FOOD BUZZ: Dining Gets An Upgrade in Venice, Italy

Fourteen of the best restaurants in Venice have formed an association that translates as “warm welcome.” The Associazione dei Ristoranti della Buona Accoglienza is a valuable service in a city where travelers are routinely overcharged for mediocre food, and particularly if you are planning a visit in winter and looking forward to long lunches and dinners to shut out the chill.  Upon realizing their reputations were being sullied by unscrupulous rivals, the participating restaurateurs pledged to offer authentic Venetian cuisine, the best ingredients, and good value for money.

On a recent trip, I sampled several of these restaurants and had a wonderful experience at Al Fontego dei Pescatori, Alle Testiere, Corte Sconta, and Al Gatto Nero on the picturesque island of Burano. In each, the owner was there to greet guests and discuss the menu, and there was none of the impersonal hustle that characterizes so many Venetian eateries.

To inspire a trip to the City of Canals, buy a copy of “Venice in Solitude,” a portfolio of black and white photographs that were taken at night with nobody around by German photographer Christopher Thomas. Bathed in mist or dusted with snow, the city has never looked more alluring and mysterious, and it costs nothing but a few hours of sleep to share the experience.

For more information, visit www.veneziaristoranti.it.

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Michael Webb

Michael grew up in London and now lives in a classic modern apartment in Los Angeles. His twin passions are architecture and travel, and he indulges both as often as he can, exploring every continent in search of material and inspiration. His travel memoir, Moving Around: a Lifetime of Wandering (ORO Books, October) recalls memorable experiences of people and places over seven decades. Michael is the author of 28 other books, most recently Architects' Houses. He has written on travel and design for The New York Times, Travel & Leisure, Virtuoso Life, Monocle, Architectural Digest and other publications
around the world.

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