It's no secret that Italian culinary tradition has the global food game on lock. Even Italian chain restaurants are good (Maggiano's Little Italy is our favorite, for the record). But when dining in Italy like a local, the country is dotted with different types of eateries categorized to help foodies get the exact type of dining experience they're looking to find.

Today, we're exploring two types of informal Italian dining establishments — the osteria versus the trattoria — to find out what makes them unique and the better fit to satisfy specific cravings. While these casual eateries are fairly similar, a trattoria is generally more formal than an osteria but less formal than a ristorante, and with a greater emphasis on food than wine.