Venice is a popular city in Italy that is known for their numerous attractions such as the Piazza San Marco, Doge’s Palace, Rialto Bridge, Murano, and a whole lot more. But as a hub for fine dining, this capital is known for its amazing restaurants. Whether you are looking for authentic and delicious Italian dishes, or you want a meal that’s not too heavy on the tummy (and wallet), Venice can surely help you out. In this post, we list some of the top restaurants in Venice that you should definitely visit!
1. Il Ridotto It’s a compact gourmet place that is located near the Piazza San Marco. Even with its current expansion, it can only seat 18 people at a time, so you have to book your reservations early. However, the good thing about Il Ridotto is that its ambience is relaxing. The exposed brick walls with splashes of colour can really enhance your dining experience. They specialize in desserts like their signature tangy goat’s cheese gelato that’s served with pears. 
2. Alle Testiere
If you are searching for a fancier restaurant, then you can visit Alle Testiere. This seafood joint is located in Santa Maria Forma. The reason why their meals are delicious is that they only use the freshest raw ingredients found at the local market. Each of their dishes can be paired with signature wines.
3. Osteria Boccadoro The restaurant is located in the quieter streets of Venice, away from the hustle and bustle of the tourist districts. The Osteria serves homemade pasta, fresh fish dishes, and other healthy meals that have authentic and natural flavours. The restaurant also has an exquisite wine cellar that is managed by a friendly sommelier. The overall ambience is simple, but very elegant. In addition, you can reserve a small private dining room for your business lunch meetings. 
4. Locanda Cipriani
Locanda Cipriani was established in 1938, making it one of the oldest restaurants in Venice. It has attracted a lot of elite patrons such as Ernest Hemingway, Paul Newman, and even Queen Elizabeth II. The restaurant is owned by the Cipriani family. They specialize in traditional dishes like the John Dory fillet. They have three indoor dining rooms, garden, and an outdoor terrace. All venues can be booked for special events.
Photo by A Taste of Travel
These are just some of the must-visit restaurants in Venice. If you know other popular food hubs in the city, feel free to join the discussion in the comments section below!
Elma Humpries is a writer, blogger and photographer at Bahay Kubo Interactive in the Philippines.
Photos by A Cook Not Mad unless otherwise noted
We loved our visit to Locanda Cipriani. There’s something special about catching a boat to lunch that puts you in the mood for a long, leisurely and delicious lunch, especially one in a beautiful garden setting. Il Ridotto was another I had been recommended but we ran out of time! It’s great to have a reason to go back to Venice!
I have been to Locanda Cipriani and loved it. The best one we went to was a nameless one up the back streets, where I am not so sure that they were pleased to see us. Always remember the bacalhau.
Fantastic recommendations for our next trip to Venice! We enjoyed cichetti, the Venetian equivalent to tapas, at Bancogiro a historic osteria near the Rialto Market
OMG! I’m drooling over both your amazingly gorgeous photos and the descriptions of the food. Can’t wait to see this stunningly beautiful city and I feel like I’ve had just a bit of a taste with your post!
If I’m ever fortunate enough to return to Venice I would love to sit at one of those outdoor tables at Il Ridotto.
Years ago some Italians told me “if you ever have a bad meal in Italy, you’re in Venice.” Looks like you have proven that false. We have found it not to always be true ourselves.
I want to eat at them all!
You’ve chosen 4 winners. We agree with those who reminded GypsyNester that in Venice it’s possible to have a less-than-good meal, so it’s more important than usual (in Italy) to get good recommendations! A recent favorite of ours is Al Giardinetto in the Castello district – a little off the beaten path, but great service, absolutely delicious food, and super ambiance.
Thanks so much for this list – my approach to eating out in Venice had always been by just walking into whichever resturant I could find – my navigation always gets completely thrown off when I’m trying to find my way around the maze of crazy canals, alleys and streets!! But it’s the best fun getting lost in such an amazing city.
Next time we go back I’ll head over with a planned out approach so I can eat at each of these…might just give myself a little extra time to get there in case I get lost lol 😀
Delicious! I won’t be getting back there anytime soon. We stayed at an agriturismo while in Venice and our dinner there was one of the best of our lives. I plan to share this post with friends who will going. Thanks
Always on the lookout for some great restaurants in cities such as Venice. I only knew of Locanda Cipriani among the Venice restaurants on your list, so I have a lot to look forward to! Thanks for the posting!
I’m the person who managed to have a bad meal in Venice. However, it was entirely my fault. For some reason, my son and I had a craving for Chinese food and unfortunately found probably the worst Chinese restaurant in Venice. Serves us right. What were we thinking?
That’s funny but I totally understand, the longer you stay in Italy the bigger chance you have of craving other foods. We were there for three months and craved Chinese, Japanese and Indian foods but never caved in to our cravings. That was probably a good thing 😉
Great list. Looking at all the comments I think we don’t have to look any further when searching for a restaurant! It’s been a while since we were in Venice, but I can remember the difficulty when we were looking for a place to eat. Thanks!
Il Ridotto sounds like my kind of restaurant. I love a small, cozy restaurant. The goat’s cheese gelato with pear sounds like a perfect light end to a meal. My partner is lactose intolerant so this would be great stop on a Venetian trip. Thanks for the tips!
When I was there, I found most restaurants to be serviceable but forgettable, with an onslaught of tourists translating into restaurants not particularly caring if their meals were good or not — if you’re disappointed, it doesn’t matter: there are 20 million people behind you. Thanks for this useful information! Now I’ll be able to enjoy something other than the city’s phenomenal gelato.