6 Best Restaurants in Castello, Venice

At this contemporary cantina and hip hangout in a very Venetian neighborhood, the owner pairs enthusiastically chosen wines and artisanal beers with select meat, savory cheese, pasta dishes, and seasonal vegetable combos. With outside-only seating (not particularly comfortable), it's more appropriate for an aperitivo and a light meal. In temperate weather, this tiny enoteca's exuberance bubbles out into the city's broadest street well into the late evening. It's named after a play by turn-of-the-20th-century emancipated lady Amalia Rosselli—look for the framed title page inside.

Established in 1985, this ice cream producer attracts queues of locals and tourists for its delicious gelato served in copper (tub) and cone (cone). Their ice cream "laboratory" experiments with flavors and textures, creating monthly specials with seasonal ingredients such as Mandorla d'Avola, Sicilian almonds in praline and ripple layers. Check out the membership card if you're keen to save and return to savor scoops of all their natural flavors.

Nearish San Marco, but just off the beaten tourist track to make it reasonably priced, this cute but calorie-stocked neighborhood café-cum-pasticceria (est.1935) provides reliable sustenance to locals and lucky visitors. Ask the ladies to recommend their latest seasonal sweet Venetian treats—among the cornucopia of fried Carnivale pastries fritoe, galani, and mammalucco, and cakes such as pan di spagna and Dogaressa—or opt for a pizzetta topped with either tasty grilled vegetables or tomatoes and anchovies.  

Getting off the beaten track to find good, basic local cuisine isn't easy in Venice, but La Trattoria ai Tosi (aka Ai Tosi Piccoli) fits the bill with its somewhat remote, tranquil location, homey atmosphere, and variety of fine traditional fare at prices that make it worth the walk from anywhere in the city. The baccalà mantecato (whipped salted cod) "sanwicini" are excellent, as are the classic frittura mista and the traditional Venetian bigoli in salsa (thick, homemade spaghetti with an anchovy-onion sauce). The fixed-price lunch menu, created for local workers with limited time, is another good deal, and there's even decent pizza.

At this long-established, family-run locale, you'll find excellent pastries, including delicious filled cannoli, as well as good-value savory bites. You can enjoy a primo (first course) at lunchtime outside at one of the campo-side tables, although it's much cheaper to stand at the bar or take out.

Nibble on a selection of cicheti or a cheese or meat plate at this cozy wine bar on Campo San Severo, near the Basilica dei Frari. You can either dine inside the brick-walled, Murano glass–chandeliered space, or watch the gondolas sail by at a table outdoors next to the quiet adjacent Severno canal.