There’s a hell of a lot of tourist traps in Venice. There’s also a hell of a lot of unbelievable restaurants–especially in respect to the city’s (small) size. Eating well here takes a bit of thinking ahead, with most of the following falling under the “reservations recommended” umbrella, if not the “reservations required” one. (This doesn’t hold true, however, when it comes to bacari hopping for cicchetti–if that’s more your speed, check out our guide to the best cicchetti in Venice here.)

But when you do your research, you’ll find a wealth of establishments both traditional and contemporary that make the most of local seafood (remember that it’s not sea-food here, but lagoon-food), the satellite islands’ vegetable production, and the occasional meat from the hinterland (duck is the usual here). 

These are the absolute best restaurants in Venice (both mainland and satellite islands), with casual trattorias and upscale restaurants alike. 

If you need a bit of a primer on what to expect from Venetian food, check out our guide to the 20 foods you must eat here (an explanation on what tf cicchetti are included).

RESTAURANTS ON MAINLAND VENICE

Osteria ai Assassini – This old-fashioned osteria, between the Rialto bridge and Piazza San Marco, has hosted a wide range of notables: Nobel Prize winner Dario Fo (who famously cooked himself two eggs in the kitchen), Nino Manfredi (who celebrated his birthday here), Vittorio Gassman, Paolo Rossi, and Nicolas Cage. Music, played not from a Spotify playlist but from vinyls, helps contribute to the cozy vibe. 

Must Order: Homemade tagliolini with confit cherry tomatoes, grey mullet, and lime or with burro di montagna e acciughe; fegata alla veneziana 

Osteria San Isepo – This newcomer embodies poca scena e tanta sostanza (little scene and a lot of substance). Small, vibrant, convivial, and great for those looking for vegan and vegetarian friendly options, San Isepo pays homage to the various cultures that have touched Venice over the centuries, with an inclusive menu that doesn’t shy away from “foreign” ingredients; like grilled octopus with cannellini bean cream, pak-choi, and marinated purple cabbage or polenta gnocchi with cuttlefish ink and a pea and mint cream. 

Must Order: Polpo e patate; frittura; bigoli in salsa 

Stappo – At this chic wine bar and kitchen–an enoteca con cucina–by-the-glass offerings are accompanied by a creative menu that puts ingredient quality first; think grilled octopus with grass pea cream and pimentón or baccalà mantecato served with leek cream and tapioca chips. The menu evolves with the chef’s latest inspirations, but you’ll always find their staples: oysters and freshly made pasta. Keep an eye out for pop-up events. 

Must Order: Pancia di maiale with millefoglie di sedano rapa and salsa ai mirtilli (Pork belly with celeriac millefeuille and blueberry sauce)

Osteria Giorgione da MASA – A collaboration between Masa, a Japanese chef who grew up in Kobe, and the Venetian family who runs Hotel Giorgione, Osteria Giorgione da MASA is a wonderful break from the city’s all-Venetian offerings. Here, sarde e saor comes with daikon radish and soy sauce, while handmade gyoza are filled with grilled prawns; udon bowls make for great vegetarian options. The handwritten menu changes daily based on the availability of the Rialto market’s produce, centering on the concept of katei ryori (Japanese home-cooking) all served with a great selection of natural wines. There are two seatings a night, and reservations are required. 

Must Order: Any of the secondi

Osteria alle Testiere – Originally a bacaro, this 10-tabled spot on Calle del Mondo Novo has become one of the city’s most sought-after bistros and earned a nod from the Michelin guide for its traditional Venetian cuisine. Part of the “Osti in Orto” project, through which small restaurants across the islands collaborate to cultivate and share fresh produce on a small farm on the satellite island of Sant’Erasmo (other members include Al Covo and Alla Bomba), Chef Luca changes the menu daily, based on the farm’s harvest and local market availability. Reservations are more or less essential. 

Must Order: Ravioli with granchio; antipasti

Enoteca Ai Artisti – This easy-going restaurant is as charming as its owners, couple Francesca and Vincenzo, who choose fresh products for the evening’s menu every day from Rialto market. There are a few tables along a little side canal, but the inside is supremely cozy–and showcases the excellent selection of wines. 

Must Order: Raw fish; handmade maltagliati with shrimp and prawns

Koenji – At this “bacaro and osteria” in the San Polo neighborhood, you’ll find a blend of Japanese home cooking and Venetian tradition. After successfully opening two Venetian bacari in Tokyo, manager Takahiro and chef Norihiko turned to Italy to open this intimate establishment. Menu highlights include baccalà mantecato flavored with yuzu, dried squid atop white polenta, and beef tartare jeweled with a soy sauce marinated egg yolk. Wash it all down with a sake pairing. 

Must Order: Japanese-style beef tartare

Osteria Anice Stellato – Exceptional service and chic, well-plated dishes are hallmarks of this establishment, set on a quiet street off Cannaregio’s main drag. Innovative takes on local cuisine include tandoori fish and, our favorite, the seppie e piselli (cuttlefish and peas). Dishes change by the season, but always focus on products from small, local businesses. Reservations recommended. 

Must Order: If available, friggitelli, paté di pollo, limone e pecorino; spaghettone mancini acciughe e cipolla 

Trattoria Al Bomba – In Sestiere Cannaregio, Alla Bomba has just one communal table–with 28 seats–for convivial meals of artisanal wines and thoughtfully-plated contemporary cuisine that highlights the ingredients of the lagoon and valley. Much of the produce comes from co-owner Tomaso Medici’s very own farm, part of the project “Osti in Orto” on the island of Sant Erasmo, historically known as the “vegetable garden of Venice”. As part of this initiative, Medici, in collaboration with 10 other local restaurateurs, rehabilitated an old farm and started producing veggies and eggs to supply the team’s restaurants. 

Must Order: Cappellacci with goat cheese and shrimp 

Estro – This elevated wine cave and kitchen offers three different tasting menus–available for lunch and dinner–as well as an à la carte menu with thoughtfully-presented, seasonal Venetian plates. You’re going to want to try a bit of everything, so your best bet is to order the antipasti Veneziani. 

Must Order: Strozzapreti al Farro Fatti in Casa al Ragù di Cortile 

Tocia – The project of Tocia is hard to pin down conceptually: it’s not a restaurant, and not really a pop-up. More of a culinary community, Tocia’s goal is to reinvigorate Lagoon cuisine while creating conviviality around their communal wooden table, always laden with hand-thrown ceramic dishware and wooden vases turned right there in the studio back room. The eponymous sauce, served before every meal, best exemplifies their whole philosophy: a constantly evolving, koji-fermented mother sauce made from ingredients brought in by visiting chefs, friends, and producers. They also host regular grassroots art showcases–many in collaboration with the Biennale–and community events. Message them on Instagram before you go to see what’s in store and to reserve your spot; they don’t do dinner every night or even every week, so it’s best to plan ahead. 

Al Covo – Head to Al Covo, in the Castello neighborhood, for the Platonic ideal of Venetian cuisine. Helmed by the husband-and-wife duo Cesare Benelli and Diane Rankin (a dessert master), this local-favorite exclusively uses 0km, seasonal ingredients for well-executed takes on regional classics (they’ve also joined the aforementioned Osti in Orto!). 

Must Order: Mantecato; granseola; frittura; when in season, moeche e bisato 

Corte Sconta – Best for lunch, when you can ask for an outdoor table under the vine-covered pergola, Corte Sconta is another seafood spot with an inventive menu, but not at the expense of the classics. Seasonal takes means you can come back countless times and always try something new. (Pro Tip: Take a peek at the counter in the entryway; it was designed by the legendary Carlo Scarpa!)  

Must Order: Tuna carpaccio and chitarra with scallops and artichokes, when available. 

Local – This polished spot with rustic-chic decor earned a Michelin star in 2021 for its elevated takes on Venetian classes. Owner Benedetta was inspired by the hospitality of her grandmother, and the open kitchen really does contribute to the family-like atmosphere. The ever-passionate Benedetta aims to showcase “the unique setting of Venice and its richness of ingredients and flavors, which here are enhanced by the saline soil–like the violet artichokes from Sant’Erasmo and the Dorona from Mazzorbo.”

Must Order: The tasting menu (note that the lunch service is much more affordable)

Antiche Carampane – Tucked away between calle and campi, this homey spot is one of Venice’s historic, family-run restaurants–a true locals’ classic. This is where you should eat if you’re looking for plates of Venetian tradition that are hard to find elsewhere, among them spaghetti “in cassopipa” (with squid, mollusks, and shellfish) and del ragù di “secoe” (made with the pieces of meat between the vertebrae in a cow). 

Must Order: Antipasti della tradizione; fried zucchini; gnocchetti alla Granseola

Cà D’oro alla Vedova – Tucked in an alley, this homestyle Venetian institution has great choices for both seafood and meat lovers; the former should order the bigoli in salsa, while the latter should opt for the superlative polpette. The cozy, wood-paneled bacaro is perfect any time of day, whether for an ombra and a few bites at the counter or for a full sit-down meal. 

Must Order: Bigoli in salsa; polpette

Pietra Rossa – This 2023 opening from Andrea Lorenzon is a top choice for a daily changing menu of creative, with-the-seasons cooking; a first-rate selection of natural wines and great music choices round out the picture. At the entrance, a portico marks the spot where the plague stopped in 1630, sparing the neighborhood; two shrines were built to honor the Madonna, distinguished by a red stone (hence the restaurant’s name), which legend warns never to step on to avoid bad luck. Be sure to book ahead–and opt for the indoor courtyard in the warmer months. (The team behind Pietra Rossa formerly managed bistro CoVino, whose management has been taken over by the wonderful Al Covo team.)

Must Order: Valeria Necchio recommends ordering any of their primi–especially, if available, the sailors’ carbonara made with bottarga, turmeric, and crisp bits of bacon 

Bacán – A 2023 addition to Venice’s internationally-tilted restaurant scene, this recommendation comes courtesy of Italy Segreta contributor Valeria Necchio. Young and fun, but not at the expense of elegance, Bacán is owned by a couple–she from Bilbao, he from Venice–who have brought the flavors of Latin America to a tight, oft-changing menu available as a tasting or a la carte. Pasta al forno, for example, might get a kick from achiote pepper, or a quesadilla its dynamic flavors from both salsa pipán and black truffles. Mezcal-based cocktails round out the picture. 

Must Order: Guacamole with fried schie on top and all their summery ceviches 

RESTAURANTS ON VENICE’S SATELLITE ISLANDS

Trattoria Altanella (Giudecca) – Four generations of the Stradella family have run this simple trattoria on the island of Giudecca–known for their seafood pastas and fried and grilled fish since 1889. You have to take a ferry to get here, but it’s well worth it for the lack of crowds and views of Venice; ask for a table on the canalside terrace.

Must Order: Fried calamari; tagliolini with shrimp, tomato, and zucchini 

Trattoria al Gatto Nero (Burano) – This long-standing, family-owned spot is a well-known address for fresh catches and homestyle pastas on the island of Burano. Simplicity is key here, allowing the lagoon’s fruits to shine in plates like crudità del giorno (raw fish of the day), tagliolini alla Grancevola (tagliolini with spider crab), and grigliata mista (mixed grilled fish). It’s well worth catching the traghetto out to the teensy island just to eat here. 

Must Order: Risotto di gò

Trattoria da Romano (Burano) – This charming restaurant on the picturesque island of Burano was a favorite of the famously hungry Fellini. With a history dating back to 1927, this family-run trattoria is renowned for its traditional Venetian cuisine, especially its seafood dishes, served in a warm and welcoming ambiance that captures the essence of the island’s rich fishing heritage.

Must Order: Risotto di gò

Locanda Cipriani (Torcello) – A favorite of Ernest Hemingway and Italy Segreta contributor Genevieve Verdigel, this restaurant gives you a front-row seat to views of the satellite island’s 9th-century basilica and famously green fields. The restaurant’s garden supplies much of the fresh produce–perfect for risotto alla torcellana–and, come springtime’s full bloom, you can sit surrounded by roses under the pergola. 

Must Order: Genevieve recommends the Cipriani signatures: carpaccio; cannelloni with veal ragù; fegato with polenta; risotto alla torcellana 

Venissa Osteria (Mazzorbo) – This upscale restaurant is set amongst reclaimed vineyards, the wines from which can accompany your Venetian meal (though, be warned, they come with a hefty price tag). Contemporary takes on Lagoon ingredients are the name of the game, with little twists that take classics to new heights; for example, the baccalà mantecato gets extra flavor from lemon, mint, and capers, while an albacore tartare might come with the likes of smoked leeks. There are also creative takes for vegetarians, like ricotta gnudi with spinach, kefir, and wild fennel fronds or an eggplant cotoletta. (Those looking for a more high-end option can check out the sister restaurant, Venissa Ristorante, for seven- and ten-course tasting menus.) If you go for lunch, walk over the little footbridge connecting Mazzorbo and Burano and spend the afternoon exploring the candy-colored houses of the latter. 

Must Order: Whatever’s on offer!

Da Celeste (Pellestrina) – Come to this joint on the slender satellite island of Pellestrina for unbeatable spaghetti alle vongole di Chioggia and equally unbeatable sunsets. With outdoor seating on a platform over the lagoon, you’ll have the views of the water on one side and those of the colorful fishermen houses of the island on the other. It’s a particularly tranquil respite from mainland Venice.

Must Order: Homemade fregola with tomato sauce and vongole; spaghetti alle vongole di Chioggia

Trattoria Ai Frati (Murano) – This locals’ choice on the glassblowing island is pretty no-frills, but on the large outdoor platform, you’ll get spectacular views of Murano’s primary waterway. It’s an affordable choice with a menu that runs the gamut of Venetian homestyle plates. 

Must Order: Risotto di pesce

Osteria Acquastanca (Murano) – A more refined choice on the island of Murano, Acquastanca–which translates to “tired water”–has a tight menu of well-executed classics in a space with wood beams and exposed brick walls. 

Must Order: Tagliolini con seppie in nero