112 Best Restaurants in Venice, Italy

Join locals at the banco (counter) premeal for an ombra (small glass of wine) and cicheti like polpette or violet eggplant rounds, or reserve a table for a full meal in the dining room or the intimate courtyard. A varied, seasonal menu includes local standards like calf's liver, along with creative variations on classic Venetian fare, such as homemade ravioli stuffed with radicchio di Treviso or orecchiette with a scrumptious minced-duck sauce. The service is friendly and helpful, but it's very popular among locals, so be sure to make a reservation (later is better for a more relaxed environment).

This is the only place in town that still bakes traditional Venetian-Jewish pastry and delicious pane azimo (matzo bread) year-round, though days of operation give away that the shop is not kosher.

You can see straight into the kitchen that churns out delectable pastries at Targa every morning. Beside the ever-present croissants are Venice's best kipferl (here pronounced kee-fer); their version of the Austrian cookie is reimagined as a flaky croissant filled with marzipan and dusted with powdered sugar. During Carnival, Targa turns out thousands of Venetian frittelle and shards of crisp galani. Targa always has a wide choice of cookies and assorted savory little pizzas to munch while sipping your spritz.

Nono ("grandfather" in Venetian) Colussi starts every day at 4 am in the pastry shop he began in 1956. Working with granddaughter Marina in the kitchen and daughter Linda at the counter, he turns out classic Venetian delicacies such as fugassa, a soft and sweet raised cake, and krapfen, a sweet roll filled with pastry cream. Each item is made fresh every morning. He uses his own decades-old sourdough for leavening, and is now also making some gluten- and lactose-free products. Take away a bag of his classic Venetian cookies such as zaletti or baicoli, made from scratch over some 30 hours from start to finish, or jar of natural fruit jam.

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.

Since 1958, Venetians have been making the trip to the Lido even in bad weather for celebrated, custom-made fruit tarts (to be ordered one day ahead; no bar service). They also make pizzas, available by the slice, plus focaccia, pretzels, and other savory baked goods.

Besides the usual selection of small pastries and drinks, you can enjoy a piece of crostata di marroni (chestnut tart) or spicy cookies made with chili at one of the tables along a quiet canal.

This is not only the tiniest and prettiest pastry shop in Venice, it's also the oldest, being in almost continuous operation since 1742. It's most famous for its Venetian classics such as frittelle during Carnival, or baicoli and other cookies. Try the Zurigo (light, flaky apple pastry) and pastine di riso (pastry with a creamy rice filling); you'll also find salatine (pastry with ham or cheese and vegetables) by 10 am. Unusual for being open on Monday, unlike most pastry shops (but closed on Tuesday).

Monica Gozzi runs this tiny pastry shop on one of Venice's busiest streets, between Campo San Barnaba and the Accademia. Delectable croissants and other breakfast pastries are fresh every morning, and her cakes and assorted sweets are among the best in Venice. It says a lot that many regulars claim the sfogliatelle are as good as in their native Naples. Also a rarity is that they are open on Monday, a day in which most pastry shops are closed.

One of Venice's premier confectioneries has been in operation since 1886. During Carnevale it's still one of the best places in town for frittelle, or fried doughnuts (traditional raisin or cream-filled), and at Christmas and Easter, this is where Venetians order their focaccia veneziana, the traditional raised cake—well in advance.

Join students and profs from nearby Università di Ca' Foscari at the counter here, which makes for a sweet break while traversing the Frari district. Known for some of the best pastries in the city—try the krapfen, which are fresh, cream-filled donuts—Tonolo has been in operation for more than 120 years.

One of several restaurants on the Zattere with an over-water terrace, Gianni offers much more than pizza. They also serve unusually good preparations of favorites such as spaghetti with clams, tiramisu, and coffee. There is a variety of fish dishes, either with pasta or grilled, and a good choice of meat dishes. The service can be a little slow, but if you’re watching the splendor of the sunset you may not mind.

Just off the Fondamenta, this family-run place is popular with local regulars who return for their traditional, simply prepared seafood, pasta, pizza (dinner only), and risotto dishes. Dine on marine classics in the sparse modern salone, or, when the weather permits, in their wonderful courtyard garden.

The impressive panorama from their Zattere terrace attracts travelers yearning for a view, and the Riviera certainly offers that. Choose from contemporary takes on a variety of traditional Venetian dishes, including calf's liver with figs; "guitar string" pasta with shrimp, tiny green beans, and mint; and venison with blueberry sauce. A regional wine list is well matched to the cuisine; don't be surprised if the owner stops by to be sure you're enjoying your meal. Perhaps suited more to travelers than locals (who never worry about a view), while pleasing, the Riviera is definitely a splurge (note the €6 cover).

There are several branches to this venerable pasticceria in town; the headquarters is a small shop on Calle Fiubera in San Marco. Rosa Salva features a wide selection of pastry and savory snacks as well as bar service at the counter.

A wide choice of Venetian dishes served in robust portions, economical fixed-price menus, pizzas, and house wine by the glass or pitcher keep this two-floor, no-nonsense, reliable tavern abuzz with young locals and budget-conscious visitors. It's always packed, and table turnover is fast, so it's not for lingering. Not far from the Gallerie dell'Accademia, this is a good place to slip into while sightseeing in Dorsoduro.

A fine variety of excellent tramezzini (sandwiches made of untoasted white bread triangles) lines the display cases at this busy tavola calda (roughly the Italian equivalent of a cafeteria) on the main thoroughfare from the Rialto to Santi Apostoli; inexpensive salad plates and daily pasta specials are also served. This is a great place for a light meal or snack before a performance at the nearby Teatro Malibran. Whether you choose to sit or stand, it's a handy—and popular—spot for a quick meal or a snack at very modest prices. Service is efficient, if occasionally grumpy.

Since 1965, Al Gatto Nero has offered the best fish on Burano; no matter what you order, though, you'll savor the pride the owner and his family have in their lagoon, their island, and the quality of their cucina (maybe even more so when enjoying it on the picturesque fondamenta). The fish is top quality and couldn't get any fresher; all pastas and desserts are made in-house; the fritto misto is outstanding for its lightness and variety of fish; risotto alla Buranella features gò (short for ghiozzo fish), a Burano cucina povera ("kitchen of the poor") standard that had almost disappeared from local menus until Anthony Bourdain introduced it to travelers.

The most upscale restaurant on Murano is housed in a palace on the fondamenta (walkway) across from the Museo del Vetro. Stucco walls and glass chandeliers complement well-appointed tables, and although the menu contains no surprises, the cuisine is more refined than at other places here.

One of several shops in Venice belonging to this internationally famous luxury chocolatier, Venchi was founded in Turin in 1878. Once purveyor to the royal Italian household, Venchi has now created 90 flavors of gelato and countless types of chocolates, boxed or loose, from truffles and spreads to chocolate cigars and baking products. Ask them to coat your ice cream cone with chocolate.

Ideal for those whose perfect meal is "lots of appetizers," this little place in the fish market is a one-stop shop for tasting many Venetian recipes. It's set up primarily for takeout, but there are a few tables with high stools. Their claim to fame is the hot and crunchy mixed fried fish, but there are also more substantial dishes such as baked tuna and fish lasagna, and a good selection for vegetarians, such as pumpkin in saor (marinated). They close at 3 pm, so plan ahead if you want to get something for dinner. If you're staying in an apartment, consider ordering for delivery at no extra charge.

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.