Luna sentada — Restaurant in Venice

Fabulous!

September 30, 2023 was the first night in Venice with my family (we were a group of 4 - including a young teenager). We chose Luna Sentada on the wise recommendation of my husband's friend and we were not disappointed. The location was perfect... not too far from our hotel (Liassidi Palace) and the ambiance was terrific.

The food was delicious. I am a very critical patron as I make my career as a food writer and cook. I also come from a family who has had both a restaurant and a bakery. I can be quite particular and fussy because of that.

We decided to order several dishes and share so that everyone could have a taste. Every dish was impeccable. The temperature of the food was perfect and the plating beautiful. I only wish I had taken photos of the food. The wine selection was top-notch as well. Also, the tiramisu with coffee granita was superb... probably the best tiramisu I have had to date. Dinner was topped off with limoncello (for me) and grappa (for the guys).

They light a gorgeous Murano oil chandelier (the photo does not do this lighting justice) and the server went above and beyond to make sure our evening was special. It was unseasonably warm but the temperature in the wine bar was very comfortable. I loved the vibe of the establishment. The outdoor seating area was lovely although we opted to sit inside because it was getting late in the evening. Luna Sentada was meticulous when it came to cleanliness (for me that is of great importance... as much as having good quality food and polite staff).

We were 16 days in Europe and Luna Sentada was, by far, one of the best dining experiences we had on our trip. In fact, we loved it so much that we will be dining there when we return to Venice in 2024 and have already made that reservation.

PS I noticed that another reviewer said that there was "a noticeable bit of snobbery towards English speaking customers." That was NOT our experience at all. In fact, they were very kind and patient with us (especially when my daughter didn't like the Chinotto drink I had suggested for her and wanted something else). The following night we coincidentally ended up at another restaurant, in another part of Venice, owned by the same people and we received the same wonderful treatment...

We spontaneously dined at this restaurant after passing it on a stroll through the lovely streets of Castello (and after seeing the very positive reviews!). Our experience was unfortunately far from positive. Upon arriving, we (two young women) were welcomed by a waiter who immediately asked if we wanted to drink something, which is standard. His insistence was not, as upon kindly saying "no" (we explained that we had already had a rather Spritz-filled aperitivo before!), he repeated: "Not even a Prosecco? Some Spritz?", although we had asked for sparkling water as we waited and went through the menu. When he returned and asked for our dishes, he again asked if we had changed our minds and wanted to drink something, "not even a little Prosecchino?". At this point, our frustration grew. From there ensued a rather disagreeable experience. We received our pasta dishes after a considerable (45 minute) wait, and were rather dismayed in noticing that the portions were significantly smaller than the neighbouring table (more or less half). Still noticeably hungry even after munching through the bread basket, we asked to see the dessert menu. We waited for 20 minutes, asked again, and the waiter never brought it. We left after 45 minutes (the waiter did not even ask about the desserts or apologise for forgetting to bring the dessert menu). The whole experience was extremely frustrating in noticing a differentiated treatment because we did not order alcohol (which sadly is all too common). The waiters (several of them for few tables) were all focused on the re-visiting the other wine-filled tables ... This is inacceptable (what if one of us had an illness? was pregnant?), and makes no sense financially for them as we were happy to order bottled water and desserts, which came down to the same thing for them. I do hope that they will know better...

Food is better than average, with some excellent dishes. The interior is cozy with a rustic look and a busy atmosphere - outdoor is highly demanded since it is romantic and enchanting, with some seatings right on the canal’s edge. Unfortunately the waiters tend to be too busy, so a lengthy waiting time occurred just to get the menu, even when we asked for it directly. The kitchen is quick and your meal will be served when ready, but any other need will be testing your patience.. and this on a Wednesday night at 22:00! As a couple we decided to go without reservation and were able to get a seating inside within 2 minutes. We did ask initially to be seated outside but was told that it was not possible without reservation. After ordering we asked again if we could be moved outside upon availability but was told again that it would be nearly impossible. However, a local gentleman arrived asking for a table outside and was told to wait 20 mins. - he was then given a table right on the canal, and had nothing but drinks for a party of 3.. another couple arrived and was given a table outside as well, with no reservation made. Of course this was disappointing to us. I understand Italian and was seated right of the table were the open reservation book was located, so this is not a misunderstanding but a blatant manipulation of us as guests. Finally we asked for the bill, twice, nothing happened, so I payed at the counter: €149 for 2 entrées, 2 main, 1 dessert, 1 glas of wine and a bottle of Prosecco + the mandatory 10% service charge. 3 ⭐️stars are a bit generous, since we deducted one for the service and half a star for the price, from an original 4 ⭐️star rating for the food.. This was still a good meal in a good restaurant but could and should have...