Venice Food and Drink

Historically, Venice was the crossroads of the spice trade between Europe and the Orient and was a city that played host to a myriad of nationalities and cultures. As a result, Venetian cuisine is a blend of numerous cooking styles and dishes, such as rio al cavroman, a Levantine method of cooking lamb with cloves and cinnamon, transformed by the Venetians into their famous risotto. Polenta, too, is a basic ingredient found in many of Venice's dishes.

Specialists in seafood, Venetians can find an infinite variety of ways to cook baccala and liven up the humble sardine with onions, spiced vinegar, pine nuts and raisins to make sardelle in saor. Liver and onion (fegato alla veneziana) and rice and peas (risi e bisi) are also Venetian specialities. However, if you prefer a more international flavour, there are a wide variety of foreign restaurants throughout the city.

Leading Venice Restaurants

Cipriani Restaurant
Hotel Cipriani, Giudecca 10, 30133 Venice
Tel: +39 041 520 7744 | Fax: +39 041 520 3930

La Caravella
Hotel Saturnia e International, Calle Larga XXII Marzo, San Marco 2398, 30124 Venice
Tel: +39 041 520 8377 | Fax: +39 041 520 7131

Ristorante Do Leoni
Hotel Londra Palace, Riva degli Schiavoni 4171, 30122 Venice
Tel: +39 041 520 0533 | Fax: +39 041 522 5032

Gran Caffe' Ristorante Quadri
Piazza San Marco 120, 30124 Venice
Tel: +39 041 522 2105 | Fax: +39 041 520 8041

Grand Canal
Albergo Monaco e Grand Canal, Calle Vallaresso, San Marco 1325, 30124 Venice
Tel: +39 041 520 0211

Harry's Bar
Calle Vallaresso, San Marco 1323, 30124 Venice
Tel: +39 041 528 5777 | Fax: +39 041 520 8822

La Colomba
Piscina di Frezzeria, San Marco 1665, 30124 Venice
Tel: +39 041 522 1175 | Fax: +39 041 522 1468

Osteria da Fiore
Calle del Scaleter, San Polo 2202, 30125 Venice
Tel: +39 041 721 308 | Fax: +39 041 721 343

Fiaschetteria Toscana
Campo San Giovanni Grisostomo, Cannaregio 5719, 30131 Venice
Tel: +39 041 528 5281 | Fax: +39 041 528 5521

Al Covo
Campiello della Pescaria, Castello 3968, 30122 Venice
Tel: +39 041 522 3812

Vini Da Arturo
Calle degli Assassini, San Marco 3656, 30124 Venice
Tel: +39 041 528 6974

Harry's Dolci
Fondamenta San Biagio, Giudecca 773, 30133 Venice
Tel: +39 041 522 4844 | Fax: +39 041 522 2322

Antico Pignolo
Calle Specchieri, San Marco 451, 30124 Venice
Tel: +39 041 522 8123 | Fax: +39 041 520 9007

Ai Gondolieri
Fondamenta dell'Ospedaletto, Dorsoduro 366, 30123 Venice
Tel: +39 041 528 6396 | Fax: +39 041 521 0075

Da Mario alla Fava
Calle Stagneri, San Marco 5242, 30124 Venice
Tel: +39 041 528 5147 | Fax: +39 041 244 3520