Since time immemorial, the Adriatic has provided fresh supplies for Venice restaurants and homes. A visit to the Grand Canal-side fish market, under its splendid neo-Gothic arches, provides a slippery, writhing introduction to moeche (soft-shelled crabs), schie (tiny gray shrimps), capelunghe (razor clams), and other wondrous marine creatures.
Seafood is the foundation of the city’s cuisine, but it’s not the whole story. There’s a healthy heritage of meat dishes from the Venetian hinterland, and vegetables from the lagoon islands are a fixture (the exquisite castraure artichoke hearts from Sant’Eramo being the most famous). In recent years, a consortium of Venetian restaurants has taken this to the next level, collaborating in the Osti in Orte project to grow organic produce which makes its way direct to their hungry guests’ plates.
Where to find these local delights? Of course, in such a heavily touristed city, plenty of venues serve sub-standard fare to transient hordes. But real dedication to excellent cuisine, with a respect for tradition and an eye for the new, is rife among Venetians. If you know where to go, you’ll eat very well indeed in the lagoon city. Here’s our selection of favorite restaurants in Venice, from Michelin starred to local trattorias.
Read our complete Venice travel guide here, which includes:
How we choose the best restaurants in Venice
Every restaurant on this list has been selected independently by Condé Nast Traveler editors and reviewed by a local contributor who has visited that restaurant. Our editors consider both high-end and affordable eateries, and weigh stand-out dishes, location, and service—as well as inclusivity and sustainability credentials. We update this list as new restaurants open and existing ones evolve.