The 8 Best Restaurants In Venice

Venice is home to some of the best restaurants in all of Italy. From Michelin-starred restaurants like Ristorante Glam through wine bars like Bar All’Arco to simple bistros, there’s something appealing for everyone.

Like other major Italian cities like Florence and Rome, Venice also has some tourist trap restaurants that maybe aren’t the best fit for a serious foodie. If you’re looking to add some elevated dining experiences to your Venice food tour, you can ditch the travel guide as you tuck into a few of the following.

Trattoria Al Gatto Nero

Photo credit: Trattoria Al Gatto Nero

Located on the island of Burano Trattoria Al Gatto Nero offers an elevated traditional Venetian dining experience. It’s also a visual feast, as the surrounding buildings are vibrantly colored houses and festooned with lacework details harkening back to Burano’s deep lace-making history.

Trattoria Al Gatto Nero is also conveniently located near the Piazza Galuppi, and all of its quaint shops. Making it a good place to enjoy a good meal after an afternoon of shopping.

The décor at Trattoria Al Gatto Nero is cozy with an air of sophisticated ambiance, which matches the look and feel of Burano. The wooden tables and the walls adorned with maritime-themed art remind you that you’re in the Venetian lagoon.  

Trattoria Al Gatto Nero’s menu is seafood-centric with dishes that are freshly prepared using locally sourced ingredients. If you’re new to traditional Venetian seafood dishes, the spaghetti with clams is a perfect entry-point dish to order. They also do amazing things with prawns, cuttlefish, and squid.

My favorite thing to order on Trattoria Al Gatto Nero’s menu is the traditional Venetian risotto di gò. It uses a rich, briny seafood stock with delicate goby fish as the primary protein. It pairs perfectly with the in-house Pinot Grigio from a nearby Vento winery.

Trattoria Al Gatto Nero (€€€) – Via Giudecca, 88, 30142 Venezia VE, Italy – Open Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday for lunch from 12:30 to 3:00 PM, with dinner service from 7:30 to 9:00 PM. Open Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday from 12:30 to 3:00 PM. Closed on Mondays.

Osteria alle Testiere

Photo credit: Osteria alle Testiere

If you want to enjoy a meal away from the throngs of Venetian tourists and you’re hungry for seafood, then you want to head to Osteria alle Testiere. You’ll find it in Venice’s historic Castello district, just a short walk from the Rialto Bridge and St. Mark’s Basilica.

The ambiance of Osteria alle Testiere is charming and casually understated. The walls are lined with sea-themed art, reflecting the seafood-centric menu as well as Venice’s relationship with the lagoon.

Seating is limited, yet the modest dining room creates a more intimate setting. It’s a great place for a relaxed meal with a friend or someone special. Just try to secure a reservation if possible.  

Osteria alle Testiere’s menu focuses on fresh, seasonal seafood. Most of which is sourced daily from the Venetian lagoon or the local fish markets. This means that the menu can change daily based on the season and the catch.  However, grilled shrimp scampi, spaghetti with clams and the baked fish of the day are common menu items you can expect to find.

The last time I visited Osteria alle Testiere, I enjoyed a special of the day, octopus salad. It was perfectly tender, which highlighted the best of Mediterranean octopus versus the typically tough flesh of the Atlantic octopus.

Osteria alle Testiere (€€€) – Calle del Mondo Novo, 5801, 30122 Venezia VE, Italy – Open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch from 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM, with dinner service from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM.

Trattoria Antiche Carampane

Photo credit: Trattoria Antiche Carampane

Trattoria Antiche Carampane, in Venice’s San Polo district, offers a true taste of authentic Venetian cuisine and a traditional dining experience. It’s conveniently located within walking distance of the Grand Canal as well as the Rialto Market. Yet it is tucked away down a quiet side street, to give you a cozy place away from the hustle and bustle of other tourists.  

The ambiance at Antiche Carampane is rustic with exposed brick walls, wooden beams, and old Venetian decor that transports you back in time. The strategic use of soft lighting gives it a casual charm that’s homey. 

Celebrating the Venetian relationship with the lagoon, the menu at Antiche Carampane focuses largely on seafood dishes. Most are sourced directly from the nearby Rialto Market and can change based on what’s fresh and what was caught earlier in the day.

Some of the common popular favorites that you can expect to find include sarde in saor, baccalà mantecato, spaghetti alle vongole, and fritto misto di pesce. However, my personal recommendation for someone who is looking to taste Venetian classic seafood for the first time is the bigoli in salsa.

I love how it uses thicker hand-made spaghetti that you usually only find in an Italian grandmother’s kitchen. It’s then perfectly saturated in a rich anchovy sauce that taps into the authentic local seafood flavors of Venice.

Trattoria Antiche Carampane (€€€) – Rio Terà de le Carampane, 1911, 30125 Venezia VE, Italy – Open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM, with dinner service from 7:30 PM to 10 PM. Closed Sunday and Monday.

Ristorante Al Covo

 

Photo credit: Ristorante Al Covo

Al Covo is close to the waterfront in Venice’s Castello district. It’s a short walk from popular attractions such as Arsenale di Venezia and St. Mark’s Square. Making it a great place to catch a seafood meal while watching gondola’s pass lazily by in the distance.

The atmosphere inside Al Covo is a gentle blend of elegance and warmth with a touch of refinement. The decor is simple with exposed wooden beams, and warm lighting overhead. However, when the weather is nice, I think the outdoor seating area is the perfect place to enjoy a meal al fresco.

Al Covo’s menu focuses on fresh, local ingredients, and seafood. They typically have a seasonal menu that changes based on what is available, and fresh. The specials often feature the best catch of the day.  

Some of the more common menu items you might find include tagliolini al Nero di seppia, granseola alla veneziana, and fritto misto. Yet I think the true gem is the Burrata con pomodori.

It features a rich, creamy burrata cheese with fresh tomatoes. I love how the brightness of the tomatoes plays a perfect counterpoint to the richness of the freshly made burrata.

Sometimes they have a version of it as a featured cicchetti, with recommended pairings from their wine list. When they do, I recommend having it with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.

Ristorante Al Covo (€€€) – Campiello de la Pescaria, 3968, 30122 Venezia VE, Italy – Open Thursday to Monday for lunch from 12:45 PM to 2:00 PM, with dinner service from 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.

Osteria Anice Stellato

You’ll find Osteria Anice Stellato tucked away in Venice’s historic Cannaregio district near the old Jewish Ghetto and the Fondamenta de la Sensa canal. This is a quieter area of the city that usually doesn’t draw large crowds. Giving you the chance to soak in a little bit of the history, while enjoying a casual meal.

Osteria Anice Stellato’s ambiance has a rustic charm with warm wooden accents and humble furniture. The dining room’s low ceilings and exposed wood beams speak to the history, while large windows let in natural light and provide views of the canal.

The menu at Osteria Anice Stellato follows what’s best for the season and always emphasizes local ingredients. Most of the dishes are deeply rooted in Venetian culinary tradition, and then given innovative twists to create a memorable dining experience.

Some of the more likely dishes you’ll find on the ever-changing menu include fegato alla Veneziana, risotto di gò, and polpo alla griglia. On my last visit, I tried their bigoli in salsa.

It uses an olive oil-based anchovy sauce used to dress thicker strands of spaghetti. I was impressed by how the peppery body of the olive oil and herbs enhanced the briny flavors of the anchovies.

Osteria Anice Stellato (€€€) – Fondamenta de la Sensa, 3272, 30121 Venezia VE, Italy – Open Tuesday from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM. Open Wednesday to Saturday for lunch from 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM, with dinner service from 7–10 PM. Closed on Sunday and Monday. 

Ristorante La Zucca

Photo credit: Ristorante La Zucca

Ristorante La Zucca sits on a quiet canal near the Santa Croce district of Venice. They offer a wide range of Venetian classics as well as some great plant-based dishes to satisfy hungry vegans and vegetarians.  

It has a rustic yet refined ambiance with décor highlighted by classical wooden beams, and modern furniture. The large windows let in natural light while letting you watch gondolas pass by in the canal.  

Ristorante La Zucca’s menu makes the most out of locally sourced ingredients. Some of their most popular dishes include flan di Zucca, vegetable lasagna, spaghetti with ricotta, and desserts like caramelized pears with parmesan, and tiramisu.

On my last visit, I tried their lamb stew, which is a somewhat rare offering on their largely vegetarian-friendly menu. The lamb shanks were sourced from a Veneto farm, which gave the meat a grassy terroir that came through in a way that enhanced the fruity body of the red wine sauce.  

Ristorante La Zucca (€€€) – Sestiere Santa Croce 1762, 30135 Venezia VE, Italy – Open Monday through Saturday for lunch from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM, with dinner service from 7:00 PM to 10:30 PM.

Bar All’Arco

Bar All’Arco is a popular bacaro in the heart of Venice, near the Rialto Market, and the Rialto Bridge. While they do have an a la carte menu of entrees, they are best known for their tasty cicchetti Venetian style tapas.

The décor at Bar All’Arco is rustic, with the authentic trappings and woodwork of a classic Venetian bacaro. The dining room is somewhat small and bustling with customers. So, it helps to come at an off-peak time. 

The cicchetti tapas menu is cleverly designed so that everything pairs perfectly with a glass of wine. Some of the most popular options include baccalà mantecato, crostini with prosciutto, and sarde in saor.

However, they do have some cicchetti that are designed to cater to popular American tastes, which still hold firmly to Venetian names. The one I always look for is the polpette di carne.

They are basically meatballs that often get a dollop of marinara sauce. Then served on a small piece of soft white bread or toasted crostini. It gives me the comfort food flavors of home, and it pairs nicely with the local Venetian wines.

Bar All’Arco (€€) – S. Polo, 436, 30125 Venezia VE, Italy – Open Thursday to Tuesday from 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM. Closed on Wednesday.

Ristorante Glam

Photo credit: Ristorante Glam

Ristorante Glam is the flagship restaurant of Michelin-starred chef Enrico Bartolini. It’s in the luxurious Palazzo Venart in Venice’s Santa Croce district. Much of it speaks to French culinary heritage, with creative touches inspired by everything that’s great about Venice.

The ambiance of Ristorante Glam is elegant and is accented by a serene garden overlooking the Grand Canal. On a good day, you can even watch ferries at the San Stae water bus stop traveling in the distance.

Most people who visit Ristorante Glam for the first time order the tasting menu. It’s highly recommended, to let you get a taste of chef Bartolini’s style. While also featuring what’s best and fresh in Venice at that time. Many of the creations have an air of French influence applied to classically Venetian ingredients.

For me, the dish that stands out the most is the Moleche. You typically only find it on the menu in the autumn, when the crabs in the lagoon are molting. The soft-shell crabs are lightly fried, which I think brings out their subtle flavors and moisture without making them taste like fried food. I found the mineral hints of Soave white wine paired best with the briny freshness of the soft-shell crabs.

Ristorante Glam (€€€€) – Calle Tron, 1961, 30135 Venezia VE, Italy – Open Wednesday to Sunday for lunch service from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM, with dinner service from 7:30 PM to 10 PM. Closed on Monday and Tuesday.

Conclusion

Venice certainly has some of the best restaurants in all of Italy, if not Europe. Whether you’re looking for cicchetti and a glass of wine at Bar All’Arco to a Michelin-starred fine dining experience at Ristorante Glam, there’s something for everyone.

Any one of the restaurants on this list and others can easily be worked into a Venice food tour to let you get a true taste of everything the City of Canals has to offer.