Many words to say "restaurant" in Italian
While studying Italian you may have realized that there are many words to mean "restaurant". Given the weight that food has in our culture, history, and economic development that is no surprise.
1) autogrill (owned and managed by the namesake company) is a highway roadside fast food / snack place. Lately they opened places in actual towns -- there is one near the Duomo in Milano... So, Italian call autogrill any roadside restaurant, even if they are in South Africa or Argentina.
2) trattoria, which, in theory, is a medium to low-priced, often family-run eating establishment, usully in the countryside. Note the stem of the word "tractor" (trattore).
3) osteria, it is an informal place, usually very low priced. Note the stem: same as ospedale (hospital), ospite (host), ospitalita' (hospitality).
4) ristorante, well, restaurant.
It is very important to note that while you will see and hear these words many many times while in Italy, the “borders” of these terms and their actual meaning have been blurred significantly in the last 40 years -- autogrill being the only exception. This is a practical example how a language evolves.
For instance, osteria actually used (until the 60s) to be a place where only wine would be served and you would bring your own food. So, in many cases the actual meaning is totally lost: you can find very expensive restaurants called trattoria or osteria and vice-versa.
1) autogrill (owned and managed by the namesake company) is a highway roadside fast food / snack place. Lately they opened places in actual towns -- there is one near the Duomo in Milano... So, Italian call autogrill any roadside restaurant, even if they are in South Africa or Argentina.
2) trattoria, which, in theory, is a medium to low-priced, often family-run eating establishment, usully in the countryside. Note the stem of the word "tractor" (trattore).
3) osteria, it is an informal place, usually very low priced. Note the stem: same as ospedale (hospital), ospite (host), ospitalita' (hospitality).
4) ristorante, well, restaurant.
It is very important to note that while you will see and hear these words many many times while in Italy, the “borders” of these terms and their actual meaning have been blurred significantly in the last 40 years -- autogrill being the only exception. This is a practical example how a language evolves.
For instance, osteria actually used (until the 60s) to be a place where only wine would be served and you would bring your own food. So, in many cases the actual meaning is totally lost: you can find very expensive restaurants called trattoria or osteria and vice-versa.
Comments
Credo che è dove si beve il vino, non è vero? Come la parola
“oenophile” in inglese.