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Located on the water's edge, looking out at the Venice skyline, the Belmond Cipriani's exclusive outdoor-indoor Cip's Club bar and Oro restaurant is best known for its breathtaking views, but the exquisite tasting menu of Venetian classics and extensive wine list certainly don't play second fiddle. Taking the complimentary 10-minute boat ride to and from San Marco also adds to the thoroughly James Bond sense of drama and romance.
Giudecca 10, Giudecca, Veneto, 30133, Italy
Known For
- Sublime Venice vistas with a Bellini
- Sophisticated service
- Relaxing lunch destination
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential, Oro: elegant informal (no shorts, sleeveless shirts, or flip-flops)
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$ | Cannaregio |
It doesn't get any more Venetian than this. At Marisa, a beloved Cannaregio institution, don't expect a menu, tourist or otherwise: what Marisa cooks—whether meat, wild game, or fish—you eat. Expect an abundant, five-course, prix-fixe meal of expertly prepared Venetian comfort food. The pasta and gnocchi are always fatto in casa (homemade). Primi might include tagliatelle with sugo del masaro (duck sauce), risotto di caroman (with mutton), or perhaps a zuppa di funghi, soup made with fresh mushrooms. Salmì di cervo (stewed venison) or fagiano ripieno arrosto (stuffed roast pheasant) are possibilities for secondi di carne, and on fish nights frittura mista. In temperate weather ask to eat canalside—but be on time or lose your table.
Cannaregio 652/B, Venice, Veneto, 30121, Italy
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Mon. and Tues. (lunch daily), No credit cards, Reservations essential
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$$ | San Marco |
A short walk from the Ponte di Rialto, this bar has been around since 1936, and the satisfying cicheti and primi have a lot to do with its staying power. Grab a table out front, or take refuge in one of the two small, dark rooms with a ceiling plastered with wine labels that provide a classic backdrop for simple fare, including a delicious risotto that is served daily from noon, plus a solid wine list of both Italian and foreign vintages. If you stick to a panino or some cicheti at the bar, you'll eat well for relatively little. If you take a table and opt for one of the day's exceptional primi, the price category goes up a notch; however, this is still a good bargain for San Marco. There are, of course, traditional secondi, such as a very good seppie in nero. Al Volto is open every day of the year but Christmas (and closes a bit early on Christmas Eve).
San Marco 4081, Venice, Veneto, 30124, Italy
Known For
- Great local and international wine selection
- Tasty and inexpensive cicheti
- Fantastic main courses, including risotto and pasta with seafood
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$$ | San Polo |
Despite its name "the devil and holy water" (a common way of describing a person whose personality swings between these two extremes), this small bar and restaurant has a reliable kitchen and a homey, neighborhood atmosphere. Go on Saturday morning, when old friends tend to stop for an ombra (small glass of wine) and cicheto. Try the breaded fried baccalà, meat or tuna meatballs, cubes of frittata, and in cold weather, sometimes musetto (sausage) or testina (meat from the head of a pig). At lunch or dinner, apart from standard favorites, such as spaghetti carbonara and fegato alla veneziana (Venetian-style liver with onions), try some Venetian classics, such as bigoli in salsa (spaghetti with onions and anchovies), tripe soup, mixed boiled meat, or cuttlefish in sauce made from their ink, and sometimes even eel risotto.
San Polo 561, Venice, Veneto, 30125, Italy
Known For
- Venetian classics like cuttlefish ink pasta
- Local favorite
- Small bites
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues.
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$$$ | Dorsoduro |
This sleek café is a favorite lunchtime haunt for professors from the nearby university and local businesspeople, when you can easily have a beautifully prepared primo (first course) or secondo (second course), plus a glass of wine, for a reasonable price; there's also a good selection of sandwiches and salads. Unlike most local eateries, this spot is open from breakfast through late dinner, and you can dine well in the evening on imaginative pasta, seafood, and meat dishes. An unusual option is the one-plate "composed" dish that may include boiled and grilled vegetables with marinated salmon and tuna with citrus sauce, or crunchy sauteed vegetables with calamari, shrimp, and octopus.
Dorsoduro 3815, Venice, Veneto, 30123, Italy
Known For
- Imaginative dishes
- Contemporary decor
- All-day dining
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and 2 wks in Aug.
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A perennial favorite with locals (Murano and otherwise) and a welcome respite for travelers, La Perla offers a relaxed, local atmosphere and lots of delectably prepared standard Venetian fare. Don't even think of arriving late in the lunch hour, or plan on waiting, as everyone else will have reserved or come early. The frittura is not a rare dish in Venice, but you won't find a better one—and certainly not at a better price.
Campo San Bernardo 6, Murano, Veneto, 30141, Italy
Known For
- Lively lunchtime atmosphere
- Spaghetti alle vongole (with clams)
- Catch of the day, grilled or fried
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed. and Aug.
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$ | Castello |
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.
Castello 738, Venice, Veneto, 30122, Italy
Known For
- Outdoor seating for a spritz aperitivo (pre-meal drink)
- Excellent pizza
- Fried seafood
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$$$ | |
A nearly legendary restaurant—Hemingway came here often to eat, drink, and brood under the veranda's greenery—established by a nephew of Giuseppe Cipriani (the founder of Harry's Bar), this inn profits from its idyllic location on the island of Torcello. The food is not exceptional, especially considering the high prices, but dining here is more about getting lost in Venetian magic; the menu features pastas and lots of seafood.
Piazza Santa Fosca 29, Torcello, Veneto, 30142, Italy
Known For
- Wonderful historic atmosphere
- Traditional Venetian cuisine, with a focus on seafood
- A peaceful lunch choice when you want to get away from Venice
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. and early Jan.–mid-Feb.
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$$$$ | Dorsoduro |
Outstanding fish, from the simplest steamed sea bass to decadent swordfish ravioli, is served at Bakan, its name a reference to the part of the lagoon near Sant'Erasmo that's popular for swimming and clamming. You'll see more students and locals than tourists here, and there are tables outside. Classic Venetian dishes such as bigoli in salsa (spaghetti with an anchovy-onion sauce) and baccalà mantecato (creamy, whipped salt cod), are well prepared, but there are also dishes like fegato alla veneziana for those who prefer calf liver and onions.
Dorsoduro 2314/A, Venice, Veneto, 30123, Italy
Known For
- Seafood classics like baccalà mantecato
- Local patrons
- Outdoor seating
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.
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$ | Cannaregio |
"The best polpette in town," you'll hear fans of the venerable Vedova say, and that explains why it's an obligatory stop on any giro d'ombra (bacaro tour); the polpette are always hot and crunchy—and also gluten-free, as they're made with polenta. Ca' d'Oro is a full-fledged trattoria as well, but make sure to reserve ahead: it's no secret to those seeking traditional Venetian fare at reasonable prices, locals and travelers alike. Vedova is one of the few places that still serves house wine in tiny, traditional palline glasses (never fear: if you order a bottle you'll get fancier glassware).
Cannaregio 3912, Venice, Veneto, 30121, Italy
Known For
- Famous polpette
- Classic Venetian cuisine
- House wine served in tiny traditional glasses
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Thurs. and Sun. morning
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$$ | San Polo |
This small corner bar/café is a vibrant spot full of personality with a remarkable menu, thanks to the highly enterprising Simone Lazzari and his nephew, Devis. Along with a selection of tempting, original cicheti, it serves more classic Venetian bites, such as sarde in saor (marinated sardines), baccalà mantecato (salt cod), seppie (cuttlefish), and nervetti (boiled beef cartilage with raw onions). There are also more substantial plates of food that will fill you up, even if you are seated on one of the high stools at the small tables. Their specialty is boiled octopus. It's not cheap when you add up the cost of all those delectable bites, but flavor and originality make it worthwhile.
San Polo 255/A, Venice, Veneto, 30125, Italy
Known For
- Neighborhood staple
- Cicheti
- Boiled octopus
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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$$ | Cannaregio |
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 or grilled canestrelli, 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).
Cannaregio 4367, Venice, Veneto, 30121, Italy
Known For
- Creative cicheti and wine
- Regularly changing menu with both traditional and modern choices
- Friendly, helpful service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon., Reservations essential
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$ | Dorsoduro |
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.
Dorsoduro 918, Venice, Veneto, 30123, Italy
Known For
- Sunset views
- Pasta, fish, and pizza
- Relaxed service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
