Osteria Anice Stellato in Venice's Cannaregio is the canal-side modern Venetian seafood room on Fondamenta de la Sensa, with outdoor tables along the rio in summer.
Signature dishes: Bigoli in salsa, Marinated anchovies, Fish ravioli
Must order: Bigoli in salsa, marinated anchovies, the daily ravioli.
Tip: Closed Mondays. Book outdoor terrace on the rio in summer through their email or the dishcult listing.
Address: Fondamenta de la Sensa, Cannaregio 3272, 30121 Venezia VE, Venice
Vini da Gigio in Venice's Cannaregio is the Lazzari family's canal-side trattoria, a Slow Food-listed family room running the canonical Venetian carte since 1981.
Signature: Bigoli in salsa, Fegato alla veneziana, Branzino al sale
Order: Bigoli in salsa, fegato alla veneziana, branzino in salt crust.
Tip: Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. The wine cellar runs to 1,200 labels. Book a week ahead online or by phone.
Trattoria al Gatto Nero on Burano is the 1965-founded Bovo family room run by Massimiliano Bovo, the canonical lagoon-fish lunch on the colourful fishing island.
Signature: Risotto di go (lagoon goby risotto), Bigoli with cuttlefish, Mixed grilled fish
Order: Risotto di go, bigoli al nero di seppia, the mixed grilled fish from the lagoon.
Tip: Book two weeks ahead online. Ferry 12 from Fondamente Nove takes 45 minutes. Closed Mondays.
Bistrot de Venise near San Marco is the 1993 room that cooks from manuscripts of the Anonimo Veneziano and Renaissance Venetian cookbooks, the only such kitchen in the lagoon.
Signature: Anonimo Veneziano 14th-century recipes, Renaissance dishes, Saor of historic origin
Order: The historic-tasting carte, the Renaissance saor of sole, the medieval risi e bisi.
Tip: Two carte: contemporary and historic. The historic side is the reason to book; their Renaissance tasting needs 48 hours' notice.
Osteria La Zucca in Venice's Santa Croce is the 35-seat canal-side room that built its reputation on a vegetable-forward Venetian carte, with a handful of meat plates.
Signature: Pumpkin flan with ricotta, Vegetable lasagna, Beef tagliata
Order: Pumpkin and ricotta flan, vegetable lasagna, the daily vegetable side board.
Tip: Book a week ahead by phone. Closed Sundays. The canal-side tables fit only 12 covers; ask specifically when you book.
Locanda Cipriani on Torcello is the 1934-founded Cipriani-family lagoon outpost that Hemingway used for lunch, the canonical garden-restaurant on the silent island.
Signature: Risotto alla torcellana, Carpaccio Cipriani, Filetti di San Pietro
Order: Risotto alla torcellana, carpaccio Cipriani, the daily fish baked in the garden's wood oven.
Tip: Closed Tuesdays and the whole of January. Ferry 12 from Fondamente Nove, 45 minutes. Book outdoor garden tables when you reserve.
Harry's Bar on Calle Vallaresso is the 1931 Cipriani family room that invented the carpaccio and the Bellini, the canonical historic-bar lunchroom in San Marco.
Signature: Carpaccio, Risotto alla primavera, Calf's liver Venetian-style
Order: Bellini at the ground-floor bar, beef carpaccio upstairs, risotto alla primavera.
Tip: Drinking at the bar costs a fraction of upstairs dining; the Bellini is the reason to stop. Book upstairs through OpenTable a fortnight ahead.
Vini da Gigio in Venice's Cannaregio is the Lazzari family's canal-side trattoria, a Slow Food-listed family room running the canonical Venetian carte since 1981.
Signature: Bigoli in salsa, Fegato alla veneziana, Branzino al sale
Order: Bigoli in salsa, fegato alla veneziana, branzino in salt crust.
Tip: Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. The wine cellar runs to 1,200 labels. Book a week ahead online or by phone.
