Where to Eat in Venice

Although Venice is renowned for its expensive restaurants (which is not completely untrue), if you stay away from the most touristy streets, you can find restaurants to cater to all budgets. In Venice, we have eaten the best pizza we have ever tried in an extremely cheap restaurant.

The Best Dishes in Venice

As well as the typical pasta and pizza which can be found in all of Italy, Venice’s typical dishes are very linked to the Adriatic Sea. The fish and sea food found in this part of the Mediterranean are extremely good and there are many specialized restaurants in the city.

Other typical dishes include the carpaccio, risottos (specially the risotto di pesce – fish risotto) and the viscera, highlighting the Venetian liver and onion recipe.

Spritz

Venice’s best cocktail is the Spritz. This is an orange coloured alcoholic beverage made of white wine, fizzy water and Campari, Aperol or Cynar. The drink normally includes a slice of orange or an olive.

The Spritz was invented while the Austro-Hungarian dominated the Veneto region. It is still one of the most popular drinks in Venice and before lunch or dinner, you will see hundreds of young people and adults enjoying this sweet tasting drink.

Cafés and Bakeries

Venice is also renowned for its pastries. You will find as many bakeries as cafés in Venice. When you walk into a café for a coffee, remember to check the difference of prices between the banco (the café’s bar) and the tavolo (bar’s tables). In many occasions, the price can sometimes be three times more expensive when you sit at a table, instead of at the bar.

The best-known coffee shops are located in the Piazza San Marco. The cheapest beverages of the two most famous cafés in this square (Caffè Florian and Caffè Quadri) are approximately €10. In return, both bars offer a lovely and relaxing atmosphere.

Street Eating in Venice

If you would like to have a quick lunch so as not to miss out on any of Venice’s top attractions and feel like pizza, the city of Venice offers hundreds of stands that sell this delicacy by portions. The price of a large portion of pizza can vary from € 1.50 (US$ 1.60) to € 2.50 (US$ 2.70). A whole pizza costs from € 5 (US$ 5.30) to € 13 (US$ 13.80), depending on the toppings it has and the size.

Best places for take-out pizza:

• Pizzería L´Angelo. Della Mandola street, 3711. It's difficult to find as it doesn’t have any sign, but if you are lucky enough to locate it, you will try one of the best pizzas in Venice. A whole pizza costs around 5 euros.
• Pizza al Volo. Campo Santa Margherita, 2944, 30123. It's very similar to the Pizzeria L’Angelo. You will find it in a square with benches and a fountain in the center of the Campo.

The Best Restaurants in Venice

In Venice you will find a lot of restaurants with a good price-quality ratio. These are the following we recommend:

• Ristorante All’Angelo. Larga San Marco st, San Marco 403/410. Highly recommended. The menus are good and inexpensive and the desserts are a must.
• Ristorante Al Theatro. Campo S. Fantin, San Marco 1916. Good terrace in a central and peaceful square, near La Fenice Theatre.
• Tratoria-Pizzeria Sottoprova. Via Garibaldi, Castello 1698. Very good pizzas and the price is not too expensive.
• Ristorante Pizzeria Al Sportivi. Campo de Santa Margarita, Dorsoduro 3052. Very good pizzas and the menu is full of options and cheap.
• Trattoria Antica Sacrestia. Sacrestia street, Castello 4442. This restaurant is where the locals go. It has a good price-quality ratio.

Service Tax and Extra Charges

Before choosing a restaurant, make sure to check the extra charges (coperto) and the percentage of the service tax (servizio) to add to the final bill.

The extra charges are normally between € 1 (US$ 1.10) and € 3 (US$ 3.20) and the taxes vary between 10% and 15%. You can also find restaurants that already include these additional costs in the price of their dishes.