Many years ago after dining at Vini Vidi Vici in Atlanta, we played Bocce Ball at their on-site court.  It was a lovely end to a summer night.  While bocce ball is no longer available at Vini Vidi Vici, there are still some great restaurants across the US where you can enjoy a meal and play bocce ball.

Why would you want to have a meal at a restaurant that has a bocce ball court? Maybe you have to wait for a table and don’t want to run up a large bar bill in advance of sitting down to dinner.  And, waiting in the anteroom or at the hostess stand is not all that appealing. Perhaps you realize that your kids may not be able to wait for your table to be ready.  Or, you just want to chill after a meal by relaxing with friends and family over a nice game of bocce.

Whatever the reason, finding a great spot to dine and play bocce ball seems like the best of both worlds.  The Romans invented Bocce Ball over 2000 years ago and Italy is a food lovers dream.  It only makes sense that smart restauranteurs decided to combine the two because people who are passionate about Bocce Ball are also passionate about food.

Here are some of the BEST restaurants where you can combine eating out with Bocce Ball.

1) Mosaic, Asian Fusion cuisine, 211 South First Street, San Jose, CA (408) 282-8888 http://www.mosaicdowntown.com

 2) The Grove, eclectic menu, 7511 Pachero Pass Highway, Hollister, CA (831) 636-1400 http://www.lealvineyardsgrove.com

3) Carsonie’s, traditional Italian, 6000 Westerville Road, Franklin, Ohio (614) 899-6700 http://carsonies.com

4) Noto’s Old World Italian, 6600 28th Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI (616) 493-6686 http://notosoldworld.com

5) Von Trapp’s Austrian fare (beer and brats), 912 12th Avenue, Seattle, WA (206) 325-5409 http://vontrapps.com/VonTrapps/HOME.html

6) Il Fornaio, Italian, 18051 Von Karmen Avenue, Irvine, CA (949) 361-1444 http://www.ilfornaio.com/irvine

7) Campo di Bocce, traditional Italian fare, 175 E. Vineyard Avenue, Livermore, CA (925) 249-9800 http://campodibocce.com

8) The Vig, upscale comfort food, 4041 N. 40th Street, Phoenix, AZ  (602) 553-7227 http://thevig.us

9) Bar Bocce, California/Mediterranean cuisine, 1250 Bridgeway, Sausalito, CA (415) 331-0555 http://www.barbocce.com

10) Bocce Italian Grill, 842 US Rt 6, South Wellfleet, MA (on Cape Cod) (508) 349-2688 http://bocceitaliangrill.com

11) Brooklyn Athletic Club, American Fare, 601 Richmond Avenue, Houston, TX (713) 527-4440 http://thebrooklynathleticclub.com

12) Pinstripes, Italian-American menu, 13500 Nall Avenue, Overland Park, KS (913) 681-2255 http://pinstripes.com

13) Sanitas Brewing Company, craft beers/bar food, 3550 Frontier Avenue, Unit A, Boulder, CO (303) 442-4130 http://www.sanitasbrewing.com

14) Vinoteca Wine Bar, featuring small plates and bar food, 1940 11th Street NW, Washington, DC (202) 332-9463 http://www.vinotecadc.com

15) Greenwood Park, mostly bar food, Paninis, salads, burgers, 555 7th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY (between 19th & 20th Streets) http://greenwoodparkbk.com

Recently, the Dallas Morning News printed a story on restaurants in the Dallas Metro area where you can dine and play Bocce Ball.  The link to that story is  HERE. 

Enjoy dining at these establishments and be sure to take advantage of their hospitality by playing bocce ball at their outdoor courts.  It’s a terrific way to spend time with friends and family.

We’d love to find more spots that combine bocce ball with dining out, so please feel free to comment and share your favorites.

Ciao:)

Jacqueline Totten is a bocce ball enthusiast and created a site for others who enjoy the game or want to learn more about this sport. To check out the site please visit www.bestbocceball.com and follow us @bestbocceball