Venice has five sestiere or districts. Castello, San Marco and Cannaregio are
on one side of the Grand Canal and Dorsoduro and San Polo/Santa Croce are on
the other. You can cross the Canal by one of three bridges-The Accademia, the
Rialto and the Scalze, by traghetti - ferry gondolas, or by riding on the
vaporettos - the water buses which go up and down the length of the canal
making stops on both sides. Basically Venice is pretty small for a city and
you can get almost any place in it without too much traveling.
thanks to Boleskine for this and some great new listings!
Update: a number of listings added recently are courtesy of the helpful web site www.ChowBellaBooks.Com, aka our longtime contributor Boleskine. (The reviews with the exhaustive directions are from ChowBella.) They have published a book, so tourists heading for Italy, give them a look!
Antica Trattoria Poste Vecie
Rialto Pescheria Venezi 041/721822
open every day as of May 2002
Take the vaporetto to any of the Rialto stations - they are all quite close together but different lines stop at different ones.Ê Walk across the Rialto Bridge. If you do not want to walk across the Rialto, you can get off at San Silvestro on the San Polo side of the canal, and walkÊ from there to the Rialto area.Ê Continue straight; you may walk in the open or under the arcade. When you reach Campo Beccarie, you will see a large sign for the
restaurant directing you to your right. You will actually walk into the area where the stalls for the fish market are - the produce markets are just before and it is worth a daytime trip here to see them all. You will be on what is sort of a pier-water on twoÊ sides-go to your left-there is a small side canal with a little wooden humped bridge over it. The bridge goes right to the front door of Poste Vecie.
Excellent fish here but very fine meat dishes are also listed.Ê Menus are available in English. Pasta e fagioli, spaghetti con vongole verace, the saute of mussels and clams, Venetian style calf's liver, and the monk fish are among the best in Venice.Ê Very old and "very Venetian".ÊÊÊ They haveÊ fire places which they use in cold weather, and a garden of sorts in spring and summer. Two of the three rooms are nonsmoking; the third room is on the other side of the building from the non-smoking rooms and is separated from them by the entry way/bar and rest rooms.
Bar ai Nomboli
Rio terra dei Nomboli - between Campo San Toma and Campo San Polo
Smokefree inside.
Excellent coffee-very good croissant and award winning sandwiches - friendly helpful people.
thank Boleskine!
Bistrot de Venise
Calle dei Fabbri, 4685 (S. Marco) 041-523-6651
Wonderful restaurant. There is a non-smoking room in the back, that stays very clear though you must walk through the smoking area to get to it.
No smoking room; a very unusual menu which changes seasonally-half the menu is classic Venetian dishes and the other half historic Venetian dishes. Everything we tried - except the eel and that might have been a matter of not liking eel - was excellent. Friendly staff; attractive setting; open late. Also offers poetry readings, literary discussions, etc. Definitely worth checking out. In between the Rialto and San Marco.
thank to Boleskine for update
Antica Locanda Al Gambero
Calle dei fabbri, 4687, S. Marco (30124 Venezia)
tel 041/5224384 fax 041/5200431
Hotel is above Bistrot de Venise, which is listed on your site. It is very well located in Venice, although pricey, nicely decorated, and is entirely smoke-free.
Brodo di Giuggiole
fondamenta Minotto, 158 (Santa Croce)
Restaurant with no-smoking sections. The smoking room is totally separate from the smoking side of the restaurant so it stayed completely smoke free while we were there though we could see people smoking in the other room. Very good food, almost all fish/seafood.
Ca' Foscari al Canton
Dorsoduro 3853 &nsbp; 041/522/9216
open every day as of May 2002
From San Toma vaporetto stop: bear left at the end of the calle and cross the bridge. Turn right and walk along the canal. It will look as though you are approaching a solid wall, but you can turn left just before you run into the wall.Ê At the end of this calle, turn right and the restaurant is just ahead on the left at the intersection of Crosera and Calle Larga Foscari.
University Ca' Foscari which is next to it.Ê Better than average soups and pastas; excellent risotto, good veal, pork and fish dishes.Ê Some unusual desserts. Small and casual with friendly service. Former bar area is now an extremely lovely nonsmoking room.
Campanini
Dorsoduro N 3829
Pasticceria. Good coffee; excellent pastry; no smoking
Casin dei Nobili
Dorsoduro 2765 &nsbp; tel 041-241-1841
just off Campo San Barnaba (Ca' Rezzonico vaporetto stop)
Restaurant. Non-smoking room. Walk straight back from the Ca' Rezzonico vaporetto stop; in Campo San Barnaba turn left and go through arches. Restaurant is on your right just before bridge. Funky appealing decor; lots of art work on walls; comparatively small handwritten menu; reasonable prices food ranges from good to extremely good. Separate pizza menu is available some if not all the time.
closed Monday
thank Boleskine!
Ciak 1 Campiello San Toma
San Polo
Coffee, breakfast goodies and sandwiches for lunch; open until evening for drinks as well. Outside seating in warm weather; booths and tables inside.
Osteria Enoteca Vivaldi
San Polo 1457 tel 041-523.8185
Restaurant. Located a little past Campo San Polo, on the right, as you walk towards the Rialto. Now non-smoking, friendly service and good food. Lots of traditional dishes and a few creative ones.
thank Boleskine!
Pasticceria Rizzardini San Polo
Ruga di Rialto
Excellent assortment of pastries and breakfast croissant and brioche; very good coffee, no smoking-standing room only
Pasticceria Targa
San Polo 1050 tel 041-523-6048
On the left as you walk towards the Rialto from San Polo. Outstanding coffee and wonderfulÊÊ breakfast treats with richer pastries appearing during the day.Ê They also sell candies - the incredibly long licorice whipsÊ piled in the window make this place easy to recognize.
No smoking
La Perla d'Oriente
Campo dei Frari, San Polo 3004 tel 041-523-7229
Good Chinese food; friendly service - Remember nothing comes with your meal; if you want hot tea or white rice, etc. youÊ must order it and pay for it. They also have a pizza menu. They seem to serve pretty much all day so this is a good bet if you need to eat early or late because of day trips, concerts, etc. Large No Smoking Room in back; you do have to pass through the entire restaurant to reach it.
Pier Dickens Inn
Campo Santa Margherita, 5410 Dorsoduro 041-241-1979
Open until 2:00AM
Campo Santa Margherita is well marked on most maps. From San Toma walk in back of the Frari and go through the sottoportego just before you get to San Rocco. There is a small courtyard with a hardware store and flower shop and beyond that a bridge and another small calle that leads you to Calle dei Preti Crosera. Walk towards San Pantalon and from the Campo in front of the Church take the bridge across the Rio de Ca' Foscari. There is a newspaper kiosk just where the bridge is. Once you cross the bridge walk straight into the campo.Ê Pier Dickens will be on your left almost directly across from Causin, the gelateria.
Located in one of Venice's loveliest campos, Pier Dickens InnÊ offersÊ aÊ large selection of pizzas-both traditional and off beat.Ê Sandwiches, pasta and traditional Venetian dishes such as fegato alla veneziana are also available. There are several beers on tap and more in the bottle, and an assortment of coffees. There is no-smoking in the dining room. Other features are closed caption TV, and on some nights music or cabaret style entertainment. Dining Room next to bar is no smoking.
da Sandro
San Polo 1473 041-523-4694
Closed-Friday
From Rialto: On San Polo side walk towards Campo San Polo. da Sandro is in the Campo dei Meloni.Ê There are two buildings one on either side of the calle.
ÊÊ One side of da Sandro is the pizzeria while the other with outdoor tables in front contains a bar and fullÊÊ restaurant but you can order pizza or a regular dinner in either place. The pizzas are excellent as are the pasta dishes and traditional Venetian dishes, but the big surprise at da Sandro is the beef.
There is an assortment of first rate steak dishes on which the owner justifiably prides himself.Ê This is the perfect place for meat eaters or families with children who want pizza or pasta while the adults wantÊ to try more adventurous fare.The waiters are exceptionally good humored and cheerful and seem actually to enjoy running back and forth across the campiello. Prices are extremely reasonable. No Smoking REQUESTED on Pizza side; patrons oblige but one of the owners occasionally comes in with a lit cigarette/
Il Sole sulla Vecie Cavana
Rio Tera SS Apostoli 4624, 30131 Venezia 041-528-7106
no smoking room
closed Monday
Sun Restaurants has taken over the long establishedÊ Venetian restaurant, Alla Vecia Cavana and renamed it Il Sole sulla Vecie Cavana. Ê There is a dark smokey bar and dining room and beyond it a cheery non smoking room.Ê The front of the menu has imaginative dishes with a modern and creative flair while the back offers traditional Venetian fare. The bread is unusual and unusually good; there is good wine list with a wide price range and also a selection of wines by the glass.Ê Desserts tend to be very rich and based on ice cream. Waiters are fluent in English.Ê
Separate no smoking room; you must walk through smoking area to reach it.
Taverna San Trovaso
Dorso Duro 1016 tel: 041-520-2703
Take the vaporetto to the Accademia; walk back and to your right.
They do have a no-smoking room, but reservations for it are a must! The grilled veal chop is a good bet here. Relatively inexpensive.
Closed Monday
thank Boleskine!
Tonolo
Dorsoduro - near Da Silvio (also on Murano)
Pasticceria. Fantastic croissants and an incredible assortment of pastries. Standing room only. No smoking
Da Tos Giampietro
Coffee bar/pastries.
Smokefree inside. Excellent coffee- very good croissants and wonderful pastries and other sweets-owner is friendly and helpful.
thank Boleskine!
Trattoria Antiche Carampane
Filli Bortoluzzi
San Polo 191 041-524-0165
closed Sunday night and Monday
from CAMPO SAN POLO
Take Sottoportago De La Madoneta at the rear of campo (on the right side coming from Chiesa).
Turn left at Building #1414- Enter Calle dei Cavalli. Cross Ponte Furatola and take Sottoportago de la Furatola. This Sottoportago becomes Sottoportago San Tamossi and then Sottoportago del Banco Salviati. Going towards Carampane, the canal will be on your right.Ê After Sottoportago ends, you will be on Fondamenta del Banco Salviati. There will be a small canal on your right, and you will pass an elementary school on the left.Ê Before you get toÊ the next bridge,
turn left onto Calle del Tamossi.Ê You will pass a house with a large courtyard. Then go right onto Ramo del Tamosi. If you reach the Campo Albrizzi, you have missed you right hand turn on to Ramo del Tamossi.
Make a left onto Rio Tera de la Carampane - the restaurant is about one block on the right. If you reach the signs for Fondamente de la Stua, Parrochia S. Cassan and Ponte Tetti, you have passed Carampane.
from RIALTO: Cross to San Polo side of canal. Walk away from the Rialto towards San Polo. At Campo Sant'Aponal, look to your right, past the well head. There are three or four calles but from one you will see a bridge. Walk towards and over the bridge which is the Ponte Storto. You must go slightly left at the base of the bridge but take the first calle to your right; this will be Calle del Tamossi.Ê Pass the house with the large courtyard and turn right onto Ramo del Tamossi.Ê See last paragraph above.
No menu; no pizza;Ê Only fish is served, but it is outstanding. You can sit outside in mild weather. The chef works magic with scallops, and a simple grilled branzino is perfection. This place just gets better and better; the interior has been upgraded a bit too. If you like fish, this place is a do not miss!Ê NOW COMPLETELY NONSMOKING!
Zen Cafe
Via Torre Belfredo 110/112 (30174 Mestre Ve) tel 39 4195 3042
Japanese & Italian restaurant and bar. They've got the style thing going on - the staff wear kimonos and the design is elegantly sparse. And it's nonsmoking.
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