Osteria Bancogiro

Osteria Bancogiro occupies one of the most historic spots in Venice, under the portico at the foot of the Rialto Bridge on the San Polo side. The name recalls the Bancogiro, the public merchant bank founded here around 1600, when this corner of the Rialto was the financial centre of the Republic. The osteria fills part of one of the old Rialto warehouses, and just outside stand the small church of San Giacometto, traditionally held to be the oldest in the city, and the Gobbo di Rialto, the crouching stone figure from whose platform laws were once proclaimed.

The kitchen serves modern Venetian food with creative, regionally inspired touches. The menu changes with the seasons and follows what is available at the Rialto Market a few steps away, so seafood features strongly, alongside vegetables from the lagoon and the mainland. It is a good place to try Venetian flavours prepared with a lighter, contemporary hand rather than in the most traditional style. The wine list draws on the Veneto and the rest of Italy.

There are two settings. Inside, the brick-vaulted dining room has the atmosphere of an old warehouse. Outside, a large terrace runs along the Grand Canal, with views of the boat traffic and the palaces opposite; these tables are among the most sought-after in the area on warm evenings, so book and ask for the canal side if that is what you want. Check the restaurant directly for current opening days and times.

Bancogiro suits couples and friends looking for a sit-down meal in the Rialto area that is more considered than the tourist menus nearby. Prices are mid to upper range, especially for canal-side tables. It also works well for a long lunch after a morning at the market. Allow ninety minutes to two hours. Lunch is often a calmer time to get a canal-side table than a summer evening.

The Rialto Mercato vaporetto stop on Line 1 is a couple of minutes' walk away, and the Rialto Bridge is just around the corner. In the evening, Campo San Giacometto and the nearby Campo Cesare Battisti fill with people drinking spritz in the area's bars, so it is easy to continue the evening nearby.