Hey travel nerds!
I'm looking for dinner suggestions in Venice. My mother in law has the RS book, but she's across the Atlantic, and couldn't pick any from his descriptions. I'm hoping your collective wisdom can help!
Did you have a memorable dinner meal in Venice? Where was it/What was it called?
Thanks!
There are several restaurants, all of about equivalent quality, on the bank of the Grand Canal at Campo San Giacomo just west of the Rialto. We got a table on the canal and spent hours there, eating, drinking and soaking it all in. The names are Bancogiro, Al Pesador, Naranzaria, and Caffe Vergnano.
Darren - ALL OF THESE LOOK SO GOOD! Thanks!
Did you have a memorable dinner meal in Venice?
Yes
Where was it
Siting on the wall by ferry terminal S. Zaccaria
What was it called?
"Picnic"--- found a little to go place in the RS guide and made a picnic dinner. Perfect place to watch the world walk and float by.
Probably not the answer you were looking for, but a fancy restaurant is not necessary for a memorable dinner.
A friend of mine used to work for one of those restaurants and told me that they served heated frozen food. Just saying.....
We stayed in Dorsoduro and enjoyed dinner a couple of times at "Al Vecio Marangon". Food was excellent and the staff is great.
Joe - SO TRUE. Some of my favorite meals have been picnic-style! What did you eat?
JustTravel - UH OH... I'll investigate.
Do you have any other suggestions?
We have been renting an apartment for three months every year close to the Rialto market. Love food shopping at the Rialto and cooking at home. I go out very seldom for a meal and don't feel comfortable recommending places that friends rave about.
Lots of places in Venice serve freshly prepared food. Ai Promessi Sposi is simple and delicious, Ai Artisti, La Zucca, Da Remigio all good and since I am rattling them off I guess they were all memorable 😁 If I looked at my notes I could add more. We love NoNo Risorto (it is in Rick’s book) but it is very informal. Best pizza in Venice, we think.
Laurel,
Thanks for this list! I wish we were spending more than 2 nights in Venice so we could try all of these!
No fair asking me to remember several years back. It was the experience as much or more than the food itself, which was fine. I am sure I would remember if the food had been a disappointment. Nothing fancy, just good grub that was portable.
Favourite for us in Venice for a serious meal is Ai Mercanti. http://www.aimercanti.it/
Allow say 90 euro for two.
In the Rialto area, Trattoria Da Marco Valla Fava on Calle Stagneri. It is definitely pricy so you might want to do lunch there rather than dinner. Some of the best sea food ever!! Try to eat inside rather than outside. The place has been around at least 50 years so they must be doing it right. Also in the Rialto area (on the other side of the Grand Canal) is an out of the way place named Pane Vino e San Daniele on Calle Dei Boteri. Definitely a local place, good food, good house wine, and not expensive at all.
Cannareggio:
Vini da Gigio
Anice Stellato
Osteria da Alberto
Al Timon
ALL OF THESE LOOK SO GOOD!
The view or the food?
A good general rule in Venice, particularly near St Marks Square and the Rialto Bridge, is you can either have a good view or good food.
Stay away from those areas and you can find some decent nosh. Not cheap though. Remember that although you can get it, pasta is not a Venetian food. Rice is, and polenta.
We stumbled on this place on our last night in Venice - and it is now tagged on my map so we can return - it actually has really good reviews on TA (it's actually 53 out of however many restaurants), and I found the prices not crazy, and the food was lovely.
Like JustTravel, we stay in an apartment in Venice and visit the Rialto Market almost daily for fresh fish and vegetables. We dined out very infrequently, but did visit two of the places on Suki's list. Our dinner at Vini da Gigio was not very good, and the Germans dining at the nxst table felt the same. They however complained about the quality and the price. They argued with the waiter and got their bill reduced, but it made for some unpleasantness during our meal..
Our dinner at Osteria da Alberto, on the other hand, was memorable for the quality, the ambiance, and the warm and friendly service.
Laurel lived in Italy, has spent quite a bit of time in Venice, and knows her Italian food. I would trust her recommendations.
Eating pizza with Gene Openshaw on top of the Rialto bridge! 🍕🍺
I'm a 'people watcher' so I look for places that fill my stomach, eyes and imagination. Art Blu on Campo San' Stefano (near the Accademia bridge) has become one of my favorites. Marco goes out of his way to make every passer by feel welcome. I like the food and over the past 8 years have yet to be disappointed. There are usually kids playing on the campo, tourists heading to the Vivaldi concert across the way, locals enjoying their passegiata. It's a comfortable place to sit for an evening and feel like a local. Can't wait to get back there! Already have my calendar marked.
If you decide to picnic, be careful in choosing the spot. Picnicking is not allowed in Piazza San Marco or areas nearby. There may or may not be signs posted, such as the one pictured here:
https://www.monicacesarato.com/blog/2013/02/19/what-not-to-do-in-venice-top-tourist-mistakes/
And it is considered rude to sit on steps of churches or bridges, whether eating a picnic or just sitting to rest.
Find a bench in one of the parks for your picnic, but make sure to check the tree above for roosting pigeons. My husband was pigeon-bombed when he neglected to do this. Fortunately he was not eating anything, but his shirt was soiled and we had to return to our apartment quickly to change. Pigeon poo is caustic and can damage some fabrics, if you do get hit, wash the garment right away.
Da Alvise on Fondemente Nuove. Wonderful seafood and other delights. Renato, the owner is terrific. Check out their website.
Ristorante Pizzeria Dolfin. Nice little place off the beaten track, worth looking for. One of the best dinners I had in Italy. Check out the reviews. You won't be disappointed.
Paradiso Perduto, in Cannaregio. http://www.spottedbylocals.com/venice/paradiso-perduto/
For a kosher meal, try Gam Gam in Cannaregio.
In Castello near S. Maria Formosa, there is Mascaron www.osteriamascaron.it, it's bright and lively, there is always a wait, but worth it.
We stumbled upon Trattoria ca d'Oro alla Vedova in 2007 and have been returning ever since, usually for lunch and it's always filled with venetians. Easier to find now with google maps, search for calle ca d'oro, it is a small alley off of Strada Nova near Ca d'Oro.
And I second (or thirds?) the Rialto market. We usually stay in Cannaregio and enjoy going to the markets and cooking in. There is a great wine re-fill place near San Lio in Castello on Calle del Mondo Novo called Nave de Oro di Cabros Simonetta. Take an empty 1L water bottle :)
Wow, thanks for the replies and suggestions everyone! We are super excited to head there in about 2 weeks, and I'll let you know where we ate, and how it was when we return!
Ciao!
Danielle
Oh, and we've made two dinner reservations: Vino e San Daniele Rialto and Osteria Anice Stellato!
My dining tip for Venice is to make reservations for dinner EVERY DAY. The best restaurants are booked by dinner time and without reservations you will be forced to eat at one of the many overpriced and mediocre restaurants in the city.
It is good that you are doing your research in advance and can plan restaurants that align with your sight seeing itinerary.
In Castello, I recommend Osteria Oliva Nera. Enjoy your trip!
If you enjoy fish and seafood, this is a place not to miss. A little out of the way, by the Arsenal stop.
• Garanghelo (http://www.garanghelo.com)
• Ai Assassini (http://www.osteriaaiassassini.it)
• Osteria Mocenigo da Guido e Luca, Salizzada San Stae, Santa Croce, 1919 (041.5231703)
My son-in-law (who is from Milan) took me to all three of the above at various times. I distinctly remember the first two as very good and reasonable. You can likely find reviews on TripAdvisor.
The most amazing dinner experience we have ever had in Europe was at Ristorante le Due Colonne in the San Polo area of Venice. If you go, try to reserve an outdoor table as there are street musicians that sometimes wander by. Ask to meet the owner, Mario. He might suggest the chef's special, but ask if "Crazy, Crazy" is available (if you like seafood). If so, let Mario take over and you will have a wonderful experience! Ours was 3 hours long! You won't be disappointed. It was not in our budget at 113 euro, but the experience and the food was worth every penny!
When we wandered Venice, we looked for a restaurant that did NOT have a menu in English. Don't have a clue what the name of it was, but food was awesome.
Maybe try that strategy.
