Venice, the key Italian city is one of the most-frequented tourist destinations in the world. For food lovers, the city is a veritable paradise. This world’s most beautiful city has plenty of restaurants. Authentic eateries where local Italian fares are served are scattered across the city. For those passionate about fine-dining, there are many options as well. The restaurants for fine-dining in this waterside city are found in the labyrinthine side streets.
The most popular restaurants for gourmet, fine-dining that merits a visit include Venissa, Riva Rosa, Quadri, Osteria di Santa Marina, Osteria Enoteca Ai Artisti, Locanda Cipriani, Il Ridotto, Da Fiore, Corte Sconta, Antiche Carampane, and Alle Testiere. These restaurants are renowned for serving exceptional cuisines.
Let us have a look at these famous restaurants in Venice and know about their respective offerings.
Venissa
Venissa restaurant is situated on the charming rural island of Mazzorbo, just nearby Burano. The restaurant owes its existence to the Bisol dynasty of winemakers. The ancient walled estate acquired by Bisol dynasty winemakers is presently home to Venissa. The main purpose of taking over the walled vineyards in Mazzorbo was to produce a fine wine from Dorona, a near-extinct grape variety. Another idea was also to bring into existence a spring-to-autumn restaurant where freshly-procured local ingredients were to be used for preparing delectable cuisines. Some of the local ingredients were also sourced from its own vegetable gardens. The owners of Venissa have achieved both their objectives quite successfully. The restaurant now offers delicious cuisines, which are natural, excellent and inventive. When visiting Venissa, consider trying out its two exotic dishes – spaghetti in reduced cuttlefish ink or mackerel in tarragon sauce.
Alle Testiere
There are at least four restaurants that are a must-visit in Castello. The Alle Testiere, Corte Sconta, Il Ridotto and Osteria di Santa Marina are the prominent restaurants that should be visited.
The Alle Testiere is a famous seafood restaurant situated close by Santa Maria Formosa. This small restaurant has a seating capacity of only 22 guests in its sober, elegant dining hall. The restaurant is run by two people – sommelier Luca and Chef Bruno. The menu at the restaurant is based on fresh and good fishes procured every morning. The creations here are simply amazing. You can try out John Dory fillet in citrus sauce supplemented with aromatic herbs, which is obviously a Testiere classic. Before dining, it is mandatory to make bookings first. The restaurant serves in two sittings only, the first is at 7 pm and the second is at 9.30 pm.
Corte Sconta
The Corte Sconta restaurant is situated in the lanes of eastern Castello, a residential area. This restaurant boasts of being a leader in Venetian seafood cuisine. The prominent highlight at this restaurant is its vine-covered inner courtyard. It is absolutely one of the pleasant places in the town to savor an al fresco meal. The starters are traditionally the best feature of a Venetian meal. This restaurant is renowned for its seafood nibbles such as canoce (mantis prawns), granseola (spider crab), schie (small grey shrimps) with polenta, and various other Adriatic delights.
Il Ridotto
Il Ridotto is a compact gourmet restaurant, which opened in 2005. It is situated near Piazza San Marco. People in the town call this restaurant a little shrine to foodie excellence. The restaurant comprises of two rooms and can seat around 18 people at a time. The delicious food that are among the prominent highlights here include roast scallops on a bed of creamed carrot served along with flavorsome baccalà (salt cod). Don’t forget trying out the awesome desserts here. You will just relish goat’s cheese served with pears stewed in red wine.
Osteria di Santa Marina
Visit the elegant trattoria-restaurant Osteria di Santa Marina in Castello for a preferential treatment. Local Venetians simply love getting exclusive treatment here. The quality of service and food are simply unmatchable. It’s absolutely the best place in Venice to try out a special meal like sea bass ravioli in mussel and clam broth, salt-cod flan with leek purée.
Antiche Carampane
The two restaurants worth visiting in San Polo are Antiche Carampane and Da Fiore. The prominent among the two is the up-market, family restaurant Antiche Carampane. Eating at the trad trattoria-style dining room is indeed a delight. Chef Francesco is famous for his creative cuisines. The local dishes prepared by Francesco that are a must-try here include triglie dell'imbriago (red mullet braised in red wine) or cassopipa (spaghetti with spiced shellfish). If you are visiting the restaurant along with your family and friends, you are required to book your table at least one week in advance. If you don’t turn up at the appointed time, then you are surely heading for a disappointment as the chances are highly likely that the table might be allotted to others.
Da Fiore
Da Fiore is a graceful linen-tablecloth restaurant. It is situated in the center of San Polo district. It has gained the reputation of being 'Venice's best non-hotel restaurant'. Dining at this family-run restaurant is a pleasant experience. The restaurant is known for its gourmet creations such as wild sea bass in balsamic vinegar with Emperor Apples. You can book any one of the two most sought-after tables offering a canal view at the end of dining room well in advance.
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