Venice

by

ALL GUIDES

Venice

Venice
Venice is a tough city for food–and an expensive one, too, especially if you’re accustomed to cities like Rome where you can eat very well on a budget. If you plan ahead and make bookings at restaurants well in advance, you will enjoy Venetian dining, particularly if you are OK budgeting €75 and up per person for a full meal, including wine. For classic sit-down meals, I love institutions like Alle Testiere, where everything is very good. Da Ignazio and Antiche Carampane are great for fish and Vini da Gigio is a solid choice for Venetian classics. And as a bonus, they can typically accommodate day-of reservations and have a fabulous wine list. The antipasti and tagliolini al granseola (pasta with spider crab) at Bepi Antico are delicious. Pietra Rossa (from the team behind the now-closed Covino) and Anice Stellato, which are more contemporary, are lovely, too, and book out well in advance. You could certainly get away with never eating pizza in Venice. That said, Birreria La Corte is a solid choice for pizza and beer. My spot for just craft beer is Il Santo Bevitore in Cannaregio.

 

Osteria Giorgione da Masa is an excellent izakaya serving Japanese dishes made with local seafood and produce.For really good bites standing up at a bar counter (at little bars known as bacari in Venice), the super famous Cantine del Vino già Schiavi is reasonably delicious (though the atmosphere trumps the food) and serves little shots of wine (ombre) for €1.00. Al Mercà near the Rialto Market does some sought-after natural wines by the glass alongside everyday drinking options, and the sandwiches are great. The one with tuna salad, radicchio, and horseradish may be my favorite sandwich ever. Pop into the nextdoor Casa del Parmigiano for cheeses and cured meats, then hit the Rialto Market (mornings only, Monday to Saturday) for a crash course in the Veneto’s produce–look for vegetables from the nearby island of S. Erasmo, and for lagoon fish (labeled nostrane). Also near Rialto is All’Arco, one of my top spots to grab a bite and a drink on the fly. Btw, I do food tours in Venice, too, so check out this page for deets!

 

For natural wines and snacks, I love La Sete (and their adjacent restaurant, Rioba) and Adriatico Mar. Vino Vero has a great wine list but the service tends to be super condescending and the markup  on their wines makes my eyes water. Estro Pane e Vino a 10-minute walk from there is cute for vino and snacks.  Tonolo is legendary for pastries. Dal Nono Colussi and Bar Toletta are fantastic, as well, especially around Carnevale when they serve warm frittole (sweet dough fritters). For more drinking tips, read my list for Prior here.

 

If you’re on the move in the lagoon, visit Trattoria alla Maddalena in Mazzorbo, Gatto Nero in Burano, and Da Celeste in Pellestrina. In Murano, Acquastanca is the only really outstanding restaurant, while Valmarana on Fondamenta Navagero is pretty solid if you stick to the fritti. Also in Murano, the Murano Gelateria is good for a couple of scoops. The terrace of the NH Hotel is a nice place for aperitivo with a view, and Bar al Faro aka Da Robertino does pretty great tramezzini (the sandwiches at every Venetian bar), even though it looks like a trap. And while you’re in the area, visit Wave Murano Glass for tours, glass making experiences, and glass shopping–they even have the Food of the Italian Islands glass collection AND signed copies of the book! (Full disclosure: the Wave founder is my boyfriend). If you want your own private transport around the lagoon, I recommend hiring a boat from Classic Boats Venice, or if you fancy learning the local rowing style, hit up Venice On Board.