families with children - usually do have written menus.
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