Venice Restaurants & Nightlife

Old May 4th, 2005, 05:52 PM
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Venice Restaurants & Nightlife

Hi everyone,
My fiancee & I will be going to Venice for part of our honeymoon (also going to Barcelona & doing a Med cruise). I've been to Venice before, but I wasn't there long enough to check out the night-time scene. Can anyone recommend some good restaurants? Also wondering about the nightlife. What is there to do at night in terms of shows, lounges, etc. (i.e. where do the locals go at night)? Thanks for your help!
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Old May 4th, 2005, 06:34 PM
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Check here if you haven't already.

http://www.fodors.com/miniguides/mgr...g&showover=yes
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Old May 5th, 2005, 05:00 AM
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try the trattoria de greco on rio san lorenzo....best seafood we had in venice ,right on a lovrly canal inthe castello/san marco area.
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Old May 5th, 2005, 10:26 AM
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Thank you so much for your help. Its much appreciated!
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Old May 5th, 2005, 10:34 AM
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Apart from a romantic walk, Venice has no night-life. There's only one dance club, it's hours of operation are sporadic, and you need to know someone to get in. Maybe you'll get lucky and acquire the secret code. But, trust me, this ain't no Studio 54.

Wish I could help with restaurants but I know nothing about food. Try some research first and get back to me.
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Old May 5th, 2005, 11:09 AM
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In response to Artlover-here's a place I quite liked, just a "pochi passi" (few steps) from San Marco and around the corner from Teatro La Fenice- you can view this place on the web:

Author: Spygirl
Date: 04/19/2005, 09:47 am

Centrale restaurant/lounge-www.centrale-lounge.com.

They serve food until 2AM (where can you find THAT in Venice??) A cool sleek space-jazz/house music. They bring you a plate of bruschetta as soon as you sit down to dinner, and have a full range of entrees. What I liked is that you can order a little or a lot, depending on how hungry you are-very friendly, VERY relaxing-the later you go the better-I loved it, but it is NOT your typical Venetian enoteca, more like a cool Milanese nightspot. I definitely will be back.

Address: Piscina Frezzaria-you can pull up in a water taxi as well.


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Old May 5th, 2005, 11:54 AM
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While Venice is certainly not known as a late-night party town, there are a number of places open into the wee hours of the morning.
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Old May 5th, 2005, 12:14 PM
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Nice work, Spygirl. I forgot about Centrale but I believe their hours fluctuate and the 2 am depends on the day and the season. I do love their website. My only complaint: too many tourists from Larga Venti-Due Marzo. But, what the hell, they're gay friendly so, why not!
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Old May 5th, 2005, 12:38 PM
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Hi chris,

Restaurants:

Alla Madonna near the Rialto Bridge

Cantinone Storico It is on a canal near the Accademia Bridge, within sound of the bells of one of the churches. Lovely atmosphere. Excellent cooking. Very good presentation. Superior service.
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Old May 5th, 2005, 02:30 PM
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There is actually a fairly rich nightlife scene in Venice, not so much dance clubs but lounges with music where some people dance. They usually open around 10-11:00 and serve until 4:00. The most lively ones have djs, sometimes the big names: house, chill, breakbeat, drum and bass. There should be posters around the univeristy if you can't find any listings. The crowds are mostly young and very stylish but not hostile to outsiders. These establishments tend to come and go but both Smoke and Cafe Blue are 2 that have been there my last 2 trips. Just ask around and ye shall find!
PS: "Nightclub" seems to mean some kind of brothel club...not sure exactly but different meaning than here in NY!
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Old May 6th, 2005, 08:25 AM
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"There is actually a fairly rich nightlife scene in Venice"

I emailed this quote to some of my 30-year-old Venetian friends and they sent me back a ton of LOL's. If only this statement were true.

I forgot to also mention that the food at Centrale Lounge is not great and it's overpriced. But that comes with the territory. I would only go for cocktails and ambience.
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Old May 6th, 2005, 11:42 AM
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I would agree that Venice does not have a large nightlife scene but what there is, is fairly high quality and you just have to look for it. The regular dj party nights are seldom, if ever, advertised. The bigger parties will have posters, or handouts in some hipper-than-thou shops and around where students congregate. PS: My friends in Venice wouldn't know much about this either, and couldn't care less
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Old May 6th, 2005, 07:42 PM
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I would totally agree, Coco, that there is quite a vibrant nightlife scene in Venice-but it is probably different than what most people think of when then think "nightlife"-it is far more understated-you can't really have loud noisy nightlife areas in Venice for the same reason you can't have cars and motorboats running at top speed-the noise pollution is harmful to the environment, and acts to further erode the already eroding ancient buildings. But there IS nightlife-primarily centered around the student area of Dorsoduro, and then the older locals who frequent places such as the enoteche/osterie in and around Santa Croce/San Polo/Cannaregio.

But Coco-there are no places that I know of, including the ones you've mentioned, that stay open until 4am-by law, I believe they must all close by 2am., the cut-off point.

With that all said, let me suggest two restaurants, and two more nightspots:

AL COVO-possibly THE foodie restaurtant in Venezia-American wife of the chef helps out with translating the menu which changes daily, this husband and wife team are committed to serving the freshest seafood, the best desserts-no credit cards-in Castello

DA FIORE: a Michelin starred restaurant, I've not been here, but others have sung its praises-very expensive-heavenly risotto I've heard, elegant surroundings-also quite romantic (Al Covo is also).

I have three nightspots to recommend which are currently in vogue with the young crowd (and I have this on very good authority):

Coco already mentioned CAFE BLUE, in Dorsoduro-hip bar with a British influence, and then:

CAFE NOIR: Calle S. Pantalon-Dorsoduro. This tavern/drinking establishment is located between Campo Santa Margherita and the Frari-a very hip youthful scene here-wear black, and you'll fit right in. Open until 2am. Cafe Noir is known by the locals as one of the most current "in" spots- a Venetian friend is having a get-together there tomorrow night-unfortunately, I won't be there!

ORANGE BAR: This is the newest of the hip, cool, young places in Campo Santa Margherita -4 different environments, an outdoor terrace overlooking the Campo, all in orange-I wanted to go here my last trip, but didn't get around to it. www.orangebar.it

And Snob- I would agree that Centrale is not known for its food, but the ambience is great-it is an altogether different place-older crowd, more of a restaurant scene- than those bars/nightspots I've listed above.
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Old May 9th, 2005, 08:36 AM
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Hi everyone,
Just wanted to say a quick thank you again for all the suggestions you've made. Your responses were very informative & we'll definitely be checking out these places. Thanks again!
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Old May 9th, 2005, 08:55 AM
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Spygirl, it sounds like Centrale would be a good place for us to eat after the opera. Do you think I should book, even if just earlier the same day, if we want a table at 10 or 11pm ? (Is it possible to book ?) This will be a Tuesday night, 3rd week of June.
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Old May 9th, 2005, 11:07 AM
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Hi Caroline-

Well, first of all, I think I'm a bit envious that you're going to be there in June, but I can't do anything about THAT!

As to Centrale-normally during low season, you wouldn't have to book, but in June, after the opera, I think that's a good idea. If you go on their website, there is an email address: [email protected]. - I'm sure they take reservations that way-they were quite friendly. (although you don't have to go on the website to send the email). Or, as you suggest, just make a reservation when you get there.

And Caroline-Centrale Lounge couldn't be closer to La Fenice Opera House-the Piscina Frezzaria (the calle/street where Centrale is located) runs almost straight from La Fenice to Centrale-couldn't be more than a 3 minute walk, if that.

Also, right along to one side of La Fenice is the restaurant ANTICO MARTINI. A historic restaurant, it's one of those with the hushed, stuffy, overdone atmosphere, the legions of discreet waiters, the pink tablecloths-the overpriced food- in other words, the kind of place that makes me gag!

But to each his own in terms of restaurant preferences, so you can at least peek in there, if you so desire.

There's also yet another restaurant on the other side of La Fenice with a nice outdoor space where you could sit outside and have a pre-opera "spritz" or "prosecco" of course (nothing like going local!) don't know anything about the food though-but it looked a bit like Antico Martini in the inside.ie., a bit stuffy for my tastes.

The reason I'm familiar with the restaurants in this area is that I stayed just around the corner from La Fenice-this area is great just to walk around and window shop at night-I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Hope this helps. I'll be interested to hear about your trip, partic. on La Fenice, when you return.
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Old May 9th, 2005, 12:37 PM
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I would dine with the gondolieri at Vino Vino, a stone's throw from Centrale, and save lots of Euro and actually eat terrific, tasty food.
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Old May 9th, 2005, 12:47 PM
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Snob-I ate at Vino once, it was fine, nothing special, lots of tourists, and then another time I went there, and it was after 9pm, they had no more food. Literally! I could see they didn't! Which is a note to those who want to eat there, get there early, or they will be sold out of their daily specials-and this was this past March.

And Centrale is not that expensive-if it were, I wouldn't go there-the ambiance is great-it's a romantic place to go, Vino is not.
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Old May 9th, 2005, 01:15 PM
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Chris, Caroline and Snob: in browsing just now to see if there was anything about Centrale, I found this: a 4 mo. old NY Times Travel Article, dated Dec. 14, 2004 entitled Going to Venice: Breathing Without the Throngs (I can't paste the site-it's too long). This is what it said about Centrale:


Where to Eat


A glimmer of night life is emerging in La Serenissima, the most serene republic. 4 Centrale Restaurant and Lounge, Piscina Frezzeria, San Marco 1659B, (39-041) 296-0664, www.centrale-lounge.com, actually seats people at midnight. On a Sunday. A lofty, high-ceilinged space, with inviting lounge-y sofas, Centrale is perhaps a tad more about drinking and smoking than cuisine. Yet the tuna carpaccio is fresh and light, Venetian lagoon fish is tempting and the bean soup and risotto are comforting late-night fare. A meal is about $80 to $90.

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Old May 9th, 2005, 02:01 PM
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I wouldn't pay $80 to $90 for a meal as described by that NY Times blurb and my Venetian friends and I agree the food at Centrale is mediocre quality and overpriced. They're not happy about it. We enjoy the cocktails, music, and ambience but we choose to eat elsewhere. People who don't care about quality food and don't mind throwing money away will do fine.

I've been to Vino Vino about a hundred times and I've never been disappointed in the food. I'm not sure what to say about romantic; when I eat, making love and playing footsie is the last thing on my mind. Since Chris will be on his honeymoon, maybe his dining plans include romance at the table. I'll let him decide. Frankly, for romance, I'd head straight to Riviera Ristorante or Harry's Dolce and dine by the water's edge.

Vino Vino is small and rustic and shares the chef from Antico Martini. Service can be surly, especially if you don't speak Italian. Every place has a slow or off night. I never judge a place based on one visit.

The only tourists who go there are the ones who don't mind getting lost to find it. It's not an easy-to-locate osteria and, like most notable eateries hidden throughout Venice, tourists will ALWAYS be a part of the mix.

I've met some very interesting tourists at Vino Vino and thoroughly enjoyed engaging with them. I enjoy drinking and dining with people who seek out authentic Venetian cuisine. The reasonable prices make the effort even more rewarding. At Vino Vino, $80 will buy you dinner for four, including several glasses of luscious, first-rate wine. Chris, you can think of this as just another recommendation.
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