Where to Eat and Drink in Venice

This unpretentious, no frills trattoria has been serving traditional Venetian cuisine since 1971, though the menu includes some concessions to the seafood-averse, such as lasagna and cotoletta alla milanese. Start with sarde in saor and baccalà mantecato, then choose from dishes like bigoli in salsa (a traditional Venetian dish of whole wheat spaghetti with onions and anchovies), seafood risotto, seppie with polenta, and soft shell crabs.

“A lot of why I love Al Covo has to do with the ambiance. The low slung, wood-beamed ceilings and pale yellow walls create a warm and inviting atmosphere. And then there is also the warmth of the owners themselves. Diane (a transplanted Texan) and her husband Cesare make everyone feel like family. But mostly why I love Al Covo is, of course, the food,” Elizabeth says, explaining that a meticulous attention to ingredients and detail make every dish feel like a celebration of Venetian cooking.

This tiny bistro in Dorsoduro has cozy wood interiors and is conveniently located near the Galleria dell’Accademia and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. In addition to cicchetti, it has a good selection of pastas, with excellent vegetarian options like eggplant parmigiana and gnocchi with gorgonzola and walnuts.

Tucked away in a quiet corner of San Polo, this restaurant is universally loved by locals and Venice insiders. “Fish is the thing here, just about the freshest you can imagine,” Elizabeth explains. “Do feel free to look at the menu, but it’s mostly just for show (except for the large sign out front that declares: no pizza, no lasagna, no menu turistico. That’s for real.) The menu changes daily based on the catch of the day.”

Located in Castello, near the Biennale, this old school family-run restaurant has tables in a charming courtyard covered in grapevines, but the inside is just as atmospheric. For more than 40 years, they’ve been serving traditional Venetian cuisine. For a true taste of the lagoon, try the antipasto veneziano bollito, which comes with slipper lobster, moscardini (tiny octopus), and baccalà mantecato, then order the black squid ink spaghetti or the frittura mista di pesce.

Located in the northern reaches of Cannaregio, far from the crowds, this cozy wood-paneled restaurant opens right onto the Fondamenta della Sensa. According to Elizabeth, “Fish is the star here, but transformed into creative interpretations of Venetian classics.”

This is Elizabeth’s favorite restaurant on the island of Burano, which is known for its colorful houses and its lacemaking tradition. She recommends the scallops barely grilled and served in their shell, tiny shrimp served on a bed of soft white polenta, razor clams, and crab drizzled with a bit of olive oil. But above all, “this is the place to have risotto di gò. The broth, carefully made from tiny little local fish, is extremely delicate, yet flavor packed,” she says, urging you to save some room for dessert. “They serve one of the best tiramisu I’ve ever had. Classic, rich and dusted with bitter cacao.”

For a truly unique experience, take the vaporetto to the island of Mazzorbo, just across the bridge from Burano, for a visit to this wine resort. Venissa is home to one of the only vineyards in the Venetian lagoon. In the 1960s, its owner revived the Dorona di Venezia grape, which was thought to be extinct after a massive flood wiped out the vines. Venissa is most famous for its Michelin-starred restaurant, but the more casual Osteria also serves excellent Venetian cuisine in a more laid-back environment. Start with a tour of the vineyard before sitting down for a memorable meal.

The oldest continually operating coffee house in Italy, Caffè Florian dates back to 1720 and its interiors immerse you in 18th-century opulence, with velvet banquettes, gilded mirrors, and marble tables. It’s hard to choose whether to sit inside or outside at the café tables right on St. Mark’s Square. The food is nothing special, so just come here to sip an espresso or a spritz and soak up the gorgeous atmosphere.

This old school gelateria opened in 1937 is beloved by locals, who flock to its café tables outside on the Zattere promenade for a spritz or gelato when the sun is out.

This legendary bar just off St. Mark’s Square was opened by Harry Cipriani in 1931 and has hosted a who’s who of authors, movie stars, and other VIPs, including Ernest Hemingway, Katherine Hepburn, and Peggy Guggenheim. This is where the Bellini was invented, so that’s what we recommend ordering.

The glass display case at this historic pasticceria in Dorsoduro is filled with all kinds of tempting sweets, including cookies, pastries, and monoportion cakes. It’s the perfect place to refuel with an espresso and a little treat between visiting museums. During Carnevale, they make some of the best frittelle in Venice.