Must see restaurants in San Polo & Santa Croce

These sophisticated culinary adventurers offer a contemporary spin on Venetian traditions. Opt for a 'surprise' five-course mare (seafood; €70) or terra …

La Serenissima's spice trade lives on at simple, elegant Trefanti, where gnocchi might get an intriguing kick from cinnamon, and turbot is flavoured with…

Step out of your water taxi into the canalside garden of this inventive Michelin-starred restaurant in the Hotel Palazzo Venart. The contemporary menu…

A bijou restaurant whose owner, Marco, is an enthusiastic and knowledgeable connoisseur of Sicilian wine and food. The menu is small, but excellent, with…

Focusing on three essential ingredients – good food, good wine and good music – this new-wave cicheti (Venetian tapas) bar has rapidly formed a faithful…

Search out this authentic neighbourhood bar for some of the best cicheti (Venetian tapas) in town. Armed with ingredients from the nearby Rialto Market,…

Housed in what was once a butcher’s shop, this photogenic deli-style wine bar has an impressive cellar of interesting wines and craft beer. Massive slabs…

Tucked behind I Frari, this cute and friendly cafe-cum-wine-bar serves delicious, freshly made cicheti (Venetian tapas) and pastries throughout the day,…

Spice things up at Frary's, a bohemian-spirited bolthole serving Middle Eastern and Mediterranean classics. The antipasto platter might pair Greek…

Contemporary and relaxed, versatile Muro plays the role of both pizzeria and restaurant. Tuck into inventive pizzas and seasonal salads, or linger over…

Dire Straits was on high rotation last time we visited this Michelin-starred restaurant, which somewhat distracted from the refined ambience created by…

Hidden in the once shady lanes behind Ponte de le Tette, this culinary indulgence is hard to find but worth the effort. Once you do, say hello to a market…

With its menu of seasonal vegetarian creations and classic meat dishes, this cosy, woody restaurant consistently hits the mark. Herbs and spices are used…

This one-time bull stable became a brewery in the 19th century to keep Venice’s Austrian occupiers occupied, and beer and beef remain reliable bets. We…

‘From 1742’ boasts this tiny corner bakery, whose reputation for cakes, pastries and biscuits has survived many an acqua alta – record flood levels are…

The counter at this friendly hole-in-the-wall takeaway is a sea of oven-fresh pizza perfection of both the thin- and thick-crust varieties. Join the queue…

This snappy place is never short of local professors, labourers and clued-in out-of-towners. Crusty rolls are packed with local cheeses, fresh greens,…

Running this closet-sized cicheti counter are zemei (twins) Franco and Giovanni, who serve loyal regulars small bites with plenty of imagination:…

Once an anarchist clubhouse, intimate, art-slung 'At the Crooked Bridge' serves up scrumptious cicheti (Venetian tapas), whether it's quiche or the famed…

Watch the world drift down the Grand Canal outside or canoodle indoors, but prepare to sit up and pay attention once the food arrives. Pesador reinvents…