Ristorante alla Madonna, Venice

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The whole menu is great. You will see much of the food on ice as you enter the restaurant. A little brightly lit as most restaurants in Italy are, but always lively and packed. Don't let the line scare you, it moves along because the restaurant is larger than most in Venice.

Favorite Dish: This is the place to get your 'seppiolini de nero' or black squid ink pasta. It's so tender and much like a deep, rich mushroom flavor. Their tiramisu is definitely in the top three of my world experiences.

Alla Madonna has been around ages. Still has its reputation as one of the best seafood restaurants on Venice. This large comfortable restaurant gets packed, so reservations are adviseable.
Closed on Wednesdays
Opening hours: 1200 noon - 3.00 pm then 7.00pm - 1000 pm.

Favorite Dish: Pesce fritte misto with a wedge of lemon - yumee

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This was the best restaurant I ate at in Venice. Although it does not take reservations, it fills up quickly after 7pm. From the outside, it's dark and not all that obvious or easy to find. But it's very close to Rialto Bridge on the San Polo side of the Grand Canal. I got here at 7pm after a full day of sightseeing and I as exhausted as I was, I felt very lucky to have found this.

After the first dish, a Venetian appetizer called "Sardine in Saor" (fried, pickled sardines), I asked the waiters if they were in fact really angels from heaven. I think I even asked myself, "How can I not be in heaven? The food tastes too good."

When I told the waiter how good the Sardines Saor was, he said, "I know." The staff here are very friendly, sincere, on top of things and serve very fresh, tasty, traditional cuisine.

If you need soup in your diet, the seafood soup that I ate (the one with little pieces of bread in it) was magnificent.

The service was always there when I needed it with out being fake about it. It seemed as if they read my minds. The experience here was perfect in all senses: the taste, the service, the atmosphere (a lively bright atmosphere).

Favorite Dish: Without a doubt, the fish soup (zuppa di pesce) was so good, I was nearly in tears. I cannot describe the flavors. I'll try. It's a perfectly salted fish broth with onion base, light pepper, possibly an herb similar to tarragon (or even balsamic vinegar) to give the broth a lightly sweet flavoring to it; probably some olive oil in it too. The soup has clams, fresh fish, and get this: squid eggs. Those squid eggs were amazing tastey, with a soft jelly like texture that was amazing!

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We had a fabulous dinner one night at Trattoria alla Madonna.

Located on the ground floor of a centuries old mansion, the restaurant has been in operation since the mid 1950's and is still owned by the original owner.

The restaurant was packed out when we arrived (without a booking), but they managed to squeeze us 4 in after a brief wait.

This was a cosy, relaxed place, with a mix of locals and tourists, and friendly helpful staff.

Favorite Dish: They specialise in Venetian cuisine - hence seafood was the basis for the menu.

We started with seafood antipasto to share.

My sister Alison had one of the house specialities - the squid ink pasta with polenta. I had a seafood risotto. Bill is pictured here with his lasagne, and of course a carafe of vino rosso!

It was a fun night and we left full and satisfied.

This restaurant was recommended highly by our gondelier as the place that the locals go and it was obvious when we went that many of the guests there were local. The prices were very reasonable and the food was incredible. I highly recommend this restaurant when in Venice!

Favorite Dish: The gondelier told us that the specialty was the seafood risotto and it was to die for. Both visits, I asked for parmesan cheese and the waiters both asked "cheese with fish??" so I took his advice and think about that every time I have seafood. The other great dish that I had both visits was the grilled eel. On my second visit, my friends tasted mine and ended up ordering it for themselves.

The restaurant was opened in 1954 by its present owner Mr. Fulvio Rado. Anciently an old venetian osteria complete of vineyard, this trattoria has preserved its style and quality in preparring traditional dishes.
Show bizz and cultural charachters often dine in this restaurant especially when they search for an informal and descreete corner and a quick but accurate service.