Osteria Anice Stellato

An excellent restaurant slightly off the beaten path. Some find the service stand offish but honestly I find it surprising. As long as you are cordial and friendly as a guest, you will get the best service you will ever want or need. The restaurant adds creative touches to the dishes which I sometimes don’t love so do take a look at all the listed ingredients and make sure the inventive side doesn’t upset you. The scallops were wonderful with a nice creamy sauce and texture from the lentils. The octopus was wonderful even though I wasn’t a fan of the chickpea cream. The spaghetti was excellent, full of onions and anchovies, a touch too much sauce to my liking but the taste was wonderful. The pasta / bean soup was nice but too much of the similar taste to my liking. The fish with mushrooms was perfectly cooked and mushrooms did work well here. A nice option in Venice but do read the menu properly before ordering.

We have been to the Osteria and I agree with most comments on the quality of service, atmosphere and taste of the dishes. Our experience although has not been of the most rewarding. I can accept the philosophy of the place, also can understand the imbalance of 100 different wines and the short menu, I am prepared to accept the price and surcharge for location and view. What I cannot condone is the portion control. The job of a restaurant is not to be confused with that of a dietician. Pictures to testify that a plate of pasta at €22 with a ragù of mussels - with no mussels as evident from the photo- is not more than 70g of dry weight. Equally a €26 sarde is made of 7 small ones. So I hope the chef and the team understand that customers are ready to accept some compromises but not the lack of consideration of the environment they operate in - in Italian I would call this Lesinare: the intent to reduce the provision for the sole purpose of pretending to be posh. I would hope this review is taken for what it is. Recognition of good intent, feedback for improvement on the execution.

A mixed experience. This restaurant is tucked away on a lovely canal and clearly aims to offer a refined, slow-cooked take on traditional Italian cuisine. The setting is charming, and it seems to cater to a more “foodie” crowd, with an emphasis on quality ingredients and a fresh take on traditional italian. However, for us, the experience didn’t quite live up to expectations. While the service was professional, it really lacked any warmth, and the atmosphere felt more formal than inviting. The food was fresh and of good quality but didn’t quite deliver on flavour. For example I ordered the Vitelli Tonnato for my main dish and was surprised when it arrived as a plate of cold thinly sliced veal with dollops of anchovy sauce served on an entree size plate with nothing else .. for €26 it was a bit disappointing.. and underwhelming. At €120 for two appetisers, two small mains, and three glasses of wine, it was the most expensive meal we had in Venice—and not, in our view, the best value. While others may appreciate its more curated approach, it wasn’t quite the right fit for us.

Exceptional! We had the nine course tasting menu and some wine by the glass. All the food was very tasty and the service was enjoyable too. If you appreciate good food and do not insist on vitello tonnato hot with french fries, you will not be disappointed.

We loved this restaurant. Excellent food in a charming but low-key setting, at a very reasonable price for the quality. We had two pasta dishes, both of which were versions of Venetian classics (one with beans, the other with anchovies), which were delicious. We also had their fried chicken with root vegetables, which was amazing. Excellent wine selection & the bread was perfect. Highly recommended for an on point & creative execution of Venetian cuisine.

The restaurant is located along a QUIET and quaint canal in the more local and calm neighbourhood of the Ghetto. First, I would like to emphasise that this restaurant offers fantastic value for money for Venice. Venice is rather a city that offers plenty of tourist traps with overpriced food (think wooden table with red paper cover near a canal and a poor pizza for 20€). This restaurant is the opposite! Second, the restaurants culinary concept of slow food with produce sourced mostly from Venice and the Lagune, is very well designed and presented. The wine offering is great and showcases also new vineyards next to all time classics. Third, the staff was always friendly and helped us choose the right dishes and drinks. The service could have been faster at times. Fourth, the food was good, well presented and creative. At times it could have been more balanced in terms of flavour. Overall, I would definitely recommend this place to anyone! Friend- Waiters were professional and authentic but very slow. Wine and wine recommendations were excellent. Local brands and products as ^ is a spark. The food was good too creamy and salty for my taste. Dim lit and lovely atmosphere, romantic but casual. Oyster and desert were best.

The food here is wonderful. Everything we ordered was so delicious. Wish we had more time to try more of the menu.

Delicious meal. Imaginative and creative without being over fancy and annoying. The staff are friendly and clearly passionate about the food and wine. Well worth the walk off the beaten track to get to it on a crisp February evening.

I found a gem! Super high quality Italien food with a modern tough. You need to try! See rice is very knowledgeable and friendly and the ambience is inviting. Located far off the typical tourist routes.

Delicioso! We enjoyed everything we ate, and we ate half the menu, including veal tongue, parpardelle pasta, entrees, desserts and more.

When you find this gem on your first night.. you go back on your second! Absolutely the most fabulous meal! Grilled octopus appetizer, pappadella, fish of the day (sea bass).. each beyond. Great selection of wines (try the lambrusco)! The service was impeccable and made you feel at home. Quiet canal setting that adds to a beautiful, relaxed atmosphere. Hope to get back one more time before we leave Venice! Now our favorite world spot!

I always feel a sense of satisfaction when the one or two places I get to call for our trips end up being the best meals we have. File L'Anice Stellato in my win column. We both loved it. It is away from most of the tourist areas, along one of the many beautiful canals of Cannaregio. Service was helpful and polite. They worked with the little Italian that I spoke and pleasantly explained dishes or ingredients we were unfamiliar with. We got seafood. Venice is surrounded by water, it is a wise choice. We started with a veggie sampler and grilled octopus with kimchee. I favored the octopus and it confirmed my unscientific findings that Italians know what they are doing when it comes to polpi. For our mains the lady had branzino and I got the moleche; soft shells coated in egg and fried with artichokes and polenta. Devoured it. This excellent meal was capped off by the best Tiramisu we had during our nights in Italy. This is also a very cool and scenic part of Venice, with many cute little places for a glass of wine before or after. Not very far at all and the walk back to the San Marco area was easy. Mangia!

NOTE: try to get a reservation ahead of time. We chanced it and showed up close to 3pm and the owner graciously seated us despite not having a reservation. But try to get one anyway, they got busy shortly after we arrived. We tried the spaghetti w/anchovy sauce, crepe w/squash and kale, as well as the large grey shrimp appetizer. Wine to top it off. DELICIOUS. Expect to pay a pretty penny for lunch, but definitely worth it.

After booking a reservation, we were kindly greeted into the resturaunt. Such kindness was extended throughout the remainder of our dining experience at L'Anice Stellato. The servers and hosts were very kind, and were very helpful in assisting us with our food selection. After rapidly taking our order (honestly, it felt a bit rushed but its okay), they brought out our food. Our first course - the raw fish of the day and the scallops, were decent. The stuff on top of the scallop was a bit overpowering, altering the taste of it towards a negative direction. The raw fish tartar, while a great idea, seemed to lack freshness with the fish, almost tasting frozen, even though I'm sure that's not the case. Moving on to our second course, we ordered both of the available ravioli. The one with cream- absolutely fantastic. No complaints, very refreshing, very balanced flavor. My ultimate issue with the experience, however, came with the fish ravioli. There was no way that fish was fresh, and if it was, it for sure was NOT healthy. The ravioli tasted like mackerel Somebody left out on a counter for half a day-unpleasant to say the least. It left a very fishy taste in my mouth. I tried to eat it again... maybe the next ravioli would be different and I was just unlucky? Nope. The second bite was even worse. I love the idea of this resturaunt, and the people who work it seem incredible. But please, adjust that ravioli. I would love to come here again, and be blown away just like my original expectations.

Stopped in for lunch when doing Venice alone in one day, had a bit of a time choosing the one restaurant I was going to try, and I was glad it was this one. Delicious food, the octopus was perfectly cooked and served with creamy dollops of burrata and smooth tomato sauce and basil, the waiter was very nice and suggested a good wine to go with my food since I didn't recognize most of the varietals on their list. The neighborhood is wonderful and surprisingly quiet since it's a short walk from a main tourist drag. There is outdoor seating here right next to the canal, but the interior I found surprisingly perfect as well, with marble floors, old worn wood furniture, basic industrial lights hanging by black wires over each table, and a single carved column in the middle of the front dining room. Either their decorator is very subtle or they weren't even trying. Coming in for lunch, I'm sure it was a lot quieter than it is for dinner, but none of the groups around me were speaking english, which was a good sign.

Very good and inventive food! We ordered the hummus with stracciatella to start, it was amazing and had great flavor. They also brought out a complimentary small plate of like a white fish dip with sesame seeds from the chef, was also very good! For our mains we had spaghetti with clams and mussels with tomatoes as well as a baked cannelloni-type dish which were both really delicious. It was on a quieter street and we sat outside next to the canal, it was a great experience overall! Menu very seasonal and fresh, and service was great as well.

This was one of the top 2 meals my husband and I had in Italy for our 3 week wedding/honeymoon trip!!!!!!!!!! It's very unique and innovate, but not pretentious. The owner is floating around and very humble. The menu is small with many daily additions which I love. My favorite part of the meal was the pork belly appetizer. It was salty and crispy but had this unique tart green apple sauce with it. We each had an appetizer and a pasta, but then decided we needed MORE. We couldn't get enough. We then ordered the pork coppa and it was very tender and well flavored. We ended the night with homemade ice cream with a chocolate and basil crumble. Also unique, and we finished every last crumb! This restaurant is off the beaten tourist path, which was very refreshing to have a quiet meal too.

Canalside osteria in Cannaregio with outstanding food. Recommended: spaghetti with three tomatoes, octopus on creamed potatoes with pickled cherry tomatoes, tagliatelle cacio y pepe with mussels, layered snapper filet starter. Pastas cooked perfectly. Unusual local wine list. Friendly staff. Young owner/operator couple are making a name for themselves.

Best meal we've had in Italy so far, and the best service. What a hidden gem in Cannaregio, away from the nasty tourist anthills of Venezia. We did not have reservations, but neither did we have the energy to walk back into the San Marco area, which is quite a hike from here. We started with a couple of enormous antipasti, one with mackerel, burrata, green peas and asparagus, the other a delicious marinated salmon. For primi we had an amazing cheese filled ravioli in fresh tomato sauce, and a delicious anchovy bigoli. Secondi were the grilled fish of the day, a perfectly cooked sea bass, and a dish of cuttlefish with polenta that reminded me of an excellent Mexican molé, of all things. It was awesome. The wine was great, the food was great, and the service was genuine, attentive, smiling, and full of helpful advice. We had great conversations with two of the staff members, about local food, local wines, limoncello, and grappa. You cannot go wrong here. Please smile upon entry, to return the inevitable smiles of the staff. Molto grazie!!

I research a lot on foodie blogs and books when I travel internationally as bad food spoils my trip. After reading about this place from Fred Plotkin, I was excited to try it. This restaurant is a few minutes walk from the Jewish Ghetto in a part of Venice that sees very few tourists. I actually got lost and had to ask an old Italian man directions in my broken Italian...he was so happy to know that I was visiting this restaurant. He signaled with his thumb and finger that this was an excellent choice! I would recommend making a reservation here or at least call ahead as it was packed with locals (we were the only non-venetians here). The food is excellent and the bill was really moderate (for Venice). 5 stars for super friendly service. The servers spoke very little English but they were so cute and nice, always smiling and answering our questions as best they could. Its right next to a canal and you can sit outside for a romantic date.....:) I loved that as we were eating, a couple got off a small boat and came here for dinner (guess that's their normal ride in Venice!) The food is in Venetian tradition and seafood is the specialty here. I ordered the seafood platter and it did not disappoint. I was surprised to see a tandoori fish on the platter (who knew Venetians had Indian taste!). The platter came with a variety of seafood and was excellent. The seafood risotto was superb. I enjoyed pansoti (pot-bellied ravioli) filled with scallops and shrimp as well. I tried the grappa here with my expresso and I can tell you even though I can drink hard liquor like a man, I couldn't handle this drink. Maybe I'm getting old or after the bottle of wine this was a bit much but this was STRONG!! My husband though loved it and I was happy that we had a nice walk back to our hotel instead of driving. Overall, a great restaurant....non-touristy, filled with locals, great service, reasonable prices for Venice, excellent food. Go here when you are in Venice, you won't be disappointed.

Hands down the best meal I have ever had in my life! I say this based on all courses being spectacular! First of all, make sure you make a reservation because they are booked solid - mostly with locals. Unless you are staying on that side of the island it can be a little tough to get to but 110% worth it! It is a tiny restaurant, dark, rustic and the servers are fantastic. All the food is homemade, fresh caught and cooked to order. I even had my server tell me that the chef scrapped the mash for my meal because it didn't come out meeting his standard. So here we go on what to try! ... 1 - Spinach and cheese ravioli with a broccoli purée. They are huge and the way ravioli you'll ever have! 2 - fried octopus - so tender not a bit rubbery! 3 - Pecorino Romano cheesecake (appetizer made of cheese - not a dessert!) 4 - Beef cheek in red wine sauce with a cauliflower purée. To die for. The meat was so flavorful and tender - just unbelievable! This wasn't on the menu, it was a limited quantity item the server mentioned but ever hurts to ask! 5 - Seafood stew. The broth was just the right consistency with a little kick and jam packed with fresh fresh fresh seafood! All the desserts are delicious but try the tiramisu - best I've had. Take the extra time to come to this restaurant, it's a must visit while in Venice!!

Was recommended this restaurant by a local and we were not disappointed. Delicious Venetian food with beautiful ambiance. The restaurant itself was located along the canal away from many of the touristy streets which allowed for a relaxing and peaceful place to have dinner. There is an English menu available which is very helpful. I highly recommend making a reservation as I saw many turned away as this place was booked. Service was friendly and fast (by Italian standards). My favorite dishes were: -sardines in "saor" with pinenuts and raisins -grilled octopus, chickpeas and mint oil -fresh bigoli with anchovies and onion sauce -tuffoli with smoked fish amatriciana sauce

You have to make a reservations for dinner but it is well worth it! We had one of the best meals on our honeymoon in Venice here! The food was absolutely spectacular as was the very romantic walk to the restaurant in one of the more quiet areas in Venice, off the beaten path. My husband and I shared the asparagus risotto, grilled octopus, bouillabaisse and an amazing bottle of wine. Prices were very reasonable and staff was professional and attentive.

No words. 5 stars. One of the best experiences in Europe. Not for tourists and definitely for people that truly enjoy an excellent culinary experience. Thank you Anice Stellato!

Best in Venice. Away from the tourist areas. Beautifully prepared and presented. The beef cheeks--exquisite. Don't miss the carpaccio. I will dream of this place until I get back to Venice.

I was blown away by my meal here. An ideal slow food experience, with knowledgable, patient staff, outdoor seating on a quiet canal, and a warm and inviting interior. The menu was revelatory and creative without being overly fussy. I'm not going to forget their scallops with peanut sauce, lime and cacao nibs for some time. Really great bread too. They take pride in their ingredients and use running out of dishes as a way of adding new specials to the menu. I can't imagine returning to Venice and not dining here.

Beautifully presented dishes, fantastic service, vibrant and distinct flavors, each one. Would love to return!

Quite a nice restaurant in Venice. One of the better meals we had. A tad bit pricey as it's still close to the touristy-district. My wife had lamp chops and I had a shrimp and asparagus spaghetti dish. The food was very flavorful. Well prepared and decently plated. The service was quite good.

Loved this place, out of all the human traffic but right on the canal. House wine was a great pairing to the food. Service helpful and friendly. Will be back as soon as I can.

This was our best meal in Venice. Every course was a standout. Appetizers were baked tuna "bites", cubes of perfectly cooked tuna encrusted in sesame and other seeds. This was served with delicate pickled vegetables and dipping sauces. The tuna was flavorful and sweet. Next app was a grilled baby octopus salad served on fava bean puree. The greens were a thick disk of slightly blanched spinach and others. The greens sat on the puree and were surrounded by several small, lovely, perfectly grilled baby octopus. Primo one was a souffle-like concoction with cubes of angler fish, chunks of artichoke and thin pasta noodles. Primo two was a plate of spaghetti in a light tomato sauce with two gargantuan shrimp sitting on top. Secondo one was baked branzino served with a little mound of tomatoes and fried potatoes. It was incredible and the portion size would have easily fed two, but I managed it. Secondo two was a gorgeous Frito misto of vegetables and fish. It was jaw dropping. Everything was simple, yet refined in its presentation.

Don't even think about going to this place without a reservation. We tried going twice but were turned away both times even though there were several open table. They were totally obnoxious. Maybe they just hate tourists? There are several other excellent restaurants in the area...all with much more welcoming attitudes. Save yourself the frustration and skip this over rated and mean spirited place.

After many years of success in the local community and of praise on several food guides, l'Anice Stellato remains a good, solid restaurant, which is not to give for granted in a city like Venice. It's in Cannaregio, one of the quietest areas of Venice, and you might want to choose a hotel there as it's a very nice, quiet location with good places to drink and eat. From a typical local trattoria l'Anice Stellato has now become a renowned restaurant with a satisfying menu, good wines and good quality/price. The ambience is pleasant and intimately lit, the staff helpful, portions are abundant (fritto misto is a specialty that can alone be enough for a meal). In all, maybe not an unforgettable experience, but a sure choice in a city that can be tricky, foodwise. Tried in January 2013

Fantastic food. Seafood (as with most of Venice) is their specialty. For folks like me who may not enjoy the more exotic dishes... (eel, octopus, etc.), the restaurant had filet of fish and other options that are delectable. Great service.

Poor service (servers forgot our starters) Mediocre food (fish was gray and oily) Pasta was less than ordinary We were charged for a second gray fish we didn't order Pleasant beginning sour ending

We had one of our most enjoyable meals during our stay in Venice at the very lovely and welcoming L'Anice Stellato. It's situated right by a quite canal with a pretty dining room and three tables out front. Despite being in a part of town that most tourists don't explore it's very popular so booking in advance will avoid disappointment. However, if you have been turned away worry not as Osteria Ai 40 Ladroni is only a couple of doors away and their food is also very reasonable and pretty tasty. The menu here is well put together and has fewer dishes than most restaurants in Venice (a good sign in my opinion) but there is still plenty to make the mouth water. Choosing was proving difficult so we ordered some local wine while we tried to make our minds up a great bottle of Monteforche which was dry but aromatic with a long finish. Great value for Venice at under 19EUR. After a chat with our very friendly waitress who spoke excellent English we decided on a plate of 6 fish cicchetti to start with and left the choice to her a very sensible decision as they were all excellent. These were not the usual cicchetti to found in the bars throughout Venice a little more refined and with more complex flavourings. Stand outs were the classic sweet and sour sardines, the swordfish tandoori and the tuna. A great way to start a long lazy lunch. For the main course I had a oven baked turbot which came with small roasted potatoes and sweet baby tomatoes. Expertly cooked with delicate flavours this was a really lovely plate of food. B had the bucatini con amatriciana with smoked tuna and marlin and declared herself to be well pleased with her pasta. A short break was needed as we were keen to try a dessert. Sitting by the canal is very peaceful and it was a real pleasure to while away half an hour chatting and watching the locals on the water no tourist Gondola tourist trips in this neck of the woods. Having had a bit of a breather we decided to share the trio of zabaglione gelato which is a bit of a house speciality. Yet another good choice and in the heat of the afternoon it slipped down a treat. This was a very fine meal and by Venitian standards something of a bargain. This is a restaurant I'm already looking forward to eating in again when I next have the pleasure of a trip to Venice.

Food in Venice gets terrible reviews- often for good reason. I was absolutely charmed by this place, in an out of the way canal... walkable from the train station area. The service was absolutely outstanding, knowledgeable, and spirited- especially about the unique wines by the bottle. We were so full we almost skipped dessert- but on a cold winter night the fruit trio in local liquor was exactly the right touch. A flavorful & romantic evening in Venice.

It's a 3.5 stars. Our first meal in Venice was quite satisfying. The anchovy pasta was al dente and had great flavor. We ordered raw fish platter for antipasti and it was pretty good. The classic fried seafood platter is generous, too. Overall a nice experience.

Interesting (non-traditional Venetian dishes) but limited menu. Food was well prepared with fresh ingredients and nicely presented. Small space and they tend to run out of dishes quickly. Good option compared to many of the local Tratoria's in the area.

Great modern-Italian cuisine. Friendly and English-speaking waitstaff. Reasonably priced.

I cannot explain in words how amazing and spectacular this restaurant is! You must come to experience it (if I ever do come back to Venice). Staff was very friendly and wonderful. The food itself was very wholesome and amazing. My brother ordered one of the beef dishes. Even though there was no seasoning, the cut and the way it was cooked by itself was amazing. Highly recommend it.

Best restaurant in Venice during our week-long visit! Ordered: vino rossi frizzante (specialty of the region), buffalo ricotta & spinach ravioli w/ broccoli sauce, and soft-shelled crabs from the Venice Lagoon and local artichokes. Simple, crisp, clean flavors, hospitable staff. Call/ email ahead for a reservation, even for lunch! Highly recommended.

Slow food restaurant I think. Excellent fish. Try the sardine, cuttlefish ink sauce, etc....

We were warmly greeted by a lady who might have been the owner. But things went downhill from there. There was a long delay before anyone took our order and some confusion about the translation of the items on the menu into English. The amuse bouche was a nice carrot puree with what seemed to be a sort of fish condiment added. Then we had spaghetti with prawns, fine, a sort of fish stew with red snapper and other white fish, fine, and grilled sea bass, very nice. we then waited a very long time to get any attention perhaps because we were seated in the back. Then one of the cooks left the restaurant with a scowl on his face and a bottle of beer in his hand. Fine Italian drama. I finally had to get up and ask the nice lady again for the bill. So food 3.5 service 2. They need a visit from Robert Irvine!

An authentic and romantic place off the beaten path for a relaxed, drawn out meal. Do yourself a favor and order a few things to share, and a liter of their moderately priced wine.