Dining solo in Europe

I'm not sure how eating alone would be more awkward in Europe than in the US. I often travel alone for business in France and neighboring countries: "table for 1" or "table for 2" makes no difference.
As a bonus: permanent counter / bar seating is not that common at restaurants in France, but when a restaurant is seemingly full, many places will have a bar chair or two and be able to accommodate a single diner that way.

Yes that rarity of a bar is what has me thinking 🤔. In the US I just go to the bar and feel very comfortable. Solo table more the norm in Europe?

And sure I should not care about being the loner staring at a book among cheery groups, but that's just not me. Call it a weakness but strategies beyond get over it are appreciated :)

The one thing I’d figure is that any place you’re likely to end up to dine alone is already going to have a decent number of visitors anyway.

I’ve been able to get a 2-top for myself when traveling solo (mainly in France, but also northern Switzerland and bits of England) without too much trouble. There have been a few cases where a restaurant had a reservation, say, at 8:00PM, and let me know that if I could be finished before then, they were happy to seat me.

Also, outdoor dining is often an option, but be aware that since smoking inside is not allowed now, the outdoor tables are the smoking section.

I like to get a table near a window when possible. Watching the world go by gives me something to do and it’s often entertaining! Otherwise I like to face out into the restaurant (back to a wall) so I can watch the other diners and whatever else is happening. In less formal restaurants, I sometimes have ended up talking with nearby diners (usually at their instigation). Other people are more likely to do this with a solo than a couple. I don’t find eating alone all that different overseas than in the U.S.

most of the time I get seated

I can't think of any time in Europe where I got seated. In most places in Europe, there is no hostess to find you a seat, you find an empty place and "seat yourself". And, if you are alone at a table for four or six and the restaurant is crowded, don't be surprised if others come in an "ask" if they can share the table with you. I've had this happen on numerous occasions; and I've always enjoyed the company, and we've had some interesting conversations (of course, it helps if you know the local language).

On my first trip to Germany with my current partner, we were staying for a week in small town in the Oberallgäu. We sat in a crowded restaurant at a table for, as I remember, four. Every table was occupied. Another couple came in and asked, by gesturing, if they could sit with us. Turns out they were from No. Germany, and they spoke enough English that my partner, who speaks no German, felt included. We enjoyed the dinner so much we arranged to meet them another night for dinner together.

Read Rick's "tips for traveling solo".

I’ve traveled solo since Nixon was in office. Female. NEVER felt uncomfortable sitting alone, table or bar. Then again very independent only child who prefers solitary lifestyle. Usually have a paperback or iphone book to keep me occupied, or most often I’m culling through iPhone images to post on Instagram.

Pre social media, people watched. Still do.

Frequent solo traveler here—and frequent solo diner both traveling and at home.

I always bring reading material. Books can be cumbersome, phone will do, Kindle's great, and magazines are ideal but not always available.

I'm a frequent solo traveler and I love dining alone. I will often use the time to write in my journal, read a book or research and plan some travel activities. But often, I will people watch, which I find most comfortable to do outdoors in a lovely square or somewhere with a view.

On occasion, when there hasn't been a free table outdoors, if I see another solo diner I will ask if I can share the table with them. Sometimes, they seem interested in striking up a conversation and I've met the most interesting people!

Yeah, it’s no different than here. Actually it’s better in Europe because people watching is more interesting.

Hank, I'm so glad that you are getting a chance to do this trip!

I know that you already know that no one else in the restaurant really cares that you are alone, it is your feelings that matter here. Easy for everyone else to say, "it never bothers me", but that doesn't help you much. :) I found I had to learn how to do this. It was easier for me in the US and a little bit more of a transition in Europe so I understand.

I think the strategy here is to give yourself something "to do" while you are sitting there. Meals tend to be longer in Europe and it may seem a bit strange at first to be sitting there for so long. I've brought a book, a notebook to do some journaling about the day in, and of course the ever present smart phone to check email or just do a game on.

The other choice, which I often make, is simply to eat more "take out" or picnic type meals. If I don't want to sit in a restaurant alone for hours, I make the choice to eat somewhere else. Honestly, traveling is not about the food for me, so I don't care if I eat a special meal every day.

Very helpful Carol thanks

I'll just add that as a solo diner I do scan around to see who else is solo and they, invariably, are on their phones, lol! So I agree with the phone/tablet method for a back up if I start to feel odd. If there is already a big group/family group in a restaurant I try not to sit near them if I can. Just preference on my part.

I tend to have at least one good restaurant meal per day--breakfast is a pastry if not included in my room rate, so depending on what I'm doing my big meal could be lunch or dinner, and I think I've conquered most if not all of my awkwardness in dining solo by either people-watching if seated outdoors, or writing in my travel journal. I have noticed that eating dinner a bit early helps, and I don't mind sitting at the bar. At a couple of places in London and Budapest that were slightly busy and I could tell me being solo wasn't filling them with joy, I asked if a table was available that was reserved for later--they had no problem with that, and said I could have the table for an hour, 1.5 hrs, or until whatever time the reserved party would arrive. Sometimes I really just needed to eat--and have a cocktail--NOW (and at a place I wanted to eat at, not take-away) and was weary of foraging so it worked for me. If I needed to sit and eat in a leisurely fashion that would not have been ideal, but I quickly figure out what time is dinner time in the city and plan accordingly--otherwise I have ended up with fast food, which I do not eat at home so oddly it's now associated with travel for me.

Dining solo is not considered at all odd in Europe. On my most recent trip (Italy March/April), I sometimes had to make a reservation, and one restaurant wouldn't take reservations for one. Over the years, I was usually seated at a table for two, once or twice is what I took to be the least desirable table in the place, but if I was uncomfortable and asked, sometimes the accommodated me. Tables are quite close together and often I end up in conversation with my neighbors.

Hank, I've been traveling solo for almost 30 years throughout Europe and have never had a problem eating by myself. In the best of situations, you will strike up conversations (or they will start them) with others sitting nearby. I once met a couple in London while eating by myself at a small Italian restaurant in Covent Garden. They were from Scotland and we spent over an hour talking about how much they disliked London and loved Scotland. I found out 2 days later that he was a member of Scottish Parliament and was in London talking about their bid for independence (this was in 1996, so obviously things did not change - yet). :)

I've met many others in restaurants and chatted with them also, but if that doesn't happen, I will either bring my Kindle to read or (more usually) write in my travel journal. Or if the location is right, look at the scenery - when I was in Berlin, I had my dinner at an outdoor restaurant overlooking the River Spree and spent my meal (and some time afterward) enjoying the weather and the beautiful scenery.

And in all those solo restaurant meals, no one has ever batted an eye that I was by myself.

Tom, we can update it quickly: 🤣

Lower end dining: phone

Mid-range dining: phone

High end dining: phone

Ok, Mardee, I just had to laugh.

So I am solo dining in England at this moment and have done so every dinner for 3 1/2 weeks. I am with Carol in that it doesn’t help to say”well, I ….” But truthfully I just had to decide I was solo and for other reasons I want it that way. Most days I don’t want to picnic or eat in my room. And so I needed a mental, not a physical, strategy.

Mine is to decide I was ok with standing out, not trying to blend into a wall. I don’t particularly instigate conversations but often they happen because I am often looking up and around instead of just reading. Of course, I obviously mix that in (as I am doing right now) but if I am present in the moment, often nice interactions occur.

Tonight’s interaction was between me and the pigeon that flew into the restaurant and fluttered down into the small space between me and the wall window beside me. This, of course, meant I was suddenly the center of attention for the waiter and the large family next to me. :)

On another level, I have also been seated without a reservation
- because I am only 1. And it just doesn’t take me as long to be finished. I have several times been seated “if I can be finished before…” - which is always easy.

I hope it goes well!

While I am eating or stoping for a drink or snack alone during my travels I usually use the time to edit/delete photos that I have taken with my iPhone or camera as well as go over my plan/schedule for the remainder of the day. For my evening meals I try to sit outside if possible, people watch, if not I try to sit inside with a view of the overall floor plan and not get stuck in a corner staring at a wall or in the corner along the railing to the stairs that lead downstairs to the restrooms. That happened to me once.

During my first trip to Paris, I spent 4 evenings, usually after 10pm at Cafe Panis, across the street from Notre Dame, and sat along the windows facing the church. After the second night one of the waiters recognized me and would just point to an open table along the windows for me. I enjoyed a Cafe Gourmand each evening prior to returning to the apartment, I had tea instead of coffee.

Enjoy your trip.

Ha, very true, Tom!

TexasTravelmom, I agree that being a solo diner will enable you to get in more quickly than others. Sometimes the tables aren't the best, but c'est la vie... :)

As brushtim said, being a regular diner does matter. I dined at the same restaurant in Nuremberg for 3 nights, 1 breakfast and 1 lunch and by the second day, I was escorted in quickly and given one of the nicer tables.

Often at lunch time there are communal tables. Join with others who are dining alone. Some of our most memorable lunches have been shared with locals.

Lots of good advice here, but just want to add two things.

At two different restaurants in Florence, I was seated with other solo or non-Italian people. At one place there was actually what I'm guessing was a tourist table. I sat with two gents from the Netherlands and a mother-daughter from the US. And at another place they sat me a table for two and then sat another Dutch gentleman across from me. Engaged in great conversations at both restaurants. So if you're comfortable with the idea of eating with strangers (who might become new short-term friends), ask when you arrive if they can accommodate that.

The other thing: when I was in Amsterdam, I really wanted to go out for Rijstafel, but that is a two-person proposition. So I posted on here and asked if anyone else was going to be in Amsterdam at the same time and would like to meet for Rijstafel. I got a dinner partner and had a nice time and a good dinner.

I’ve been traveling internationally since 2006. Many times I am dining alone. It has never been an issue. Also I can’t remember ever being tucked away in an undesirable area. Usually I have something to occupy my time but don’t find it necessary. Discomfort has never joined me. This has generally been my experience in the United States as well.

raymonelee: I really wish there was a like button for this because what you said has been exactly my experience. No big deal. I think we may tend to overthink it, but once you walk through the door it’s just time to eat.

A few things.....

The only place I have ever seen people asking to share a table is in Germany....not all of Europe.

If I want to eat somewhere specific, I make a reservation. They know I am coming and a party of one. Rarely, and in all the years I have been traveling solo, I can count on one hand the number of restaurants that have refused my reservation for one. Sometimes I just show up. A few times they said they had a reservation at a later time and if I could be out........blah, blah, blah.

Occassionally, I'll have a larger meal at lunch and then something light in my hotel or at a cafe for dinner. Traveling during Covid I've had more take away meals.

Some solo diners are very self conscious. They think the whole restaurant is looking at them and talking about them. They are not. They are too engrossed in themselves and their dinner companions. I used to do the bar thing in the USA, rarely these days unless the restaurant is really busy and they have no tables. I want to sit comfortably and enjoy my meal.

I will take out my phone to keep myself busy while waiting for the food but will put it away while actually eating. I want to enjoy my food and give all my senses to it.

By the way, never put your phone down on the table while eating. Especially outdoors. It can get snatched

I'm one of those also traveling to Europe since the days of Nixon. No problem at all dining solo both lunch and dinner which almost always the case in Germany and Austria.

Only the Austrians and Germans share tables. I am not talking about a white table cloth place, which obvious is not the case. It's quite customary as well as expected that if you occupy a table for 5-6 persons, sitting there solo, enjoying your meal, don't be surprised if another person or even two persons ask you if these other seats are taken .

I had this one experience in a hotel in Nürnberg in 2001 at breakfast, (the breakfast/dining room was packed), sitting solo at a small table for two. An older German guy comes by and asks (in German) if the other seat was free. I told him in German to please sit down. On that morning I wasn't really in a mood for company and wanted to be alone. However, I certainly wasn't going to tell him no , just bad manners.

Most of the time dining solo you do see yourself surrounded either by couples or groups of 4-5 or so. I don't eat at the bar unless the proprietor suggests that option since the restaurant at that moment is packed. I've only done that in Berlin as favour to the proprietor instead going elsewhere.

just a quick note that hopefully I've not painted myself too much of a rube. I've probably spend 1.5 year traveling in Europe alone, and a year alone in South America. So likely hundreds of solo meals eating out overseas.

Just been a while, and now that I haven't solo traveled for 15 year I'm used to being with my family for the last 8 Europe trips.

I'm sure I'll be back in the swing of it without too much trouble, but it just seems weird to sit at a table and eat alone now. When I travel for business in the US there's almost always a bar to eat in ....

Hank, no worries. You did not give off any “rube” vibes……

I think you really identified the issue which is simply that you are now used to eating out with family, so this will feel different at first.

Your trip sounds like a great adventure. I wanted to mention an app you might enjoy, Polar Steps. It tracks your position and maps it. You can pin photos or text to waypoints and it becomes a daily trip record. You can share it with family and they can follow along on your journey in real time. At the end of the trip you an choose if you want it made into a book or not.

Hi Hank, I’ve traveled solo for my last three trips to Europe - in 2018, 2019 and this year in June, although my husband joined me for the last week in 2019.

I’ll admit that eating dinner alone is my least favorite part about traveling solo. I didn’t mind it as much when I was traveling for work - probably because my mind was still focused on work tasks or decisions. But, when I’m on vacation, it’s a leisure social time. I do bring my phone with me and will use the time between ordering and when the food arrives to review & enjoy the photos I took that day. Otherwise, I am enjoying my food, and people watching or looking at the location. I prefer to eat outdoors, so that’s easier for viewing.

When I will be traveling, I always have tourist questions & responses memorized for hotel & restaurant interactions. One is “Good evening. I would like a table for one, please.” This avoids the start of the interaction being, “Only one?” or something similar. I did have to smile inside when one of the responses to my request in a small city in Italy was a “tsk-tsk” sympathetic sound - LOL! I usually dress up a bit for dinner and put on a confident smile that I do belong as a solo traveler.

Another idea that is a lot of fun is to participate in a Food Tour. They are a great option to be able to try a lot of the local food and be with a small group for a couple of hours. A second option is a dinner cooking class.

Hank,

I always travel solo when not with a tour group, and have never had any issues dining alone. The staff always seat me at an appropriate table for one, and I order and eat my meal without any concerns at all. The same situation exists when dining in restaurants at home, so I'm used to it.

I have enjoyed sharing tables in Bratislava and Florence (the cafe was in RS book). Each were local places just away from tourist areas. So other countries have this option in addition to Germany. It’s infrequent but a great way to interact with local people. Usually lunchtime option.

Another good option if you’re traveling solo: museum (or museum-adjacent) cafes. Most don’t require you to visit the museum and offer surprisingly good food at reasonable prices, usually in a classy but casual atmosphere where solo dining is not unusual. Local specialties are often featured and the menus usually have a good variety to suit all appetites. Sometimes only an option at lunchtime, but many are now open for dinner too. Done this in Berlin, Vienna, Stockholm, Athens, etc and had some really great food with a mix of locals and visitors.

I don't think this was mentioned above (but it's a long "thread," and I might have missed it), but Spain's tapas bars are great for those who still feel uneasy about dining solo. You can usually get larger portions as well, while still at the bar.

This is a very helpful thread! I was starting to wonder myself about eating alone in Siena. It's true here... in the States, you just go sit at the bar--no big deal.

I hadn't thought about reservations? Will I need a reservation in September for 1? I guess I was thinking pop into the bar.

To add to my earlier reply, going to a restaurant alone doesn't mean I will be dining alone. I've been in a few restaurants that had long wooden tables, where everyone sits together. One restaurant that I dined at in Bologna had a lot of college kids there, and I don't mind sitting down with others. I've also sat at smaller tables with others, as that's sometimes the only option if the restaurant is busy. There have also been a few occasions when I've been sitting quietly at a table waiting for dinner, and the waiter asks if he can seat someone at my table. I don't mind and that sometimes leads to some interesting conversations.

Sometimes it's necessary to adapt to the circumstances.

When I travel, I am solo for at least part of the time.
As I like to stay in apartments, I rarely go out to eat in the evenings.
However, in 2012, I was in Bologna in a hotel for a couple of nights, before going to Lucca to take Italian
classes.
I decided that this time I would be really brave and go out to eat in the evening.
Forgetting that in Europe, people eat later than we do in Canada.
Nothing was really open for business until I saw a Chinese restaurant open.
I got my table for one, had my IPod with me to look busy to other customers, and for the whole time I was in there I was the only diner in this huge restaurant.
So I needn’t have worried at all about looking lonely!

I've had the good fortune to visit crowded restaurants in Germany where I had to sit at a table with another group. It was a lot of fun, sort of like dining on a cruise ship. My German is bad but everyone spoke English, some better than my English.

I have not traveled solo, but have tagged along on several of my husbands business trips. During the day I venture off on my own, so always dine solo for lunch. There have been times I opted out of the business dinners, so have done my own thing then as well. I have not had any issue with these meals, and actually it was really nice to just eat and take it all in, even though I am not one to linger. I am not a slow traveler by any means;)

On a trip to Dresden, just as the pandemic was hitting, I was at a little kiosk getting a mug of gluhwein when a local started talking to me. We sat together for over an hour just chatting and it was really nice to learn what it was like to grow up there, etc. I truly doubt that would have happened if my husband had been with me. So being solo can certainly open doors that would not otherwise open.

I travel solo about 50% of the time if not more and European wait staff is perfectly fine with solo diners. Because they’re not like American staff who will not make as much money if they don’t have a lot of diners they treat you just the same.