foodie traveller VENICE Venice The world’s most beautiful city offers suitably chic restaurants and, hidden in narrow side streets, a few well-priced local gems. Here’s O’s pick Words Jonathan buckley Photographs carla caPalbo enice, as any Venetian will tell snail), schìe (small grey shrimps) or one you, is its own world. Detached of the three grades of common shore 1 2 Vfrom the mainland for the first crab: masanéta, spiàntano and moèca. 3 4 5 1,500 years of its existence, it developed Everyone knows that Venice is one of into a city-state that was politically, the most beautiful cities on the planet. architecturally and culturally unique. In high season, the number of tourists Despite the inroads of tourism the city pouring into the city every day is greater retains a clear sense of its own identity: than the number of people who actually foreigners, to the Venetian way of live in it. Once a city of 250,000 people, thinking, come from al di là del ponte Venice has now shrunk to a town of (beyond the bridge). Venice’s culinary around 70,000 inhabitants – around the Opposite: Seafood risotto or seafood pasta. In the last culture is unique, too. Set within the same size as Harrogate – a number that’s antipasti at Vini da decade or so there’s been a bácaro revival, Venetian lagoon, with salt marshes in falling with each year. So it’s hardly Gigio (1); stop for and you’re more likely to find a seating one direction and the open waters of surprising that Venice, blighted by menù a coffee and some area in the newer establishments – in the the Adriatic Sea in the other, it has a turistico syndrome, used to be a city in people watching in older ones it’s more common to eat repertoire of fish and seafood that’s more which only the wealthy ate well. This is Piazza San Marco standing up, or seated on stools at a extensive than any other Italian city. no longer the case because recently (2); preparing counter. Good food is also served at Roam through the Rialto market and there’s been a distinct upturn in the carciofini, or many of Venice’s osterie (or ostarie), the you’ll find a mind-boggling profusion of number and quality of mid-range artichoke hearts (3); simplest of which are indistinguishable fish, clams, molluscs, cuttlefish, prawns places to eat. True, mid-range in Venice Andrea of Bancogiro from larger bácari, with just half a dozen and other crustacea, most of which will (£27-£40 a head) means something (4); Caffé Florian (5); tables, while others have sizeable dining have been scooped out of the water just more expensive than mid-range in most seafood at the areas. Just to make things supremely hours earlier. other parts of Italy, but at least there’s a Rialto market (6); confusing, several osterie have no bar The cityscape of Venice – and the greater range of decent places than there granseola, or spider at all – some of these are bars that have 6 7 8 absence of cars – makes dining here an has been for a long time. crab, at Da Fiore (7); evolved into restaurants, while others unforgettable experience. All over the A distinctive feature of the Venetian stock up on Venetian use the name osteria to help give city there are restaurants on quiet little eating scene is the bácaro, which in its chocolates at the establishment an aura of squares, overlooked by crumbling purest form is a bar that offers a range Cioccolateria unpretentiousness and good value. (And palazzi, or beside backwater canals where of tapas-like cicheti (sometimes spelled Vizio Virtù (8) to further blur the division between bars the only sounds are the hubbub of ciccheti). This will typically include and restaurants, several of Venice’s conversation, the slapping of water on polpette (small beef and garlic restaurants have a separate bar area on stone and the occasional whine of an meatballs), carciofini (artichoke hearts), the street side of the dining room, which outboard motor. You’ll also overhear the anchovies, whitebait, polipi (baby may or may not remain open during soft and slurred dialect of Venice and octopus or squid), grilled cuttlefish dining hours.) While Venice has read it on menus that might offer such (sepe roste), hard-boiled eggs, peppers numerous fine restaurants, many of its delicacies as anguèla (sand smelt, a and courgettes cooked in oil. Some osterie offer food that’s of a very high variety of fish), baìcolo (young sea bass), bácari also produce a few more quality, and in an ambience that’s canòce (mantis prawn), garùsolo (sea substantial dishes each day, such as typically more Venetian. MUST DO: CAPPUCCINO AT FLORIAN, UP TO £10 n GLASS OF WINE AT AL VOLTO, FROM £1 n DOUBLE ROOM NEAR THE CHURCH 98 o l i v e A u g u s t 2 0 0 7 A u g u s t 2 0 0 7 o l i v e 99 foodie traveller VENICE EAT Left: Visit one Best restaurant in Venice incinite, ‘pregnant sardines’, which of Venice’s many Most Venetians will nominate Da are sardines stuffed with raisins, gelaterias (9); baby Fiore (map ref 13), near Campo San garlic, pine nuts and parsley. octopus, or polpo, Polo. Classic fish and seafood dishes Best osterie near Piazza San Marco on celeriac at Corte are complemented by a huge wine Restaurants within a 100-metre Sconta (10); Lucia list and perfect service. Book early. radius of the piazza are generally Proietto, owner of Best for big names and views mediocre, but one notable exception Corte Sconta (11); The best-known restaurant in Venice is Osteria-Enoteca San Marco (map Opposite: The is Harry’s Bar, which has a superb ref 24), a stylish bar-restaurant. Grand Canal kitchen, impeccably courteous staff Best trattoria and prices that will make your eyes Atmospheric Mistrà (map ref 33) sting. Better to take a boat-hop over occupies the top floor of a former to La Giudecca, where its lower factory in the Giudecca boat yards. 9 priced sibling, Harry’s Dolci (map At lunchtime, the menu is brief, plain 10 ref 32), is open from April to October. and cheap. In the evenings there’s Best for daily specials fish and seafood, at prices that are Corte Sconta (map ref 22) has higher but still reasonable. established itself as one of the top Best frittura mista restaurants in the city. If it weren’t so Osteria Sant’Elena (map ref 31) well hidden in a narrow lane, it would serves up an excellent plate of frittura be perpetually packed. mista (fried mixed fish). Best for family-run authenticity Best for meat Vini da Gigio (map ref 3) is, by The eponymous Marisa at Dalla Venetian standards, excellent value. Marisa (map ref 2) is a butcher’s The menu features specialities such daughter so expect to find duck, tripe, as masorino all buranella (Burano- beef and pheasant on offer at this tiny style duck) and – as the name trattoria. Booking essential. suggests – the wine list is remarkable. Best pizza Best newcomer Nestled in the shadow of the church Anice Stellato (map ref 1) stands of San Giacomo dell’Orio, Il Refolo beside one of the northernmost (map ref 6) serves arguably the best Cannaregio canals, away from the pizzas in Venice. tourist hot spots. If you can’t get a Best gelateria 11 table – it’s frequently booked solid The creations at Causin (map ref 18) – drop by for some tapas-style are rated among the finest in the dishes at the bar. country, and the café has seating on Best modern Venetian cooking the Campo Santa Margherita. Reservations are essential at the Best gelato in a cone seven-table Alle Testiere (map Drop by the tiny but renowned La ref 17), where Venetian classics Boutique del Gelato (map ref 15). are given a delicious twist. Best tiramisù Best osteria for cicheti The quintessential Venetian dessert At Alla Vedova (map ref 4), the is tiramisù, and the most delicious selection of cicheti is famously version is at Didovich (map ref 14). comprehensive. Reader recommendation Best osteria in Rialto market ‘Da Ivo (map ref 34) is a small, Savour a glass of wine at one unpretentious candlelit restaurant of Bancogiro’s (map ref 8) with great food including tagliarelli Grand Canal-side tables, or go with truffles (when in season). Try to upstairs to the brick-vaulted dining book a table overlooking the canal.’ room for a simple plate of sarde Tara Bloohn, London OF SANTI APOSTOLI AT BERNARDI SEMENZATO £40 n LARGE ICE CREAM AT CAUSIN £2 n 24-HOUR WATERBUS PASS £10 n CICHETI 100 o l i v e A u g u s t 2 0 0 7 A u g u s t 2 0 0 7 o l i v e 101 O foodie traveller VENICE DRINK Above left: Rialto EAT LIKE A LOCAL CAFÉS Coffee was first sold in Venice three branches in the city; the most market on the Do as the Venetians do, and indulge in around 1640, when it was dispensed characterful is on Campo Santi Grand Canal. Above: an early-evening spritz (white wine and as a medicine. Eighty years later in Giovanni e Paolo (map ref 9). alfresco tables at soda) or spritz con bitter, which 1720 a café called Venezia BARS There’s no better place to Corte Sconta has the addition of Aperol, Campari Trionfante (Venice Triumphant) sample valpolicella, bardolino and (see page 100) or – the darkest, strongest and most was opened on Piazza San Marco by soave than Al Volto (map ref 16), bitter Venetian aperitif – Select.