Venice Restaurants

Dining options in Venice range from the ultra-high end, where jackets and ties are a must, to the very casual. Once staunchly traditional, many restaurants have renovated their menus along with their dining rooms, creating dishes that blend classic Venetian elements with ingredients less common to the lagoon environs.

Mid-range restaurants are often more willing to make the break, offering innovative options while keeping traditional dishes available as mainstays. Restaurants are often quite small with limited seating, so make sure to reserve ahead. It's not uncommon for restaurants to have two seatings per evening, one at 7 and one at 9.

There's no getting around the fact that Venice has more than its share of overpriced, mediocre eateries that prey on tourists. Avoid places with cajoling waiters standing outside, and beware of restaurants that don't display their prices. At the other end of the spectrum, showy menu turistico (tourist menu) boards make offerings clear in a dozen languages, but for the same €15–€20 you'd spend at such places you could do better at a bacaro making a meal of cicchetti (savory snacks).

Budget-conscious travelers might want to take their main meal at lunch, when restaurant prices tend to be lower. Also keep an eye out for cafés and trattorias that offer meals prepared for operai (workers); they’ll have daily specials designed for those who have to eat and run, which anyone is welcome to partake in. Bacari offer lighter fare, usually eaten at the bar (prices are higher if you sit at a table) and wine lists that offer myriad choices by the glass.

Although pizzerias are not hard to find, Venice is not much of a pizza town—standards aren't what they are elsewhere in Italy, and local laws impede the use of wood-burning ovens. Seek out recommended pizzerias, or opt for a bacaro snack instead of a soggy slice of pizza al volo, which is too commonly precooked and reheated. Tramezzini, the triangular white-bread sandwiches served in bars all over Italy, however, are almost an art form in Venice. The bread is white but doesn’t at all resemble the "Wonder" of your youth; many bars here still make their own mayonnaise, and few skimp on the fillings.

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  • 1. Al Paradiso

    $$$$ | San Polo

    In a small dining room made warm and cozy by its pleasing and unpretentious decor, proprietor Giordano makes all diners feel like honored guests. Unlike many elegant restaurants, Al Paradiso serves generous portions, and many of the delicious antipasti and primi are quite satisfying; you may want to follow the traditional Italian way of ordering and wait until you've finished your antipasto or your primo before you order your secondo. Pappardelle "al Paradiso" takes pasta with seafood sauce to new heights, while risotto with shrimp, Champagne, and grapefruit puts a delectable twist on a traditional dish. The inspired and original array of entrées includes meat and fish selections, such as salmon with honey and balsamic vinegar in a stunning presentation.

    San Polo 767, Venice, Veneto, 30125, Italy
    041-5234910

    Known For

    • Large appetizer and pasta portions
    • Tasty meat and fish mains
    • Central location near the Ponte di Rialto

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed 3 wks Jan.–Feb., Reservations essential
  • 2. Algiubagiò

    $$$ | Cannaregio | Coffee

    Established in 1950, this restaurant along the quiet, northern outlier of Fondamente Nove has grandstand views of the San Michele island and various menus showcasing seasonal fish, meat, and pasta dishes. The friendly staff also serve ice cream, drinks, and sandwiches, making its modern bar, chic dining rooms, and lagoon-side platform restful environs to pause any time of day.   

    Cannaregio 5039, Venice, Veneto, 30121, Italy
    041-5236084

    Known For

    • Airy respite for lunch or a snack
    • Romantic spot for dinner
    • Lovely waterfront seating with views of the Dolomites

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Tues., Reservations essential
  • 3. Alle Testiere

    $$$ | Castello

    The name is a reference to the old headboards that adorn the walls of this tiny, informal restaurant, but the food (not the decor) is undoubtedly the focus. Local foodies consider this one of the most refined eateries in the city thanks to chef Bruno Gavagnin's gently creative take on classic Venetian fish dishes; the chef's artistry seldom draws attention to itself, but simply reveals new dimensions of familiar fare, creating dishes that stand out for their lightness and balance. A classic black risotto of cuttlefish, for example, is surrounded by a brilliant coulis of mild yellow peppers; tiny potato gnocchi are paired with tender newborn squid. The menu changes regularly to capitalize on the freshest produce of the moment, and the wine selection is top-notch. To enjoy a more leisurely meal, be sure to book the second dinner seating.

    Castello 5801, Venice, Veneto, 30122, Italy
    041-5227220

    Known For

    • Daily changing fish offerings, based on what's fresh at the market
    • Excellent pasta with seafood
    • Wonderful wine selection

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon., 3 wks in Jan.–Feb., and 4 wks in July–Aug., Reservations essential
  • 4. Antica Sacrestia

    $$$ | Castello

    Housed in the atmospheric, deconsecrated ecclesiastical buildings of the Chiesa di San Giovanni Novo, this special restaurant run by the attentive Giuseppe Calliandro marries classic Venetian cuisine with some inventive flavor combinations. In colder months dine amid magnificent wooden beams, religious artworks, and quirky objects; in warmer times, the pretty, plant-filled courtyard is the place to sit. There are set menus to choose from, including a good-value daily menu (€26), plus fish, meat, vegetables, Venetian classics, and the Antica Sacrestia (€80), if splurging.

    Calle de la Corona, Castello 4463, Venice, Veneto, 30122, Italy
    041-5230749

    Known For

    • Pizza and pasta
    • Quality meat and seafood platters to share
    • Simple, fresh flavors

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
  • 5. Antiche Carampane

    $$$$ | San Polo

    Judging by its rather modest and unremarkable appearance, you wouldn't guess that Piera Bortoluzzi Librai's trattoria is among the finest fish restaurants in the city both because of the quality of the ingredients and because of the chef's creative magic. You can choose from a selection of classic dishes with a modern and creative touch. The perfectly grilled fish is always freshly caught; in spring try the fried local soft-shell crabs.

    San Polo 1911, Venice, Veneto, 30125, Italy
    041-5240165

    Known For

    • Superlative fish and seafood
    • Modernized Venetian dishes
    • Popular with visitors and locals (so book ahead)

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon., 10 days in Jan., and 3 wks July–Aug., Reservations essential
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  • 6. Caffè Florian

    $$ | San Marco | Coffee

    Florian is not only Italy's first café (1720), but also one of its most beautiful, with glittering, neo-Baroque decor and 19th-century wall panels depicting Venetian heroes. The coffee, drinks, and snacks are good, but most people—including Venetians from time to time—come for the atmosphere and history: this was the only café to serve women during the 18th century (hence Casanova's patronage); it was frequented by artistic notables like Wagner, Goethe, Goldoni, Lord Byron, Marcel Proust, and Charles Dickens; and it was the birthplace of the international art exhibition that became the Venice Biennale. There's a surcharge for music; those in the know opt for the comfortable back bar.

    Piazza San Marco 57, Venice, Veneto, 30124, Italy
    041-5205641

    Known For

    • Prime location on St. Mark's Square
    • Beautiful, historic interior
    • Hot chocolate, coffee, and quick nibbles

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed early Jan.
  • 7. Cantine del Vino già Schiavi

    $ | Dorsoduro | Coffee

    A mainstay for anyone living or working in the area, this beautiful, family-run, 19th-century bacaro across from the squero (gondola boatyard) of San Trovaso has original furnishings and one of the city's best wine cellars, and the walls are covered floor to ceiling with bottles for purchase. The cicheti here are some of the most inventive—and freshest—in Venice (feel free to compliment the signora, who makes them up to twice a day); everything's eaten standing up, as there's no seating. Try the crostini-style layers of bread, smoked swordfish, and slivers of raw zucchini, or pungent slices of Parmesan, fig, pistachio, and toast. They also have a creamy version of baccalà mantecato spiced with herbs, and there are nearly a dozen open bottles of wine for experimenting at the bar. You'll have no trouble spotting the Cantinone as you approach; it's the one with throngs of chatty patrons enjoying themselves. Avoid the temptation to sit on the bridge's steps -- this is a common touristic behavior that inconveniences, and thus annoys, anybody who needs to pass.

    Dorsoduro 992, Venice, Veneto, 30123, Italy
    39-041-5230034

    Known For

    • Excellent quality cicheti
    • Plenty of wine choices
    • Boisterous local atmosphere

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and 3 wks in Aug.
  • 8. Dal Mas

    $ | Cannaregio | Coffee

    Filled brioche, exquisite chocolates and pastries, such as kranz (a braided pastry filled with almond paste and raisins) and strudel from the Friuli region, and bar service make Dal Mas a great choice for breakfast. It's been a local favorite since 1906.

    Cannaregio 150/A, Venice, Veneto, 30121, Italy
    041-715101

    Known For

    • Savory snacks and drinks
    • Handy pit-stop near the station
    • Delicious pastries like Pastine di Riso

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Tues.
  • 9. Dalla Marisa

    $$ | Cannaregio

    This is the most famous restaurant in Venice for the city's working class; if you can get a table for lunch, you'll eat, without any choice, what Marisa prepares for her local clientele—generally, enormous portions of excellent pasta followed by a hearty roast meat course (frequently game, more infrequently fish), for an inexpensive fixed price. Dinner is a bit more expensive, and you may have some choice, but not much; for the authentic “Marisa experience,” go for lunch. In good weather, you'll have a better chance getting in, because tables are set up along the fondamenta. Reservations aren't really taken, and locals and steady customers are given preference for seating. Don't be put off by the occasionally gruff service—it's part of the scene.

    Fondamenta di San Giobbe 652B, Venice, Veneto, 30171, Italy
    041-720211

    Known For

    • Venetian classics like baccalà mantecato
    • Limited menu choices and cramped inside
    • Genuine local atmosphere and gruff service

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner Sun.–Tues., Reservations essential
  • 10. Estro Vino e Cucina

    $$$$ | Dorsoduro

    Wine lovers shouldn't miss this cozy and compact eatery run by the Spezzamonte brothers, which offers a fantastic selection of organic wines along with modern takes on classic Venetian dishes, such as scampi in saor (marinated langoustines) and grilled local amberjack. If you can't choose, let the helpful servers suggest the perfect vino from their list of more than 700 bottles to pair with your à la carte dishes or tasting menu. Snacks are available at aperitivo (aperitif) hour.

    Dorsoduro 3778, Venice, Veneto, 30123, Italy
    39-041-4764914

    Known For

    • Extensive natural wine list
    • Ambitious local cuisine
    • Vibrant atmosphere

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Tues.
  • 11. Gelateria Da Titta

    $ | Coffee

    On the Lido, strategically located on the main drag between the vaporetto stop and the most central beaches, Titta is one of the oldest gelaterie (gelato shops) in Venice. Get your receipt at the cassa (register) for a cone to go, or enjoy one of the special combinations while lolling in a swinging chair under the trees that line the Gran Viale.

    Gran Viale Santa Maria Elisabetta 61, Lido, Veneto, 30126, Italy
    041-4580007

    Known For

    • Ice caffè and ice cioccolato
    • Gianduiotto (chocolate and hazelnut) gelato, topped with cream and hazelnuts
    • Many types of bruschette

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Nov.–early Mar.
  • 12. Gran Caffè Quadri

    $$ | San Marco | Coffee

    Come for breakfast, a predinner aperitivo, or anything in between at this always lively historic coffeehouse—opened in 1775 and taken over by the famous culinary Alajmo family in 2011—in the center of the action on Piazza San Marco. Choose from a wide selection of pastries at breakfast (though the cappuccino and brioche combo is always a classic), pizzas at lunch, and tramezzini all day long, including one with lobster.

    Piazza San Marco 121, Venice, Veneto, 30124, Italy
    049-630303

    Known For

    • Extensive (though pricey) aperitivo
    • Celebrity owners
    • Prime people-watching
  • 13. Harry's Bar

    $$$$ | San Marco

    For those who can afford it, lunch or dinner at Harry's Bar is as much a part of a visit to Venice as a walk across Piazza San Marco or a vaporetto ride down the Grand Canal. Inside, the suave, subdued beige-on-white decor is unchanged from the 1930s, and the classic Venetian fare is carefully and excellently prepared. Harry's is not just a fine restaurant; it's a cultural institution. When founder Giuseppe Cipriani opened the doors in 1931, the place became a favorite of almost every famous name to visit Venice (including Charlie Chaplin, Orson Welles, and Ernest Hemingway) and still attracts much of Venetian high society as regulars. Today, many still remember Harry's as one of the few restaurants in town that continued to serve Jewish patrons during the period of the Fascist racial laws. Try the delicate baked sea bass with artichokes, and don't miss the signature crepes flambées or famous Cipriani chocolate cake for dessert. Because a meal at Harry's is as much about being seen there, book one of the cramped tables on the ground floor—the upper floor of the restaurant is the Venetian equivalent of Siberia (take heart if seated there: views from the second-floor windows look like framed paintings). Be sure to order a Bellini cocktail—a refreshing mix of white peach puree and sparking prosecco—this is its birthplace, after all. On the other hand, true to its retro atmosphere, Harry's makes one of the best martinis in town.

    San Marco 1323, Venice, Veneto, 30124, Italy
    041-5285777

    Known For

    • Being the birthplace of the Bellini cocktail
    • See-and-be-seen atmosphere
    • Signature crepes flambées and famous Cipriani chocolate cake
  • 14. Il Ridotto

    $$$$ | Castello

    Longtime restaurateur Gianni Bonaccorsi (proprietor of the popular Aciugheta nearby) has established an eatery where he can pamper a limited number of lucky patrons with his imaginative cuisine and impeccable taste in wine. Ridotto means “small, private place,” which this very much is, evoking an atmosphere of secrecy and intimacy; the innovative menus tend toward lighter but wonderfully tasty versions of classic dishes. Ask them to recommend a wine from the excellent cantina.

    Castello 4509, Venice, Veneto, 30122, Italy
    041-5208280

    Known For

    • Some of the most creative cuisine in Venice
    • Excellent five- or seven-course tasting menus
    • Extensive wine recommendations

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Wed., no lunch Tues. and Thurs., Reservations essential
  • 15. La Bitta

    $$$ | Dorsoduro

    For a break from all the fish and seafood options in Venice, this is your place; the meat- and veggie-focused menu (inspired by the cuisine of the Venetian mainland) presents a new temptation at every course, and market availability keeps the dishes changing almost every day. The homemade desserts are all luscious (it's been said that La Bitta serves the best panna cotta in town), and you can trust the owner's selections from her excellent wine and grappa lists, which tend to favor small local producers.

    Dorsoduro 2753/A, Venice, Veneto, 30123, Italy
    39-041-5230531

    Known For

    • Meat dishes (no seafood)
    • Seasonally inspired menus
    • Friendly and efficient service

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch, Reservations essential
  • 16. La Palanca

    $$ | Coffee

    It's all about the views at this classic, informal wine bar–restaurant, where tables perched on the water’s edge are often filled with chatty patrons, particularly at lunchtime. The homemade pasta and fish dishes are highly recommended, and although they don't really serve dinner, a filling selection of cicheti is offered in the evening.

    Isola della Giudecca 448, Giudecca, Veneto, 30133, Italy
    041-5287719

    Known For

    • Sea bass ravioli, grilled seafood, and baccalà
    • Good, affordable wine list
    • Superlative views

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
  • 17. Local

    $$$$ | Castello

    In a simple yet charming setting with beamed ceilings and terrazzo floors, a sister and brother team oversee their "New Venetian Cuisine," where local ingredients are used to prepare reinvented traditional dishes, often with Japanese influences. It's tasting-menu only, with seven or nine courses (or a less expensive three-course option at weekday lunch), and wine pairings from their extensive list are a recommended treat.

    Castello 3303, Venice, Veneto, 30122, Italy
    041-2411128

    Known For

    • Tiramigiù dessert: coffee, marsala, and mascarpone
    • Ingredients from Italian producers and daily catch
    • Highly attentive staff

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Tues. and Wed.
  • 18. Majer

    $$ | Venetian

    Set by the Palanca waterside with lagoon views and clean, contemporary interiors, Majer is a reliable, quality bet at any time of day. Start as early as 7 am for breakfast cappuccino and pastries or arrive later for brunch bites, leisurely pasta lunches, picnic bakes, aperitvo (aperitif) with vino, or dinner dates until 10 pm.

    Fondamenta Sant'Eufemia 461, Giudecca, Veneto, Italy
    041-5211162

    Known For

    • All-day snacks
    • Sbrisòlona (a traditional crumbly almond cake), biscotti, cakes, and semifreddi (dessert with a texture between ice cream and mousse)
    • Grilled seafood and wagyu steak for dinner
  • 19. Ostaria Boccadoro

    $$ | Cannaregio

    Anchored on peaceful Campo Widman since the '90s is Ostaria Boccadoro, where purist chef Luciano Orlandi brings fresh seafood from the Chioggia market to the plate raw or lightly cooked with the subtlest of seasoning. Ask Luciano to suggest a wine from his carefully edited Veneto-dominated selection, then peruse the menu of Boccadoro classics like succulent canestrelli (tiny Venetian scallops), daily homemade pasta, tuna tartare, a crispy frittura (fritter), and perfectly grilled fish of the day like orata (gilt-head bream) with zucchini sauce; there are meat options as well. The interior decor is elegant, with traditional linens and contemporary art.

    Cannaregio 5405/a, Venice, Veneto, 30121, Italy
    041-5211021

    Known For

    • Professional, friendly service
    • Simply prepared seafood
    • Romantic setting
  • 20. Osteria alla Bifora

    $$ | Dorsoduro

    A beautiful and atmospheric bacaro, Alla Bifora has such ample, satisfying fare that most Venetians consider it a full-fledged restaurant. Offerings include overflowing trays of cold, sliced meats and cheeses; various preparations of baccalà (cod); and Venetian classics, such as polpette (croquettes), sarde in saor, and marinated anchovies. La Bifora also serves up a couple of excellent hot dishes; the seppie in nero (cuttlefish stewed in a sauce made with its ink) is among the best in the city. Owner and barman Franco Bernardi and his sister Mirella are warm and friendly—after a few visits, you'll be greeted like a member of the family.

    Dorsoduro 2930, Venice, Veneto, 30123, Italy
    39-041-5236119

    Known For

    • Good selection of regional wines by the glass
    • Seppie in nero con polenta (cuttlefish in ink with polenta)
    • Warm and friendly owners

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Jan. and Aug., Reservations essential

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