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 dishes: Risotto alla torcellana, Carpaccio Cipriani, Filetti di San Pietro
Must 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.
Address: Piazza Santa Fosca 29, 30142 Torcello, Venezia VE, Venice
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.
Osteria Bancogiro in Venice's San Polo is the Grand Canal terrace bistro at the foot of the Rialto, with a downstairs bacaro and an upstairs 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 a Grand Canal table through the website a week ahead.
Antiche Carampane in Venice's San Polo is the 1983 family-run seafood trattoria the Rialto fishmongers send friends to, the room with the no-tourist-menu sign on the door.
Signature: Spaghetti with lagoon clams, Fritto misto, Sarde in saor
Order: Spaghetti with vongole, fritto misto della laguna, sarde in saor.
Tip: Book a fortnight ahead. Closed Sundays and Mondays. The dining room has 10 tables, so flexibility on date is more useful than time.
Trattoria Corte Sconta in Venice's Castello is the courtyard seafood room that locals and chefs in town quietly book first, the canonical hidden-courtyard fish trattoria.
Signature: Antipasto misto di pesce crudo, Spaghetti with clams, Granseola
Order: Antipasto misto, spaghetti vongole, granseola when in season.
Tip: Book three weeks ahead. The pergola courtyard is the seat to ask for in summer. Closed Sundays and Mondays.
Osteria alle Testiere in Venice's Castello is the 22-seat room with two seatings, run by Bruno Gavagnin and Luca di Vita on Calle del Mondo Novo since 1993.
Signature: Gnocchetti with calamari, Branzino in crosta di sale, Marinated anchovies
Order: Gnocchetti with calamari and cinnamon, branzino in salt crust, the salty antipasti.
Tip: Two seatings only: 12:30 + 13:30 for lunch, 19:15 + 21:30 for dinner. Book at least a fortnight ahead through their online form.
