A design insider’s guide to Venice bars and restaurants
The beauty of Venice – apart from the obvious – is that you may often stumble across a real drinking or dining gem, but will you ever find it again? As the Architecture Biennale kicks off we asked in-the-know designers and residents to recommend their favourite Venetian spots for dinner or a pitstop, whether it be an espresso, spritz or gelato.
Gelateria Nico
Selected by Bianca Arrivabene, deputy chairman at Christie’s Italy
‘Nico alle Zattere is a real Venetian caffe. Go for a run or also a walk early morning alle Zattere and then stop at Nico for a real cappuccino. Ice Cream here is the thing and Gianduia is the one!’. Fondamenta Zattere al Ponte Longo, 922, 30123 Venice, Italy
La Zucca
Selected by Chiara Andreatti, designer
‘It is off the main tourist drag. It is the ideal alternative for those who want to avoice the typical Venetian menu based on fish; they serve unusual dishes that are very flavourful; the pumpkin flan, the zucchini lasagna... and also the white wine’. Santa Croce 1762, 30135 Venice, Italy
Luna Sentada
Selected by Nicolò Favaretto Rubelli, CEO of Rubelli
‘If you like to travel, try Marco Polo’s silk road, you should make reservations at Luna Sentada, blending Venetian and Asian cuisine, along with exquisite wines. Venice has always been a crossroad of different cultures and Luna Sentada is a perfect example of it’. Fondamenta S. Severo, 5018, 30122 Venice, Italy
The bar at the Aman Venice (home to the Arrivabene family, pictured below)
Selected by Giberto Arrivabene, artisan glass designer
‘Antonio the bartender is a star and will make you feel at home with the best cocktails. I didn’t know so many gins existed until he walked me through that world.’ Calle Tiepolo Baiamonte, 1364, Palazzo Padapdopoli, 30125 Sestiere San Polo, Italy
Linea d’Ombra
Selected by Nicolò Favaretto Rubelli, CEO of Rubelli
‘You watch the view and the boats going by, while enjoying a delicious meal’. Dorsoduro, 19, 30123 Venice, Italy
Cà D’Oro Alla Vedova
Selected by Andrea Chiara Andreatti, designer
‘It is almost impossible to sit at Vedova but its cicchetti can be enjoyed standing up from the legendary meatballs, always warm and crispy, to the creamed cod and sardines in saòr, served with white polenta’. Ramo Cà D’Oro, 3912, 30121 Venice, Italy
Harry’s Bar (pictured below)
Selected by Bianca Arrivabene, deputy chairman at Christie’s Italy
‘Harry’s Bar is the best bar in the world, there is no geographic limitation to this. Lunch and dinner here are a must too.’ San Marco, 1323, 30124 Venice, Italy
Birreria Forst
Selected by Chiara Andreatti, furniture designer
‘Small but good quality, the pepper and cheese croquette is the best. Average prices. Just in the central of the town’. Calle Delle Rasse, 4540, 30122, Venice, Italy
Quadri (pictured below)
Selected by Giberto Arrivabene, artisan glass designer
‘Where else, when in Venice… go to the Piazza (only one in town) and depending on the sun and the weather and your mood choose one or the other because Quadri does lunch and dinner in fab way’. Piazza San Marco, 121, 30124 Venice, Italy
Trattoria alla Rivetta
Selected by Chiara Andreatti, designer
‘Excellent restaurant not far from Piazza San Marco. The fresh fish and expertly cooked, with excellent prawns and shrimps in saor. Like a tavern its as much a meeting place for creative students and architects.’ Salizada S. Provolo, 4625, 30122 Venice, Italy
Naranzaria
Selected by Bianca Arrivabene, deputy chairman at Christie’s Italy
‘In the Rialto Market area, where oranges (Naranza – Orange) were sold once upon a time. It’s a dream spot along the Canal Grande, with gondolieri coming and going, great wines, and cicchetti done the Venetian way. When in Venice Spritzs are a must and this is the place.’ San Polo, 130, 30125 Venice, Italy
Gritti Palace (pictured below)
Selected by Nicolò Favaretto Rubelli, CEO of Rubelli
‘Outdoor dining is always an experience, when the weather allows it. Elegant and exclusive terraces at the Gritti Palace are available on the water of the Palace (it’s the most exclusive restaurant in town)’. Campo Santa Maria del Giglio, 30124 Venice, Italy
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Osteria Antica Adelaide
Selected by Chiara Andreatti, designer
‘The beef or pork sandwiches with mustard here are the best in the city’. Racheta, Calle Priuli, 3728, 30121 Venice, Italy
A Beccaficio or L’Orto dei Mori
Selected by Nicolò Favaretto Rubelli, CEO of Rubelli
‘[Both] are in the middle of squares, and you feel you are part of a play: meals become an experience for all senses. A Beccafico, Campo S. Stefano, 2801, 30124 Venice; L’Orto dei Mori, 3386, 3386 Cannareggio, Italy§
See all the latest news and stories from Venice Architecture Biennale here
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
The breathtaking runway sets of S/S 2025, from beanbag animals to a twisted living room
Wallpaper* picks the best runway sets and show spaces of fashion month, which featured Bottega Veneta’s beanbag menagerie, opulence at Saint Laurent, and artist collaborations at Acne Studios and Burberry
By Jack Moss Published
-
Apple’s Alan Dye and Molly Anderson discuss the design of Apple Watch Series 10
In addition to the Apple Watch Series 10, Apple has also introduced a new black titanium finish for the premium Apple Watch Ultra 2; here’s what’s new
By Nick Compton Published
-
Mark’s Club’s interior refresh brings British countryside charm to the heart of Mayfair
Located in a classic Mayfair townhouse, Mark’s Club unveils its new interiors, from greenhouse extensions to a new open-plan layout full of trinkets and charm
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Naples Central Station boasts a wavy, wooden signature roof that is dramatic and sculptural
Naples Underground Central Station by Benedetta Tagliabue is a work of art that’s inviting and vibrant, matching its dynamic context
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Venice Architecture Biennale 2025: a glimpse of what’s to come and Carlo Ratti's circular economy manifesto
Venice Architecture Biennale 2025 curator Carlo Ratti talks about the theme, 'Intelligens' and launches his circular economy manifesto; the first glimpses into what’s to come at the festival's launch next spring
By Ellie Stathaki Last updated
-
‘Carlo Scarpa: The Complete Buildings’ is an essential tour of the Italian master’s works
‘Carlo Scarpa: The Complete Buildings’ is the perfect book for architecture enthusiasts
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
New Aesop Milan store is a haven of beauty and tranquillity
The latest Aesop Milan store to open is a hub of wellness, beauty and tranquillity in the Italian metropolis
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
A new water mirror casts a misty veil over ancient Roman baths
Architect Hannes Peer reveals a water mirror in Rome – an immersive architectural installation at the heart of the ancient Baths of Caracalla
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Giovanni Michelucci’s dramatic concrete church in the Italian Dolomites
Giovanni Michelucci’s concrete Church of Santa Maria Immacolata in the Italian Dolomites is a reverently uplifting memorial to the victims of a local disaster
By Jonathan Glancey Published
-
Milan’s 10 Corso Como revamp nods to the concept store’s industrial character
Milanese concept store 10 Corso Como unveils its new look by 2050+, a stripped-back design that nods to its 20th-century character
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Year in review: top 10 architecture stories of 2023, selected by Wallpaper* architecture editor Ellie Stathaki
Stathaki presents her top 10 architecture stories of 2023, from a world-leading festival to lesser-known 20th-century architecture, contemporary transport hubs, museums and a pool to splash in
By Ellie Stathaki Published