2 Best Restaurants in Castello, Venice

Along Via Garibaldi, the Colauzzi-run Nevodi (dialect for nieces, grandsons, etc.) provides a suitably warm family atmosphere married with tasty, seasonal, innovative fish and meat dishes. Book a table outside or in the pared-back, bare-brick interior, then dive into such delights as succulent clams and mussels in a broth; inky cuttlefish with polenta; bigoli in salsa (pasta with anchovy and onion); grilled octopus with garden vegetables; and duck breast in red wine reduction. Opposite, Nevodi Pizzalab does excellent value pies.

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.