Hi All
Have read with great interest most all postings about which restaurant in Venice not to miss. I'm looking for a Sunday night, after a wedding, sorta a reception, for a party of 8. Want a really special place. From reading your postings (and thank you for them), I have 4 candidates: Da Fiore, Antico Martini, Da Gigio, and Hotel Cipriani. Various postings have used "expensive", "Pricey", "not cheap" etc. Can you guys put some approximate numbers on these places? Please estimate per person including wine, tag, tax, and title. As usual, thank you for being so helpful.
Shrink

I have only been to Antico Martini for dinner and Cipriani for lunch; Antico Martini is so pretty and the food was great, around 100 euros per head.

Cipriani seems much more than that; for example, my chicken sandwich was 23 euros, a diet coke was 8 euros, etc...
Dinner must be right through the roof.....
but it must be unforgettable.

We wanted to have one dinner there but they only open the dining room for dinner at 8 and we were having massages at 4 at their spa so the wait would have been too long.... They would have allowed us to use the pool for 84 euros each; we said no thanks.... Having a massage at the Cipriani spa does not entitle you to use the pool.....

100 euros a head? Holy, moly, the food had better be more than just great.

Antico Martini is "up there", and I haven't even been there since 2000. For a "special evening", they will let you choose from various menus on their website, (im)print special menu for you, and quote you the exact price (I guess coffees, brandies, etc woule still be priced extra.

Our dinner (in 1998) for 14 people was (and maybe forever is?) the "largest" dinner bill I ever paid at about "1.3 million" (lire, that is).

Fond memory.

Best wishes,

Rex

I can say that Hotel Cipriani is expensive, but well worth every penny for a special occasion. However, I have no idea what a reception for numerous guests would run.

My husband and I had dinner on their terrace after our vow renewal and it ran us "approximately" $300 with the works. We found it well worth it, but then again....it was just the two of us.

If you want more specifics, you can find my trip report under "Statia's Florence and Venice, Italy Trip Report." Scroll down to July 9.

Good luck in your search, Shrink.

The Cipriani is indeed unforgettable - for its stiff service and prices. We don't worry about the cost of a good restaurant but don't like it when we feel we didn't get good value for the money. Here's a place you should definitely consider - the Riviera Ristorante, on the Dorsoduro side of the Giudecca canal. Check out its website at www.ristoranteriviera.it, or see a review at www.restaurantsomh.com/v14.htm. We had a great dinner there, for about 85 or 90 euros for two as I recall. Excellent service, creative cuisine - a great experience for a third of what we spent the next night at the Cirpiani.

Pretty typical scenario for me:

Dinner for two, including one cocktail, one bottle of wine (€ 50), one bottle of water, three-course meal, glass of vin santo or moscato instead of espresso, and gratuity =

Da Fiore - $340

Cipriani - $402 (with two Bellinis to start, a slightly higher priced wine, and their famous chocolate gondola dessert)

Vini da Gigio - $110. This is a family-run trattoria, small, very laid back and nothing fancy. Service is classic Venetian, which means slow. They're used to serving Italian families, though. Wine is much less here.

shrink, you are right in enquiring as to what one considers "expensive or pricey" because it can vary greatly; if your guests order an appetizer and a dessert, pricier main dishes, what kind of wine you like, etc...

dh and I also enjoyed the venetian courtyard restaurant la Caravella at the hotel Saturnia..... open from may to sept.

shrink, I think you've gotten good info, especially from NYCFS. I spent a New Years Eve at Antico Martini (we actually sat in the bar area called Scalini Martini where there was live music & dancing). I think it was 150e/person including everything-a set multi course dinner that was terrific.

I would suggest you ask each of the places you're considering to price a menu for you. You might also consider, depending on time of year, which places have outdoor dining. Also, what about location/transportation? Do you realize Cipriani is on a separate island?

Another thought...there's a new hotel called the San Clemente Palace also on it's on own island like Cipriani. Since it's still newish they're offering good rates. I've read nothing about their restaurants but it is a 5 star type property you might want to check.

Look at Antico Martini's website..

http://www.anticomartini.com/

they have some lubcheon 20% off special and also menus for groups.