KEY2 Pick
Seafood • $$$
Antiche Carampane
A San Polo institution hidden off the tourist track, known for raw fish and honest prices for the city.
Best for: Local Favourite
Best restaurants in Venice
Counters, dining rooms and neighbourhood favourites, chosen for the way they actually eat — not for how loudly they market.
KEY2 Pick
Seafood • $$$$
Osteria alle Testiere
A tiny Castello dining room with a handful of tables and some of the best seafood in the city.
Best for: Special Occasion
KEY2 Pick
Fine Dining • $$$$
Osteria da Fiore
A Michelin-starred San Polo dining room that has quietly refined Venetian seafood classics since 1978.
Best for: Special Occasion
KEY2 Pick
Contemporary Italian • $$$$
Ristorante Glam
Chef Enrico Bartolini's Michelin-starred dining room inside the Palazzo Venart hotel by the Grand Canal.
Best for: Special Occasion
KEY2 Pick
Fine Dining • $$$$
Ristorante Quadri
A Michelin-starred dining room above Piazza San Marco's oldest café, run by the Alajmo brothers.
Best for: Special Occasion
Contemporary Italian • $$$
Ai Mercanti
A hidden courtyard restaurant near San Marco serving a modern take on Venetian cuisine with tasting menus.
Best for: Special Occasion
Venetian • $$$
Bistrot de Venise
A San Marco dining room reviving historic Venetian recipes from Renaissance-era manuscripts.
Best for: History Lovers
Cicchetti Bar • $
Cantina Do Spade
A centuries-old bacaro near the Rialto market pouring ombra wine alongside baccala and cicchetti.
Best for: Casual Lunch
Modern Italian • $$
Muro Frari
A San Polo dining room near the Frari basilica doing modern plates on a casual, canal-side terrace.
Best for: Casual Dinner
Cicchetti Bar • $
Osteria al Squero
A canal-side cicchetti bar in Dorsoduro looking across at the last working gondola boatyard.
Best for: Casual Lunch
Cicchetti Bar • $
Osteria alla Ciurma
A friendly San Polo bacaro piling its counter high with seafood cicchetti near the Rialto fish market.
Best for: Casual Lunch
Venetian Seafood • $$$
Ristorante Riviera
A refined dining room on the Zattere waterfront in Dorsoduro plating seasonal seafood with lagoon views.
Best for: Date Night
Venetian Seafood • $$
Trattoria alla Madonna
A bustling family-run trattoria near the Rialto Bridge, serving classic Venetian seafood since 1954.
Best for: Casual Dinner
Bacaro & Trattoria • $$
Trattoria da Fiore
A San Marco bacaro pairing a busy cicchetti counter with a sit-down trattoria in the back room.
Best for: Casual Dinner
Venetian • $$$
Vini da Gigio
A Cannaregio canal-side dining room built around a serious cellar and slow-cooked Venetian classics.
Best for: Wine Lovers
Questions, answered
What are the best restaurants in Venice?+
The KEY2 editors' top picks for restaurants in Venice are Antiche Carampane, Osteria alle Testiere, Osteria da Fiore, Ristorante Glam, Ristorante Quadri. Every listing in this guide is individually vetted, with hours, prices and booking links.
Where can I find good-value restaurants in Venice?+
For $$-level restaurants in Venice, consider All'Arco, Cantina Do Spade, Muro Frari, Osteria al Squero.
What are the best restaurants in Venice for a special occasion?+
For a splurge, the KEY2 guide recommends Antiche Carampane, Osteria alle Testiere, Osteria da Fiore, Ristorante Glam. Reserve ahead — the booking link is on each listing.
Do I need to book restaurants in Venice in advance?+
The most popular restaurants in Venice fill up days or weeks ahead. Every KEY2 listing includes a direct reservation or booking link where one is available.
More Venice guides