La Zucca

Venice

Wow. Why am I always surprised by wonderful Venice? Each returning visit becomes a new revelation. The city without cars and trucks, with, instead, blue-lagoony canals and narrow walking lanes with quaint bridges, and architecture that charms with every glance. There’s a reason why travelers flock here. It’s enchanting. And the Venetians know the paradise they own. I just led a wonderful group of cooks to Venice where we cooked together and dined out to our heart’s content (very contented!). With every Venice stay I become completely re-enchanted.

The cuisine of Venice is filled with specific specialties. Lots of fish, seafood, shellfish: seppie, scallops, crab, shrimp, scampi, vongole, mussels, octopus, rombo, branzino, orata… And other classics like fegato alla Veneziana (liver), carpaccio, polenta, artichokes, sardines in soar (sweet/sour), and the bellini.

Many many (many) restaurants are wonderful. But I have a few favorites, particularly in the neighborhood of Dorsoduro where I usually stay.

Taverna San Trovaso is always reliable with a varied menu of delicious. The ambience hugs you with warmth and character and the staff, sometimes aloof, can always be coaxed to smile and join in with your enthusiasm.

San Trovaso staff

Favs here: spaghetti alle vongole….

spaghetti alle vongole at San Trovaso

fegato alla Veneziana…

fegato alla veneziana at San Trovaso

pizza….

Fran with pizza at Taverna San Trovaso

our lunch break from shopping

Not far from here, still in Dorsoduro is a small trattoria called Ai Cugnai ( “at the in-laws”). We had dinner in their back room which doubles as a terrace when the retractable ceiling is open. It was a breezy, almost rainy night so the ceiling was closed, which added to the coziness. Favorite dishes are their baby octopus salad “moscardini” …

“moscardini” at Ai Cugnai

the beef carpaccio…

carpaccio at Ai Cugnai

and the mixed seafood pasta…

mixed seafood pasta at Ai Cugnai

Ai Cugnai house wine

Still in Dorsoduro is a small restaurant that really feels like someone’s home cooking. Quattro Feri is on a small street off of Campo San Barnaba. We had their stellar spaghetti with scampi…

spaghetti with scampi at Quattro Feri

Also some great spaghetti alle vongole here. And do not leave without having dessert. Here’s their apricot jam crostata…

crostata marmellatta at Quattro Feri

We strayed from Dorsoduro for our other favorite La Zucca in the Santa Croce sestiere. Every Venice stay must include a visit to La Zucca. Their specialty is inventive vegetarian dishes but they do not shy away from meat. I went for the pork Marsala…

pork Marsala at La Zucca

We all skipped around the menu…each dish perfect…

braised fennel at La Zucca

asparagus at La Zucca

vegetable lasagna at La Zucca

tagliatelle w duck ragu at La Zucca

La Zucca

Exciting food in Venice. The more I know it, the more I love it. And the more I learn to cook it at home. An infinite excitement!

cooking fava beans in Venice

La Zucca, Venice Italy

Zucca means squash in Italian. Specifically those pumpkin-like green-skinned orange-fleshed squashes perfect for pasta filling, roasting, grilling, and all-around indulging in tasty earthiness that’s also SO good for you.

The restaurant La Zucca is in the sestiere Santa Croce in Venice, a bit of a ways from the neighborhood we stayed in of Dorsoduro. But with map in hand we strolled from calle to calle to campo to campo, getting lost but finding beauty at every lost turn…it’s inevitable…it’s Venice. Getting lost is actually on many top 10 lists of what to do in the city. I highly recommend it!

La Zucca in Venice

Up a pretty bridge and over a pretty canal we finally found La Zucca. We all agreed it was so worth the effort.

Different than a typical Italian restaurant, this one had a lovely creative focus on vegetarian cuisine, but didn’t shy away from meats, too. The interior immediately hugs you upon entering in a warm, yet modern way. The walls are covered in multiple slats of comforting wood. The tables are of the same wood. The menus are beautiful little sculptures of yellow shaped like small houses. And the place mats match the friendly yellow.