One of the biggest mistakes you can make in Venice?
Ending up in a tourist trap and paying for a disappointing meal.
And honestly, that would be a shame.
Italian food is just too good not to enjoy it properly.
If, like me, you love discovering great food while traveling, you’re in the right place.
Today, I’m sharing my personal selection of the best places to eat in Venice.
These are the restaurants I’ve discovered over the years — the ones I keep coming back to because I know I’ll never be disappointed.
No bad surprises here.
Just genuinely good food, made with care, in some of the best-rated spots in the city 🙂
☞ You may also like:
Table of Contents
Osteria Fanal del Codega: A Romantic Canal-Side Restaurant
📍San Polo
If I had to recommend just one restaurant in Venice, it would probably be this one.
Simply because it has everything.
Tucked away from the busy tourist routes, down a quiet little street, near a peaceful canal…
It’s a true hidden gem, prefect for a romantic diner.
Still relatively under the radar for visitors (and with only a few tables, especially outside), but very well known among locals.
The food speaks for itself.
You’ll find all the great classics of Venetian cuisine,
with plenty of seafood dishes — fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared.
My favorite here: the pasta.
Absolutely delicious 😍
☞ Book online on the restaurant’s website
1000 Gourmet: Great Pizza and Pasta Near St. Mark’s Square
📍San Marco
This is a place I’ve been coming back to for years in Venice.
Because finding a truly good restaurant right near St. Mark’s Square isn’t easy —
and this one is a real exception.
If you’re wondering what makes it special, just look at the line outside.
It often stretches down the street.
Inside, you’ll find a lively mix of locals and visitors, all here for the same reason:
traditional wood-fired pizzas made with high-quality ingredients.
My favorite here: They offer gluten-free pizza and pasta 😍
☞ Book online on the restaurant’s website
Bacaro Vintido: Authentic Venetian Food at Great Prices
📍San Polo
A warm, authentic spot — the kind that’s getting harder to find in Venice.
This is where the locals eat simple meal, almost like homemade food, at a very reasonable price.
The menu is traditional and simple, with a strong focus on Venetian classics.
Perfect if you’re looking for a great plate of pasta without spending too much.
My favorite here: The homemade gnocchi…
and the live piano music on some evenings 😍
☞ Book online on the restaurant’s website
Al Vecio Marangon: A Tiny, Traditional Restaurant in Dorsoduro
📍Dorsoduro
It’s easy to walk right past this small, tucked-away restaurant.
And yet, it’s perfectly located just a few minutes from the Accademia Bridge and Dorsoduro’s sunny waterfront.
What I love here — beyond the food — is the warm, friendly welcome.
Even as a visitor, you feel genuinely welcomed.
The food is also well worth it.
Simple, well-balanced, and full of flavor.
The dining room is quite small, which makes it feel especially cozy in the evening.
And on sunny days, you can enjoy the small outdoor terrace.
My favorite here: The raw fish antipasto 😍
SEPA: The Best Spot for a Quick Bite
📍Rialto
Hidden in the narrow, maze-like streets just steps from the Rialto Bridge, you’ll find a real little gem: SEPA.
This is the kind of place where food is prepared right in front of you.
Delicious dishes and traditional cicchetti (Venetian-style tapas), served in small portions — perfect to grab and go, or enjoy at the counter.
It’s incredibly good. And honestly, a bit addictive — I come back here on every trip.
From opening to closing, it’s always packed.
A lively mix of curious visitors and locals catching up with friends.
My favorite here: The pistachio tiramisu 🤤
☞ No reservations (no seating available)
Osteria Bancogiro: Great Food with a View over the Grand Canal
📍Rialto
Why do I love this place so much?
Because it feels like two restaurants in one.
In winter, it’s cozy and intimate, with a beautiful vaulted dining room.
In summer, the outdoor terrace right by the Grand Canal is simply incredible. You can eat directly with a view on the water.
And in both cases, the food never disappoints.
The location is hard to beat.
Right between the Rialto Bridge and the market, in a lively yet somehow peaceful setting —
sometimes with more seagulls than people around.
It’s also a perfect spot for an aperitivo.
A spritz with a view over the Grand Canal… this is Venice at its most iconic!
My favorite here: The pasta dishes — a bit more creative than what you’ll find elsewhere 😍
☞ Reservations on-site or in advance by email: osteriabancogiro@hotmail.it
Corner Pub: The Best Cicchetti in Venice
📍Dorsoduro
Don’t let the not-so-Venetian name fool you.
Tucked into the lively streets of Dorsoduro, this is one of the best places in Venice to try cicchetti.
With its tiny outdoor counter, people quickly spill out into the street — and even onto the nearby bridge.
It’s lively, a bit noisy, and completely authentic.
The cicchetti (Venetian-style tapas) are varied and delicious.
You can easily turn them into a full meal.
Or, if you prefer, sit inside and enjoy a classic osteria dish — pasta, gnocchi, cheeses, or cured meats.
My favorite here: The cicchetti, of course!
☞ No reservations
Al Grill: For Meat Lovers in Venice
📍San Marco
Venetian cuisine is mostly centered around seafood — and that’s part of what makes it so special.
But after several trips to Venice, I’ve definitely had moments where I was craving a really good steak.
That’s how I discovered Al Grill.
It didn’t take long to hear about it… and even less time to try it, given the incredible reviews (4.8/5 from over 3,000 reviews on Google).
No surprise here — I had one of the best steaks of my life.
Perfectly cooked.
Juicy.
Absolutely worth it.
My favorite here: The Fiorentina steak, perfectly grilled and full of flavor 😍
☞ Book online on the restaurant’s website (section “Prenota”)
The Best Restaurants in Venice on a Map
To help you easily find these spots during your trip to Venice:
My Tips for Eating Well in Venice
If you’re planning to try one of these restaurants, make sure to book ahead.
Good places are well known in Venice — both by locals and visitors — so reservations are essential in high season.
In low season, you might get lucky and find a table without booking,
but it’s never guaranteed.
Try to avoid picking a restaurant at random.
Chances are, it won’t be your best meal.
But the good news is — if you know where to go, you can eat well in every part of the city.
Personally, I think it’s a mistake to assume you can’t eat well near St. Mark’s Square or around the main landmarks.
Some of my favorite spots are actually located in these areas.
☞ What you should definitely try in Venice:
- Cicchetti with a spritz for aperitivo
- Risotto or pasta with squid ink
- Clam pasta (alle vongole) — surprisingly delicious, even if you’re not a big seafood fan (I wasn’t either!)
You’ll also find great traditional carbonara (no cream, no bacon, please!) and pizzas that can rival the ones in Naples.
In short — enjoy the food! 😋
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And that’s it!
I hope you now have a better idea of where to eat in Venice — and that these spots have made you hungry already.
If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment.
I’ll be happy to help!
One Last Word: This article is an English adaptation of an original French post published on passion-venise.fr
It is the result of many hours of work. If you found it useful, you can support my work by using the booking links included in this article. Some of them are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you. This helps me continue creating 100% independent and free content. Thank you so much for your support ♥︎