Is it necessary to make restaurant bookings in advance?
 

I was checking out previous posts from other Fororites and some people say they have booked for restaurants well in advance. Is this really necessary? We'll be in Bologna early July so should I also be looking at booking something now?

MMMM It's not needed I think. But still, there's not extra charge for doing it. Like this you get for sure your table at the resto.

But do this only if you've been recommended to go there. Otherwise is not worthy.

Cheers

Generally, Italians don't make reservations way ahead of time. One restaurant in Venice, that's small and very popular, I make reservations several weeks in advance. Other than than, maybe a week or so - and that's for Friday or Saturday nights in Rome or other big cities.

So my feel is, unless it's a weekend and what seems to be a popular or famous restaurant, you don't need to reserve far ahead of time. If you know where you want to eat, then make reservations a week or two ahead of time. If you'll be in Bologna for several days, you could always stop by the restaurant a day or two beforehand, or even the day of.

Inever reservce before I arrive anywhere....occasionally once I'm there I might reserve on the day or a day or 2 in advance

For casual trattorias, I don't bother. But for nicer restaurants, I make a reservation the afternoon of or the day before if only to get a better table.

I was in Bologna last November and arrived on a Friday, so I did make reservations for that night and the next (Saturday) night about a week before my arrival (did it from home via the restaurants websites). I only did that because it was a weekend arrival and I knew the restaurants I wanted to go to were fairly popular, I'm glad I did because both were crowded and turned people away who did not have reservations while we were there.

As mentioned above, I tend to only make reservations way ahead of time if I know it's a popular place or I want to go on a weekend evening. Generally I'll check places out while I'm walking about and if one piques my interest I'll make a reservation during the day for that evening. It usaully works out perfectly fine, I only had one time in Rome on a Monday night where I ran into a problem and then I just went to one of my old "stand-bys" and got in without any trouble (although it was the last table) ;-)

Hi mo,

It is not always necessary.

However, most European restos are small, so if there is a place that you really want to go to, it is very helpful.

Also, it is polite to make a reservation at least the morning of the day you wish dinner.

Enjoy your meals.

((I))

In major cities, it's less important for Americans to reserve than Europeans.

Since Americans mostly eat unnaturally early, there's usually space when they turn up. In Milan and Rome, many decent, well-regarded, places start filling up by 2100 - and it's not rare for us to be turned away between 2100 and 2200 if we've not booked. I've scarcely ever had a problem - except in Michelin-starred places in places in Milan - turning up early - say 2000 or so.

I just wrote an e-mail to an agriturismo where I will be staying at the end of the month.

Asked them to book a table for two at a nearby restaurant for a Sunday dinner.


Response: The restaurant is full.

This is for two weeks from now.
The restaurant is not a Michelin-starred place and it is not a fancy upscale restaurant.
Nor is it in a town that receives lots of foreign tourists.

Ekscrunchy, I think your case is a bit of an exception. Sunday two weeks from now is May 1, and even Italians who rarely eat out tend to go out on May 1. It's surprising about dinner, though; most people go for a long lunch.

Ekscrunchy, I think your case is a bit of an exception. Sunday two weeks from now is May 1, and even Italians who rarely eat out tend to go out on May 1. It's surprising about dinner, though; most people go for a long lunch.

Zerlina: What is annoying me is that I wrote to the agriturismo two weeks ago (a month before May 1) to ask them to book for me. I knew that it would be a busy day and that many places would be closed. Even on a normal Sunday we had a difficult time finding someplace open last fall. (I am talking here about Puglia)

The hotel has only now just responded to me, today, to say that the restaurant is booked. The restaurant told them that something might open up after Easter. Perhaps they are holding tables? I welcome any advice on how to secure a table!

I would have written myself weeks ago but this restaurant had no e-mail address that I could find and so I asked the hotel to phone them. Next time I will know better, and will call myself.

Ah yes, the very lovable but not always very dependable Italians!

What's the name of the place and where is it?

This is the restaurant:

http://www.osterialatradizione.net/index2.htm

I see it's a SlowFood pick, and one Italian review does say you have to reserve "con largo anticipo". Still, more than two weeks seems unusual, even for May 1 dinner.

I wish I could offer useful advice. A fax, maybe?

I see it's a SlowFood pick, and one Italian review does say you have to reserve "con largo anticipo". Still, more than two weeks seems unusual, even for May 1 dinner.

I wish I could offer useful advice. A fax, maybe?

Darn, another double post. And I only submitted once.

Thanks, Zerlina. I may try a fax to the restaurant.

At the risk of sounding like a dolt, I need help with two things:

How to say, in Italian, that I would like a reservation for 2 persons for 8pm on 1 May. (Maybe something like, "I know that this is a busy evening but I would like very much to eat at your restaurant on 1 May and would appreciate it if you would make room for us")

Exact sequence of numbers for fax to this number from the US:

Tel./Fax 0883691690

Many thanks! ekscrunchy

For the fax number, you need the international dialling code which depends on which country you live in. It will be something like 0011 or 011. You can Google it. Then you need the country code for Italy, drop the first zero of the number above and dial the rest of the number. That should work.

For the Italian text for your fax, you could try looking on Babel Fish which has free translations, type in the English then click on 'From English to Italian'. It will probably not be perfect but should make some sense.
http://uk.babelfish.yahoo.com/

Kay

Thank you. From the US I need to dial 011. The country code for Italy is 39. The city code is 083.



Would this be the fax number: 011-39-083-3691690

Or would I drop the second 0 (in the city code)?

I would not use a translation from an online source; they come out sounding ridiculous and I want to do this with proper wording.