Best Restaurants in Venice to Suit Every Craving

Venice is famous for canals, bridges, historic palaces and landmarks such as St Mark’s Basilica and the Rialto Bridge. It is also home to a distinctive food culture shaped by the Venetian Lagoon, the Adriatic Sea and centuries of international trade.

This guide covers the best restaurants in Venice for different budgets, diets and occasions. Among the best places to eat in Venice, you will find inexpensive cicchetti, traditional seafood, vegetable-focused cooking, intimate canal-side restaurants and Michelin-starred tasting menus.

Exploring Venice means crossing bridges, navigating narrow streets and sometimes travelling between islands. Qeepl provides convenient luggage storage around the city, allowing you to leave your bags or suitcases in a secure location before heading to lunch or dinner. Prices start from €4.39 per bag per day.

What Should You Know About Food in Venice?

Venetian cuisine reflects the city’s history as a maritime trading power. Seafood, rice, polenta and vegetables grown on the lagoon islands appear throughout traditional menus.

Common seafood dishes include sarde in saor, sardines marinated with onions, vinegar, raisins and pine nuts; baccalà mantecato, whipped salt cod commonly spread on bread or polenta; and risotto al nero di seppia, prepared with cuttlefish and its ink.

Rice grown in the Veneto region is used for dishes such as risi e bisi, a soft combination of rice and peas traditionally associated with spring. Thick strands of pasta known as bigoli may be served in salsa, a savoury sauce made with onions and salted fish.

Cicchetti are small Venetian snacks served in informal wine bars known as bacari. Typical choices include crostini topped with seafood or cheese, meatballs, fried vegetables, marinated fish and small sandwiches. They are usually eaten with a glass of wine, prosecco or a spritz.

Lunch generally takes place between 12:30 and 2:30 p.m., while dinner commonly begins after 7 or 7:30 p.m. Many restaurants close between services, and smaller establishments may have limited weekly opening hours.

Prices vary widely between standing-room bacari, neighbourhood trattorias and fine-dining restaurants. Any price examples below are approximate and may change over time.

Best Affordable Restaurants in Venice

Venice can be expensive, but traditional bacari, cicchetti counters and informal osterias still offer satisfying food without a fine-dining budget.

1. Cantina Do Spade

Cantina Do Spade is one of Venice’s historic osterias, located in San Polo a short walk from the Rialto Bridge and market.

The restaurant serves traditional Venetian dishes alongside cicchetti such as fried seafood, meatballs, crostini and mozzarella in carrozza. Visitors can stop for a few small bites at the counter or sit down for a fuller meal.

2. Osteria Ae Sconte

Osteria Ae Sconte is a small osteria and cicchetteria hidden in a courtyard in Castello, close to the central San Lio area.

The menu focuses on familiar Venetian cooking, including seafood pasta, risotto, grilled fish and traditional appetisers. Its tucked-away location and informal atmosphere provide a quieter alternative to restaurants directly beside the main landmarks.

3. Osteria al Squero

Osteria al Squero is a compact bacaro in Dorsoduro facing the historic Squero di San Trovaso gondola workshop.

It specialises in inexpensive cicchetti, sandwiches, meatballs, wine and spritzes. Seating is limited, and many customers eat beside the canal while watching gondolas being built or repaired across the water.

4. Trattoria Al Gazzettino

Trattoria Al Gazzettino is a central Venetian restaurant situated between the Rialto Bridge and Piazza San Marco.

Its broad menu includes seafood pasta, risotto, grilled fish, meat dishes and familiar Venetian specialities. The convenient location makes it useful for visitors exploring the historic centre, although prices should be checked before ordering because central Venice restaurants vary considerably.

5. Ai Piè del Ponte

Ai Piè del Ponte is an informal osteria near Fondamente Nove and Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo.

The menu includes cicchetti, sandwiches, cheese, cured meat and simple cooked dishes accompanied by natural wines and local drinks. Its waterfront position and casual service make it particularly suitable for an aperitivo or light lunch.

Top Vegetarian Restaurants in Venice

Venice remains strongly associated with seafood, but the city also has vegan restaurants, vegetable-focused osterias and mixed-menu establishments with substantial meat-free choices.

1. La Tecia Vegana

La Tecia Vegana is a completely vegan and organic restaurant in the Santa Marta area of Dorsoduro.

Its menu combines plant-based interpretations of Italian and Venetian dishes with international influences. Preparations may include seitan roasts, vegetable starters, pasta, burgers and vegan desserts. Reservations are required because the dining room is small.

2. Osteria La Zucca

Osteria La Zucca is a small restaurant near Campo San Giacomo dell’Orio that is particularly well known for imaginative vegetable dishes.

La Zucca is not completely vegetarian, but much of its frequently changing menu focuses on seasonal vegetables. Pumpkin flan, vegetable soups, pasta, grains and creative side dishes often appear alongside a smaller number of meat-based choices.

3. Sullaluna Libreria & Bistrot

Sullaluna Libreria & Bistrot combines an independent bookshop with a vegetarian café and wine bar on Fondamenta della Misericordia in Cannaregio.

The compact menu may include vegetable dishes, sandwiches, soups, cakes and small plates made with seasonal ingredients. Books, natural wine and canal-side seating create a relaxed setting for lunch or an early evening drink.

4. Frary’s

Frary’s is a Mediterranean and Middle Eastern restaurant opposite the Basilica dei Frari in San Polo.

The menu includes hummus, falafel, couscous, vegetable stews, salads and other dishes suitable for vegetarian and vegan diners. Meat and seafood are also served, so guests following strict diets should confirm ingredients when ordering.

5. Ristorante da Mario alla Fava

Ristorante da Mario alla Fava is a long-running restaurant in central Venice that offers both traditional cuisine and a dedicated vegan menu.

The vegan selection extends from starters to desserts and may include vegetable pasta, risotto and seasonal preparations. This makes it particularly useful for mixed groups in which some diners want Venetian seafood while others require fully plant-based dishes.

Romantic Restaurants in Venice

Canal views, historic interiors and intimate dining rooms make Venice particularly suited to anniversaries and special dinners.

1. Ristorante Quadri

Ristorante Quadri occupies an elegant first-floor dining room overlooking Piazza San Marco.

The restaurant is part of the Alajmo group and serves contemporary interpretations of Venetian cuisine through carefully structured tasting menus. Its historic setting, refined interiors and direct views of the square make it one of the city’s most distinctive celebratory restaurants. Quadri holds one Michelin star.

2. Osteria alle Testiere

Osteria alle Testiere is a tiny seafood restaurant in Castello with only a small number of tables.

The menu changes according to the daily market and may include raw seafood, shellfish, fish pasta and traditional lagoon ingredients. Its limited capacity creates an intimate atmosphere, but it also means reservations should be made well in advance.

3. Ristorante Riviera

Ristorante Riviera sits on the Zattere waterfront in Dorsoduro, overlooking the Giudecca Canal.

The restaurant serves contemporary interpretations of Venetian and Italian cuisine, with seafood playing an important role. Outdoor tables are particularly appealing around sunset, when the waterfront becomes quieter and the light changes over the canal.

4. Al Covo

Al Covo is a family-run restaurant in Castello near the Arsenale.

Its menu is closely connected to the Venetian Lagoon and regional producers, with seasonal seafood, handmade pasta, risotto and vegetables sourced from nearby islands. Warm service, a polished dining room and a carefully selected wine list make it suitable for a special evening.

5. Antiche Carampane

Antiche Carampane is hidden among the narrow streets between the Rialto fish market and Campo San Polo.

The restaurant specialises in traditional Venetian seafood with subtle modern touches. Seasonal dishes may include soft-shell crab, cuttlefish, risotto and mixed fried fish. Its secluded location and intimate dining room create a romantic atmosphere away from the busiest routes.

Are There Michelin Star Restaurants in Venice?

Yes. The official Michelin Guide includes several Michelin-starred restaurants in Venice and the surrounding lagoon area.

The current selection includes two restaurants with two Michelin stars and several restaurants with one star. Some are located in central Venice, while others are found on islands such as Giudecca and Mazzorbo or in the wider Venetian area.

Several notable Michelin-starred restaurants include:

• GLAM Enrico Bartolini — two Michelin stars. Located inside Palazzo Venart in Santa Croce, GLAM presents creative tasting menus led by chef Donato Ascani under the direction of Enrico Bartolini.

• Antica Osteria Cera — two Michelin stars. Located outside the historic island centre in Campagna Lupia, the restaurant is particularly known for refined fish and seafood cuisine.

• Quadri — one Michelin star. Ristorante Quadri combines contemporary Venetian cuisine with an elegant dining room overlooking Piazza San Marco.

• Local — one Michelin star. Local in Castello serves creative contemporary cuisine built around lagoon ingredients and regional products.

• Wistèria — one Michelin star. Wistèria offers modern tasting menus in a small restaurant close to Campo San Polo.

• Oro Restaurant — one Michelin star. Located at Hotel Cipriani on Giudecca, Oro serves contemporary Italian cuisine in an elegant lagoon-side setting.

• Venissa — one Michelin star. Venissa is located within a walled vineyard on the island of Mazzorbo and focuses on ingredients from the Venetian Lagoon.

Michelin distinctions may change with each annual guide, so diners should confirm the latest status through the official Michelin Guide before booking.