Page 238 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Venice & The Veneto

236  TR A VELLERS ’ NEEDS

WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK

Restaurants in Venice and the Veneto dinner earlier to cater for the many foreign
serve predominantly Italian food from visitors. Restaurants may be closed for a
the region, with a special emphasis on week or so for staff holidays, but these
fish in Venice. Wherever visitors go, they vary from year to year. Ask your hotel to
will find the cooking simple, with dishes first call and confirm that the restaurant
that make full use of traditional, locally is open to avoid disappointment. Finding
grown ingredients. restaurants can be confusing in Venice,
Most Venetians eat pranzo (lunch) at so use the map references provided. The
around 12:30pm and cena (dinner) from restaurants listed in the following pages are
8pm, though restaurants start serving some of the best across all price ranges.

but can be a good deal if service
and cover charge are included.
A menu gastronomico or menu
degustazione is a fixed-price
menu consisting of six or seven
courses, which allows you to
sample the full range of the
chef’s offerings.

How Much to Pay
Transport charges can add as
much as 30 per cent to the price
of basic commodities coming
into Venice. In cheaper places
Lunching alfresco at a pizzeria in Venice and pizzerie, a two-course meal
with half a litre of wine will cost
Types of Restaurants
7:30pm to 10:30pm for dinner. around €15. Three-course meals
Eating places in Italy have a Many restaurants close one or average about €35 and could
variety of names. For example, two days a week. Closing days cost up to €100 or more in up -
a ristorante is smarter and more for individual restaurants are market restaurants. In the Veneto,
expensive than a trattoria. A given in the listings. prices are lower, except for stylish
birreria and a spaghetteria are restaurants in Verona and along
more downmarket eating places Fixed-Price Menus Lake Garda during the summer.
selling beer, pasta and snacks. Nearly all restaurants apply a
There are also a large number of Restaurants may have a menu cover charge (pane e coperto) of
fast-food joints and tavola calda turistico pinned up in the street. €1–4. Many also add a 10 per cent
(cafeteria-style) establishments, Such menus offer little oppor- service charge (servizio) to the bill
which have no cover or service tunity to taste the local cuisine, (il conto), so always establish if
charge. A good pizzeria will use this is their policy. In case of no
wood-fired ovens and normally service charge, it is acceptable
be open only in the evenings. to add 10 to 15 per cent to the
An enoteca is a wine bar that total – many Italians simply
often serves meals too, while an round up the bill. Rest aurants
osteria is a typical neighbourhood are obliged by law to give a
bar that often does bar snacks. proper receipt (una ricevuta
Those not looking for a full meal fiscale). The preferred form of
at lunchtime can stop at a bar or payment is cash, but many will
café for a light snack. For more accept payment by major credit
on bars and cafés, see pp236–250. cards. Check which cards are
accepted when booking.
Opening Times and
Closing Days Making Reservations
Opening times are virtually the Whatever the price range,
same throughout Venice and Venice’s best restaurants are
the Veneto – from noon to A blackboard menu displayed in front always busy, so it is best to
2:30pm for lunch, and from of a restaurant reserve a table. If restaurants

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