When you’re next in Venice, I hope you’ll have a chance to visit the Rialto market — and enjoy the bounty of Venice’s seafood at one of my favorite restaurants, which I list here (prices reflect the approximate cost of dinner per person, excluding wine).
Since there are only eight tables at this popular little osteria, book before you travel to Venice. Choose the second service at dinner for more relaxed dining, and expect dishes such as grilled razor shell clams, spaghetti with clams, and John Dory with sautéed mushrooms. Closed Sunday. Calle del Mondo Novo, Castello 5801. Tel. 041-522-7220. US$80.
By shrewdly modernizing classic Venetian dishes and adding a few favorites from other Italian regions to the menu, the kitchen here has turned a simple dining room into one of the most popular restaurants in the off-the-beaten track Cannaregio quarter. Try the risotto with shellfish, and the superb fritto misto of shrimp, fish and vegetables. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Fondamenta de la Sensa, Cannaregio 3272. Tel. 041-720-744. US$85.
At this delightful family-run restaurant, renowned chef Mara Martin serves innovative seafood dishes such as crostini with shrimps in bacon fat with rosemary, and a beautifully constructed mille-feuille of monkfish with mixed vegetables. Begin with one of the superb pastas, such as the ravioli stuffed with a mix of white fish, peas, ginger and scallops. Reservations are a must. Closed Sunday and Monday. Calle del Scaleter, San Polo 2002. Tel. 041-721-308. US$110. Four-course menu $128; seven-course menu $150.
Given its location on the tourist-infested Piazza San Marco, this excellent contemporary Italian restaurant is a welcome surprise. The two elegant dining rooms, lit with Murano chandeliers, overlook the great square. It is a deliciously romantic experience to dine here on dishes such as cappuccino di laguna, an imaginative dish with baby Venetian shrimp, crab, mantis prawns and clams, all from the lagoon; and turbot with Adriatic shellfish and red beets. Gracious service and an outstanding wine list. Closed Monday. Piazza San Marco 121. Tel. 041-522-2105. US$100. Five-course tasting menu $181; seven-course menu $213.
Tucked away in the back streets of the San Polo district, this superb seafood restaurant is a favorite of Venetians and in-the-know visitors alike. Start with the succulent baby clams cooked in white wine and olive oil and sprinkled with freshly grated Parmesan, and don’t miss the tagliolini with granseola (spider crab), a house specialty. It also serves an outstanding fritto misto of prawns, squid and vegetables, and a hearty dish of cuttlefish cooked in its own ink and served with white polenta. The wine list is excellent. Closed Sunday and Monday. San Polo 1911. Tel. 041-524-0165. US$95.
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