Restaurants in Italy-glass of tap water provided 'gratis" as in USA?
May 14th, 2007, 02:37 PM
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Restaurants in Italy-glass of tap water provided 'gratis" as in USA?
Is a glass of 'tap' water provided 'gratis' in Italy as in USA when ordering in a restaurant? If I request water with my meal is this provided usually as a bottle of water? I'd prefer tap water-unless there is some reason why this is not recommended. Would tap water be less expensive?
May 14th, 2007, 03:33 PM
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The water throughout western Europe is fine to drink. Tap water will not be automatically brought to you and if you ask for water you will probably be brought bottled water. However if you ask specifically for tap water, they will bring it to you and you should not be charged. Just make sure they understand that it is tap water that you want (acqua del rubinetto in Italian, I think) since most people tend to drink bottled or carbonated water in restaurants. I have ordered tap water all over Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria and have never been refused (or charged as I can recall).
Ice on the other hand.....
Ice on the other hand.....
May 14th, 2007, 03:53 PM
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You just need to learn the right words to ask for watwer from the "tap", You will get some strange looks, a few "Americans" shrugs, but you'll get water. If I was really helpful I'd be able to remember the right words. Alas I have the brain of a turnip...
Cheers, the turnip
Cheers, the turnip
May 14th, 2007, 03:58 PM
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NO - in europe they don;t bring water to the table. You have to order it. Almost everyone orders bottled - not because anything is wrong with the tap water - but because you don;t know how it will taste (different everywhere based on mineral contents). (If you're used to hard water at home this may not bother you - but our water is very soft - and I don;t like tap water in most places - even in the US - just takes too much like earth.)
If you ask specifically they will bring you tap water. If you just ask for water you will get bottled.
If you ask specifically they will bring you tap water. If you just ask for water you will get bottled.
May 14th, 2007, 08:20 PM
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Actually, Nytrav, it's not true that everyone in Europe drinks bottled water-in Italy, it IS true, in Paris-hardly at all-it was really amazing to me going from Rome to Paris this past September-EVERY restaurant in Paris brought me and everyone else a carafe of regular water-all the Parisians were ordering a carafe of regular-there was NO ONE orderig bottled water at all-I even went to a restaurant on the Rue Ghisarde, and he brought me a huge carafe of ice water without me asking!
So, in Paris, no problem. In Italy, however, they don't like to bring you tap water at all-they don't like you asking for it, they pretend not to understand, and bring you bottled water anyway. When I'm in Italy I always drink bottled water-I do as they do, otherwise, no.
And St. Cirq-for correctness sake, that would be "una caraffa dell'acqua di rubinetto"
So, in Paris, no problem. In Italy, however, they don't like to bring you tap water at all-they don't like you asking for it, they pretend not to understand, and bring you bottled water anyway. When I'm in Italy I always drink bottled water-I do as they do, otherwise, no.
And St. Cirq-for correctness sake, that would be "una caraffa dell'acqua di rubinetto"
May 14th, 2007, 09:46 PM
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A note on water in Rome -
Though Roman fountains are generally potable water - some of it thought to be so good that people will pass one fountain to fill a jug from another that is fed by a different source -you'll see smaller, drinking fountains around town. I find the water from them refreshing and delicious. There is a trick to drinking from a Roman drinking fountain that involves redirecting the flow with a finger. Unfortunately I haven't done it in a long time and can't quite describe it. When you see one, watch someone do it and you'll get it quickly.
You will, however, see "acqua non potable" signs in some bathrooms - I don't know anything about the mixed sources of water, but I know that if you want to refill a bottle while out walking, for instance, look for one of the drinking fountains to be safe.
One thing about Europe, the tradition of bottled water is so common and time-worn that they don't generally rob you when you order it in a restaurant as can happen here. And just remember: the wine is a heck of a lot cheaper!
Though Roman fountains are generally potable water - some of it thought to be so good that people will pass one fountain to fill a jug from another that is fed by a different source -you'll see smaller, drinking fountains around town. I find the water from them refreshing and delicious. There is a trick to drinking from a Roman drinking fountain that involves redirecting the flow with a finger. Unfortunately I haven't done it in a long time and can't quite describe it. When you see one, watch someone do it and you'll get it quickly.
You will, however, see "acqua non potable" signs in some bathrooms - I don't know anything about the mixed sources of water, but I know that if you want to refill a bottle while out walking, for instance, look for one of the drinking fountains to be safe.
One thing about Europe, the tradition of bottled water is so common and time-worn that they don't generally rob you when you order it in a restaurant as can happen here. And just remember: the wine is a heck of a lot cheaper!
. There's nothing wrong with tap water, but why don't you just order a coke and a cheeseburger!
May 14th, 2007, 11:07 PM
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Another comment on water in France - restaurants are legally obliged to provide tap water (eau de robinet)
If you just ask for une carafe d'eau you will get regular water. Lots of people drink it, its perfectly safe, just sometimes has the rather chemical taste, that tap water often does everywhere.
As a confirmed Badoit drinker, I must admit I am beginning to question all the plastic bottles we put into the recycling bin. We should probably just go back to tap water.
If you just ask for une carafe d'eau you will get regular water. Lots of people drink it, its perfectly safe, just sometimes has the rather chemical taste, that tap water often does everywhere.
As a confirmed Badoit drinker, I must admit I am beginning to question all the plastic bottles we put into the recycling bin. We should probably just go back to tap water.
May 14th, 2007, 11:40 PM
#13
In Italy, some restaurants provide a glass of tap water with an order of coffee. You may have to ask for the water if it doesn't come automatically.
Logos: Bist du ein bisschen gereizt? Banausen! Ich habe immer gedacht das ist ein Schweizer-Deutsch.
Logos: Bist du ein bisschen gereizt? Banausen! Ich habe immer gedacht das ist ein Schweizer-Deutsch.
May 15th, 2007, 03:18 AM
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I've never understood the need to forego perfectly safe, clean, tasty and free local water in a glass in favor of safe, clean, tasty water from somewhere else in a plastic bottle that clutters our landfills. It always makes me chuckle to see people in places like Chamonix, Annecy, Aosta or elsewhere high in the Alps sitting around drinking bottled water. I mean, how much better can the bottled stuff be than water that <b><i>just melted off a glacier?!!!</i></b>
Talk about getting taken in by marketing. Do you think it is a co-incidence that the first brand of bottled water to become trendy reads Naive when spelled backwards? Think about it....
Talk about getting taken in by marketing. Do you think it is a co-incidence that the first brand of bottled water to become trendy reads Naive when spelled backwards? Think about it....
May 15th, 2007, 03:35 AM
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I've never heard of anyone ordering tap water in Italy. My husband would think it strange if I asked him to order tap water in a restaurant here. Never seen it done, and I don't think the waiters are used to this. What's the big problem of drinking bottled water when in Italy? A bottle of water costs only about 1.50-2.00 euro in a restaurant.
May 15th, 2007, 03:41 AM
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In Britain or America, being an eco-warrior about tapwater might be perfectly fine. If it really IS the case that more energy's used in the bottling and transport than in rewashing that carafe. And in France, as we read, a carafe of water is almost always at the disposition of our aimiable clientele.
But in Italy, restaurants' pricing is based on the assumption customers - all customers, Italian or foreign - will buy a botle of water. And that assumption underpins Italian restaurants' traditional graciousness about customers ordering just a starter, or any other variant on their menu.
Whether you can bully them into serving you something else is one thing. So is what you do if you're the proverbial student left with one euro before the train home leaves.
But I'd strongly suggest there's more than an element of the cheapskate about cheesparing over water.
Like being the kind of European in the US who won't tip.
But in Italy, restaurants' pricing is based on the assumption customers - all customers, Italian or foreign - will buy a botle of water. And that assumption underpins Italian restaurants' traditional graciousness about customers ordering just a starter, or any other variant on their menu.
Whether you can bully them into serving you something else is one thing. So is what you do if you're the proverbial student left with one euro before the train home leaves.
But I'd strongly suggest there's more than an element of the cheapskate about cheesparing over water.
Like being the kind of European in the US who won't tip.
May 15th, 2007, 03:43 AM
#18
In Switzerland, restaurants don't like serving tap water because they don't make any money on it. Simple as that.
Rent is high, wages are high, fixed costs are high: for many restaurants, it's hard to make enough money.
Rent is high, wages are high, fixed costs are high: for many restaurants, it's hard to make enough money.
May 15th, 2007, 04:05 AM
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"In Switzerland, restaurants don't like serving tap water because they don't make any money on it. Simple as that."
This is not the case in Italy because even when you eat at someone's home, tap water is never served. Only bottled water is. My in-laws would never dream of drinking tap water...and they are most certainly not rich...in fact they are big "penny-pinchers." If you go shopping in the Italian supermarkets here in Italy, all the Italians are loading their carts with bottled water. Italians drink bottled water rather than tap...it's just the case.
And I agree...it's a bit cheapskatish to order tap water in a culture where it is just not done...just to save yourself 2 euro. If Italians can afford to pay for bottled water, then most certainly Americans traveling over here for holiday can.
This is not the case in Italy because even when you eat at someone's home, tap water is never served. Only bottled water is. My in-laws would never dream of drinking tap water...and they are most certainly not rich...in fact they are big "penny-pinchers." If you go shopping in the Italian supermarkets here in Italy, all the Italians are loading their carts with bottled water. Italians drink bottled water rather than tap...it's just the case.
And I agree...it's a bit cheapskatish to order tap water in a culture where it is just not done...just to save yourself 2 euro. If Italians can afford to pay for bottled water, then most certainly Americans traveling over here for holiday can.
May 15th, 2007, 04:12 AM
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Since when is trying to save some money, especially by not purchasing things you do not want, being a "cheapskate?"
And as to whether or not what Italians "can afford" that is irrelevant IMO.
I'm sorry, but I am not convinced that nobody in Italy ever drinks tap water.
And as to whether or not what Italians "can afford" that is irrelevant IMO.
I'm sorry, but I am not convinced that nobody in Italy ever drinks tap water.
