23 Best Restaurants in Venice, Italy

Established in 1950, this restaurant along the quiet, northern outlier of Fondamente Nove has grandstand views of the San Michele island and various menus showcasing seasonal fish, meat, and pasta dishes. The friendly staff also serve ice cream, drinks, and sandwiches, making its modern bar, chic dining rooms, and lagoon-side platform restful environs to pause any time of day.   

The name is a reference to the old headboards that adorn the walls of this tiny, informal restaurant, but the food (not the decor) is undoubtedly the focus. Local foodies consider this one of the most refined eateries in the city thanks to chef Bruno Gavagnin's gently creative take on classic Venetian fish dishes; the chef's artistry seldom draws attention to itself, but simply reveals new dimensions of familiar fare, creating dishes that stand out for their lightness and balance. A classic black risotto of cuttlefish, for example, is surrounded by a brilliant coulis of mild yellow peppers; tiny potato gnocchi are paired with tender newborn squid. The menu changes regularly to capitalize on the freshest produce of the moment, and the wine selection is top-notch. To enjoy a more leisurely meal, be sure to book the second dinner seating.

Housed in the atmospheric, deconsecrated ecclesiastical buildings of the Chiesa di San Giovanni Novo, this special restaurant run by the attentive Giuseppe Calliandro marries classic Venetian cuisine with some inventive flavor combinations. In colder months dine amid magnificent wooden beams, religious artworks, and quirky objects; in warmer times, the pretty, plant-filled courtyard is the place to sit. There are set menus to choose from, including a good-value daily menu (€26), plus fish, meat, vegetables, Venetian classics, and the Antica Sacrestia (€80), if splurging.

For a break from all the fish and seafood options in Venice, this is your place; the meat- and veggie-focused menu (inspired by the cuisine of the Venetian mainland) presents a new temptation at every course, and market availability keeps the dishes changing almost every day. The homemade desserts are all luscious (it's been said that La Bitta serves the best panna cotta in town), and you can trust the owner's selections from her excellent wine and grappa lists, which tend to favor small local producers.

The candlelit tables on this romantic campo are inviting enough, but it's the intimate restaurant's imaginative kitchen that's likely to win you over; you can order consistently excellent pasta, fish, or meat dishes à la carte or opt for one of the rewarding tasting menus. The wine list is ample and well thought out, and the service is gracious, warm, and professional.

Pop into this canal-side restaurant at lunch for a satisfying primo or come for dinner to sample fine and fresh offerings; the candlelit tables that line the fondamenta (quay) suggest romance, and the service is friendly and welcoming. The posted menu—with choices like tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms and tiger prawns, or a filleted John Dory with tomatoes and pine nuts—changes daily (spot the date at the top) and seasonally.

For an appealing selection of old-school Venetian recipes, this elegant restaurant on a peaceful side street—family-run since around 1950—more than delivers. Dishes are heavy on the seafood, and you can’t go wrong with classics like spaghetti allo scoglio (with seafood) or sarde e gamberi in saor (sweet-and-sour shrimp and sardines), served up by the friendly staff.

A brother-sister team run this refined trattoria, where you're made to feel as if you've been personally invited to lunch or dinner. Indulge, perhaps, in rigatoni with duck sauce or arugula-stuffed ravioli, seafood risotto made to order, or sesame-encrusted tuna. Just note, though, that it's the meat dishes that steal the show: the steak with red-pepper sauce and the tagliata di agnello (sautéed lamb fillet with a light, crusty coating) are both superb, and you'll never enjoy a better fegato alla veneziana. This is a place for wine connoisseurs, as the cellar is one of the best in the city. Come for the second seating in the evening or at lunch for more relaxed service.

Grab a seat among locals at this charming, intimate eatery—the perfect place to pop in for a lunchtime primo or to embark on a romantic evening. The name, referring to the tranquility of the lagoon at the turn of the tide, reflects this restaurant's approach to food and service, and you'll find such tempting seafood-based dishes as gnocchi with scallops and zucchini and curried scampi with black rice; tasteful decor sets the mood with exposed brick, iron and glass accents, and charming fish sculptures.

For years, Diane and Cesare Binelli's Al Covo has set the standard of excellence for traditional, refined Venetian cuisine; the Binellis are dedicated to providing their guests with the freshest, highest-quality fish from the Adriatic, and vegetables, when at all possible, from the islands of the Venetian Lagoon and the fields of the adjacent Veneto region. Although their cuisine could be correctly termed "classic Venetian," it always offers surprises, like the juicy crispness of their legendary fritto misto (fried mixed seafood and vegetables)—reliant upon an unconventional secret ingredient in the batter—or the heady aroma of their fresh anchovies marinated in wild fennel, an herb somewhat foreign to Veneto. The main exception to Al Covo's distinct local flavor is Diane's wonderful Texas-inspired desserts, especially her dynamite chocolate cake.

This friendly trattoria popular with the locals is only a short walk from the Rialto markets. The pizza—not a Venetian specialty, generally speaking—is pretty good here, but the star attractions are the generous appetizers and excellent shellfish pastas. In good weather, you can enjoy your meal in the pergola-covered courtyard (do reserve if you want to snag a table there). There's no English menu, but a server can usually help you out. The house wine is quite drinkable.

"The Madonna" used to be world-famous as the classic Venetian trattoria, but in recent decades has settled into middle age. Owned and operated by the Rado family since 1954, this Venetian institution looks like one, with wood beams, stained-glass windows, and a panoply of paintings on white walls. Folks still head here to savor the classic Venetian repertoire, reliable if not inspired, with a strong focus on seafood.

Off the main concourse on one of the most tranquil fondamente of Cannaregio, this small, family-run osteria is the place to stop for artful seafood and meat dishes in a romantic setting. Book a table among the wooden tables, columns, and mosaic floor of the rustic yet elegant dining room or right by the calming canal.

Tucked away in a quiet corner of Santa Croce, with a few tables under an ivy shelter, the Antica Besseta dates from the 19th century, and it retains some of its old feel. The menu focuses on vegetables and fish, according to what's at the market, with some pasta and meat dishes, too. The fish is not all local, but it is served with a tasty sauce and is well prepared. The menu tends toward the elegant and original; speck made from goose, for example, or cheese foam, are not to be found everywhere.

Sleek and elegant in the glowing, brick-lined ground floor of a 16th-century palazzo, the Caffè Centrale has vastly improved since it came under new management two years ago. It is a rarity in Venice: a restaurant that serves until 12:45 am, and is around the corner from the Fenice, so it makes a great place for a post-performance nosh. The menu, while giving a nod to Venetian cuisine (they serve an excellent baccalà mantecato), features mostly creatively prepared continental dishes, such as sautéed fois gras with Sauternes or a spectacular beef fillet with Amarone. There's also a broad selection of very fresh raw fish specialties. For dessert there's a sinful list of sweet temptations, including three variations on the classic Venetian sgroppino (an alcohol-laced sorbet).

For a break from traditional Venetian cuisine, head to this charming eatery featuring two menus: one with innovative Italian dishes, and one with well-prepared sushi and sashimi. Michela Cafarchia, who started Glamy in the garden of her family home, aims to use sustainable, local ingredients as much as possible.

With tables offering a spectacular view of the Zattere outside and an elegant room inside, Harry's (of Cipriani fame) makes for a very indulgent pit stop. While you can linger for lunch or dinner, you can also order or fill your bag to go with light bites, sandwiches, and sweet goodies, such as cake and gelato.

This sleek café is a favorite lunchtime haunt for professors from the nearby university and local businesspeople, when you can easily have a beautifully prepared primo (first course) or secondo (second course), plus a glass of wine, for a reasonable price; there's also a good selection of sandwiches and salads. Unlike most local eateries, this spot is open from breakfast through late dinner, and you can dine well in the evening on imaginative pasta, seafood, and meat dishes. An unusual option is the one-plate "composed" dish that may include boiled and grilled vegetables with marinated salmon and tuna with citrus sauce, or crunchy sauteed vegetables with calamari, shrimp, and octopus.

Simple place settings, wood lattice walls, and a mélange of languages make La Zucca (The Pumpkin) feel much like a typical, somewhat sophisticated vegetarian restaurant that you could find in any European city. What makes La Zucca special is simply great cooking and the use of fresh, local ingredients—many of which, like the particularly sweet zucca itself, aren't normally found outside northern Italy. Although the menu has superb meat dishes, more attention is paid to dishes from the garden; don't miss the house's signature dish—the flan di zucca, a luscious, naturally sweet, pumpkin pudding topped with slivered, aged ricotta cheese.

A nearly legendary restaurant—Hemingway came here often to eat, drink, and brood under the veranda's greenery—established by a nephew of Giuseppe Cipriani (the founder of Harry's Bar), this inn profits from its idyllic location on the island of Torcello. The food is not exceptional, especially considering the high prices, but dining here is more about getting lost in Venetian magic; the menu features pastas and lots of seafood.

Don't let the name pizzeria con cucina fool you: Muro offers its mostly youthful clientele a varied menu and uses high-quality ingredients, taking its cue from its more refined sister restaurant, Muro Rialto. Select from excellent Venetian fare and pizza in classic and innovative forms—try the arrotolata amoretesoro (a rolled pizza) with bresaola (thinly sliced air-cured beef), scamorza (a delicately flavored melting cheese made from cow's milk), and radicchio. Chef Francesco adds dimension to the menu with classic Italian selections, along with the piatti unici, a single course fancifully combining elements of first and second courses. A wide selection of beer is on tap.

This small, popular neighborhood osteria—located canal-side, just under the nose of the campo's famous corner statue—specializes in creative versions of classic Italian (but not necessarily Venetian) dishes; don't skip dessert, as the tiramisu wins raves. Dine in the artsy and atmospheric interior or outside in the intimate, echoing square for a truly memorable experience.

Around since 1965, Al Gatto Nero offers the best fish on Burano. No matter what you order, though, you'll savor the pride the owner and his family have in their lagoon, their island, and the quality of their cucina (maybe even more so when enjoying it on the picturesque fondamenta). The fish is top quality and couldn't get any fresher; all pastas and desserts are made in-house; the fritto misto is outstanding for its lightness and variety of fish; risotto de Gò (ghiozzo) is a Burano cucina povera standard that had almost disappeared from local menus until Anthony Bourdain introduced it to travelers. "Each day our fisherman return with the best the lagoon has to offer," says the owner, who, upon understanding he could not pursue his dream of being a musician, decided instead to make the kitchen sing.