Long tables for large groups
Birthday, club evening or family gathering: we put the tables together, agree on the dishes in advance and bring the plates out in an order that suits the group.
Groups at Oliva
From eight people, we talk beforehand
Our kitchen is small, and the wood-fired oven has a fixed pace. A group we know gets its plates together – an unannounced group waits.
Family gatherings
Christening, birthday, anniversary: one long table, antipasti in the middle to share, main courses afterwards in two waves. We discuss children's portions with you when you reserve.
Club and company evenings
Fixed arrival time, two or three dishes to choose from, separate or combined bill. This keeps the evening predictable – even if not everyone arrives at the same time.
Lunch groups
Colleagues on their break: Tuesday to Friday from 12:00 to 14:30 we serve the lunch menu, with pre-selection for groups the day before.
The process
From enquiry to bill
Four steps stand between your first message and the espresso at the end of the evening. We handle most of it beforehand, so there's nothing left to clarify at the table.
- 1
Request
You tell us the date, time and number of guests – by phone at +49 30 23125106 or by e-mail to ciao@trattoria-oliva.invalid. We check which row of tables is free that day and get back to you.
- 2
Pre-selection of dishes
Together we decide what comes to the table: usually two antipasti platters to share and two to three main courses to choose from, including a vegetarian pasta. This way the kitchen knows how much dough to prepare and which sauces to make in the morning.
- 3
Arrival time
We agree on a fixed time within service hours. If individual guests arrive later, let us know in advance – then we hold back their plates instead of making the whole group wait.
- 4
Billing
Before the meal, let us know whether you'd like one combined bill or to pay separately per person. Split billing at long tables takes time; if announced it runs smoothly, if not it holds up service.
One oven, one order
Only a few pizzas fit in the wood-fired oven at a time, and handmade pasta comes straight out of the pot fresh. If we know in advance what's going to your table, we cook in waves instead of racing the clock.
Discover our kitchenDetails for your enquiry
What we need from you
The more complete your first message, the less we need to ask – usually one reply is enough, and your table is set.
- Preferred date and arrival time – lunchtime between 12:00 and 14:30 or evenings from 17:30
- Number of people, plus number of children and whether you need a high chair
- Occasion, if you'd like to mention it – birthday, christening, club evening or simply a meal together
- Intolerances and dietary preferences at the table, such as vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free
- Your idea of the meal: antipasti to share, pasta, wood-fired pizza or a combination
- Your preference for billing – one bill for the whole group or split by person
- Phone number for quick questions, in case something needs clarifying on the day
Table arrangement
One long table or two table clusters
For your group, we put our tables for four together into one continuous long table – so you all sit together at one table, with short distances for our service staff and room for conversation along its entire length.
For larger groups, two separate table clusters side by side are an alternative, for example if several smaller conversation groups are preferred. So that the arrangement suits your occasion, we'll ask about the number of people, time and occasion when you reserve.
One continuous long table
- Everyone sits at one table, toasts and speeches reach the whole group
- Antipasti and dolci can be placed on platters to share in the middle
- We serve from both sides, taking orders around the table
- The long table needs a fixed seating plan; rearranging later is hardly possible
Two table clusters side by side
- Smaller conversation groups, with the option to move between tables
- Pizza from the wood-fired oven comes in two waves and stays hot at both tables
- Bills can be kept separate per table
- No shared eye contact across the whole group
Before your visit
Questions about group bookings
These are the questions groups ask us most often when enquiring about a long table with us. If your question isn't here, give us a call – we can usually sort out the details over the phone in just a few minutes.
In the mood for a shared evening at Trattoria Oliva?
We'll quickly clarify the date and table arrangement and confirm your reservation.