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Restaurant reservations in Florence/Rome

Posted by (Cambridge, MA, US) on

Does anyone have suggestions on how to best reserve restaurants? We just returned from our first trip to Italy.
Wonderful time with the exception of going hungry a couple nights. First time we made reservations, when we arrived at the restaurant, they told us they didn't have it as someone HAD called, the the person who answered "his english is not so good." Our daughter, who is fluent in Italian, had reserved for us. In Italian. Another night, we had (again) nice restaurant reservations- we show up. "No, you don't have reservations." By this time all restaurants are booked and have no room.

In Florence, our hotel booked for us, and we were seated, but a couple behind us was told, "No we don't have reservations under your name." I assume they all double book, but what do we do to guarantee that we eat? Especially if we are renting an apartment and not staying in a hotel? (we're going again in the spring)

Anne

Posted by
3313 posts

I think you found your answer. Ask your hotel to book for you.

Posted by
23626 posts

We have never had a problem with reservations being honored. BUT -- we generally make the reservation in person earlier in the day or the day before. We often plan to walk by the restaurant earlier in the day just so we know we can find it later. If we don't have a reservation, a five Euro note will generally get the response, "I will see what I can find."

Posted by
712 posts

Lucky you, being able to go back in the spring.
Our hotels in Rome and Venice booked the restaurants for us in Sept.
Our hotel in Rome actually had a list of what they felt were good in the area and my husband choose the restaurants from their list. We enjoyed all of them.
Where are you going on your next trip?

Posted by
10 posts

Yes, it is definitely the answer when in a hotel, but we are renting an apartment on the spring trip.

Anne

Posted by
10 posts

We are going to Rome as my daughter is living/studying there for the year- for the first trip we went to Florence and Amalfi, this time is a shorter trip so we are taking one side trip- trying to decide between Cinque Terre or Sicily.

Anne

Posted by
525 posts

My husband and I were in Orvieto, Italy.Wanted to have a "nice" dinner. We were seated at 7:50 pm.in the back of the restaurant - no problem. At 8:10 we were finally acknowledged and ordered wine and bruschetta- no problem - we know Italians take their time eating. We were served the wine but not bruschetta. Awhile later the server asked if we ordered bruschetta. Another 5-10 minutes we received it. Another 15 people came in after us,(I counted them) ordered, served their meals and still we did not have our food. I finally got up to ask the server. He mumbled something, went into the kitchen, then I saw him in front again. Still no food. We got up and told them we were out of there. We left 10 euro on the counter for what we had. The next day I left a note on the door saying if they didn't want to serve Americans just say so rather than us being treated with disrespect. The restaurant is two doors to the left of LaMagnolia B&B, 29 Via del Duomo, Orvieto. Do NOT eat there!

Posted by
10 posts

Frank, the personal touch seems the approach we will take next time! We had laughed about that being the only way, as we are bound and determined to eat- I cannot quite blame the restaurants. I am sure tons of visitors book several restaurants, and does not seem to be turnover. It seems you sit down and 8:30, and get up at 11:30-midnight. This, I noticed in my limited experience.

Anne

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