Restaurant
Glam Enrico Bartolini
Two-Michelin-star restaurant in Palazzo Venart on the Grand Canal, where chef Donato Ascani cooks lagoon produce and grilled dishes for Enrico Bartolini's group.
Al Covo
A family-run Castello restaurant founded in 1987 in an early 20th-century osteria, serving traditional Venetian seafood with vegetables from its own Sant'Erasmo garden.
At a glance
- Type
- Venetian seafood restaurant
- Area
- Castello, Venice, Italy
- Price
- $$$ · Upscale
- Official site
- ristorantealcovo.com
Good to know
- Family run
- Seasonal menu
- Vegetables from Sant'Erasmo
Why we recommend it
Al Covo is a family restaurant in Castello that has been a reference point for Venetian cooking for nearly four decades. It opened in 1987 in a historic osteria dating from the early twentieth century, and it is still run by its founders, the Benelli family. The Michelin Guide lists it and highlights its authentic family hospitality.
The menu follows the lagoon and the seasons. Seafood is the restaurant's strength, cooked in a traditional Venetian style with careful sourcing, and there are some local meat dishes as well. Nearly all of the vegetables come from the restaurant's own garden on the island of Sant'Erasmo, the lagoon's market-garden island, so the side dishes and starters change through the year with whatever is being harvested.
The dining room is warm and unpretentious, with the feel of an old Venetian osteria rather than a formal restaurant. Al Covo serves lunch from 12:45 to 14:00 and dinner from 19:30 to 22:00, and it is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Lunch is a shorter service, so arrive on time. Booking ahead is recommended, especially for dinner, and can be done through the restaurant's website or by phone.
Al Covo suits couples and small groups looking for a dependable, traditional seafood meal outside the busiest streets around St Mark's, and its welcoming style makes it a good choice for a first evening in Venice. Prices are in the middle to upper range for the city. Families with children who like fish will be comfortable here. Allow around two hours for dinner. Because the menu follows the Sant'Erasmo harvest, it is worth asking what vegetables are in season and building part of your meal around them; spring and autumn bring the widest choice.
It is also a sensible choice if you are staying in Castello, as it saves the long walk back from the San Polo restaurants late at night.
The restaurant is in Castello, a short walk east of St Mark's Square along the waterfront, close to the Riva degli Schiavoni and the church of San Giovanni in Bragora, where Vivaldi was baptised. The Arsenale and San Zaccaria vaporetto stops are both within easy walking distance, and the Arsenale and the Via Garibaldi area are nearby for an after-dinner stroll.
Al Covo FAQs
When is Al Covo open?
Lunch from 12:45 to 14:00 and dinner from 19:30 to 22:00. It is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Do I need to book?
Yes, booking is recommended, especially for dinner. You can reserve through the restaurant's website or by phone.
What kind of food does Al Covo serve?
Traditional Venetian food, mainly seafood, with some local meat dishes and seasonal vegetables.
Where do the vegetables come from?
Nearly all come from the restaurant's own garden on the island of Sant'Erasmo.
Who runs Al Covo?
It is still run by its founders, the Benelli family, who opened it in 1987.
How do I get there?
Walk east from St Mark's along the waterfront, or take a vaporetto to San Zaccaria or Arsenale.
How can I contact the restaurant?
Call +39 041 5223812 or email [email protected].