What You Should Know Before Ordering Water At A European Restaurant

At many restaurants in America, you don't have to order water. Instead, a waiter will simply come by with tall frosty glasses of iced water for each diner, or else they'll pour from a giant metal jug into every individual cup. But, in Europe, things are a little different. Although the tap water is certainly safe to drink wherever you go (about as good as New York City's, although the jury's still out on how good the bagels are), European restaurants don't usually provide free water for patrons. (Public bathrooms are another thing European countries make you pay for that America gives you for free, but Europeans have free healthcare and better potato chips, so we suppose it evens out.) 

If you want water in most European restaurants, you'll have to order a bottle for the table, and it will show up on your check at the end of the night. Don't worry — it's not expensive, although those who are used to frigid ice water may be surprised to find that these bottles are merely chilled, if not served at room temperature.

If you ask for a bottle of water at a European restaurant, the question you'll get in response is "still or sparkling?" Still water is just plain, non-bubbling water, whereas sparkling water (sometimes known as mineral water or seltzer) is carbonated and bubbly. If you're speaking a foreign language and would like sparkling water, you should order it "with gas" — if you're speaking English, of course, you can just say "sparkling water."

Having said all this, there are some restaurants in certain countries that may serve free tap water — but try not to be a presumptuous American. It doesn't necessarily hurt to ask, but nobody wants to be the person who asks for ketchup at a French restaurant, so to speak. Be polite and understanding of the restaurant's policy, no matter what happens. If you're billed for your water, it almost certainly won't be very much money — unless they're trying to put one over on you, which is a risk you often run as a tourist.