My time in Milan taught me a few lessons about Italian food. There was a lot that confused and surprised me when I first arrived.

☆ Where are the coffee shops and why are there so many bars?

A “bar” serves coffee! They serve everything you could expect from a coffee shop in the US except cold brews, iced coffee, or non-coffee lattes like chai and matcha.

☆ What and how should you order at a bar?

Walk up to the bartender/barista and order your coffee drink. You’ll pay ofter. Beware – if you ask for a latte, you’ll just get milk. A cappuccino is the go-to order instead.

Most espresso drinks are meant to be sipped quickly while standing at the bar. It’s not the café culture experience you hear about in most european countries.

If you don’t like coffee but feel the need to try it because you’re in Italy, go for a marrochino. Originating in northern Italy, this tiny drink is composed of a ristretto (a short shot of espresso), milk froth, and a dusting of cocoa powder around the inside of the cup and on top. If you have a major sweet tooth and a marrochino con nutella is on the menu, I can promise you that the coat of Nutella spread around the sides of the cup completely masks the bitterness of the espresso.

☆ What should I order at a restaurant?

Turns out, spaghetti with tomato sauce and meatballs isn’t actually a common Italian dish. If you want to try spaghetti, go for a carbonara or spaghetti al nero di seppie (squid ink).

If you’re interested in a tomato based sauce, go for a tagliatelle alla bolognese or lasagna. Filled pasta like tortellini can be great in a tomato or cream based sauce.

☆ What if I have allergies or dietary restrictions?

Specific allergies are getting more and more common. A nice sit-down restaurant is likely to have an allergen guide on their menu, and you should inform your server and ask about ingredients. They are willing to accommodate. Most things are nut free, but you should watch out for nutella (obviously) and pesto, which contains pine nuts.

Gluten free is becoming easier to follow in Italy as well. If you’re in a big city, particularly in a touristy area, there should be somewhere that advertises gluten free pizza and/or pasta. Know that rice balls and risotto are not gluten free options. Outside of explicitly gluten free options, soups and salads are your best options.

Vegetarians can rest easy with Italian food – as long as you like cheese! Avoid Bolognese sauce and sandwiches, which will all have meat in them. When in doubt, pick the “quattro formaggio” option – four cheese.

Vegan or dairy free is the hardest diet to accommodate. Cheese and eggs are in everything here that doesn’t have meat. You can find dairy-free gelato at any chain gelato shop location, but I have yet to see dairy-free cheese.