These Are the 10 Types of Restaurants You'll Find in Italy-and Why You Need to Know the Difference

"Historically speaking, an osteria was a spartan, no-frills establishment where people would go to have a drink. The original osterias date all the way back to the Roman Empire. If you go to Ostia Antica or Pompeii, you find the osterias of the era. They were like bed-and-breakfasts, with rooms for rent above the dining room where people could listen to music."

"In the past, there was a clear hierarchy, with an osteria being the most spartan type of establishment and a ristorante being the most elegant and expensive. Nowadays, though, you might find that eating at an osteria costs more than dining at a ristorante."

"If an osteria is the most casual type of establishment and a ristorante is the most elegant, a trattoria is somewhere in the middle. According to the Italian encyclopedia Treccani, a trattoria is generally more modest than a ristorante and is always autonomous—in other words, it's not connected to a larger operation."

Italian restaurants fall into distinct categories with evolving definitions. Osterias originated in the Roman Empire as spartan, no-frills drinking establishments where patrons could bring their own food, often featuring rooms for rent and music. Trattorias occupy the middle ground between casual osterias and formal ristorantes, typically being modest and independently operated. Ristorantes represent the most elegant and expensive dining option. Historically, a clear hierarchy existed among these establishments, but contemporary Italy has blurred these distinctions significantly. Modern osterias may cost more than ristorantes, and high-end establishments like three-Michelin-starred Osteria Francescana adopt traditional names as homage to historical dining culture.

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