Practical information : Eating out Sardinia
Timetable
Opening hours for bars and restaurants are much the same as in France. Cafés are open all day. Most restaurants offer lunch and dinner service, between 12 and 2pm, and 7 and 11pm. Bars open late into the night. By the sea and in high season, most establishments operate continuously, and some bars stay open until the early hours. When there is a weekly closing, it's traditionally on Sunday.
Budget & Tips
It is possible to eat for about 15 euros in the pizzerias and beach snack bars. You should expect to pay around 30 euros for a traditional restaurant and the bill can quickly rise to 50 or 70 euros in the trendy restaurants of the chic resorts of the Gallura. Credit cards are widely accepted.
What costs extra
If the bills are presented including taxes and service, there are often supplements added to them that may seem strange to us. For example, bread and cutlery(pane e coperto) are often charged around 2 € per guest. At the beginning of the meal, a waiter will not hesitate to put breadsticks or a bowl of olives on your table. Here again, these little touches will be reflected on your bill, and sometimes even if you have not touched them. A tip of a few euros will certainly be appreciated, but it is not mandatory.
The local way
Spaghetti and other long pastas are eaten with a fork, not a spoon. The waiter may be surprised if you ask. Red wine is served at room temperature, even on hot days, and asking for it to be put on ice may be considered heresy.
To be avoided
If you don't want to upset your guests, avoid cutting your pasta with a knife, even spaghetti that is difficult to wrap around your fork. Similarly, never add ketchup to your pasta, a tip that also applies to children. Finally, cappuccino is best enjoyed at breakfast, with something sweet, and not at any time of day. Of course, you will be served if you order one during the day, but with an oblique look.
Smokers
It is forbidden to smoke in places open to the public. As in France, it is still possible to smoke on the terrace of a café or restaurant.
Tourist traps
The most common scam, and one that applies in almost all of the world's most touristy places, is to over-inflate prices or to have only the most expensive dishes available on the menu.