Rec's for restaurants in Venice

I highly recommend Rosa Rossa. The staff at our B&B recommended it and I had also heard about it through my own research. The food was really good and the prices very reasonable. We liked it so much that we ate there 3 times out of our 5 days in Venice. Johnny Depp was filming a movie in Venice and frequented Rosa Rossa and became close friends with the owners (his jacket hangs on the wall in the back room). The ambience is nice and the quality of food was great!

La Zucca was also recommended by our B&B but we weren't successful in securing a reservation the night we wanted to go there.

Have a great time in Venice!

In Florence we went to a Rick-recommended cafeteria near the Duomo (Leonardo's ??) with zero atmosphere but good, cheap food -- we went back several times.

In Venice, La Zucca for sure. Alle Madonna is another good choice.

in Florence we did lunch at il Frantelini and loved it.

I don't remember the names of the places in Venice we ate at. I wasn't impressed at all with the dinner food in Venice sit down places compared to other cities. I did enjoy the Chichetti Tour with Allesando from Rick's Books. The next day we went to more chichetti bars to eat too.

In the heart of the tourist season I enjoyed Osteria Mocenigo, 1919 S.Croce. Set a few blocks back from the Grand Canal, it draws neighbourhood trade as well as visitors and is far friendlier than tourist mills on the banks of the main canal. Hearty food with flair, moderate prices and a warm welcome. My small hotel recommended it, and they were right.

I had made a list of Venice restaurants people had mentioned, and when we got to our Dorsoduro I discovered that at least half of them were just off Piazza San Barnaba two blocks from the apartment. Serendipity. We ate quite well at a number of them. I'm not a gourmet, but it was tasty Italian food.

So, Katherine, please do share the names!

I'll add a vote for Trattoria alla Madonna on Calle della Madonna, a little street very near the Rialto Market side of the Rialto Bridge. Not one of the touristy restaurants right on the canal, but nearby.It was recommended by a market vendor, and when I went for lunch and saw some gondoliers eating there, I knew I was in the right place. Try the spaghetti with squid in black squid ink, a Venetian tradition and molto buono. Then I stopped by again on a Sat evening but there was a long line outside, so I returned on Monday evening and got a table for dinner without a reservation. Lucky me.

If you want to dine with the locals in a typical Venetian trattoria, go to Paradiso Perduto in Cannaregio. It's very lively and often packed.

In Venice, Vini di Gigio.

We went to La Zucca for lunch, so we got in without a reservation but there was also just two of us. It was great and highly recommend. We also went to a place called Do Farai at the recommendation of our B&B and really enjoyed it. The only thing is that if any "specials" are offered, make sure you get the price before you order (we got the whole Branzino which was the best fish I've ever tasted while we watched him de-bone it at our table with a spoon, but it was a little over-priced, but the other dishes were all just right).

My husband and I really enjoyed Rosa Rossa. We stumbled upon it searching for a nice dinner, we wanted to celebrate. We enjoyed the food, service, atmosphere... We did get better treatment than the couple who came in after us, speaking all English and acting a little entitled (I had said "Buona sera" and asked for a table for two in Italian) so that's one little tip. Overall though, lovely place.

As a whole, we found the restaurants in Venice to be not as good as other areas of Italy. We finally opened Rick Steve's book and went with his recommendations and were very happy we did. But we really did enjoy the views when we had dinner near the Rialto Bridge. Food was only okay but the views made it very worthwhile.

The Italians have a saying about Venice; "Si spenda tanti e si mangia male" - You spend a lot and you eat badly.

Hello
In Venice we ate at a wonderful outdoor cafe called Raphael's a short walk from San Marco Square just across the street from our hotel the Saturnia and International. It was really really good and reasonable, and lovely right by the canal. The restaurant in this hotel was also wonderful but more expensive but we had a fabulous meal there, It was called Le Caravella I think. In Florence I can recommend Osteria Berenchelli, not sure of location but the food was really good, family style and again not very expensive.

Sandra