Is the fish caught today?
'Giornata' — stress on 'gior-NA-ta'. Three syllables.
Ask before buying fish to confirm it is from today's catch. 'Di giornata' is the essential Italian freshness indicator for fish.
'Di giornata' = from today. For fish, this means caught and brought to market the same day. Fish 'di giornata' is the gold standard. The alternative is 'di ieri' (from yesterday) or fish with no clear origin.
È pesce locale o viene dal congelato?
Is it local fish or from frozen?
Ask to distinguish fresh from previously frozen
Dove è stato pescato?
Where was it caught?
Ask for the fishing area — Adriatic, Tyrrhenian, Sicilian Channel
È pesce di allevamento o selvaggio?
Is it farmed or wild fish?
'Selvaggio' = wild — always preferred for quality and flavour
Italians have very high standards for fish freshness. Signs: bright eyes, red gills, firm flesh, no ammonia smell. A truly fresh fish should smell of the sea, not of 'fish'. The phrase 'sa di fresco' (it smells fresh) is the highest compliment at a fish counter.