Excuse me, do you live here? Do you know the neighbourhood well?
a-BI-ta — stress on second syllable. quar-TIE-re — stress on second syllable.
Before asking for complex directions, to gauge whether the person is a local with useful knowledge.
'Abita qui?' (do you live here?) is a polite pre-question to establish if someone is a local. 'Conosce bene il quartiere?' (do you know the neighbourhood well?). This introduction signals you want insider knowledge, not generic tourist directions. Locals usually respond enthusiastically.
È del posto lei?
Are you from here?
'Del posto' = from this place/local — more idiomatic
Scusi, è residente qui?
Excuse me, are you a resident here?
More formal version of asking if they're local
Conosce un buon ristorante qui vicino?
Do you know a good restaurant nearby?
Combining direction request with a recommendation
Approaching a local Italian with 'è del posto?' (are you from here?) is one of the most rewarding travel strategies. Italians are immensely proud of their local culture and are eager to share it. Asking for a non-tourist restaurant ('non per turisti') will invariably produce wonderful personal recommendations that would never appear in guidebooks.