Request a "native" menu? Anyone heard of that?

Margaret, This is the first time I've heard of that, but it certainly sounds possible. I've never seen any reference to that in any of the Guidebooks. As you noted, it would probably be offered only to those who can function in Italian.

See http://www.parlafood.com/grano-and-the-selective-service-charg/

Kathy....wow!! So there can be two different menus.....very interesting. Not shocking, but disappointing. Great web site, too. Thank you.

I've heard that in Venice the locals pay lower prices for almost everything. It's a way of trying to keep locals living in Venice proper, because it has become sooo expensive. I'm fine with that, otherwise it would become just an island of small hotels and mask shops.

I will add though that I do prefer an Italian menu, and if they have an english menu, will get both an Italian and english menu. The reasoning is not that I am suspicious of alternate pricing, but I am more likely to recognize a dish in Italian than oddly translated english...need only to see on a menu that "Pasta with Bacon and Egg" is more accurately "Spaghetti Carbonara" to see what I mean. I have noticed more and more restaurants, in Rome at least, that are off the main tourists areas are creating menus in Italian, with a line in english describing the dish.

Paul, I agree. Part of the fun of visiting countries where the language is different is to push oneself to operate with the language of that country. (I'll never forget the triumph of purchasing a postage stamp in Paris, speaking entirely in French.) The same feeling of accomplishment comes when I can order a meal in another language. I always have the food sections of the Rick Steves' phrase book dog-eared and handy :) But,the little English descriptive lines make me smile when I see them, too. I'd never be able to pass for a local, so I don't anticipate requesting a "native menu." I was mostly curious as to whether the very seasoned travelers who frequent this site had heard of such a thing (I was clueless). Happy travels.

I guess I would argue that it does not happen everywhere or is even typical. It is an issue that has come up in the past, and has been an issue in tourist areas, but also something that local authorities have tried to clamp down on. I think you should be aware of it, but honestly, I do not even remember paying a service charge, only rarely, and have paid what has been on the menu posted outside, that was usually in Italian. Basically, I make my decision based on what I see, if it looks fair, I will eat there. Now I do not doubt that a known local in a small town, probably gets a break, or even eats a meal that is not on the menu, I also believe that eating on a well known piazza will cost you more and probably incurr service charges and inflated prices, but I think you would get more puzzled looks than recognition by asking for a "native menu"

I've never heard of a "native" menu, but I have eaten in a few restaurants where I was charged less than the menu price for everything. I speak enough italian to get by, and it has only happened in restaurants where it was obvious to me that everyone else eating there was local or italian (i.e. the wait staff knew most people by name and they knew each other). While duel pricing is totally illegal, I have a sneaking suspicion the practice does exist - maybe not everywhere, but in some places.

On all my travels I have only come across this in Beijing and Venice. Certainly nowhere else in Italy. Rents are high in Venice. The cafe's and restaurants need to charge accordingly. A 5 Euro ($7) coffee is no rarity. However you won't be surprised to learn that the locals don't pay $7 for a coffee. At first it seems unfair; but stew on it a while. Venice is exceptional, for this reason and others.

Lived here more than 10 years and often eat out with my Italian friends and neighbors. I've never once heard of this in restaurants. I don't doubt that it exists but I would posit that it's nowhere near as common as people may think.

A 5 Euro ($7) coffee is no rarity {Venice} In many visits to Venice and more generally throughout North, central, and South Italy I have never paid more than €1.50 for a coffee, generally €0.90. I'm not Italian, my Italian language is poor. I don't get coffee in St Marks or on the main route from Rialto to St Marks.

"A 5 Euro ($7) coffee is no rarity." As I recall, coffee at Cafe Florian is in that range (or possibly MORE expensive now), but as Nigel mentioned it is possible to find reasonable prices away from the "prime tourist areas". The locals certainly can't afford to pay prices like that!

Cafe Florian 1987: two coffees, three cokes......thirty-eight american dollars and who knows how many thousand lira.....I'm still scrimping trying to recover.

I guess this is one of those situations where there were a few cases of "foreigner gouging" and now many people talk about the elusive "native menu" as a proxy for just "Italian-written menu". "Locals" usually don't pay the same as tourists because they patronize different places. The most tourist-crowded areas are usually avoided by the locals, and I bet you do the same if you live in a tourist area in US like Orklando, San Francisco or New Orleans.

I've heard it the other way. They offer an English menu to American tourists. I always turn it down and go for one in Italian - mainly because I don't want to seem like I expect everything in English. In tourist areas of Rome or Florence, it wouldn't surprise me at all to have "tourist prices" as well. The food in tourist areas isn't that great. I think the locals eat a few blocks away at better, and cheaper, restaurants.