UCityGuides.com Home > VENICE > VENICE CAFÉS & RESTAURANTS
Eating & Drinking in Venice
|
|
Caffe Florian
Touristy? Yes. Ridiculously expensive? Yes. But this is classic Venice. You must stop at this café when you visit Piazza San Marco and have a cappuccino surrounded by the ornate décor that looks exactly as it did in the 18th century. There's also a bar area in the back where you can spend your afternoon sipping cocktails.
Quadri
Venice's second most famous café after the Florian (see above) also faces Piazza San Marco and is also a city icon. It can get quite crowded, but it's one of those romantic experiences you can't miss in Venice and still one of the best places to have your morning or afternoon caffè.
Caffe Lavena
While the Florian and the Quadri are Venice's most famous historical cafés, locals say this is where you'll get the best espresso. As the preferred choice of Richard Wagner, it's also almost as legendary as the other two cafés nearby, and the décor is just as sumptuous.
Naranzaria
It's one of the few hip hangouts in the city, as much for its light fusion menu as for the drinks at the bar (the location by the Grand Canal doesn't hurt either). You can order sushi and light dishes and try some quality (and award-winning) local wines. This is a great choice for cocktails and it's a local favorite for aperitivi.
Antico Martini
When it opened in 1720, this was a café for the artists and intellectuals of the opera house just steps away, but has over time become one of Venice's best restaurants. It maintains the old Venetian charm and elegance, serving classic regional specialties at intimate candlelit tables.
Da Fiore
If you really want to try this place you'll have to book weeks in advance. It's quite worth it, as it's been cooking up some of the best food in Venice for three decades. Its hotspot status was raised after the release of its very own cookbook in 2003, and its innovative versions of traditional Venetian dishes are certainly outstanding. There is also an impressive wine list, and as you'd expect at the place many consider Venice's best restaurant, high prices.
Lineadombra
There is always a breeze at this canalside restaurant, perfect on hot weather days. If you can't get a table on the terrace, inside you'll find a simple, elegant modern interior where the innovative versions of traditional Venetian dishes are also served. Take some time to make your selection from the excellent wine list and be sure to try one of the desserts.
Muro Vino e Cucina
This sleek wine bar/restaurant serves an exceptional fusion cuisine using carefully selected products from the market nearby. The menu is always changing, but that's partly what keeps its young and hip fans coming back.
Vecio Fritolin
You can say this was a fast food restaurant back in the 19th century. It sold fried fish "to go," but today you can only try its fish in its dining room. Using ingredients acquired at the Rialto market nearby, all the dishes are traditional but also innovative, as is the setting, decorated with hanging pots and pans.
Avogaria
After a two-year renovation, this centuries-old building opened with a contemporary, minimalist décor serving as a trendy restaurant. The delicious food remains classic, and there are some good wine selections. Next door the same owners opened up the equally well-designed Avogaria Hotel.
Riviera
The outdoor seating by the canal and the excellent seafood makes this restaurant a favorite among Venetians who know their food. If weather doesn't allow you to sit at the terrace, the traditional dining room is where you'll be served that famous seafood or some great homemade pastas before trying the delicious desserts.
Al Covo
This small and cozy restaurant has two dining areas inside, and weather permitting, tables outside. It offers a six course tasting menu, and an a la carte list with pastas and an even number of fish and meat dishes. It mostly uses fresh and local ingredients, and is a serious competitor for one of the top dining experiences in the city (it's also not cheap).
De Pisis
Overlooking the Grand Canal in the Bauer Hotel, this restaurant will offer you a memorable gourmet meal by an acclaimed chef who's an expert in both Mediterranean and Asian cuisines. The dining room features a classic Venetian-style décor, creating a romantic and intimate ambience.
Met Restaurant
This restaurant inside the Metropole Hotel has been awarded a Michelin star, still a rarity in Venice. The creative regional cuisine is served in a dining room by the hotel's garden courtyard, while from the bar you get a view of the lagoon.
Mirai Creative Sushi
Fish is a Venetian specialty, but usually served only the local way. Those looking for fish presented in the increasingly-popular Japanese way now have this restaurant in the Amadeus Hotel. Sit at the wood-paneled dining rooms and join the hip crowds waiting for the creative sushi. If the weather is good, choose the tables in the garden instead.
MORE VENICE:
SIGHTS & ATTRACTIONS | HOTELS & HOSTELS | BARS & CLUBS | CAFES & RESTAURANTS | SHOPPING | BODY & SOUL |
GAY & LESBIAN | MAP & TRANSPORTATION | CAR RENTAL | TOURS & DAYTRIPS |
