Once an exotic commercial empire, the ancient city of Venice remains one of the most beautiful and historically significant in the world. The charming canals are packed with iconic vaporetti and gondolas, while at every corner there is evidence of the city’s glorious past.
Venice owes part of its rich and illustrious heritage to its proud gastronomic traditions. Delighting travelers with a host of wonderful places to eat, drink, and party, from palatial doge-friendly restaurants to quirky osterias and rustic wine bars filled with hungry locals.
To eat well in Venice, some rules apply. Avoid more touristy areas and places that advertise “tour menus” or appear to be catering to the crowds of tour buses and cruise ships.
Read on for our picks for the best restaurants in Venice, Italy.
Best Traditional Venetian Cuisine: Linea D’Ombra
Direction
Dorsoduro, 19, 30123 Venice VE, ItalyGet directions
Telephone
+39 041 241 1881
Web
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If you are looking for a contemporary take on typical Venetian specialties, check out Linea D’Ombra. Perfectly situated by the canal opposite the splendid 16th century Il Redentore Church by Palladio, its interior is a mix of rustic and industrial-chic design. Among its best features, weather permitting, is the outer shell that sticks out of the water. Sophisticated travelers and local sweet tooth flock here for its menu of fresh fish, traditional pasta, and stunning views, all of which don’t come cheap.
Best Seafood Restaurant: Corte Sconta
Direction
Calle del Pestrin, 3886, 30122 Venice VE, ItalyGet directions
Telephone
+39 041 522 7024
Web
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Along the winding alleys of Castello, one of the six sestieri or districts of Venice, is the Corte Sconta restaurant. Topping the list of places to get the freshest seafood, its atmosphere is authentic trattoria, with a shady summer courtyard that is home to a century-old vine. This place is extremely popular, so if you book early and arrive late, expect your table to be given away. Closed Sundays and Mondays.
Mejor Trattoria Típica: Trattoria al Gatto Nero
Direction
Via Giudecca, 88, 30142 Venice VE, ItalyGet directions
Telephone
+39 041 730120
Web
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To get to Trattoria al Gatto Nero (the black cat), hop on a vaporetto (numbers 9, 12 or N) to the colorful island of Burano, Italy’s lace-making capital. Worth the trip across the Lagoon, the Gatto Nero is a family owned and operated treasure that started as a simple inn after the end of WWII. In 1965, Ruggero Bovo bought Gatto Nero, which soon made it an island institution. The menu is fish-centric, although there is a wide variety of pastas and vegetables in the mix. You can be sure that your meal will come with an excellent glass of wine thanks to the owner’s son, Massimo, who is a certified sommelier. An on-site shop sells porcelain dishes and other artisan products made by natives of Burano. Closed in the month of November.
Best budget restaurant: Impronta Cafè
Direction
Dorsoduro, 3815, 30123 Venice VE, ItalyGet directions
Telephone
+39 041 275 0386
Web
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One of the few places with a salad bar in Venice (or Italy, for that matter), Impronta Cafè serves morning coffee and cornetto, gourmet sandwiches for a quick lunch, and hot meals made for dinner. The blackboard menu has a wide selection of fresh pastas, hearty meat dishes, classic desserts, and tasty cocktails. Whether you’re looking for a takeout situation or want to stick with a glass of wine, this cheerful spot in the San Rocco area is the ideal choice. Sundays closed.
The best pizza: Antico Forno
Direction
Ruga Rialto, 973, 30125 Venice VE, ItalyGet directions
Telephone
+39 041 520 4110
Web
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When you think of Venice, pizza usually doesn’t come to mind, but the owners of Antico Forno are working to change that perception. Exceeding the strict safety rules for operating wood-fired ovens on the island, this pizzeria (located within the Rialto Market) makes soft, chewy focaccia pizzas, rustic-style sliced cakes, and whole sourdough pizzas to go. They also have an impressive list of craft beers on tap.
Best Wine Bar: Bar Puppa
Direction
Calle dello Spezier, 4800, 30121 Venice VE, ItalyGet directions
Telephone
+39 041 476 1454
Web
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In a city full of wine bars, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but we are supporters of Bar Puppa, a cozy little hole-in-the-wall in the Cannaregio district. This inexpensive retro 1960s ‘barcaro’ (Venetian for wine bar) serves small plates of exotic cicchetti (appetizers) and interesting main courses including various vegetarian options. Enjoy a bubbly glass of Prosecco or a citrus Aperol Spritz, along with wonderful house reds and whites.
Best place to have a Bellini: Harry’s Bar
Direction
Calle Vallaresso, 1323, 30124 Venice VE, ItalyGet directions
Telephone
+39 041 528 5777
Web
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Opened in 1931, Harry’s Bar, with its quayside position at the mouth of the Grand Canal, is a legend. Founded by Giuseppe Cipriani with the help of an American investor named Harry, this iconic watering hole is where writer Ernest Hemingway was reported to have spontaneously tended a bar. Harry’s has been mixing its famous Bellini cocktail (a combination of Prosecco and peach puree) for Hollywood’s elite and distinguished heads of state since the mid-20th century. Open for dinner and lunch, seven days a week.
Best People Watching Place: Caffé Florian
Direction
Piazza San Marco, 57, 30124 Venice VE, ItalyGet directions
Telephone
+39 041 520 5641
Web
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The historic and elegant Caffé Florian, established in the early 18th century, is considered the oldest café in all of Europe. Expect to pay a penny for an envious place under the Procuratie Nuove in the iconic Piazza San Marco, but if you are in Venice for the first time, we recommend that you enjoy this unique and unrepeatable experience.
Best place for lunch: Trattoria alla Rampa
Direction
Calle Secondo de la Fava, 1135, 30122 Venice VE, ItalyGet directions
Telephone
+39 041 528 5365
Discreetly located along a scruffy canal, Trattoria alla Rampa is famous for serving neighborhood workers on their plates for lunch, topping plates of ” spaghetti al nero di seppia ” (black squid ink pasta). Cheap and good meals wait for no one, so arrive early before the dining room fills up.
Best Vegetarian / Vegan Restaurant: La Tecia Vegan
Direction
Dorsoduro, 2104, 30123 Venice VE, ItalyGet directions
Telephone
+39 041 524 6244
Web
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Over the years, plant-based gastronomy has become mainstream and Venice has kept pace with this healthy trend. La Tecia Vegan is a nice restaurant in the Dorsoduro district, offering unusual ethnic dishes and old-school local specialties, all made with the freshest organically grown ingredients and produce. Highly rated among non-vegans too, La Tecia Vegan has outdoor bistro seating in warmer climates. Closed on Mondays.
