dutti22

Hello -

I was wondering how formal restaurants are in Italy? My fiance and I will be travelling to several cities including Rome, Venice, and Florence - which I would guess would be the most formal. We do not know which restaurants we are specifically going to in these cities, but we plan on going to one nice restaurant in each city.

I would like to avoid needing to pack a sports coat, but don't know if Italy is more formal in that regard (i.e. more formal than NYC, SF, etc).

Thanks

nytraveler

Most restaurants would be happy with business casuale - or sophsiticated casuale - however, there may be a few places that require jacket and tie - but if you're willing to be flexible a jacket is not an absolute must.

(Although I must admit my beau does always take at least one - since we sometimes decide to splurge a litle more - and that way you're always safe and comfortable.)

ira

Hi dutti,

>...but we plan on going to one nice restaurant in each city.<

In which case a sports jacket is a good idea.

OTOH, I am an old fuddy duddy, who doesn't care for people wearing bathing suits in retaurants that have table cloths.

Budman

There's really nowhere in Italy I care to dine that will require me to wear a sport coat. If there is such a place, it will probably cost much more than I am willing to spend for dinner. Maybe next trip.

Slacks/dockers and turtleneck/polo shirt should be more than sufficient. Depending upon the weather, shorts for lunch, slacks for dinner.

mgmargate

Most places that require a jacket also take 2 or more hours to have a meal that is often overpriced .I don't waste the time.

nytraveler

mgmargate -

That is called dining - rather than just stoking the furnace.

Budman

Dining!! That's the nice thing I like about European restaurants. I don't like to be rushed when I have dinner. You make 8:00 reservations, and that table is yours for the entire evening. You are never forces to leave to turnover the table, which is common in the U.S. Looking forward to this Italian experience.

rhkkmk

a jacket is simply not necessary...some 4* dining rooms may require it, so just go to another place

clevelandbrown

We ate at a very nice restaurant in Venice where the staff was very formally dressed, but none of the patrons was wearing a coat or tie, including some who appeared to be locals.

mgmargate

To each their own I guess.I"ve never seen fit to spend an "evening" eating a meal.Too many things to do and places to see.

nytraveler

That's the point - its not "eating" its "dining" - great food, fine wine, good firends (or a special loved one) and brilliant conversation (or at least highly amusing) - if your friends can;t come up with the brilliant conversation you need better friends - what better way to spend an evening?

ira

Let's face it, NYT, some people will just never get it.

mgmargate

That's where your wrong.I understand the concept but you couldn't make me waste my vacation time sitting around for hours in a restaurant.

Grinisa

Ties are very rarely required, even in the finest restaurants in Italy. In the evening, you will see about half the men in a sport coat and the the other half in a shirt and slacks. In Rome, besides the dining rooms of five star hotels, these restaurants "request" a jacket for men: Agata e Romeo, Convivio, Camponeschi and Checchino dal 1887. There are others but these are the ones I go to on a regular basis.

dutti22

Everyone,

Thank you for your insight and replies.
It has been quite helpful

ira

Hi Mg,

May we agree to disagree?

LarryJ

I have found money to be of much greater concern to restaurants in Italy than sport coats.

Larry J

Judy

My husband usually wears a spoerts jacket on the plane (sometimes with jeans)....you never know when you'll want it and it doesn't have to be packed. He did use it a couple times in Italy.

Judy

I really can spell sports, just can't type.

mgmargate

Hello Ira:No problem.Happy travels.