Best eating in Venice – Try Canal Side Restaurants

When visitors are looking for somewhere to eat in Venice, they immediately think of around San Marco, or for canal side eating, Rio del Vin near the Rialto Bridge. But with both, it can be exceedingly expensive and the cuisine can be mediocre with the service completely lacking. The further you go from St Marks Square, the cheaper it gets. A simple sandwich in St Mark’s can cost the same as a decent lunch elsewhere. The restaurants with the most ambiance or not in San Marco.

If it is authentic Venetian cuisine you are looking for, you have to look in the local areas. One area that you might like on your wanders is the Cannaregio district, with its many canal side restaurants and local ambiance. The main streets to consider are Fondamenta Misericodia, Fondamenta Savorgnan and Fondamenta Sensa. Avoid the main drag along Lista di Spagna and Strada Nuovo.

Traditional Cuisine

Venice cuisine, like every region of Italy, is known for its traditional food specialties. Most menus are based on Italian cuisine from the region. A visit to Venice offers an opportunity to discover fascinating gastronomic delights with some of the fresh food unique to Venice, such as seafood from the Lagoon and surrounding rivers and vegetables from the Veneto, much of which can be found in the Rialto Markets. Venice does some of the best risotto made from the local salty broth of fish from the Lagoon.

Many restaurants and bars have happy hours serving cicchetti, which are small dishes or tastings of the local food. An option if you don’t want a full meal.

But a full lunch or dinner washed down with local vino is not an experience to be missed. Some you might want to check out are Algiubugio, Osteria Al’Timon, L’Orto dei Mori, Sullaluna, Pontini, Al Cicheto and Osteria Anice Stellato. There are more. Many of these cater for Vegan and Vegiterian options too. Many of you may have your favorites and be able to recommend others.

If you look at the pictures, lunch or dinner sitting overlooking the Cannaregio canals in the chilled atmosphere of the local people is an experience to remember. And it won’t break the bank too like St Marks.