Could you bring us a small plate with some olives?
piat-TI-no — three syllables, double 't', stress on second.
When snacks are not automatically brought and you would like olives or small nibbles to accompany your drinks.
'Piattino' is the diminutive of 'piatto' (plate) — a small plate. Olives ('olive') are the most universal Italian bar snack. This polite request often triggers a larger spread of nibbles.
Avete delle bruschette?
Do you have some bruschette?
Toasted bread with toppings — a step up from crisps and olives
Degli arancini, se avete.
Some arancini, if you have them.
'Arancini' = fried rice balls from Sicily — a popular bar snack across Italy
Un tagliere di salumi, per favore.
A charcuterie board, please.
'Tagliere' (cutting board) of cured meats — a substantial bar snack
Italian olives vary dramatically by region. Taggiasca olives from Liguria are small and delicate. Cerignola olives from Puglia are enormous and mild. Sicilian olives are often marinated with herbs and citrus. Asking for 'miste' (mixed) gets you a flavour journey through Italian olive culture.