Must-see restaurants in San Polo & Santa Croce

  • Osteria Trefanti

    San Polo & Santa Croce

    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…

  • Zanze XVI:  Polished eatery presenting reimagined local fare such as pasta, fish & meat dishes, plus wine.

    Zanze XVI

    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 …

  • Ristorante Glam Venice. Intimate, acclaimed venue at a luxe hotel with a leafy courtyard presenting imaginative dishes.

    Glam

    San Polo & Santa Croce

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

  • The light and modern interior of Bacarretto

    Bacarretto

    San Polo & Santa Croce

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

  • Basegò is in the pretty Campo San Toma'

    Basegò

    San Polo & Santa Croce

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

  • All' Arco.

    All’Arco

    San Polo & Santa Croce

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

  • Guests enjoy a drink outside La Bottiglia

    La Bottiglia

    San Polo & Santa Croce

    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…

  • The  entrance to Adagio is on the corner of the Frari square

    Adagio

    San Polo & Santa Croce

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

  • Frary's

    San Polo & Santa Croce

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

  • Muro San Stae

    San Polo & Santa Croce

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

  • Da Fiore

    San Polo & Santa Croce

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

  • Antiche Carampane

    San Polo & Santa Croce

    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…

  • Osteria La Zucca

    San Polo & Santa Croce

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

  • Birraria La Corte

    San Polo & Santa Croce

    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…

  • Pasticceria Rizzardini

    San Polo & Santa Croce

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

  • Antico Forno

    San Polo & Santa Croce

    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…

  • The Nomboli snack bar has plenty of outdoor seating

    Bar Ai Nomboli

    San Polo & Santa Croce

    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,…

  • Ostaria dai Zemei

    San Polo & Santa Croce

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

  • Al Ponte Storto

    San Polo & Santa Croce

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

  • Osteria al Pesador

    San Polo & Santa Croce

    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…

  • Gelato di Natura

    San Polo & Santa Croce

    Along with a dozen other things, Marco Polo is said to have introduced ice cream to Venice after his odyssey to China. At this gelato shop the…

  • Trattoria da Ignazio

    San Polo & Santa Croce

    Dapper white-jacketed waiters serve pristine grilled lagoon fish, fresh pasta and desserts made in-house (‘of course’) with a proud flourish, on tables…

  • Acqua e Mais

    San Polo & Santa Croce

    Ignore the proliferating pizza stalls and head to Acqua e Mais where you’ll find authentic Venetian street food wrapped in a scartosso (paper cone). The…

  • Il Refolo

    San Polo & Santa Croce

    With outdoor tables occupying the campo in front of San Giacomo dall’Orio, this is a sunny spot from which to watch gondolas drift by. The food, too, is…

  • Sacro e Profano

    San Polo & Santa Croce

    Musicians, artists and philosophising regulars make this hideaway, positioned under the arcade leading to the Rialto bridge, exceptionally good for…

  • Vecio Fritolin

    San Polo & Santa Croce

    Traditionally a fritolin was an eatery where diners sat at a communal table and tucked into fried fish. This is the modern equivalent, albeit smarter,…

  • Al Bacco Felice

    San Polo & Santa Croce

    Paper placemats, pop tunes on the radio and glowing customer feedback plastered up the wall: Al Bacco sets a casual, convivial scene for decent, thin…

  • Trattoria Antica Besseta

    San Polo & Santa Croce

    Wood panelling sets the scene at this veteran trattoria, known for giving contemporary verve to regional classics such as bigoli in salsa (wholemeal pasta…

  • Osteria Mocenigo

    San Polo & Santa Croce

    Times and dining habits have changed since doges strained waistcoat buttons at neighbouring Palazzo Mocenigo: warm, homely Osteria Mocenigo offers casual…

  • Muro Frari

    San Polo & Santa Croce

    With its bare bricks and modern decor, Muro was one of the first to bring contemporary informal dining to Venice. An innovative menu combining pizza and…

  • Gelateria Il Doge

    San Polo & Santa Croce

    An offshoot of the historic (and some say Venice's best) gelateria in Campo Santa Margherita, Gelateria Il Doge serves delicious flavours such as mango or…

  • Coop

    San Polo & Santa Croce

    A large agricultural cooperative supermarket with a good deli section.

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