A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.
You are standing on the dome of one of the most magical culinary trips in the world, if you are reading this. Venice, La Serenissima, is not a city; it is a great, watery dream, in which history murmurs through the canals, and in each alley rests a hidden secret. Being your loyal travel guru, I have come not only to inform you about where to eat in Venice but actually to experience the soul of this floating wonder.
Disregard the guidebooks which lead you on a trail of neon lights and overcharging. For official, broad information, one can always consult the official city tourist information, but here, we will not go to the tourist traps but rather sink into the real, flavourful Venice food that the people of Italy have adored since time immemorial. It is a list of uncommon taste, uncomplicated elegance, and memorable experiences. Prepare to be enchanted.
A Gastric Warning: Navigating Venice Restaurants Wisely
The rumours, dear friends, are, sadly, true: Venice is, perhaps more than anywhere else in the world, a veritable food maze designed to entrap the unwary traveller. For more than two thousand years, visitors have been tempted into establishments serving substandard food at sky-high prices.
This is exactly the reason why our detailed preparation is important. My commitment, borne out of a number of obsessive researches over weeks, consulting with chefs, food writers and trusted local connoisseurs, is to guarantee your evening ends in quiet satisfaction, not a ‘well, that was your idea’ muttered over a disappointing plate of lukewarm pasta. If you want to find the best restaurants in Venice, you need to trust an expert guide.
The Golden Rule in Venice is simple: NEVER go into any restaurant that looks ‘nice’ on a whim. The city rewards the prepared, the discerning and those who trust in recommendations made thereafter.
The Signature Cicchetti
In order to understand how to eat in Venice, you have to embrace the idea of Cicchetti first. These are not just tapas, but bite-sized poems; small, perfect slices of bread with delectable morsels of the lagoon and land on top.
This is a uniquely Venetian experience, a brilliant social ritual that gives you the opportunity to taste the freshest flavours in the city, without the commitment of a whole meal. Think of it as a food treasure hunt.
The Bacaro Experience
The Bacaro is the traditional place, the cosy wine bar, and the Cicchetti is served. These are often tucked away, small, and not pretentious. The right way to savour them is shoulder to shoulder with the locals, pointing out the array of delicacies available under the glass counter:
- Creamy Baccalà Mantecato – Salted cod whipped together for a light and elegant mousse.
- Sarde in Saor – Sweet and sour sardines marinated in onions and pine nuts.
- Polpette: Little meatballs – rich and perfectly spiced.
This is one of the essential places to eat in Venice for a truly local experience.
The Cruising Essential Pairing: The Venetian Spritz
A Bacaro visit wouldn’t be complete without Bacaro’s trademark cocktail: the Spritz. This is your sharpener and perfectly acceptable even before noon, and usually one of the most reasonably priced drinks that you will find. This makes Bacaro a great spot for an affordable restaurant experience. Remember to use your travel resource, book with Low Cost Vibes, to find even more hidden, budget-friendly gems in your other destinations!
A Spritz is a bubbly union of Prosecco, bitter liqueur, and a little soda water served over ice with a bowl of fat little green olives, if you’re lucky.
I suggest you start with a taste of the three basic styles listed below:
1. Aperol (The Bright Orange): It’s sweet and very much recognisable; perfect for beginners.
2. Select (The Middle Ground): It has a much more pronounced herbal flavour and a sweetness level between Aperol and Campari.
3. Campari (The Expert’s Choice): I prefer this choice because of its bitterness, which pairs perfectly with the saltiness of the cicchetti.
When looking for a Bacaro, choose a location off the beaten path with a cheerful atmosphere and an abundance of food in Venice that is constantly being replenished; this way, you will enjoy the true experience of eating and drinking like a local Venetian.
The Expert’s Table Elite Restaurant Recommendations: A Curated Collection
The Venice restaurants we have chosen require planning and a reservation, but the benefits are immense. We are listing the truly best restaurants in Venice that are known more for their commitment to quality, simplicity, and offering the best of the Venetian lagoon’s bounty than for their luxurious interiors.
1. The Enchanting Secret of Al Covo
Tucked away in a tiny square, Al Covo is a beacon of Venetian culinary honesty. It carries with it a warm, unassuming elegance. It has really lovely, charming waiters, and the menu is refreshingly small, a sure sign that everything served is fresh and seasonal.
This is the place to spoil oneself with the simplicity of excellent fish. The wine list is wonderfully reasonable, enabling you to sample some of the superb regional offerings from Friuli Venezia-Giulia or Veneto without having to mortgage your next trip. This place is consistently ranked among the best restaurants in Venice.
Must-Try Dishes and Tips:
- Not only do you not want to miss the Fritto Misto of red mullet, but also squid and sole, which are also perfectly crisp and light.
- Saving room for dessert, the Ricotta Cheesecake is famous for a reason.
2. Antiche Carampane: The Pleasurable Struggle of the Back Alley
In Venice, one of the greatest pleasures is to lose yourself, as you wander around in search of this elusive place. You will find yourself pleasantly surprised with what you discover when you arrive at Antiche Carampane Restaurant. The hidden nature of the restaurant contributes to the thrill of discovering something new. When you enter Antiche Carampane, what a joy it is to see a wonderful dining room with a more intimate, local feel (and less touristy) than you would expect from a large city like Venice! It is definitely one of the best restaurants in Venice for authentic Venetian dishes.
This is a veritable seafood paradise and is well known for respecting the delicate flavour of the harvest available in the lagoon. For those seeking authentic Venice food, this is a must-visit.
Must-Try Dishes and Tips:
- You must order Spider Crab Linguini; it is profoundly good. It is often cited as a contender for the best pasta in Venice.
- Few Venice restaurants have a dish that is more unmissable than the John Dory with wild mushrooms and zucchini, which is typical of the refined yet simple technique of the kitchen.
3. A Grand Escape: Locanda Cipriani Torcello: A Tranquil Island Feast
Numerous times in your life, you will have a unique opportunity to travel to the remote and peaceful island of Torcello, a hidden gem for Italian dining at the Locanda Cipriani. This experience means taking the vaporetto (water bus), which is a very cute way to navigate the island without having to pay for a private taxi, providing you with some amazing views along the way, which will help you truly understand Venice’s relationship with its waterways.
Locanda Cipriani has a famous and magical garden; the visit in the warmer months is almost magical. The food is also equally enjoyable, cementing this as an experience that brings together atmosphere, travel and fine dining. For a refined destination meal, it is one of the best restaurants in Venice. This is a top-tier recommendation for places to eat in Venice that offer an experience beyond the meal.
Must-Try Dishes and Tips:
- Get the vaporetto early, stopping at the colourful, lacemaking island of Burano first.
- Enjoy the peaceful walk from the stop to the restaurant. Torcello is very small, and you cannot get lost.
- Seabass or exquisite Crab Gnocchi are just for starters.
4. Alle Testiere: The Seafood Purist’s Pilgrimage
Alle Testiere is a tiny 24-seat temple to fresh fish, and getting a table is something of a pilgrimage in itself. You must book quite a while ahead and be ready to pay a deposit. This is a restaurant for the food-dedicated connoisseur, one where expectations are justifiably high. You’ll find it consistently listed among the best restaurants in Venice. This is a challenging, but rewarding, answer to where to eat in Venice.
The antipasti and primo courses are often sublime (the prawn ravioli is a highlight). While the main course of simple, whole grilled fish might underwhelm the palate of those already accustomed to exceptional seafood, the entire experience of their dedication to freshness and small setting makes it a destination for culinary completionists.
Must-Try Dishes and Tips:
- Persevere with the booking! It is a badge of honour to eat here.
- Focus a lot on the pasta and starter courses.
The Elixir of Venice Views and Sublimities
Venice has experiences that turn a simple act like eating into performance art. As an expert, I must direct you to these wonderful indulgences.
1. The Bellini at Harry’s Bar: A Venetian Indulgence
Yes, it is the definition of a tourist magnet, but sometimes, a tourist magnet is iconic for a reason. The Bellini, a combination of white peach puree and Prosecco, was invented here at legendary Harry’s Bar in the 1930s/40s. Go, wear your metaphorical “I am a tourist” badge with pride, and slurp this exquisite cocktail in a place once frequented by Hemingway and Welles. It is a bit of living history.
2. The Terrace View Lunch: A Grand Venetian Indulgence
For an afternoon of incomparable glamour and silent observation, find your way to a luncheon spot with a view of the Grand Canal. My recommendation is the terrace at the Gritti Palace. There is nowhere better in the city to sit down, eat a light meal and watch the magic theatre of the life of Venice play out gracefully before you. This is also adjacent to some of the best lunch spots in Venice. This is one of the essential things to do in Venice.
3. Bancogiro: A Whisper of Romance After Sunset
For those who would like a perfect end to a romantic Venetian evening, there is a hidden gem in the area near the Rialto Bridge: Bancogiro. This spot in particular is famous for having one of the most romantic outdoor seating areas at night, for delicious food in Venice and a really beautiful atmosphere over the Venice canal.
Expert’s Golden Rules of Venetian Feasting
As I leave you, I would like to offer you the following hard and fast rules for a successful journey through the culinary world:
1. Trust in the Lagoon – It’s all about the fish. Given that the famous Rialto fish market is at its heart, local cuisine is therefore heavily focused on fresh and simply prepared seafood. So embrace it.
2. Avoid the “Hotspots” – If you see a restaurant located right on the Piazza San Marco or one that has pictures of food in Venice hanging up outside the restaurant, please just walk by. While the ambience is often beautiful at these locations, the food is usually less than mediocre.
3. Embrace the Journey – Take the vaporetto or even walk till you are utterly lost. The best bacari and most authentic Venetian dishes are often not on the main tourist paths but require a short detour down a shadowy and beautiful alley. For a true taste of the city, look beyond the obvious when seeking the best restaurants in Venice.
4. Know Your Wine Look out for local wines from the Northeastern regions: crisp white Soaves and bold red Valpolicellas are great wines to choose and perfectly match the regional cuisine.
5. Make a reservation: For any in-dining evening dinner, book ahead. The best, the smallest establishments fill up weeks ahead. Venice rewards drive.
The Feast of the Senses
To the tourist, travel is a means to an end; to the traveller, it is an end in itself.
While your dining experience while visiting Venice is meant to be a journey of discovery, where you can discover all your senses are present and be committed to consuming original, genuine cuisine. Venice has a distinct culture and has a different atmosphere that invokes a unique feeling in all who visit.
Choose your dining options and the food items you select while in Venice with care and exploration as you go to sample these areas. Part of the true experience of visiting Venice is sampling the unbelievably delicious and simple Venetian food of Venice. Take the time to immerse yourself in Venice to its fullest extent, and until your next journey, enjoy the infinite options available for both your drinking glass and your plate. The search for the best restaurants in Venice is a delicious adventure! This guide provides the best places to eat in Venice for a memorable trip and amazing Venice holidays.
“Good food is all the sweeter when shared with good companions.”
FAQs about the Best Restaurants in Venice
Do not choose on a whim based on the appearance of a Venice restaurant; planning, research, and preparation will provide you with the best experience.
Cicchetti are traditional Venetian appetisers that are often served on bread, and they reflect the flavours of the lagoon.
A bacaro is a traditional wine bar where you can enjoy the ambience of the Venetian city centre without being pretentious, offering a comfortable, non-pretentious place to enjoy cicchetti and good wine.
Recommended liqueurs are Aperol (sweet), Select (bittersweet), and Campari (bitter).
The main focus of Venetian cuisine should be on seafood and fish caught from the lagoon, which is prepared simply using the freshest of ingredients.
