The 5 best tips for eating out in Sardinia

Like all Italians, Sardinians are patient, generous and tolerant towards tourists. This means that holidaymakers can hardly go wrong when eating out in Sardinia. Nevertheless, it can't hurt to keep the following five tips in mind when visiting a restaurant in Sardinia.

1. Don't be afraid to make special requests in restaurants

Do you have specific food preferences? In Sardinia, you don't need to worry about being looked at strangely! For example, if you are vegan, don't like your pasta al dente, prefer your meat well done or want your vegetables with lots of peperoncino, you can confidently tell the waiter. Every kitchen understands this. You can also count on consideration for allergies. Almost all restaurants are now equipped to deal with common intolerances. So nothing stands in the way of your unadulterated dining experience in Sardinia.

2. Unasked for: Pane e Coperto

Please do not be surprised if you find a few euros for ‘pane e coperto’ on your bill after your meal. Restaurants in Sardinia serve bread without asking, because it is simply part of the experience for every Italian. And unlike in the UK, there are almost always cloth napkins and tablecloths. This costs 2–3 euros and only becomes noticeable on the bill if you only want to eat a small meal. So if you only order a salad or soup, you can decide whether it's worth having the pane e coperto on the bill. After all, you can then make full use of the all-inclusive bread offer...

3. Relaxed table manners are allowed.

Italians are gourmets. Formal table manners can sometimes get in the way. So don't be surprised if the real ‘Romans’ lie down at the table as they did in Caesar's time and dine in a way that best serves their enjoyment. I recommend emulating this sensually sensible maxim. Give your etiquette rules a holiday when eating in Sardinia!

4. Eat together, pay together

If you go out for a meal with friends in Sardinia, you should also pay together, according to the southern European way of thinking. Southern Europeans consider it petty and unfriendly for friends to eat together and then count each other's shares when it comes to paying. It is also inconsiderate towards the waiter. Therefore, only order one bill for the whole group! You can then work out the shares internally. You should factor in a tip. It doesn't have to be lavish, but you should avoid being stingy. Anyone who generously rounds €28.50 up to €29.00 has not understood the southern European philosophy of ‘live and let live’. It is considered rude to ask for the bill with a blunt “pagare”. Be polite: ‘Il conto per favore’ is a better phrase.

5. Embark on a culinary journey of discovery in Sardinia's restaurants without any worries.

The quality of restaurants in Sardinia is consistently good. It is almost impossible to have a bad experience when visiting a Sardinian restaurant. The prices at the restaurants I know are reasonable, and rip-offs are unlikely. Pizza in Budoni and elsewhere costs no more than in a normal British pizzeria. The same applies to pretty much all other dishes. Only the Costa Smeralda is quite expensive. In terms of atmosphere and cuisine, the ‘Nautilus’ in Ottiolu, for example, is hardly inferior to the gourmet temples in Porto Cervo, even if the celebrity density is of course quite different.

I will refrain from mentioning all the restaurants that I liked here. Go on a discovery tour of Sardinian cuisine yourself and get up-to-date recommendations! A restaurant review can only ever be a snapshot with a short half-life! A restaurant stands or falls with its chef. What if the chef changes? And: isn't taste a matter of personal preference? In any case, I wish you bon appétit for your next restaurant visit and your meal in Sardinia.

With a Sardinian ‘Adiosu’, I bid you farewell for today.

Joachim Waßmann