WARNING: Unsafe, Aggressive Owner - Do Not Go Here…read more
I feel obligated to share a serious warning about Del Vecchio Fossato in Sirmione after a disturbing and violent experience with the man who claimed to be the owner.
My cousin and I were initially confused by the layout, as there is another restaurant directly across from Del Vecchio Fossato. The two patios appear connected, and many tables were visibly open. When my cousin asked the server if we could sit outside, he told her there would be an hour wait. When she asked about sitting inside (thinking the other patio belonged to the same place), he simply said, "we're not serving inside," rather than clearly explaining that the other restaurant had nothing to do with them.
When I arrived just five minutes later and spoke to the same server, he suddenly told me there was no wait at all, despite the empty tables being there earlier. When I politely questioned why he hadn't explained the patio belonged to another restaurant, he turned his back and marched away rudely without a word.
But what happened next was genuinely frightening.
While I was retrieving our stroller from the public pedestrian street between the two restaurants, I was approached by the owner of Del Vecchio Fossato. He began shouting, cursing, and aggressively ordering me to leave the public space. I told him I had a right to be there and that he had no authority to threaten me. At that point, he started swinging a glass bottle of wine at my face, behaving in an erratic and threatening manner.
Fearing for my safety, I pulled out my phone to record -- and as shown in the video I uploaded -- he struck my hand and violently knocked my phone to the ground. This was not a misunderstanding or heated argument -- it was physical aggression from a man who clearly lacks control or regard for others.
And it didn't stop there.
While we were finally seated (safely) at the completely separate and polite restaurant across from them, the same man returned, came up in front of our table, and gave me the middle finger repeatedly, continuing to intimidate and harass us.
This man is not safe, and he should not be operating a business that interacts with the public. His behavior was hostile, physically violent, and absolutely unacceptable by any standard -- especially in a tourist destination where people come to enjoy themselves.
There are many other wonderful, respectful restaurants in Sirmione. Del Vecchio Fossato is not one of them. I urge all visitors -- for your safety, your dignity, and your peace of mind -- to stay far away from this establishment.
