Do solo diners in Naples have a problem getting a table in restaurants?

Just move on to another place if you feel unwelcome. I ate one solo dinner at a pretty nice place one of the main piazzas, and it was fine. As I recall, solo dining is rather less common among Italians than other parts of Europe, but still, it's no big deal.

I do remember going into a busy pizzeria in Rome one evening and feeling like I wasn't being given the time of day. So I just left and ended up going somewhere else.

Sam, I spent a few days in Naples in 2014, traveling solo. I had no problem getting seated in restaurants for lunch or dinner, although I was not going to top-tier or fancy places, and did not make reservations. I remember in one very popular, small and quite full restaurant, I was invited to share a small table with another solo customer. I cannot remember ever having trouble being seated as a single, in all my travels over many years. Sometimes lonely, but always seated. (:->)

I have not experienced this in Italy. I always travel alone and most dine alone.

A restaurant anywhere in Europe pushing for quick turnovers is just shockingly out of character. Might be something at a lunch place, but never in my experience for dinner.

Sam,
I spent two nights in Naples in April 2017. I simply asked my hotel to make a dinner reservation for me. No problem! And, the other night, I walked into a restaurant and was seated alone, no problem!

The one thing I have found about Italian restaurants is that they like reservations - even if you make that reservation an hour earlier. Personally just think the treatment is better if you have that reservations -- may only be perception. But if you know the restaurant you want and it is convenient, just walk by in mid-afternoon and make a reservation. You will know in an instant if there is a problem with just one. Never heard of a restaurant that wanted quick turn over. It normally is just the reverse.

My experience was similar to what Larry related. I did not have difficulty but was asked to share a table with several other solo diners at one busy restaurant. That turned out to be my favorite meal -hearing about what my dining companions from Germany and Brazil had seen/planned to see was fun!

Like Larry I don't go to upscale places. In Naples I had no trouble being seated solo in 4 different places, never had a problem anywhere, actually. In one pizzeria (the most popular one), where turnover is high priority, I was seated at a table already occupied by another single woman. We had a nice chat over our very good pizzas.

I wanted to share this with you, maybe the most charming reply I've ever received via e-mail:

I sent one restaurant in Naples (mimi alla ferrovia) the following e-mail yesterday:

"Hello:

I will be visiting Naples as a solo traveler in May. Your restaurant sounds wonderful and I would like to book a table for myself in the coming months. But do you serve solo diners? I ask this because your website seems to indicate that you generally serve parties of four or more individuals. Grazie, Sam"

The restaurant replied:

"Buonasera,

We don't need reservation for one people. We wait for you!"

That "We wait for you!" sealed the deal for me.

What a lovely reply from the restaurant! Two years ago in Naples, I visited a pizzeria on my own and was seated with a couple from Australia and a single guy from Northern Italy. We had a wonderful chat over some delicious pizza and it was one of the highlights of my trip!

Just over a year ago I was solo in Naples for four nights. Had no problem getting great food at pizzerias, family restaurants or upscale places. The only time I’ve ever had a problem like this in 10 solo trips was at one restaurant in Madrid. I wouldn’t worry about it.

Sam,

I've never had a problem with solo dining anywhere in Italy, and I don't imagine that would be any more of a problem in Naples than elsewhere.