After an hour and a half of sitting in La Lanterna, a small family-owned restaurant in Cagli, it is hard to imagine that smoking is deeply rooted in Italian culture. There aren’t even ashtrays on the tables.

At eight o’clock at night the establishment is full: a table of elementary school boys with a priest, tables of elderly men and women, and a table or two of American students mixed in.

For the first 15 minutes no one is smoking. The only smell is that of fresh pizza and pasta. An elderly man who eats alone finishes his meal and lights the first sigarette of the evening. Holding la sigarette in one hand and his fork in the other, he switches back and forth from smoking to eating and back again.

The group of boys exits, leaving the restaurant much quieter. A group of middle-aged women takes their place. During the next hour and a half, two or three of the American students are the only ones who smoke as they eat.

La Lanterna has a small patio with six tables outside. People often sit here on nice days having una sigarette. Inside La Lanterna, the custom is to light up una sigarette to relax after the meal.