(366 Dorsoduro in Venice, Italy)

Ai Gondolieri restaurant in Venice is something special in the Venice dining scene – a kitchen that ...concentrates its menu on meaty dishes of the mainland rather than the typically fishy fare of most other eateries here. A short walk from the Guggenheim Museum and the Accademia (take vaporetto 1 or 82), Ai Gondolieri enjoys a magically romantic setting in a genuinely old inn with its own arched bridge over a picture-postcard canal. The dining rooms are not splashy or over-decorated, with wood panelling, modern seating, white table linens, ceiling fans. Nevertheless this place attracts the starriest visitors to Venice, from presidents to film stars. The upmarket menu changes seasonally, featuring dishes like deep-fried stuffed zucchini flowers, breaded deep-fried lamb served beautifully pink, superb steaks, excellent risotto. Your host will chat in English with you about the all-Italian menu. Upon arrival, please inform the restaurant that your booking was made via toptable. Opening hours: Wed - Mon 12pm - 3pm & 7pm - 10pm Tue: closed all day Giovanni Trevisan also runs the charming restaurant at the Guggenheim Museum. [moreless]

(4346 Corte Coppo in Venice, Italy)

Ristorante Ai Mercanti in the heart of Venice between the Rialto Bridge and Piazza San Marco is an u...pmarket, romantic restaurant in very cool style that enjoys a high-flying gastronomic reputation. The vaulted dining room is decorated in sophisticated terracotta and black with impressive shining globe lighting. The bar is wittily decorated with dressmakers’ forms and sexy corsets – great conversation starters. The menu is classically-inspired Venetian of a high order, focusing on things from the sea and changing every two months to take advantage of the and array of the freshest ingredients in true Italian style and pastas and desserts are all made in-house. In warm weather the dining room sprawls out onto the adjoining campiello for the loveliest al fresco dining anywhere – the Venetians who crowd Ai Mercanti certainly think so. Upon arrival, please inform the restaurant that your booking was made via toptable. Opening hours: Tue - Fri 12:30pm - 3pm Mon - Fri 7pm - 11pm Sun: closed all day A great favourite of the artists and audiences of La Fenice theatre who spill in after performances [moreless]

(5094 Calle Bombaseri, San Marco in Venice, Italy)

Al Graspo de Ua restaurant lies near Venice’s famous Rialto Bridge. Al Graspo de Ua – ‘The Bunch of... Grapes’ – started as an unassuming osteria in the 19th century and blossomed into a favourite of artists and movie stars in the 1960s. It still has a loyal following of Italians and Venetians who love the typical Venetian menu, the historic dining room with its 13th century tiled floor, low beams inscribed with Venetian proverbs like ‘Bread and wine bring happiness’, the tasteful artworks, the warm welcome from Lucio Zanon, former maitre d’ of Harry’s Bar in New York. The menu includes dishes like an unmissable gran antipasto misto that may include shellfish from the lagoon lightly dressed or whatever is seasonal, cuttlefish simmered in its own ink over grilled polenta, crème fraiche ice cream on yellow fig compote. The cooking and welcome are assured and the location makes it a superb choice for entertaining guests or colleagues. Upon arrival, please inform the restaurant that your booking was made via toptable. Opening hours: Mon - Fri 12pm - 3pm & 7pm - 10:30pmSat 7pm - 10:30pm Sun: closed all day The restaurant beams are inscribed with Venetian proverbs... [moreless]

(1243 Calle Larga de l'Ascension, San Marco in Venice, Italy)

Canova restaurant in the superb Luna Hotel Baglioni in Venice is an exclusive, sophisticated place t...o enjoy award-winning cuisine. The Hotel itself has history in spades – it was once home to the Knights Templar and has been an albergo since the Middle Ages, reputedly the first hotel in Venice. Sited near the Piazza San Marco at the mouth of the Grand Canal, few hotel restaurants enjoy such a superb setting. The dining room is a haven of soft, Venetian classicism, with wood paneled walls, exquisite table settings, neutral, plush upholstery and fleet, unobtrusive service. The menu is a mixture of Venetian specialties and international favourites. If you are hosting a meeting or private event, the hotel is fully equipped to assist you in every respect. Upon arrival, please inform the restaurant that your booking was made via toptable. A credit card is required to reserve a table, if there is availability for bookings of 6 people or over - this is simply to secure your booking, absolutely no money will be charged to the card except in the case of late cancellations. A fee of 30€ per person will be charged for a cancellation within 2 days or for a no show Opening hours: Mon - Sun 12:30pm - 2:30pm & 7:30pm - 10:30pm [moreless]

(4171 Riva degli Schiavoni in Venice, Italy)

Restaurant Do’Leoni in Venice’s historic and delightful Hotel Londra is named for Russian composer T...chaikovsky’s – he composed part of his fourth symphony, nicknamed Do’Leoni, here. This award-winning, elegant restaurant enjoys a superb location overlooking the lagoon with a covered veranda that expands the space in warm weather. The light, bright dining room with its creamy colours reflects the chef’s philosophy of offering light, contemporary food. Attention to detail is apparent everywhere, from the eight different breads baked daily to the home made ice creams and chocolate. Menus encompass classic, traditional and seasonal dishes in modern, innovative style, like tempura prawns with couscous timbale and mango preserve followed by classic calf’s liver with polenta. Wines and cheeses are superb as is the service. Upon arrival, please inform the restaurant that your booking was made via toptable. Opening hours: Mon - Fri 12pm - 3:30pm & 7pm - 10:30pm Candlelight supper on the veranda overlooking the gondolas and the lagoon – a more romantic evening is impossible to imagine... [moreless]

(1332 Calle Vallaresso, San Marco in Venice, Italy)

At the Grand Canal restaurant based at the Hotel Monaco in the heart of Venice, you may dine on a be...autiful terrace just a few inches above the waters of the Grand Canal and feast your eyes as well as your palate. It is drenched with romance. And with breathtaking views over gondolas, the spotlit Santa Maria della Salute, and the island of San Giorgio, the Grand Canal wouldn’t have to offer exquisite décor, excellent service and fine food. But it does. The menu is based on the daily-changing fresh fish and vegetables that Venetian cuisine dotes on, as well as a menu of meat and pasta dishes that change seasonally, like salmon and swordfish tartare with lemon and basil or terrine of foie gras with pumpkin puree. If your plans include private entertaining, the Grand Canal restaurant is set in the Hotel Monaco which houses the amazing, historic, perfectly Venetian Sala del Ridotto, the heart of 18th century Venice, where the world’s first Casino was born. Host your wedding, banquet, launch or meeting here, of take advantage of the eight adjacent meeting rooms for smaller groups. The Grand Canal restaurant is a Venetian favourite. Upon arrival, please inform the restaurant that your booking was made via toptable. A credit card is required to reserve a table of 4 people or more, if there is availability - this is simply to secure your booking, absolutely no money will be charged to the card except in the case of late cancellations. A fee of 30€ per person will be charged for a cancellation within 48 hours or for a no show Opening hours: Daily 12:30pm - 2:30pm & 7:30pm - 10:30pm [moreless]

(2397 Via XXII Marzo in Venice, Italy)

La Caravella restaurant in Venice can be discovered immediately behind the newly-restored La Fenice ...theatre, just a few paces from the Piazza San Marco. Stepping inside, you’ll feel as if you’ve entered an antique sailing ship, with dark wood paneling, capstans and ropes and leaded windows. In summer, you may not step inside at all as La Caravella moves into a flower-filled courtyard complete with original wells, or the lighter courtyard dining room with typical Venetian ambience. The menu is typically Venetian too, with dishes like classic saor, marinated sardines with onions, pine kernels and raisins, fish soup, or oven orast turbot with potatoes and olives. In addition, the chef uses fresh seasonal ingredients to create trendier fare. The excellent wine list features both historical wine producers and smaller boutique vintners. Planning a party? La Caravella welcomes wedding receptions, private dinners, banquets, corporate entertaining, even coffee breaks. The garden seats up to 65 and one of the dining rooms up to 75. Upon arrival, please inform the restaurant that your booking was made via toptable. A credit card is required to reserve a table for 6 people or more, if there is availability - this is simply to secure your booking, absolutely no money will be charged to the card except in the case of late cancellations. A fee of €25 per person will be charged for a cancellation within 48 hours or for a no show Opening hours: Mon - Sun 12pm - 3pm & 7pm - 11pm [moreless]

(1665 Piscina De Frezzaria, San Marco in Venice, Italy)

La Colomba restaurant in Venice, a few short paces from the Piazza San Marco and La Fenice theatre, ...has been a hub of the art scene for more than seventy years. Artists are often short of money, but as they still need to eat, hundreds of them – including Picasso and Chagall -- have left drawings and paintings as payment to La Colomba who displays them over every surface. You dine surrounded by art, a perfect accompaniment to the classic Venetian masterpiece on your plate. But La Colomba has been a restaurant, formerly a favourite with gondoliers and sailors, for more than two hundred years. Historic roots, modern delights. The menu features both typical Venetian and international cuisine, dishes like bresaola with parmesan and rocket salad, veal ravioli with tomato sauce, chateaubriand with béarnaise, accompanied by an entirely Italian wine list. La Colomba is one of Venice’s most famous restaurants and it often hosts groups of tourists, business folk and parties. Both the location and service are excellent for private events. Upon arrival, please inform the restaurant that your booking was made via toptable. A credit card is required to reserve a table for groups of 6 or more, if there is availability - this is simply to secure your booking, absolutely no money will be charged to the card except in the case of late cancellations. A fee of 25€ per person will be charged for a cancellation within 2 days or for a no show Opening hours: Mon - Sun 12:30pm 2:30pm & 7pm - 10:30pm Closed Thu lunch - Wed all day La Colomba was a Pablo Picasso's favourite. [moreless]

(1939 Campiello della Fenice, San Marco in Venice, Italy)

La Fenice restaurant is known in Venice as Taverna La Fenice, a name given by writer Gabriele d’Annu...nzio during the years of the First World War. Not many restaurants can make that claim. This charming, historic, romantic restaurant has stood beside the world-famous La Fenice opera house since 1907. Think ochre stucco, window boxes, fine Italian dining and superb Italian service in a traditional setting with fresh flowers, suffused light and a delightful terrace at the front of the restaurant surrounded by screens and plants. Even the presence of tour groups doesn’t mar the professional service or the romantic atmosphere. Dishes include La Fenice’s own carpaccio, risotto with scampi and rocket, tagliatelle with cream sauce and wild mushrooms, and turbot roasted with potatoes and tomato sauce. The wine list matches the excellence of the carte. Upon arrival, please inform the restaurant that your booking was made via toptable. Opening hours: Wed - Mon 7pm - 11:30pm Tue: closed all day Patrons of La Fenice have included Pavarotti, Catherine Deneuve and Jean-Paul Belmondo. [moreless]

(121 Piazza San Marco in Venice, Italy)

Quadri restaurant in Venice – how romantic can one restaurant be? Candlelit views over Piazza San M...arco from the windowside tables, a single red rose in a bud vase, silver-domed dishes revealed with a flourish, the Quadri orchestra below, the chimes of San Marco above, crystal chandeliers, rose-coloured fabric-lined walls, gilt mirrors all invoke sighs of pure pleasure. Quadri has bags of history – it was founded in 1775 as a Turkish khava (coffee) house by one Giorgio Quadri from Corfu. The coffee house remains among the porticos on the ground floor, while the grand first floor restaurant was created in 1830. Absolutely everyone has dined here, from Lord Byron to Sting. The seasonal Italian menu features dishes like marinated seabass in puff pastry with baby spinach, cherry tomatoes and mustard, and bucatini pasta with eggplant and provela cheese, duck breast in fruit sauce. House wines are recommended. A pair of interconnecting dining rooms make Quadri an impressive choice for private or corporate entertaining, too, with a host of menus to choose from. Upon arrival, please inform the restaurant that your booking was made via toptable. A credit card is required to reserve a table, if there is availability - this is simply to secure your booking, absolutely no money will be charged to the card except in the case of late cancellations. A fee of 30€ per person will be charged for a cancellation within 2 days or for a no show. Please note that Quadri is closed on Monday from November till March. Opening hours: Mon - Sun 12:15pm - 2:15pm & 7:30pm - 10:15 pm [moreless]