A Month In Venice

Sometimes even though you might be on a budget when visiting Venice it is good to indulge yourself and others in some really fine dining. With this city’s reputation of being one of the most romantic cities in the whole of Europe it just stands to reason that spending a romantic evening with the one you love to be a right of passage and something that all couples should do while here.

With this in mind I have gathered a few of the more indulgent places to eat to tickle your senses and hopefully spark the mood for a wonderful evening. Now just as a bit of warning these restaurants are not cheap and that is by Venice standards which is about 15% higher then the whole of Europe so please plan accordingly. Also since most of these restaurants are known for their high quality it is a good idea to make reservations well ahead of time so as to not embarrass yourself.

The Met
Hotel Metropole
041-520-5044
http://www.hotelmetropole.com
This is the only Michelin starred restaurant in the whole of Venice. So obviously the quality of the food is not in doubt and the elegant surroundings match the city and the food that they serve. Please keep in mind that the specialties center around the fresh seafood so if you do not like seafood I would stay away from this restaurant.

Da Flore
+39 41 72 1308
Considered by some of the locals of Venice to be one of the finest dining experiences in the city. A serious atmosphere pervades the restaurant as the food is taken very seriously here. They are famous for their scallops in penne or even their bigoli in salsa which is handmade spaghetti in a sauce of mixed anchovies and onions.

Harry’s Bar
041-528-5777
Discussed previously in this blog Harry’s Bar is by far one of the most famous destinations for American tourists. This restaurant is known for its relationship with Ernest Hemingway and other notable stars of the past and present. The food here can be a bit pricey and you must have reservations but the experience is second to none.

Harry’s Dolci
041-522-4844
This restaurant is more of a trattoria then a fine dining experience. Serving much of the same food as Harry’s bar with much less expensive prices. This is well worth a visit as the atmosphere alone can capture your heart and imagination. This restaurant is in the same family as Harry’s bar but since it is not as famous you can still get the experience of eating in a good restaurant without such a high price.

There are many more restaurants to share and I will in later posts. However if you are planning a trip to Venice in the near future I would really look into these restaurants. You can really wow someone you care about by taking them to one or all of these places.

If you want to eat in Venice on a budget then you must be a bit creative. As I have stated many times in this blog Venice is an expensive place. Many Italians will scoff at your idea of trying to survive in that city on a small budget. They should know as they are the experts in their hometown. However it is possible to save at least some money when trying to see all that Venice has to offer.

Here are some few tips and tricks to save money while in Venice. First be sure to visit the various baccari that are all throughout the city. These are the wine bars that serve what would be approximate to Spanish Tapas. If you want to find a good wine bar I would ask a local that you trust. If you can tell ahead of time if the restaurant you want to go is a pizzeria, a trattoria or ristorante then this will surely save you some money. The least expensive of the three is the pizzeria and the most expensive is the ristorante while a trattoria fits somewhere in the middle of the three classifications. There is really no sure way to tell from the outside but it is a safe bet that if there is linens on the tables then that is most certainly a ristorante and if you are on a budget I would only go to those sparingly.

Fortunately I did find a few good recommendations of some more notable restaurants to eat in Venice that will not break your bank account or cause you to open a second mortgage.

The first restaurant that I would recommend would be Rosticceria Teatro Goldoni which is perhaps one of the best examples of classical Venetian fast food. It is a cafeteria style establishment that is well known for their fresh salads that seem to be the favorite to the American crowd.

Secondly I would visit Osteria a la Campana which is quite a find in Venice. The fine wood paneling of the place does not match the inexpensive yet high quality meals that are served here. There is no menu as the waiters come to your table and tell you what is available for the day. It is a real experience that a traveler should experience and hopefully the tourists will keep away from as that would surely wreck the place.

Lastly the final restaurant I would recommend Vini da Pinto which is best known for its fresh seafood. This place is just right off the fish market so it should be easy to spot but overlooked by many tourists. If you enjoy seafood at all I would definitely go here to experience what would be a real Venetian lunch with the locals.

There are a few more restaurant recommendations I could give but this should keep you busy on your stay in Venice. Not spending an enormous amount of money in Venice can be difficult but with the help of some locals you are sure to find the gems that this city has to offer.