My husband and I are travel to Italy Oct. 24-31. I know it's towards the end of the tourist season so I'm wondering if it's going to be necessary to make a dinner reservation.
Are reservations necessary? We don't have specific restaurants in mind yet.
We have been in these cities in late October on one trip and in early February on another. The only restaurants that needed reservations were the ones that normally did. Although some restaurants didn't require or need them, they seemed to appreciate them.
Have a great trip!
I would always make reservations (maybe just the day before) in these places. You will get a better table and better treatment and good restaurants in tourist meccas tend to fill up leaving you with places that have room for a reason if you don't book. October is not low season; it is a very popular time for tourism in these cities.
At nicer and more popular places it is good to make a reservation, but doing it a day or two before should be sufficient. I'm sure there are super-high demand Michelin places that book up well in advance, but for most restaurants just call the day before. If you don't your first choice may be full but you will still be able to find something that is available.
I was in Rome at that time last year and it was pretty busy - Nov. 1 is a public holiday and lots of people travel around then. So don't expect it to be less busy. I actually found late May a little less crowded than late Oct/early November.
We were in Rome during that time last year too.
Make reservations!
Many Italian restaurants prefer customers who make a reservation, even if the reservation is made just hours in advance, by phone or in person. It's a commitment that is valued and respected. Reservations are required at the most popular dining establishments. A few places require at least a week in advance, but very few, and it depends on the time of year.
If you make a reservation and change your mind for whatever reason, you must be courteous and cancel your reservation, hopefully in a timely manner.
It's never good to show up too late for a reserved table, no matter what your reasons are for being tardy. Always best to show up five minutes early and allow for travel errors.
Most tourists do not reserve at restaurants. They don't speak the language and are afraid to make a phone call and deal with English not spoken well or at all. Most tourists will go from restaurant to restaurant when they're hungry and check out the menus posted outside. The more popular places (always with limited tables) will be booked sooner, so those who did not reserve will be turned away. Those who are turned away will repeat the cycle until they a find an affordable place that has a table available. On certain nights, some people search for a long time.
Making reservations is good form, even if you call 30 minutes in advance.
Last night in little Assisi, which is very busy, we made a reservation and walked over within 15 minutes. A couple that arrived moments before us were told they could sit immediately (19:30) at a table right where all the incoming guests were passing (high traffic area) or they could wait until 21:00. We, having called 15 minutes earlier, got a nice table in the back. The place was jammed, but we got excellent service and seating by calling ahead.
Best to give them a couple of hours or even a day, though.
I always make reservations or have my hotel make them in advance. I don't like wasting time restaurant shopping where you're more likely to settle for an meh experience when a little planning can yield a great one. It also tends to free up more of our time to be spontaneous if we know when and where we're headed for dinner. Of course I love to research places and ask friends for recommendations so I'm weird that way.
