Living here · Food
Eating out, without the surprises
How a bill works, when Padova eats, and how to eat well on very little.
In one minute
- A “coperto” on the bill is a normal cover charge, not a tip. Tipping is not expected.
- Water is ordered and paid for. Coffee is cheaper standing at the counter than sitting down.
- The cheapest good meal in town is still the mensa. Then pizza by the slice and fixed-price lunches.
Read an Italian bill
Tap a line.
Trattoria da EsempioPadova · example bill, invented numbers
Grazie e arrivederci
Coperto: the cover charge
A charge per person for bread and the table. Normal, and fine when the menu shows it. It is not a tip.
Not on the bill, but worth knowing
How bills and tipping work is what students and residents report. Student-reported
When Padova eats
Arrive at 18:00 for dinner and you will eat alone. Arrive at 18:00 for a spritz and you will not.
7 to 10
Breakfast colazione
At the bar, standing: a cappuccino and a brioche. Five minutes, and very Italian.
12:30 to 14:30
Lunch pranzo
The mensa, or a fixed-price lunch menu in town. Kitchens close after.
18 to 20:30
Aperitivo aperitivo
A spritz with something to eat. Padova's favourite hour, in every square.
from 19:30
Dinner cena
Later than you think. Many kitchens stop taking orders around 22:30.
Eating well on very little
The mensa, first
A full meal at a student price. Mensa meal, Tariffa B:€4.70 full · €3.50 reduced How it worksPizza al taglio
Pizza by the slice, sold by weight. Point, say “così”, pay. The cheapest hot lunch in the centre.Menù pranzo
A fixed-price lunch, on a board outside many trattorie on weekdays. The same kitchen as dinner, for less.The markets
Fruit and vegetables in the squares, often cheaper than the supermarket. The days are on the second-hand page.Cook together
A shared dinner in a flat costs little and fills a lonely evening. Halal butchers and world food shops are on the Living page.
At the table, say it
Il conto, per favore.
eel KON-toh, pehr fah-VOH-reh
The bill, please.
Si può pagare con la carta?
see pwoh pah-GAH-reh kon lah KAR-tah
Can I pay by card?
Una caraffa d'acqua, per favore.
OO-nah kah-RAHF-fah DAHK-kwah, pehr fah-VOH-reh
A jug of water, please.
C'è carne di maiale?
cheh KAR-neh dee mah-YAH-leh
Is there pork in it?
Sono vegetariano.
SOH-noh veh-jeh-tah-RYAH-noh
I'm vegetarian. (vegetariana, for a woman)
È piccante?
eh peek-KAHN-teh
Is it spicy?
Know a good cheap place?
We only list places students vouch for. Tell us through the report form: the ones that keep coming up will be added here.