With such a wide variety of culinary experiences on offer, finding the best restaurant in Venice is a mouth-watering challenge. The city has everything from haute cuisine to simple homemade Italian dishes made from recipes passed down from one generation to another. Venice is passionate about food – a place where eating pizza is an act of patriotism, and this won’t take long to rub off on you.
Let’s find the best restaurant in Venice
Venetians have always loved to incorporate seasonal local produce into their food. Their perspective values warmth and love in all their cooking, so you’ll find a wonderful homely quality to the dishes, even in the city’s most prestigious restaurants. You can eat all the fancy food you want or enjoy the deliciously simple traditional cuisine so beloved by the locals, with pretty much everything else in between on offer as well.
Of course, there’s far more to do in Venice than spend all your time in its restaurants – as much as you may want to. Have a look at our Venice Travel Guide for some of the top tourist attractions to visit in the city between meals. Now join us on a journey to discover the best restaurant in Venice, for unforgettable dining experiences in the Floating City.
Best restaurant in Venice overall
With so many vying for the honour, there will always be friendly but vociferous disagreement on which is the best restaurant in Venice. Trattoria al Gatto Nero, or The Black Cat, is always a frontrunner. It’s a Michelin-starred establishment on Fondamenta della Giudecca and could well be somewhere you’d find in bygone times. It has food for every occasion but specialises in delicious locally caught seafood. Dine to your heart’s content on sole, scampi, oysters, mussels and much more.
The modern favourite in Venice
Ozio is one of the more recent additions to the line-up of restaurants in Venice. It emphasises clean, simple food that’s beautifully sculpted on your plate. Natural regional wines and ciders are served as accompaniments. You’ll find it on Camp Santa Maria Formosa, one of Venice’s most famous culinary avenues.
Take a gondola trip to La Certosa
Venice comprises a number of islands separated by its famous canals, and you’ll find some of the city’s best restaurants on several of them. The pick of the bunch is Hostaria, in the Certosa island district. It’s owned and run by the same duo that’s behind the famed three Michelin-star Le Calandre, in the neighbouring city of Padua. To taste the best on offer, order a homemade pasta and seafood dish – there are some very imaginative combinations on the menu.
A Venetian-Japanese culinary mash-up
One can’t leave Osteria Giorgione de Masa out of any conversation about the best restaurant in Venice. It’s helmed by Italian celebrity chef Masahiro Homma, who lists some of the finest restaurants in Italy on his resume. Our advice is to forego the formal menu and opt for the tasting menu. You can try all manner of inventive combinations, like Japanese versions of Venice’s traditional cicchetti, similar to tapas.
Best restaurant in Venice for traditional Italian food
This is where the discussion gets really heated, so rather than choose the best restaurant in Venice for authentic Italian food, let’s explore a few of the most popular. First up is Trattoria da Remigio, in the Castello district, which is so deliberately Italian that it’s almost over the top. The spaghetti pomodoro is the house speciality here, and what the chef can do with simple tagliatelle and mushrooms is quite magical.
Taste Venice’s own traditional spaghetti
Al Covo is a small and warm-hearted restaurant on Campiello de la Pescaria, where you’ll be treated to traditional bigoli. This is Venice’s slightly thicker version of spaghetti, typically served with a straightforward onion and anchovy sauce. You shouldn’t leave before tasting this most traditional of dishes; it’s a quintessential Venetian dining experience.
Straight from the market to the table
Osteria alle Testiere is another Venetian restaurant that emphasises simplicity and fresh ingredients in its traditional dishes. If it’s available, don’t hesitate to order the capelunghe, delicious local razor clams cooked in a basic olive oil, salt, and garlic mixture. The restaurant exclusively uses fresh ingredients bought daily from local markets. You’ll find it on Calle del Mondo Novo.
The best-kept secret in Venice
As with any city, the way to find the best little eating spots in Venice that are unknown to tourists is to follow the taxi drivers and gondoliers. This will take you to gems like Dalla Marisa, more of a canteen than a restaurant. But the food is nothing short of spectacular. It’s one of the few places in the city that still serves hearty risotto secoe, cooked with the fatty cuts of beef from around the spine.
The best restaurant in Venice for casual eating
Venice is a really laid-back city, so you’ll find plenty of cafes and other casual establishments serving a varied feast of experiences. Caffe Florian, on St. Mark’s Square, is one of the most popular among residents. It is famed for its appearances in dozens of classic movies. Harry’s Bar is an extraordinary place, too. Opened in the 1930s, it was one of Ernest Hemingway’s favourite hangouts and a magnet for other luminaries from previous eras, including the likes of Orson Welles, Katherine Hepburn and Truman Capote.
A three-table treat
All’arco is a sparse bistro that offers all of three tables for diners, so booking is essential – it’s wildly popular. It serves delicious bites to eat, like traditional tramezzini with seasonal fillings and palate-tingling sensations of gorgonzola and nut mixtures. Another house speciality is a lightly salted cod mousse, known as baccala mantecato. Look for it on Sestiere San Polo.
Family always comes first
If you’re looking for the best restaurant in Venice or any Italian city for that matter, look for the old family-run establishments. They’re often in the less salubrious parts of town, but don’t let that put you off for a moment. Trattoria Antiche Carampane is possibly the most proudly Venetian restaurant in the city. Everything is unique here, from the little cones of schie (battered shrimp) that welcome you at the entrance to the colourful and vibrant ambience of the red-light district where it’s situated, on Rio Tera de le Carampane.
The great wheel of cheese
For something a bit different with more of a party atmosphere, head to Paradiso Perduto, where the weekend begins on Thursdays. It’s worth it for the cacio e pepe experience alone. Staff will bring a roughly 90-pound wheel of pecorino cheese to your table, using it to coat hot pasta tubes that melt in your mouth. To find this gem, take a walk or a gondola to Fondamenta della Misericordia.
Best restaurant in Venice for a light lunch while sightseeing
One of the very best things about Venice is that no matter which tourist attraction you’re visiting, you’ll generally find a scrumptious restaurant within easy walking distance, so there’s no lack of sustenance when you’re out sightseeing. You can enjoy a languid, extended meal, sit down for a short break or grab a takeaway if you’re pressed for time. Lunchtime is taken seriously here, so choices are countless.
This might be the finest bakery in Venice
You can decide for yourself, but odds are you’ll fall in love with Pasticceria Rizzardini. Purportedly established way back in the mid-1700s, it’s a tiny but glorious family-run bakery on Campiello dei Meloni. It’s an ideal place for a light lunch – go for the home-baked pizzette. It’s also an extremely welcoming place; chances are you’ll be considered a regular if you go there more than once.
Connoisseur coffee on the go
If you just want to grab a quick coffee, Trattoria alla Rampa is the place to go. Located on Fondamenta Sant’Anna, visit this busy little establishment for some midday fortification, whether you prefer a mild caffe macchiato or a robust espresso. A word of advice, however: choose a takeaway coffee if you want to avoid the surcharge for drinking yours at a table.
Off the beaten track
If you’re looking for the coffee shop the locals favour, where tourists are seldom found, you’ll find it at Caffe del Doge. Once again, it’s standing room only, but it’s well worth popping in for an authentic Venetian coffee takeaway. Or stop by Pasticceria Tonolo, tucked away on Calle San Pantalon, where you can sample the legendary lemon-flavoured biscuits, essi.
