Italy w/ 4-year-old: where to eat?
 

Hello,
My husband, and 4-year-old daughter and I will be in Italy for 2 weeks in April. We've travelled with her before and usually take her to nice places (Michelin starred) to eat, as we like to eat well. But it is nice to have a few meals where I don't have watch her every move and sound so that she doesn't disturb others. I'd love some suggestions for places where we can get a nice meal but also relax in Como, Venice, Naples and/or Capri.

Thanks!

I recommend getting a Rick Steves book for these places. His restaurant picks are usually casual and informal and should be good for kids.

Good Grief!! Almost any trattoria, pizzeria, ristorante, etc. that doesn't have a Michelin star!! There are so many places where you can get good food in Italy I hardly know where to start. I assume she likes pasta. Then you are set.

Children and their habits are welcomed with open arms in Italian eateries.

Well, I don't think you need to freefall as far as from Michelin-starred restaurants to Rick Steves, who IMO has some tastebud disorder, but as mentioned, I hardly think you need a list of restaurants anywhere in Italy where you can go get great, inexpensive food that a 4-year-old will love. Any local place will probably be better than most everything back home unless you get really unlucky.

I bet the 4-year-old's going to breathe a sigh of relief on this trip.

Am I missing something here?

If you take her to an expensive restaurant and I am at the next table, you'll take pains to make sure she doesn't disturb me.

If you are in relaxing mode in a less expensive restaurant and I am at the next table, you won't take the same pains to make sure she doesn't disturb me.

Why the difference?

Honestly...I have never, ever felt unwelcome in ANY restaurant in Italy with my son...I have seen other children in every place we've eaten in...from casual to elaborate - he's 7 now, but been going to Italy with him for a few years :-) spent his 4th birthday in Venice. oh...and to complicate matters...he HATES PASTA *gasp* never a problem though...always something on the menu he loves - sometimes we order for him from the appetizers...other times the main course...sometimes he just wants a side - no one cares becasue he's a kid ;-) many times, the waiters will offer him things that are not on the menu (i.e. fried calamari...or one time mussles and clams - without the pasta they were ment to go on!) he gets treated like a price...of course...our FAVORITE thing to find is a really nice place that serves great pasta AND pizza...then everyone is set and happy...just look for other families - I usually stop families with young children on the street and ask them where to go if I'm in a new town.

ha1 that would be "prince" I should stop typing now...it's just too many typos this evening!

CasaDelCipresso: Thanks for the detailed answer and info. How funny. We will be celebrating my daughter's 4th birthday in Venice, just like you and your son!!!

Padraig: I am always very careful to make sure my daughter does not make other people's meals unpleasant, be it somewhere fancy or casual. No one wants to be disturbed. It is just that in the fancier places it is often much quieter so that any little noise is heard so I am extra careful.

Hi LosAngeles, Italians love childen. You will probably find that the waiters will really fuss over your daughter. I always find the best restaurants for dinner while out and about during the day while passing places that are serving lunches. The aroma, the cliental etc. can tell you a lot about the different restaurants. When you see a place you like make the reservations for that evening. I assume that you do know that restaurants serve later than they do in the states normally. But that would give you daughter time to take a nice nap before dinner so she will feel refreshed. Have a lovely trip and take a beautiful photo of your daughters 4th birthday in Venice. What a momento that will be for her to always have!

It is odd but Italian's seem to like children and like to be around them even at meal times.


You will see Italian kids running around at 12 at night. This is not becuase they are drugged up to the eyeballs but because they are allowed to sleep in the middle of the day. I suggest you let yours do as well

"It is odd but Italian's seem to like children and like to be around them even at meal times."

Is it odd ??? Really is it so different in the States ? I mean, I am from Spain ..for me it's a natural thing.

I would have to say, hopefully without offending anyone, that the Italian children are quite "active" when they are out at restaurants. Behaviour that would make most people shiver a little seemed to be just fine in that culture. I wouldn't worry about your 4 year old. If you took a small child to a place like La Greppia in Parma, where the meals are 25 euros a plate and the waiter pulls out your chair and puts the napkin in your lap for you, well then, you may have some unhappy patrons around you if your child doesn't sit still and stay quiet (not very reasonable to ask of a 4 year old). But I would agree with the earlier posts, the majority of restaurants, save the very elegant ones, will welcome children, they will blend right in. Pizzerias are perfect, even trattorias, I think it's all fine. I just wouldn't worry about it.

Irony where is your irony? (next to the steely)

We traveled with a four year old to Tuscany with no problems (ironically, he was happier going to nice places than his older cousins who wanted to stick to pizza). Some of our nicest meals were lunch (I think everyone is more relaxed). We found the ITC guides especially helpful for picking restaurants.

a 4yr old is certainly more than capable of acting appropriately in a nice restaurant. A 2yr old...maybe not :-) *laugh* I think some children are just more used to travel and eating out more than others. (do be prepared though in Venice to feed those darn pigeons more than you'd EVER want to in one lifetime...they just CANNOT resist at that age!) That said, we save Harry's Bar (for example) for when we are travelling alone...actually...that, I think, is the only place we've ever passed up when my son was with us and saved for the next trip :-) Don;'t knwo if your daughter will still sit in a stroller...but I highly reccommend one if she will (even if she doesn't at home) It was great to be able to wander and wander and wander even when my son's legs could take it no more :-) - take a jogging stroller, if possible - it's what the locals use to "bump" up and down the bridges (we didn't and took the McLaren Volo - but wished I'd had big wheels!)sorry don't have specific restaurants to send you too...all a blur now :-) a few on la Strada Nova were excellent...others we found randomly. Things are MUCH more casual (in general) in Capri and Naples...againi...take the stroller to Naples...it was very difficult with my 6yr old last year...holding on to his hand for dear life all the time...crossing streets, etc. - it was very overwhelming for him actually - think it may have been better when he was younger and in a stroller.
have a great trip! I know many think it's very young to take a child to Venice :-) but my son just brought a mask from that trip in for "show and tell" this week...he brings it in at least once every school year! oh...also...the other really great thing on that trip...we bought him a coupld disposable cameras and he took the most WONDERFUL photos...from a 3/4 yr old's perspective - it made for a great album. He has a kid's digital one now...which is fun and ammussing to him (becasue he can preview the pictures), but the disposables took much better pictures.

Eating out is a big family thing in a lot of European countries. Places like Spain, Portugal and Italy,
From babies/toddlers they involve them in the family meal. They are taught at a young age about food and it is natural for them to eat out. When you go to these places the waiters all make a fuss of the children.

Thank you all for your comments and reassurances. I am sure we will all have a wonderful time and be well fed.

CasaDelCipresso- Thank you for your additional suggestions. I had just been contemplating the stroller issue and you have decided it for me (alas, it will have to be the Volo too). Also, I love your camera idea and will put it to good use.