Al Covo

Al Covo is located about 10 minutes away from Piazza San Marco, or four bridges if we’re using Venice’s preferred distance metric. With a bunch of paintings by local artists on the walls, heavy silverware and hand-blown Murano glasses on the table, the atmosphere really hits a sweet spot between fine dining and a relaxed family restaurant. The menu features a lot of seafood from the lagoon and the owners are leading an initiative to supply a bunch of restaurants with vegetables grown on the nearby island of Sant’Erasmo. Look for soft-shelled crabs and artichoke hearts in early winter, tiny lagoon snails during the summer, and a wine list that highlights natural and biodynamic bottles from small Italian producers. If you really can’t decide what to get, just order the tasting menu which gives you whatever is freshest. No meal here is complete without a slice of chocolate cake with fudge icing, studded with salted pistachios.