Italian€€santa-croceMon-Sat 12:30-14:30 and 19:00-22:30, closed Sunday
Osteria La Zucca in Venice's Santa Croce is the 35-seat canal-side room with a vegetable-forward Venetian carte and a handful of meat plates, since the 1980s.
Signature: Pumpkin and ricotta flan, Vegetable lasagna, Beef tagliata
Order: Pumpkin and ricotta flan, vegetable lasagna, the seasonal side board.
Tip: Closed Sundays. Book the canal-side tables (12 covers) specifically when you reserve.
Modern Venetian Seafood€€cannaregioTue-Fri 19:00-22:00, Sat 12:30-14:00 and 19:00-22:00, closed Sun-Mon
Osteria Anice Stellato on Fondamenta de la Sensa in Venice's Cannaregio is the canal-side modern Venetian room with outdoor tables on the rio in summer.
Signature: Bigoli in salsa, Marinated anchovies, Fish ravioli
Order: Bigoli in salsa, marinated anchovies, the daily ravioli.
Tip: Closed Mondays. Book outdoor terrace through their email or the listing site.
Italian€€€santa-croceTue-Sat 12:00-14:30 and 19:00-22:00, closed Sun-Mon
Osteria Trefanti on the Rio Marin in Santa Croce is the ten-table osteria where chef Umberto Slongo re-elaborates lagoon recipes with oriental spices.
Signature: Lagoon fish crudo with citrus, Bigoli in salsa, Spice-rubbed Adriatic fish of the day
Order: Whatever the daily catch is, paired from the natural-wine list selected by front-of-house Diego.
Tip: Two seatings only at 19:00 and 21:00, Tuesday to Saturday. Closed Sundays and Mondays. Reservations essential.
Modern Venetian, Canal-side€€san-poloTue-Sun 09:00-24:00, closed Monday
Osteria Bancogiro on Campo San Giacometto in San Polo at the foot of Rialto is the Grand Canal terrace bistro with a downstairs bacaro and a dining room.
Signature: Tagliata di tonno, Sarde in saor, Crab and ricotta ravioli
Order: Sarde in saor at the bacaro counter, then ravioli with crab and ricotta upstairs on the canal.
Tip: Lower-floor cicchetti are walk-in. Book the upstairs dining room with Grand Canal table a week ahead. Closed Mondays.
Italian€€€lagoon-islandsTue-Sun 12:30-14:45, Tue/Fri/Sat 19:30-21:00, closed Monday
Trattoria al Gatto Nero on Burano is the 1965 Bovo family room now run by Massimiliano Bovo, the canonical lagoon-fish lunch on the colourful fishing island.
Signature: Risotto di go, Bigoli with cuttlefish, Mixed grilled fish
Order: Risotto di go, bigoli al nero di seppia, the mixed grilled fish.
Tip: Book two weeks ahead. Ferry 12 from Fondamente Nove takes 45 minutes. Closed Mondays.
International€€€castelloMon 12:30-15:30 and 19:00-01:00, Thu-Sat 12:30-15:30 and 19:00-01:00, Sun 12:30-15:00 and 19:00-01:00, closed Tue-Wed
CoVino on Calle del Pestrin in Venice's Castello is the 12-seat modern bistro with a Slow Food Presidia carte and a daily-changing five-course tasting menu.
Signature: Five-course Presidia tasting, Lagoon-fish small plates, Natural-wine pairing
Order: The five-course tasting menu, the natural-wine pairing.
Tip: 12 seats total. Email a week ahead for booking. Closed Wed-Thu in some weeks; confirm with the email response.