World City Guide

Restaurants

We have selected 25 restaurants, which we have divided into five categories: Gastronomic, Business, Trendy, Budget and Personal Recommendations. The restaurants are listed alphabetically within these different categories, which serve as guidelines rather than absolute definitions of the establishments.

Restaurant prices are subject to IVA (value added tax) at 10% but this is always included within the prices given. A 15% service charge is usually added to the bill at the end. It is customary to round up the bill and leave a tip (maximum 10%) as well, if the meal and service have been good.

The prices quoted below are for an average three-course meal for one person and for a bottle of house wine or cheapest equivalent. They include IVA but do not include service charge or tip.

Gastronomic

Al Covo
Close to the Arsenal, this small restaurant, decorated with 1960s paintings and Murano lamps, specialises in fresh fish historical dishes of the lagoon. The goby fish, used for the soup or served with gnocchi, is excellent. So are the scallops with pasta, and the mouth-watering chocolate cake. Alternatively, diners can follow owner Cesare Benelli’s recommendations on the catch of the day. The tranquil location, professional expertise and personal touch add to the appeal of the two dining rooms. Cash only.

Campiello della Pescaria, Castello 3968
Tel: (041) 522 3812. Fax: (041) 524 0282.
Price: ¬70. Wine: ¬20.

Fortuny Restaurant
Enjoying an intimate, candlelit dinner with a loved one at the Cipriani's signature restaurant is the quintessential Venice experience and should not be missed by anyone who can afford to splash out. Feast on homemade black noodles served with scallops, clams and broccoli sauce, followed by a rack of lamb in a porcini mushroom and black truffle sauce, as the water from the lagoon gently laps against the quay and the lights of San Giorgio Maggiore and the Lido shimmer in the distance. A speciality is the Fortuny’s first rate carpaccio (¬28.50). Complimentary transportation on the hotel’s private launch from Piazza San Marco simply adds to the glamour of it all.

Giudecca 10
Tel: (041) 520 7744. Fax: (041) 520 3930.
E-mail: info@hotelcipriani.it
Website: www.hotelcipriani.it
Price: ¬130. Wine: ¬50.

Harry’s Bar
The American Bar, made famous by Hemingway, obliges most self-respecting travellers, particularly Americans, to make at least one visit. The Bellini, a peach, prosecco and grenadine cocktail invented here, is always excellent. The ever-crowded restaurant offers just 14 tables, snugly nestling beneath the exposed wooden beams and antique lamps. The house speciality, John Dory with tomato and capers, is recommended. This is a good venue for celebrity spotting, although a celebrity wallet is needed for those looking to dine in style with even a club sandwich coming in at a whopping ¬54.

Calle Vallaresso, San Marco 1323
Tel: (041) 528 5777. Fax: (041) 520 8822.
E-mail: harrysbar@cipriani.com
Website: www.cipriani.com
Price: ¬140. Wine: ¬30.

Ristorante Cantina Canaletto
Tucked away in an inauspicious street not far from St Mark’s Square, Ristorante Cantina Canaletto is a real treat and refreshingly free from the tourist hordes. Split into two distinctive areas, a serene dining room and a buzzing wine bar, the classically styled restaurant has beamed ceilings with rotating fans and an impressive array of wine bottles adorn the walls. Dinners are greeted by smooth service and a glass of sparkling prosecco that comprises the ¬3 cover charge. Highlights of the menu include white polenta with lagoon shrimps, the best mortadella of Bologna made by Pasquai, grilled sea bass and grilled lobster. An excellent starter for seafood lovers is the starter platter, with eight seafood tasters (¬29.50). Perhaps surprisingly, the Cantina Canaletto also offers a small range of exquisite pizzas with the Allegra topped with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, brie and rocket lettuce being one of the tastiest pizzas served in Northern Italy.

Castello 5490
Tel: (041) 521 2661. Fax: (041) 241 0602.
E-mail: cantinacanaletto@cantinacanaletto.it
Website: www.cantinacanaletto.it
Price: ¬60. Wine: ¬20.

Il Sole sulla Vecia Cavana
This restaurant, owned by Stefano Monti who has Il Sole restaurants in Miami, Paris, Rio de Janeiro and Monaco, is located just a few minutes walk from the Rialto. Il Sole sulla Vecia Cavana serves Venetian and Italian cuisines with a modern twist, using the freshest of ingredients and delicious Adriatic fish. Try appetizing starters like smoked swordfish carpaccio with strawberry sauce or fresh pasta filled with sea bass, peanuts and pistachio, followed by salmon filet wrapped in potato crust and served with spinach and mustard sauce, or old Venetian favourites like grilled cuttlefish and polenta.

Rio Tera' SS. Cannaregio 4624
Tel: (041) 528 7106. Fax: (041) 523 8644.
E-mail: info@veciacavana.it
Website: www.veciacavana.it
Price: ¬100. Wine: ¬40.

Business

Ai Gondolieri
This mid-sized, elegant restaurant near the Peggy Guggenheim Collection specialises in fine meat and vegetable dishes. Aberdeen Angus beef and ostrich share the menu with traditional Veneto platters, such as stewed chicken with polenta. Piemontese white truffles are also a mainstay on the menu. The décor is tinged with 1940s style, with wood panelling and overhead fans, while the quiet locale, fine wines and good service appeals to small business groups and gourmets interested in the dishes of mainland Veneto. The wine list consists of wholly Italian bottlings, currently running at a stock of around 250 labels. Closed Tuesday.

San Vio, Dorsoduro 366
Tel: (041) 528 6396. Fax: (041) 521 0075.
E-mail: aigond@gpnet.it
Website: www.aigondolieri.com
Price: ¬55. Wine: ¬20.

La Terrazza Danieli
In summer, the rooftop restaurant at the luxury Hotel Danieli (see Hotels) affords Venice’s most famous view from the Riva degli Schiavoni over San Giorgio Maggiore. When it is important to impress, the opulent surroundings and infallible service make this the natural choice. The tagliatelle with truffles, baked sea bass and tiramisu all come highly recommended. Reservations are recommended throughout the season.

Riva degli Schiavoni, Castello 4196
Tel: (041) 522 6480. Fax: (041) 520 0208.
E-mail: danieli@luxurycollection.com
Website: www.luxurycollection.com/danieli
Price: ¬110. Wine: ¬40.

Locanda Cipriani
Long a favourite with English royalty and Hollywood stars, this escape on the island of Torcello has been famous since its ‘discovery’ by Ernest Hemingway. The courteous service, excellent kitchen and ample space make it ideal for business lunches or dinners. The Gritti and Portico rooms await inside and overlook the garden which boasts its own al fresco seating during the warmer months. The simple yet elegant restaurant is best enjoyed in June, when the beautiful rose garden blooms and the heavenly vegetable risotto oozes with flavour. Recently, some diners have complained of falling standards, although with the Locanda Cipriani, it has always been a case of paying for the location and the fame factor. Try the restaurant's signature dish of beef carpaccio and John Dory 'alla Carlina'. Reservations are essential and the restaurant is closed on Tuesday.

Piazza San Fosca 29, Isola di Torcello
Tel: (041) 730 150. Fax: (041) 735 433.
E-mail: info@locandacipriani.com or booking@locandacipriani.com
Website: www.locandacipriani.com
Price: ¬80. Wine: ¬30.

Ristorante al Teatro
In the San Marco area, next to the refurburished La Fenice, this pizzeria and restaurant offers five rooms across the ground and first floor and an outdoor terrace in summer. The Sala Caccia is the most characterful of the dining areas, with an oak beamed ceiling and simple décor with white tablecloths and white flowers. The civilised surroundings are ideal for large parties on restricted budgets, with a wide menu offering value for money. The scaloppine al Fenice, seared veal cutlets served with fresh seasonal vegetables, are recommended.

Campo San Fantin, San Marco 1916
Tel: (041) 522 1052. Fax: (041) 523 7214.
Price: ¬55. Wine: ¬20.

Ristorante Antico Pignolo
Hidden in the warren of allies behind St Mark’s Square, Riccardo de Pietri’s luxurious, roomy restaurant is ideal for large business parties and a favourite with Venetian society. The rose and pastel décor befits the distinctly regal fine dining atmosphere. Sommelier Pippo Sgarlata has the best-stocked wine cellar in Venice, designed to accompany premium Mediterranean dishes, such as prosciutto San Daniele, tagliolini with rock lobster and the vanilla and chocolate soufflé ‘Arlecchino’. Some recent reports suggest that the staff have an increasing tendency to be on the snooty side.

Calle dei Specchieri 451, San Marco
Tel: (041) 522 8123. Fax: (041) 520 9007.
E-mail: anticopignolo@libero.it
Price: ¬130. Wine: ¬35.

Trendy

Al Paradiso Perduto
This noisy and chic osteria, near the Ca’d’Oro, is a popular evening haunt for Venice’s students and young professionals and is often open as late as 0200. Paradiso is legendary for its raucous nights and eclectic music and new owners Paolo Ellero and Elisabetta Zane have given it a bit of a boost of late. Diners can watch live bands while tucking into the large dishes of tasty pasta and surveying Venice’s young and beautiful late into the evening. The rest of the menu is best described as ‘fusion’ with the likes of beef fillet with walnuts and plums or lamb chops with avocado and blueberry.

Fondamenta de la Misericordia, Cannaregio 2540
Tel: (041) 720 581.
Price: ¬40. Wine: ¬20.

Altrove 360º Bar
Not just a funky bar, they do a decent menu a lot later than most places in Venice. With cutting edge sounds, big LCD screens and funky bar staff, this is definitely one of the most fashionable places to see and be seen in Venice at the moment. They also do a mean brunch for those looking for sustenance the next day.

Campo San Silvestro, San Polo 1105
Tel: (041) 528 9224.
Price: ¬45. Wine: ¬20.

Enoteca Mascareta
This late-night venue (open 1800-0100), with its open layout, wooden tables, and traditional rustic feel, attracts a relaxed crowd of students and young professionals. The peckish can graze on select cuts of cured meat, local cheeses and crostini. After 2300, the place fills up with social drinkers. To fit in, visitors should try a glass of dessert wine and esse (Venetian biscuits).

Calle lunga Santa Maria Formosa, Castello 5183
Tel/Fax: (041) 523 0744.
Price: ¬50. Wine: ¬20.

Orange
If you don’t like the colour orange then stay well away from this unmistakable bar/restaurant. Orange abounds everywhere and if you can stomach it the food is good with the likes of a hefty club sandwich or a variety of grilled meat dishes, as well as a good choice of seafood. Enjoying a prime position on trendy Campo Santa Margherita, Orange also boasts a small garden area and a posing terrace that peers out over the action. This somewhat schizophrenic place works for many tastes, whether you are looking for some oysters and a glass of champagne or something to nibble on while you take in a big football match.

Campo Santa Margherita 3054/a
Tel: (041) 523 4740.
E-mail: info@orangebar.it
Website: www.orangebar.it
Price: ¬25. Wine: ¬12.

Osteria alla Botte
This small and traditional hideaway rewards those who manage to find it with a variety of affordable wines sold by the glass, carafe or bottle. The mixed tapas cichete mista offered in the bar includes tasty Venetian staples, such as sarde in soar (marinated sardines) and the simple cuisine served in the small back dining room is both hearty and delicious. The lasagne al forno and pasta and fagioli bean soup are highly recommended. Trying a little Italian, no matter how bad, will speed up ordering, which is done on a 'loudest shout first' system when the bar area is busy. Always buzzing at nights and still a fun place to see and be seen.

Campo San Bartolomeo, San Marco 5482
Tel: (041) 520 9775.
E-mail: info@osteriaallebotte.it
Website: www.osteriaallabotte.it
Price: ¬20. Wine: ¬10.

Budget

Al Giardinetto da Severino
Conveniently located for Piazza San Marco and the Rialto, this friendly and intimate restaurant is popular with local gondoliers and has been run by the same family for half a century. Housed in the 15th-century chapel of the Zorzi family, Al Giardinetto boasts vaulted ceilings and a frescoed fireplace. The restaurant offers dining in the vineyard courtyard during summer and is excellent value for money. Venetian staples, such as calves’ liver with fried onions, dominate the menu. Simple and tasty fish dishes, such as Venetian style cuttlefish with polenta, are also a good bet.

Ruga Giuffa, Castello 4928
Tel: (041) 528 5332. Fax: (041) 523 8778.
E-mail: info@algiardinetto.it
Website: www.algiardinetto.it
Price: ¬22. Wine: ¬12.

Aqua Pazza
Located on an attractive square, this Mediterranean restaurant has been playing host to a buzzing mix of locals and tourists for seven years. The fish specialities such as a starter of peppered mussels or the fish risotto for two are delicious, as are the main dishes. For the more budget conscious, the restaurant’s pizzas are good value, and the delicious thick crust frutti di mare comes topped with clams, squid, mussels and prawns. Diners are treated to a complimentary glass of meloncello or limoncello (both sweet fruit flavoured digestifs) to help them wash down a truly enjoyable meal.

Campo San Angelo, San Marco 3808/10
Tel: (041) 277 0688. Fax: (041) 277 5421.
Price: ¬28. Wine: ¬14.

Brek
This self-service chain restaurant located near the train station offers a variety of simple pizza and pasta dishes along with mixed salads, fresh fruit and an array of sweet desserts. This healthier and more satisfying alternative to fast-food outlets dishing up greasy burgers and stale sandwiches also sells alcoholic beverages at reasonable prices.

Lista di Spagna, Canneregio 124
Tel/Fax: (041) 244 0158.
E-mail: 20R@brek.com
Website: www.brek.com
Price: ¬10. Wine: ¬11.

Da Renato
This is povera cucina (poor man’s food) at its best. Renato, the chef and owner, offers a bargain alternative to the gourmet Da Fiore around the corner. His pasta and bean soup is part of an old Venetian tradition, kept on the stove all day to provide an all-in-one meal (piatto unico) for weary gondoliers. The restaurant is highly regarded locally for its food rather than its interior, which is basic and inoffensive.

Rio Terà Secondo, San Polo 2245A
Tel: (041) 524 1922.
Price: ¬30. Wine: ¬10.

Trattoria alla Madonna
Near the Rialto Bridge, this large bustling trattoria is good value and a favourite with locals and visitors alike. In the daytime, the long tables laid out across the terracotta floor are a great informal place to tuck into a bowl of pasta with fagioli beans. In the evening, the more serious dining gets under way, with seafood specialities such as black squid with polenta and lobster on the menu. The restaurant also offers good meat choices.

Calle della Madonna, San Polo 594
Tel: (041) 522 3824. Fax: (041) 521 0167.
Website: www.ristoranteallamadonna.com
Price: ¬30. Wine: ¬12.

Personal Recommendations

Al Ristorante Cip’s Club
Cip’s Club has an ingredient that is the envy of many Venetian restaurateurs – a stunning view back across the lagoon to St Mark’s Square. A more informal alternative to the Cipriani Hotel’s signature restaurant, Cip’s Club is styled as a pizzeria, grill and dolci bar, serving regional Italian fare, such as pizzas and pasta, as well as afternoon tea, pastries and ice cream. The fish pasta starters such as clams with spaghetti and cherry tomatoes are excellent. Along with the more relaxed atmosphere come slightly more affordable prices. To make the most of the dining experience offered by Cip’s Club, visitors should choose a mild day, sink into a chair on the floating pontoon and enjoy the unrivalled views. New in 2005 was the ‘Cigar Room’, a classy smoking retreat that is the Cip Club’s defiant stand against the new anti-smoking laws.

Giudecca 10
Tel: (041) 520 7744. Fax: (041) 520 7745.
E-mail: info@hotelcipriani.it
Website: www.hotelcipriani.it
Price: ¬100. Wine: ¬40.

Caffe Quadri
Like a Merchant Ivory film set, Caffe Quadri serves up a big helping of Venetian history, combining as it does a view over St Mark’s Square with palatial furnishings. The refined and graceful cuisine draws the crowds, making reservations imperative and pushing up the prices. The saddle of rabbit with ham and shallots glazed in balsamic vinegar is fantastic and the ravioli with veal and white truffle sauce is a must for those who want to splash out – a unique experience worth every cent.

Piazza San Marco 120, San Marco
Tel: (041) 522 2105. Fax: (041) 520 8041.
E-mail: quadri@venice.com
Website: www.quadrivenice.com
Price: ¬90. Wine: ¬40.

Il Canova
One of Venice’s grandest dining rooms seats 75, but it often feels like you are the only people there with deeply personal service in this candlelit retreat. The menu concentrates on fresh Venetian specialities with an emphasis on seafood, though the Aberdeen Angus beef Chateaubriand hits the spot for carnivores. The stand out starter is a light lobster salad with cannelloni beans, which leaves plenty off for mains of the likes of scallops and king prawn kebabs or anglerfish medallions with capers, Ligurian olives and fresh tomatoes. The tiramisu at Il Canova is no mere slice, instead beautifully presented in three sections and accompanied by baicoli biscuits. A glass of prosecco to start, a bottle from the excellent range of Veneto wines and a grappa to wash it all down completes one of the Divine Republic’s most divine dining experiences.

San Marco, 1243
Tel: (041) 528 9840. Fax: (041) 528 7160.
E-mail: luna.venezia@baglionihotels.com
Website: www.baglionihotels.com
Price: ¬90. Wine: ¬30.

Harry’s Dolci
There is no better place to watch the famous sunset over Venice’s skyline than from the open-air terrace of Harry’s Dolci, located on the island of Giudecca. The highlight of this luxurious and elegant restaurant is the romantic terrace that overlooks the Guidecca Canal. It is also the place to indulge on calorific sweetmeats in the city that first imported sugar to Europe. Famous for its zabaglione (a Marsala-flavoured mousse) and rich pastries, this Cipriani outlet offers both snacks and full meals. Also great on a summer’s day, is sitting outside under the festooned awnings.

Giudecca 773
Tel: (041) 522 4844 or 520 8337. Fax: (041) 522 2322.
E-mail: harrysdolci@cipriani.com
Website: www.cipriani.com
Price: ¬90. Wine: ¬30.

Osteria Enoteca San Marco
Opened in 2002, this classy osteria is located a stone’s throw from Piazza San Marco and has quickly established itself as a fashionable venue. Noodles with lobster and tender venison are amongst the appetizing dishes on offer in the relaxed and rustic setting. The extensive wine list is also excellent. For some, the fact that you cannot get bar service during restaurant hours, therefore breaking with the tradition of the osteria, may grate slightly. Closed Sundays.

Frezzeria, San Marco 1610
Tel: (041) 528 5242. Fax: (041) 528 5242.
Price: ¬50. Wine: ¬20.