Restaurant recommendations in Venice
Discussion
I think that you are pre-supposing that there are a body of locals that outnumber tourists.
I suspect that you could be disappointed. Tourists are everywhere. The locals we observed were eating in the tiny bars away from the crowds, but it was simple food, not high end.
I think you would be better served by TripAdviser.
We stayed on Moreno and asked staff in the hotel where they would eat. Needless to say, it was full of tourists - but the food was good. But then we like Italian food.
I suspect that you could be disappointed. Tourists are everywhere. The locals we observed were eating in the tiny bars away from the crowds, but it was simple food, not high end.
I think you would be better served by TripAdviser.
We stayed on Moreno and asked staff in the hotel where they would eat. Needless to say, it was full of tourists - but the food was good. But then we like Italian food.
A few years since I was there but we were recommended Osteria AE Spezie on our first night and ate there another two nights it was so good.
Something I've always found to work well in Italy is to ask waiters for recommendations and take them, ask about local wines etc.
A real highlight I had at this place was razor clams with a bottle of Venetian white. One of the best meals I have ever had.
I am sure there are other good places - just avoid the ones advertising pizza, bolognaise and employing someone full time to drag tourists in off the street.
Something I've always found to work well in Italy is to ask waiters for recommendations and take them, ask about local wines etc.
A real highlight I had at this place was razor clams with a bottle of Venetian white. One of the best meals I have ever had.
I am sure there are other good places - just avoid the ones advertising pizza, bolognaise and employing someone full time to drag tourists in off the street.
You can eat well in Venice, it just requires you to work a bit harder to find somewhere off the beaten-path. As a general rule, and like anywhere else, try and eat well away from the tourist traps in the main squares & canal side.
For example, the two very famous cafes - Florian & one I can't remember - on the main square are beautiful but have prices to make you wince (coffee can be €10, beer €16), and if you sit outside when the little orchestra's playing you'll pay €6 extra for the privilege. Like anywhere else in Venice, the tables cost more, so if you sit at the ‘bar’ stools inside, it’s cheaper.
Most Tourist places will charge you a 'Coperto' - a couple of Euro - from the start (still no idea what it's for) & then angle for a tip on top as well. As usual in Italy, the 'free' bread they plonk in front of you isn't free, so send it back if unwanted.
'Harry's Bar' - Famous restaurant, Michael Winner's favourite, and where the Bellini & Carpaccio were 'invented' - near San Marco. Just exit the square at the end opposite the Basilica/Campanile, and go left down one of the streets there towards the waterfront - it's quite easy to miss. I warn you - you'll think it's terribly cosmopolitan to go in and order two Bellinis, but after some perfunctory service, lighter by some €21 (each!!), trying to eke out two ruinously-expensive & minuscule flutes of Prosecco with peach pulp, surrounded by other guide-book carrying, cagoule-wearing, miserable tourists, you may decide it’s an overpriced experience. But what the hell, 'YOLO' and all that.
Like much of Southern Europe, Cafe culture rules over Bars. The small ‘Devil's Forest’ Irish Bar (nightmare to find, but come straight off the Rialto at San Marco side & go down the tiny alleyway in front, towards San Marco direction) is one of the few proper boozers. Most notably, they serve the lethal 'Harp Super', which is a strong taste of home that is inexplicably popular in Italy.
In general, try and get away from the main parts to the outlying islands - much less crowded and equally charming. Burano (famous for lace), Murano (glass stuff), San Giorgio Maggiore (island with lovely church tower overlooking the main square in Venice), Isola de San Michele (entire island given over to City Cemetery, for sanitation reasons - odd, but fascinating).
If you can, try and get a walk through San Marco square very late/very early – i.e. after midnight or before 6am – you’ll have it all to yourself and it's honestly ten times more atmospheric with not a soul around & mist rolling off the lagoon, just magical.
My other main advice for when the crowds get too much is to go to the island of San Giorgio Maggiore - vaporetto line No.2, just 1 stop away from ‘San Zaccaria/Pieta’ stop near St Marks Sq. Departs every 10mins during the day. Purchase tickets from office at the stop. It's very close and much quieter than San Marco, but the genius of it is that whilst the Campanile tower on San Marco is good, the tower on Giudecca is half the price, with less queues, and offers better views of San Marco itself & the canal, from a perspective. Get the lift inside the big church. Afterwards, there's a nice wee waterfront bar/cafe just behind the church, to the left of the entrance.
For example, the two very famous cafes - Florian & one I can't remember - on the main square are beautiful but have prices to make you wince (coffee can be €10, beer €16), and if you sit outside when the little orchestra's playing you'll pay €6 extra for the privilege. Like anywhere else in Venice, the tables cost more, so if you sit at the ‘bar’ stools inside, it’s cheaper.
Most Tourist places will charge you a 'Coperto' - a couple of Euro - from the start (still no idea what it's for) & then angle for a tip on top as well. As usual in Italy, the 'free' bread they plonk in front of you isn't free, so send it back if unwanted.
'Harry's Bar' - Famous restaurant, Michael Winner's favourite, and where the Bellini & Carpaccio were 'invented' - near San Marco. Just exit the square at the end opposite the Basilica/Campanile, and go left down one of the streets there towards the waterfront - it's quite easy to miss. I warn you - you'll think it's terribly cosmopolitan to go in and order two Bellinis, but after some perfunctory service, lighter by some €21 (each!!), trying to eke out two ruinously-expensive & minuscule flutes of Prosecco with peach pulp, surrounded by other guide-book carrying, cagoule-wearing, miserable tourists, you may decide it’s an overpriced experience. But what the hell, 'YOLO' and all that.
Like much of Southern Europe, Cafe culture rules over Bars. The small ‘Devil's Forest’ Irish Bar (nightmare to find, but come straight off the Rialto at San Marco side & go down the tiny alleyway in front, towards San Marco direction) is one of the few proper boozers. Most notably, they serve the lethal 'Harp Super', which is a strong taste of home that is inexplicably popular in Italy.
In general, try and get away from the main parts to the outlying islands - much less crowded and equally charming. Burano (famous for lace), Murano (glass stuff), San Giorgio Maggiore (island with lovely church tower overlooking the main square in Venice), Isola de San Michele (entire island given over to City Cemetery, for sanitation reasons - odd, but fascinating).
If you can, try and get a walk through San Marco square very late/very early – i.e. after midnight or before 6am – you’ll have it all to yourself and it's honestly ten times more atmospheric with not a soul around & mist rolling off the lagoon, just magical.
My other main advice for when the crowds get too much is to go to the island of San Giorgio Maggiore - vaporetto line No.2, just 1 stop away from ‘San Zaccaria/Pieta’ stop near St Marks Sq. Departs every 10mins during the day. Purchase tickets from office at the stop. It's very close and much quieter than San Marco, but the genius of it is that whilst the Campanile tower on San Marco is good, the tower on Giudecca is half the price, with less queues, and offers better views of San Marco itself & the canal, from a perspective. Get the lift inside the big church. Afterwards, there's a nice wee waterfront bar/cafe just behind the church, to the left of the entrance.
Edited by UnclePat on Friday 6th October 23:32
La zucca is a very decent little place tucked out the way. It's veg friendly but does meat dishes, the duck leg agnolotti is superb. We had lunch here (2 courses) plus a carafe of superb red for under 50euros.
We stayed just off the campo santo stefano. Between there and San Marco there's a myriad of small alleys, most of which have tiny bars (Bacari). Best type of eating was bar hopping around 5-7pm, having a glass of wine and a small plate of whatever was being served up fresh.
It was this article which inspired
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/feb/13/ven...
We stayed just off the campo santo stefano. Between there and San Marco there's a myriad of small alleys, most of which have tiny bars (Bacari). Best type of eating was bar hopping around 5-7pm, having a glass of wine and a small plate of whatever was being served up fresh.
It was this article which inspired
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/feb/13/ven...
UnclePat said:
Most Tourist places will charge you a 'Coperto' - a couple of Euro - from the start (still no idea what it's for) & then angle for a tip on top as well. As usual in Italy, the 'free' bread they plonk in front of you isn't free, so send it back if unwanted.
Coperto as you say is charged everywhere in Italy by default. It is the tip, essentially.Most Italians don't add anything on top, some might leave a couple extra coins. A fiver per person in an upscale restaurant if the bill is significant.
Definitely nowhere near the standard 12.5% most places add automatically to the bill in London!
Trattoria da Jonny - fine dining
Osteria alla staffa - rustic
Spaghetteria 6342 - rustic
We visited all after doing a bit of research on trip advisor. They were all excellent and not ridiculously expensive. Typically between €80-100 for two with wine etc.
They're located in and around the castle district so a little bit more off the beaten path. Seem popular with locals based on the reviews too.
For lunch, we hunted out a few tiny little bars that sell miniature sandwiches, bruschetta and other small dishes beautifully presented for about €1-2 each.
We did the whole wallet raping prosecco thing in San Marcos square and despite the cost, it was a pleasant experience.
Tip though, in the bottom corner of the square is a tiny little bar who do a Spritz for €3.50. a bargain given the location.
Osteria alla staffa - rustic
Spaghetteria 6342 - rustic
We visited all after doing a bit of research on trip advisor. They were all excellent and not ridiculously expensive. Typically between €80-100 for two with wine etc.
They're located in and around the castle district so a little bit more off the beaten path. Seem popular with locals based on the reviews too.
For lunch, we hunted out a few tiny little bars that sell miniature sandwiches, bruschetta and other small dishes beautifully presented for about €1-2 each.
We did the whole wallet raping prosecco thing in San Marcos square and despite the cost, it was a pleasant experience.
Tip though, in the bottom corner of the square is a tiny little bar who do a Spritz for €3.50. a bargain given the location.
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