What to eat while in the Cinque Terre
It doesn't come any fresher than this. Often you will see the boats pull up and the cooks already picking their choices for the menu off the boat. A local specialty is 'fritelle di bianchetti' or baby anchovy fritters and also the 'cotoletta di acciuga' or stuffed then fried anchovies. You might also like to try stewed cuttlefish, stuffed calamari and octopus salad.
Heaven in a jar. This sauce originates in Liguria and is a mix of basil leaves, olive oil (extra virgin of course), pecorino cheese, pine nuts and herbs. Can be bought fresh from the deli shops by the spoonful. Great with fresh pasta or mixed into a leafy salad.
Looking up at the step cliffs and rocky slopes it's a wonder anyone managed to grow anything up there. However this just adds to the experience of trying some of the best Ligurian wines. The tracks are cut into the hillsides are accessible only by monorails in some places. The main wine produced is white table wine and there is a variety from each of the five villages.
Most Italians spend a lot longer on eating dinner than they do with their lightning quick breakfast, hence the long menu. A primo piatti is the first course, usually smaller than a main but bigger than an appetiser. The secondo is the main dish and usually comes without vegetables which have to be ordered as a separate 'contorni'. Unless you are really hungry and go for all courses you can mix and match a starter with a primo or secondo, or just have the main and then head straight for dessert.
This is a very common question. There will probably be a cover charge, this is for the table cloth 'covering' the table and cutlery or a 'service' charge for the service provided by the staff, check on the menu or with your waiter if this included or not. If it isn't then the amount will be between 12 and 15% of the total bill. In this case it isn't necessary to tip as the locals are notoriously bad tippers and just pay the service charge. Or just leave the change if it's a couple of euros and the service has been good.
Paying can be a confusing experience. If you are wanting just a coffee or Panini from a café you have two choices. One- look at what's on offer in the display case, find a table and sit down to wait for the waiter and tell him, at the end just ask him for the 'conto' or the bill. Two- check out the display case, make your way to the 'cassa', pay for your choices and then take the receipt over to the serving counter. It's all about the Italian tax system, but in some ways it makes sense that the food servers are not spending time working out change etc.