An Insider’s Guide To Where To Actually Eat In Venice
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5 hours ago
Don't get caught in a tourist trap – these are lovely restaurant and bars to know
Venice receives 30 million visitors a year, many of whom are excited by the prospect of tasty Italian food. But whilst you can still find fantastic pizza and Mediterranean classics in the floating city, Venetian fare is better known for its focus on quality seafood and tapas-like plates of cicchetti. If you’re visiting for the first time, you’ll be overwhelmed with places to eat and drink. But a word of caution: not all restaurants and bars are created equally here, and there are a good number of tourist traps. We asked Pietro Lorefice, a Venetian and bar manager at Experimental Cocktail Club Venice, where the locals actually go to eat and drink.
Where To Eat in Venice, According To A Local
Where’s the best place to eat?
Beyond our own restaurant – Restaurant Adriatica – I’d recommend the Osteria Anice Stellato. The young Nardin brothers behind it offer diners a journey through the food and flavours of the Veneto region, reinventing a classic ‘Sunday lunch at Grandma’s’ with creativity and flair.
Where’s the best spot for an Aperol Spritz?
Hilton’s Skyline Rooftop Bar has a killer view, and Il Mercante has the vibes. But come on, stopping at just one spritz? That would be a crime… you’ve got to try their other cocktails, too.
What’s your favourite drink to order at your own bar?
The cocktail menu will suit everyone. My real recommendation is that you really don’t want to skip our cicchetti – especially the meatballs. They’re a game-changer.
What do locals really eat in Venice?
We don’t want to admit it, but we are in love with cicchetti, the same as everyone else; there’s nothing better than pairing them with a good ombra of wine.
Is there a secret spot in Venice that only a local would know?
A secret is a secret, I’d have to erase your memory. Sorry!
What would you skip – in terms of food and drink – if you were a first time visitor to Venice?
Those genius combos like Limoncello Spritz and Amaretto Spritz? You can definitely skip those. Same goes for ordering carbonara in Venice, it’s like asking for baccalà mantecato in Rome. Just don’t.
What’s the best expensive spot for food and drink in Venice?
Aman. Or Quadrino. You have to get a Martini at the first one and a Bloody Mary at the second. Trust me, it’s the rule.
And the best budget spot?
Adriatico Mar, it’s all about simple dishes with a big impact and amazing wines. On a little dock overlooking the canal, and you’ve got the perfect spot to kick back, relax, and let time slow down.
A must-see cultural attraction?
If there’s a place in Venice that’s worth visiting, it’s the Scuola Grande di San Rocco. Tintoretto truly outdid himself, filling every corner with breathtaking masterpieces. It’s like stepping into the Renaissance. Get ready to look up – a lot.
A must-see sight?
The Arts Bar terrace at the St. Regis Hotel. The view of Santa Maria della Salute will take your breath away, so sip on their signature Santa Maria cocktail (it’s pure magic).
And something that’s overrated?
The Rialto Bridge is as iconic as it gets a front-row seat to Venice’s daily hustle. But the city is so much more than just its centre, and let’s be real, there’s no shortage of bridges to cross and views to get lost in.
More Foodie Recommendations For Venice
Experimental Cocktail Club
The Experimental Cocktail Club in Venice, where Pietro works, overlooks the Giudecca Canal and feels like a bonafide locals’ hang, with the finesse of a hotel bar (which it is). The design of the bar is ever so stylish and secretive, and the cicchetti is among the best you’ll find on the island – albeit it looks less like toppings on toast and is more meatballs on sticks. The bar team including Pietro will go out of their way to point you in the right direction, whether it’s art, drinks, food, locals’ gems and so on (in my visit, the bartender scrawls a list on a note of everything worth the entrance fee). Plus, should you desire a heartier meal to wash down your finger foods, Restaurant Adriatica is a doorway away.
Fondamenta Zattere Al Ponte Lungo, 1410, 30123 Venezia VE, experimentalcocktailclub.com
Adriatico Mar
Named for the shores – the mare Adriatico – this teeny wine and cicchetti bar is perfect for a cosy lunch or romantic dinner. Those boating (aka. true locals) have access to a private docking spot, and those who came by on foot can peer over the canal with a glass of Italian red. The food menu is small but consciously curated while the wine menu is extensive, and includes natural varieties. It reportedly ‘rejects’ brands like Aperol that it considers industrial in favour of Italian producers like Rosso.
C. Crosera, 3771, 30125 Venezia VE
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Arva at Aman
Set in the sublime Palazzo Papadopoli – a baroque palace dating back to the mid 16th-century – Aman is both a hotel and restaurant. Thankfully, you don’t need to be a guest to dine here; its fine-dining venue, Arva, is a special occasions favourite for visitors and locals alike. Think seasonal, authentic cuisine – stewed beef cappellaccio and pink prawn carpaccio – in a room that’ll have you craning your neck the whole meal (there’s an exceptional ceiling fresco).
Calle Tiepolo, 1364, 30125 Venezia VE, aman.com
Il Mercante
This seriously cool cocktail bar is a favourite of the young and hip of Venice. Il Mercante is a modern cocktail bar set in a historic Venetian café. A mezzanine floor allows guests on the top floor to peer down into the buzzy conversations below them, while banquette seating downstairs allows you room to listen to quick-fire conversations in Italian from glamorous students and locals alike. Cocktails are superlative and also completely bonkers; take, for example, their twist on the Espresso Martini – it’s topped with a dollop of mascarpone.
Fondamenta Frari, 2564, 30125 Venezia VE, ilmercantevenezia.com
Quadrino
Trying to dine or drink in St Mark’s Square feels like walking into a tourist trap, with suited waiters beckoning you into cash-only (and a lot of cash, at that) eateries with mediocre menus. That’s to say, it’s a quagmire deciding where to actually eat. Thankfully, Quadrino is decidedly not this. Despite sitting plump in one of the most picturesque spots on the island, it’s a casual restaurant in a dressed-up venue (one of Venice’s oldest coffeehouses). Chef Max Alajmo reimagines Italian classics with seasonality firmly in mind, and you still get that postcard view.
P.za San Marco, 122, 30124 Venezia VE, alajmo.it
Osteria Al Squero
The plates at Osteria Al Squero offer true bang for buck – think super tasty €1-3 cicchetti. It’s frequented by locals – a true seal of approval – and is usually fairly busy but the plates here are best enjoyed sat on the canal wall outside, looking out to one of the oldest gondola repair boatyards.
Dorsoduro, 943, 30123 Venezia VE, osteria-al-squero.foodjoyy.com
Featured image: Pexels
