2 nights in Venice - what restaurants should we not miss?
Sep 11th, 2014, 12:11 AM
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2 nights in Venice - what restaurants should we not miss?
Hi, traveling with another couple all over Italy and are starting in Venice. We haven't been there for 8 years, so would love to hear some favorite "don't miss" restaurants. We don't have to have upscale, just good food that would be a memorable meal. Thanks everyone! We always get the best info on this forum.
Sep 11th, 2014, 07:01 AM
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It is a whirlwind tour with friends who have never been to Italy, so local cuisine would be our preference. If your favorite restaurant has a specialty or your have a favorite dish, we would love to hear about it, too. Thanks everyone.
Sep 11th, 2014, 07:27 AM
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You might need to think about this the other way around: Venice is a city full of many bridges and a day's worth of sightseeing can really make legs and feet ache. At the end of the day, the idea of walking any great distance for dinner can be unappealing.
Also, one of the unique features of Venetian cuisine is its culture of small plates and wine and bar hopping at the cocktail hour -- which can sometimes substitute for dinner. It is possible that you and your friends might want to experience this unique aspect of local culture rather than sit down to another restaurant meal (especially if you ate a restaurant lunch).
http://www.thenational.ae/lifestyle/...uide-to-venice
Also bear in mind that the best of all cooking in Italy is seasonal and market based. So it is better to eat what is in season during the time you are there rather than eat a dish on the menu that is only there because it is famous and tourists demand it but it is not really in season. At sometimes of year in Venice there are soft shell crabs or artichokes or mushrooms -- and at other times not.
Also, one of the unique features of Venetian cuisine is its culture of small plates and wine and bar hopping at the cocktail hour -- which can sometimes substitute for dinner. It is possible that you and your friends might want to experience this unique aspect of local culture rather than sit down to another restaurant meal (especially if you ate a restaurant lunch).
http://www.thenational.ae/lifestyle/...uide-to-venice
Also bear in mind that the best of all cooking in Italy is seasonal and market based. So it is better to eat what is in season during the time you are there rather than eat a dish on the menu that is only there because it is famous and tourists demand it but it is not really in season. At sometimes of year in Venice there are soft shell crabs or artichokes or mushrooms -- and at other times not.
Sep 11th, 2014, 08:57 AM
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On my last trip (in July) I was pretty blown away by a new place called Estro. It was so good I went back a couple of days later.
The chef is Japanese - one of the nights I ordered the seafood plate which was composed of Venetian dishes (sarde in saor, baccala) and it was excellent. The tasting menu is an incredible deal at around 40 euros. But you can order off the menu or even have a snack at the bar, for a lot less.
ekc I think you would like this place, you might give it a whirl when you are in Venice.
https://www.facebook.com/estrovinoecucina
The chef is Japanese - one of the nights I ordered the seafood plate which was composed of Venetian dishes (sarde in saor, baccala) and it was excellent. The tasting menu is an incredible deal at around 40 euros. But you can order off the menu or even have a snack at the bar, for a lot less.
ekc I think you would like this place, you might give it a whirl when you are in Venice.
https://www.facebook.com/estrovinoecucina
Sep 15th, 2014, 01:31 AM
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Also, check El Refolo for an evening of small plates and drinks. It is also near where you are staying and I doubt you will want to keep eating in restaurants all the time. Some place informal like El Refolo is very much in the Venetian tradition, and part of the fun is that it is cheap too.
Depending on who your friends are, you might want to make a point of stopping into the Hotel Danieli and its beautiful Bar Dandalo for a mid-morning coffee or a formal afternoon tea or an evening cocktail. It's over the top Venetian lux, and the point is to gawk. It does have some of the most tasteful but grand Murano chandeliers I have ever seen.
Depending on who your friends are, you might want to make a point of stopping into the Hotel Danieli and its beautiful Bar Dandalo for a mid-morning coffee or a formal afternoon tea or an evening cocktail. It's over the top Venetian lux, and the point is to gawk. It does have some of the most tasteful but grand Murano chandeliers I have ever seen.
Sep 15th, 2014, 01:47 AM
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And one more tip: If your group really can't handle a typically Venetian menu that is all seafood then you might try Al Covo, which will have chicken and hoof options. Al Covo is also in the neighborhood.
