This Seafood Faux Pas Screams Tourist When Visiting Italy

When visiting a gastronomic capital like Italy, tourists usually have sky-high expectations for their meals. After all, this is where traveling guru, Rick Steves, ate the best meal of his life, and notes that it's not the complexity of the country's cuisine, but the simple, fresh ingredients that make repasts here shine. Dining at these cathedrals (often disguised as holes-in-the-wall) of epicurean delights — even if the experience isn't fancy — can create a concern for awkward moments, especially when encountering global etiquette customs that often clash among countries. For instance, in Mexico, you don't eat tacos with a fork and knife. But in Chile, you never eat french fries with your fingers. And, in Italy, the faux pas that screams that you're a tourist is asking for cheese on your seafood. 

The irony isn't lost that the country of origin for Parmigiano Reggiano doesn't want you to ask for a dusting of it on your meal. Global sales of the hard, salty cheese were up 4.9 percent to about $3.7 billion in 2024. It's also difficult to comprehend how a violation of this rule is criminal for Americans who have an Olive Garden meal or two under their belts and appreciate many a fresh grind of Parmesan. Why is this garnish verboten? Are Italians lactose-intolerant? The reasons are two-fold. One is that the strong, nutty flavors of the Italian cheese will overwhelm the delicate flavors of fish, which is usually prepared with light additions, such as lemon or capers. Another is that Italians don't like to comingle food from different regions, and that includes seafood and cheese. So, enjoy those linguini with clams or a bowl of mussels sans the extra dairy and save it for a heavier meal, such as pappardelle al cinghiale — wide ribbons of pasta in a rich wild boar sauce.

No doubt, every culture has its own norms on how to prepare and serve food, often passed down in stories by grandmothers and mothers. But what is the origin of Italy's tradition of nixing the combination of seafood and dairy? Some historians suggest the rule dates back to the time of Hippocrates, around the 5th century BCE, when the medical theory of humorism was in vogue. Now debunked, this belief held that your bodily fluids, including phlegm and blood, influenced human health, and foods with slow digestion, such as cheese, could ruin digestive processes and impact temperaments.

For those fans of seafood and dairy combinations, rest assured that Italy's restriction isn't globally universal. You can get your fix of anchovies on pizza in New York or shrimp quesadillas oozing with Monterey Jack or queso Oaxaca in Mexico. Even contestants in a "Top Chef" episode on Bravo in season 21 were given a challenge of creating a dish with fish and cheese.

Not surprisingly, there are other tips to help you dine like an Italian. Whether you're kicking off your vacation in Rome or watching sunsets from the Amalfi Coast's best beaches, never order a cappuccino after noon. In Italy, this is a popular beverage for the morning, but the dairy portion of it makes it too heavy for afternoon meals. Instead, stick to just an espresso. Also, as hard as it is to resist a basket of warm, sliced ciabatta when you sit down at a restaurant, make sure to wait and only eat it with your meal. And, don't forget to ask for the check. La dolce vita of Italy means waiters don't rush you out of restaurants when you finish eating, so it's on you to ask. Mangia bene!