The Rick Steves 'High-Rent' Rule To Know Before Dining In Italy

Signs of authentic Italian food, according to Rick Steves

If you're seeking authentic Italian food, there are a handful of green flags to look out for on your next trip. Even if you're not fluent in Italian, Steves says that it's a good idea to seek out menus that are only offered in the country's mother tongue. If it's handwritten, that's even better, as it shows that the menu changes based on the season and what ingredients are available.

Keep in mind that the menu shouldn't be a novel, either. Page-long menus with a range of dishes from various Italian regions — think cacio e pepe from Lazio and ribollita from Tuscany — are an instant red flag. Not only will you fail to get the most authentic version of the dish, but you might also get a dish with out-of-season vegetables and non-local ingredients. When in doubt, choose the restaurant with the small, limited menu.

Beyond lunch and dinner, gelato is another important area of Italian cuisine where tourists tend to go wrong. One of the most important things to look for when buying gelato in Italy is the color; Steves recommends avoiding brightly-colored gelato. For instance, banana-flavored gelato shouldn't be the color of a banana peel; it should be a very light, muted yellowish gray, similar to the part of the banana that you eat. You should also avoid gelato that's towering in its container and decked out with toppings. Real-deal gelato isn't stuffed to the brim, and it's often covered with a lid. It's simple, just like it should be.