2 in 3 restaurants open on August 15 Ferragosto holiday

(ANSA) - ROME, AUG 12 - Over 91,000 restaurants - 69.2% of the total - will be open over the August 15 national holiday commonly known as Ferragosto, to welcome an estimated five million clients, according to a research carried out by retailers association Fipe-Confcommercio out on Monday.
    Clients will mainly include local residents and Italian holidaymakers, although many foreigners are also expected to book a table, the study said.
    Nearly 50% of restaurants have reservations for both lunch and dinner, although Ferragosto will be mainly celebrated with a dinner out at beach resorts and in the centre-North, according to the research.
    The average price of a meal on August 15 will be 59 euros, including drinks, said Fipe-Confcommercio.
    The most popular dishes on Ferragosto menus vary according to the region with typical mountain dishes canederli and mushroom pasta dominating in menus across the North, gnocchi, ravioli, duck and wild boar dishes in art cities and pasta with fish ruling in coastal destinations.
    Among deserts, tiramisù and ice cream will be favourites while the strudel cake with apple will feature in many northern menus, the survey said. (ANSA).