So many places to eat… so little time. What did we eat during our three nights in Venice?
While touristy restaurants are the norm in Venice, you can still make the most of your meal by following these tips: First trick: Walk away from triple-language menus or laminated pictures of food. Second Trick: For freshness – eat fish. Many seafood dishes are the catch-of-the-day. Third Trick: Eat later. A place may feel touristy at 7 PM, but if you come back at 9 PM, it can be filled with locals… or, at least, Italian visitors. 🙂
Rossopomodoro Pizzeria
This place is big, fun, and practical. It offers top quality, good prices, and a handy location not far off St. Mark’s Square. They cook Naples-style pizzas in their wood oven and offer a good selection of hearty salads and pastas. It is a chain… but it is a good choice for the first night as you get acclimated and when nothing else quite works out.
Our Favorite place for a night-time drink and dessert
The Cafe Florian is right on St. Mark’s Square. There is no better place to sit late night, with the most glorious Piazza in all of Europe behind you, enjoying some snacks, an after dinner drink, and perhaps some dessert… all while being serenated by an orchestra playing a different selection each night. A bit of a sticker shock at the prices… but relax – you’re in Venice! 🙂
Osteria al Mascaron
This is a rustic little bar-turned restaurant where Rick Steves has gone for years.
We got a chance to meet Gigi and his fun-loving band of ruffians on a rainy night.
They dish up rustic-yet-sumptuous pastas with steamy seafood to salivating foodies. Off the beaten path, but very worth finding and enjoying.
Teatro Doldoni
Found this place just outside the Accademia and ducked in to get some lunch and out of the rain. Nothing fantastic – but virtually every place in Italy’s “nothing fantasic” (unless very touristy) is a nice experience.
Our Last Night Meal – Gran Caffe Quadri
The Gran Caffe Quadri is a bit pretentious, but they share the same kitchen as the Michelin-star restaurant upstairs and you get a more traditional and accessible menu. The prices are a bit high but should not ruin your appetite. 🙂
