I havent had multiple negative experiences with other stickers.
thanks, unfortunately, al covo is closed 1/1-2/12. We may try Antiche Carampane, I’m sure it will be excellent, but I was hoping to try at least one place that isn’t quite so well known, maybe a spot or two from this list:
best,
NYTimes just published an article on visiting Venice in winter, but no restaurant mentioned. More of a literary piece than general travel.
thanks, good article, they have bars with “no tourists” signs! already living up to my expectations 
they published this article at the end of last year, I guess I can use it to cross places off my list:
Good idea to check those off. your list! There is another article in today’s online NYTIMES about a winter visit to the city but it’s literary and does not mention restaurants; but might make good reading for the Venice-bound among us.
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The ones of this list I have been to are great for a glass of wine and a snack (cicchetti, probably spelling that wrong), but if you go to the last one on the list, I still recommend Estro (though I haven’t been in a while), if’n you are actually hungry. Also a wine bar, but with a full menu, and maybe a more modern place that isn’t so much on the tourist radar, and not as traditional as some of the other places on Parla’s list.
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Ive heard good things about Estro too but never been.
Somewhere I heard recommendations about a place called “da Jonny” , a traditional osteria in Castello which is not far from the Arsenale.
As I look across th map of the city it seems that much of its traditional restaurant culture has bee erased as venetians have moved away - along with passage of time, retirements and of course the pandemic. But I am sure you will eat delliciously - the seafood is hard to beat.
Sometimes I have felt the bacari are one of the hardest places in Venice to penetrate for a foreigner - so often we look in and walk away. I guess I prefer a sit down meal to snacks especially if, after the end of a long day of exploration I cant settle into a seat!
Note, they eat dinner earlier in Venice than in much of Italy and southern Europe- maybe because so many of the Venetians live on the mainland these days.
If you are into art, you dont want to miss the Accademia, which has many of the greatest hits of venetian art including a “Last Supper” by Veronese, which was rejected for being too secular in its tone and renamed rather than revised to eliminate the disrespectful elements, beautiful Bellini madonnas, and much more. A further group of Veronese’s paintings are in the Church of San Sebastiano, way out in Santa Croce, , or you can check out the Chiesa di Madonna del Orto in Canareggio, a beautiful old church with its Tintorettos - and and almost any church will have some point of interest.
when my kids were in college their professors would occasionally provide trigger warnings which, I’d guess like most people of my age, I found ridiculous. Still, I have to admit this photo from the estro website and the number of times they used the word “foam” in their menu descriptions, triggered me. I’m sure I’d love the food but at this point, I’ve had so many disappointing meals at places focusing on form over function, that I’ve decided to live a foam-free life 
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thanks jen, sounds like the Bacari have become even harder to penetrate now that some have started hanging “no tourists” signs. hopefully we can find some spots with a few tables or seats at the bar but for sure, it will be harder in the winter without outdoor seating. I’m sure we won’t go hungry
before my wife’s banking career, she was an art history major so she has us pretty well covered for an arts itinerary though as you point out, there’s just a crazy amount to see.
best,
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I will scrape foam off of anything.
sounds painful!
Only if it stays on. I dont like them.
Anything on Parla’s list (or Minchilli’s) will be well-discovered!
Random thoughts:
I have been to Estro a few times, last visit was a few years ago when I was taking a class very nearby and I headed over for lunch afterwards. We also went as a group for wine.
I used to like Trattoria da Jonny, but the last couple times I went–including this past October–I felt the quality of the cooking had slipped and the service had declined. Might have been what we ordered, the time of year/day, who knows. But I stay very nearby and I was disappointed because it had been a go-to for lunch without reservations for me in the past.
I also like Nevodi as well as Pietra Rossa in Castello. Pietra Rossa is one of 12? (including Vini da Gigio) that get or farm their produce together locally.
I hesitate to make recommendations because I enjoy creative restaurants, young chefs trying things out, etc., especially in Venice where there’s so much dreck passing itself off as “tradition.”
so in this video a venice food tour guide eats at Testiere, finds it overpriced and not all that interesting but,in the very next segment of the video, he eats at Estro, finds the food to be much better and well worth the price I dunno, maybe I need to visit the foam zone again!
here are some interesting restaurants from this video by a food tour guide from venice:
00:34 LOW BUDGET FOOD
01:05 Vino Vero (looks good, sounds like it will be crowded)
02:03 Bacareto da Lele (the food doesn’t look interesting)
02:40 Bar Rialto da Lollo (looks good!)
03:14 Osteria Alla Rampa (this place has my chowdar (as jim leff used to say) running hot
03:50 Cantina Aziende Agricole (ibid)
04:36 Al Nono Risorto (maybe better for warmer weather)
05:10 MID-RANGE RESTAURANTS
05:37 Paradiso Perduto (looks good for lunch)
06:15 Ai Assassini (looks good, maybe this has been recommended upthread)
06:37 Osteria Alle Testiere (not recommended)
07:26 Estro (tour guide loves it, have to get over my foam phobia (fobia)
08:26 FINE DINING IN VENICE
09:02 Harry’s Bar (we will probably skip)
10:24 Glam by Enrico Bartolini (two mich stars, around $300pp, we will skip)
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Here is an article I saw - 2 out of 4 of which we liked quite a lot - admittedly a few years ago! But thats a good indicator. La Frasca is on a sweet little square and Dai Tosi Piccoli nice if you are out toward the E end of Castello, which can be fun to explore - we had a great pizza and some other local fare at the latter when they were at an earlier location on Via Garibaldi- this was Christmas, at the Millenium so a while ago - Based on its location, you will probably be walking by Alla Rampa on one of the Salizzadas (major alleys) you travel to walk toward San Marco.’
https://www.msecchi.com/journal/venice-real-osterieL
La Frasca we went to more recently but not post-pandemic. I see that Ziggy has written about it - with a note of a change in management maybe he will surface to discuss. https://eatingwithziggy.com/2017/12/24/osteria-alla-frasca-venice-definition-of-hidden-gem/
thanks jen, that looks wonderful! from the photo on their website it’s not entirely clear whether they have indoor seating, maybe I’ll send them note to find out.
I’m starting to have to balance the types of places I like to eat (bacari, places like rampa and frasca) with the types of places my wife likes to eat (testiere and gigio).
best,
I always prefer going to the “good” places at lunch. Easier to get in and less touristy usually. Vini di Gigio is a little off the beaten path and less likely to be crowded also. La Frasca does have indoor space. When we ate there, they had picnic tables out front. The first time they also had a cheap meal for Venetian workers like some of the other places have done, and you see the local firemen etc in their uniforms eating. Not sure this is still on. Dalla Marisa also had this at lunchtime… I remember going to a place way over on the other side of the city during one of these lunches and feeling distinctly out of place.
Thanks Jen, unfortunately we don’t eat lunch but I am going to feel some pressure in Milan to try some of the street food. I’m tempted to lose a reservations at testiete or gigio in favor of eating at places like fasca and rampa.
Best,
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dont the food is better at the former than at la frasca. The best seafood comes at a price and the cooking is better at both than at la frasca.
