restaurants
in venice
restaurants
in venice
best restaurants in venice italy
Eat like the locals
Unsurprisingly, Venetian cuisine is heavily based on fish and seafood. You’ll find dishes featuring salt cod, mussels, or cuttlefish on almost every menu – one person’s delight might be another’s dread. However, traditional dishes also include salami and calf’s liver.
Of course, there are vegetarian options too! Polenta, hard cheeses such as Asiago or Montasio, radicchio, and beans are among the key ingredients used in delicious regional meat- and fish-free dishes.
And of course, the Italian classics – pizza and pasta – can always be found as well!
Things You
Really Should Know
- In Venice, it’s worth seeking out restaurants tucked away in the smaller side streets – they often offer a more authentic and relaxed dining experience.
- As is common throughout Italy, you’ll also pay a coperto in Venice – usually around €2–3 per person. This small cover charge includes bread, water, and your place at the table. However, the coperto is not the same as a tip.
- Dishes on the menu are typically divided into Antipasto, Primo, and Secondo. Starters such as mozzarella with tomatoes, bruschetta, or fried seafood fall under Antipasto. Pasta, risotto, and polenta are listed as Primo, while fish and meat dishes are found under Secondo. Pizzas don’t fit into any of these categories, which is why they usually have their own special section on the menu.
- And one more important tip: never place your bag on the floor or hang it on the back of your chair – and never leave your phone on the table! The nimble fingers of pickpockets can be quicker than you’d ever imagine, and your belongings could vanish before you can even say “Venice.”
- Before you step into a restaurant, check the Google reviews first. If you see signs written in several languages outside, or someone standing at the door trying to wave you in – keep walking. It’s usually a clear sign of a purely tourist location.
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Recommendations
Pizzeria Ristorante al Profeta
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Osteria al Portego
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Trattoria alla Rampa
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Trattoria alla Fontana
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Osteria al Squero
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Taverna Scalinetto
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Osteria San Isepo
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Al Nono Risorto
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Other Restaurant Tips
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If you’re visiting the Accademia or the Punta della Dogana, it’s well worth stopping for lunch or dinner at Al Profeta. Whether you order pizza, pasta, or fish – every dish is freshly prepared, and you can both taste and see the difference! The staff are exceptionally friendly, and the hidden garden terrace creates a peaceful atmosphere, making it the perfect place to take a breather from the bustle of Venice and simply relax.
District: Dorsoduro
Address: C. Lunga S. Barnaba, 2671, 30123 Venice
Opening hours: Daily 12.00–14.30 h and 18.30–22.30 h
Google rating: 4.6 (3,011 reviews)
Dorsoduro
Pizzeria Ristorante al Profeta
You might easily miss it on your way by, or probably wouldn’t expect that you can not only quickly grab a good Aperol Spritz here, but also enjoy a delicious and cozy lunch.
In addition to classic dishes, they also offer specials that can change daily – depending on the catch and the seasonal produce available from the greengrocer: tagliatelle with mussels, fried fish, roast beef, or a parmigiana (eggplant dish). And for those just looking for a light snack, they also serve typical cicchetti.
Just a few meters from the Rialto Bridge!
Neighborhood: Bordering San Marco and Castello
Address: Calle de la Malvasia, 6014, 30122 Venice
Opening hours: Daily 11.30 – 22.00 h
Google rating: 4.3 (2,668 reviews)
San Marco / Castello
Osteria al Portego
What’s missing here is an outdoor seating area (unfortunately!). This is probably one reason why unsuspecting tourists prefer a different restaurant. A bad decision for them, but a good one for us! Because this way, we have space in this small restaurant, enjoying typical dishes for lunch alongside the locals. The food tastes like it was prepared by a Venetian grandmother: simply delicious!
Where to find the restaurant: between the Giardini della Biennale and the Arsenale area.
Neighborhood: Castello
Address: Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, 1135, 30122 Venice
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday: 12.00 – 15.00 h
Google rating: 4.3 (542 reviews)
Castello
Trattoria alla Rampa
On my arrival day in Venice, I wandered through the Cannaregio district. While enjoying an aperitif at Dodo Café, I looked around for dining options. And I’m so glad I chose that restaurant. The location was fantastic (only tables outside by the canal), the sunset was beautiful, and the food was absolutely delicious! I had pasta with seafood (EUR 22, but worth every penny!) and then treated myself to a tiramisu – what a perfect start to a Venice weekend!
Yours, Céline
District: Cannaregio
Address: Fondamenta Cannaregio, 1102, 30121 Venice
Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday: 11.00 – 23.45 h
Google Reviews: 4.5 (2,753 reviews)
Online reservations are possible. It worked perfectly 😉
Cannaregio
Trattoria alla Fontana
Even though the name “Osteria” might suggest hot meals, you won’t find them here. Instead, you’ll find a wide variety of cicchetti, those little rolls in all sorts of combinations. Whether with salmon, cream cheese and nuts, salami, or mozzarella and sun-dried tomatoes – there’s something for everyone! These snacks are perfect for lunch or dinner, satisfying without leaving you feeling so full that you can’t move afterward… 🙂
You’ll find this osteria near the Peggy Guggenheim Collection & Accademia
Neighborhood: Dorsoduro
Address: Dorsoduro, 943, 30123 Venice
Summer Opening Hours: Monday to Friday: 10.00 – 20.30 h, Saturday: 9.00 – 15.00 h
Google Rating: 4.7 (5,427 reviews)
We’ve also listed this restaurant among the best aperitivo bars.
Dorsoduro
Osteria al Squero
In the Castello district, you’ll find this small, unusual taverna: someone has clearly fulfilled a childhood dream with its decor. So, if you’re near the Church of San Zaccaria or the ACTV pier of the same name, be sure to stop by. The food was excellent: we had risotto, pink tortellini, and tiramisu!
District: Castello
Address: Campo Bandiera e Moro, 3803, 30122 Venice
Summer opening hours: Monday, Wednesday to Sunday, 12.00 – 22.30 h
Google rating: 4.6 (3,015 reviews)
Castello
Taverna Scalinetto
I couldn’t find Osteria San Isepo in Castello at first! Google Maps showed me the way, but then I found myself standing in front of a nameless restaurant that had a different name inside. Confusing. But I got a table and was very happy with the food! Typical fare – no pizza, no pasta – with lots of locals. It was lovely. I ordered cuttlefish with mashed potatoes and tomatoes – it sounds much more tempting in Italian, of course ;).
The restaurant was my break between Biennale Part 1 (Arsenale) and Part 2 (Giradini). Refreshed and ready to continue!
Neighborhood: Castello
Address: Rio Terà S. Isepo, 900, 30122 Venice
Summer opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 8.00 – 23.30 h
Google rating: 4.7 (484 reviews)
Online reservations available.
Castello
Osteria San Isepo
San Polo
Al Nono Risorto
This small restaurant is located in San Polo, between the Ponte delle Tete and the Church of San Stae. Its real charm lies in its lovely outdoor seating area and cheerful atmosphere. Even just passing by, you can catch a glimpse of the garden and be intrigued by the menu. You’ll be spoiled for choice with pizza, meat, fish, and pasta dishes! The restaurant is popular (and for good reason), so it’s highly recommended to reserve a table in advance! That’s why we didn’t manage to get in. 🙁
Neighborhood: San Polo
Address: Sotoportego de Siora Bettina, Santa Croce 30135 Venice
Opening Hours: Thursday to Tuesday (closed Wednesday), 12.00 – 15.00 h + 18.00 – 23.00 h
Google Rating: 4.3 (3,663 reviews)
Other
Special Restaurants
As you know, tastes vary. We deliberately chose traditional restaurants, some of which may not be the most visually appealing and don’t have terraces, because we wanted to show you the local restaurants.
However, if you’re looking for, say, an expensive restaurant, one with a view, or a vegetarian restaurant, you can check out this list. We selected these based on Google reviews; we didn’t visit the restaurants ourselves.
Expensive and with a view: the perfect Venice moment
1) Restaurant Terrazza Danieli – VIEW
Riva degli Schiavoni, 4196, 30122 Venice
Google rating: 4.2 (922 reviews)
2) Oro Restaurant – Expensive
Belmond Hotel, Cipriani Giudecca, 10, 30133 Venice
Google rating: 4.2 (79 reviews)
3) Ristorante Glam – Expensive
Calle Tron, 1961, 30135 Venice
Google rating: 4.7 (334 reviews)
4) Algiubagio Restaurant – VIEW + Expensive
Fondamente Nove, 5039, 30121 Venice
Google rating: 4.4 (1,611 reviews)
5) Ristorante Riviera – High Class
Fondamenta Zattere Al Ponte Lungo, 1473, 30123 Venice
Google rating: 4.6 (1,056 reviews)
Pizza in the heart of the action
1) 1000 Gourmet Venezia
C. Specchieri, 475, 30124 Venice
Google rating: 4.4 (5,264 reviews)
2) Pizza TAKE AWAY: Pizzeria Megaone
Ramo del Fontego dei Tedeschi, 5367, 30124 Venice
Google rating: 4.6 (625 reviews)
3) Pizza TAKE AWAY: Pizzeria L’Angelo
Calle de la Mandola, 3711, 30124 Venice
Google rating: 4.6 (1,699 reviews)
Pasta makes you happy
1) Pasta TAKE AWAY: Baci & Pasta
Campo Santa Marina, 5902/a, 30122 Venice
Google rating: 4.6 (2,521 reviews)
2) Rio Novo
Fondamenta, Calle de Ca’ Bernardo, 30135 Venezia
Google rating: 4.6 (5,235 reviews)
3) Da Mamo (also pizza)
Calle dei Stagneri or de la Fava, 5251, 30124 Venice
Google rating: 4.4 (2,612 reviews)
Conclusion
Anyone traveling in Venice will inevitably do a lot of walking and cross many bridges. You’ll feel it not only in your legs but also in your stomach, because all that movement makes you hungrier. Luckily, you can treat both your legs and stomach at the same time with a visit to a restaurant!
With that in mind: buon appetito & buon relax! 🙂
Yours, Susi
Text and image rights: © Céline Mülich, 2023–2026
With support from Susanne Vukan.
Image rights exception: Al Nono Risorto: Image from Google Maps
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