Osteria Do Torri — Restaurant in Venice

Update, April 2025: I ate a late lunch here four times during my recent visit to Venice. With each of the meals, I started with the bruschetta. It's such a simple dish, but it's delicious. I had pasta with some sort of seafood every day. I love their house-made gnocchi. I've had it with scallops before, this year it was crab. I also had house-made pappardelle with shrimp and mushrooms; paccheri with crab and tomatoes; and tortelloni stuffed with seabass and tomatoes.

Because I ate late (usually around 3 or 3:3), it was easy to get a table. I think there is indoor seating, but I've always eaten outside. Campo Santa Margherita is one of my favorite squares in Venice.

I had the same waiter every time. By the third day, he knew that I'd be ordering a Cynar spritz, bruschetta and a bottle of still water. He and the rest of the staff were very friendly. I hope to be in Venice again in the fall, and this is where I'll be eating most of my meals.

Original posting: I ate lunch twice at Do Torri. Both times I had the bruschetta--simple but delicious. The first day I had the "bigoli in salsa", bigoli (rather like thick spaghetti) with a sauce made of anchovies and onions. Although I've been to Venice many times, I'd never had this very typical dish before. Although I might not order it again, because I'm not crazy about anchovies, I did enjoy the meal. The second day I had a chef's special. It was potato gnocchi with scallops and some sort of light sauce. It was delicious. I would certainly have that again. I hope to be in Venice again next year. If so, I will want to sample more chef's specials from...

Horrible experience. Only went after seeing other reviews which must have been false. On arrival (a thursday evening) the Santa Margherita square was buzzing and bars and restaurants doing business. Not this one ! A shady character was leaning against the doorpost smoking a cigarette. Turned out to be the manager/proprietor. Went inside, the place was completely empty. We almost left but a woman came along (apparently proprietor's wife) and started more or less forcing things on us. Nothing on the menu tempted us but she suggested a home-made pasta dish which was served in about 3 minutes. It was a small portion of greyish leathery pasta in a colourless sauce (obviously microwaved) and nothing else. It smelt and tasted bad. We decided to leave without eating the stuff, for fear of being ill. The waiter called the chef, who called the manager, and they all denied the nastiness of the dish that was served to us. After an argument we left without paying. And stopped wondering why the place was empty ! After that we went to the Osteria Ai 4 Feri in nearby Calle Lunga S. Barnaba, and that...

I read few reviews and I felt encouraged to give it a try. Rainy Sunday early evening, I got sat in this room, my server was as smiley as the other waitress I saw, I got or they dropped a basket with bread, I have to remind in restaurants they dont play background music, and whatever you say it's heard by everyone, my table didnt have olive oil and vinegar or salt and pepper or side plate, I got a refill of bread without getting the plate, and the olive oil the brought it to my table and the others at once, the other commensals were already in their entree and dessert. Appetizer, scallops and tiny clams, I could live without. Entree was shrimp and gnochi with vegetables...nothing outstanding...vegetables where? The gnochi was good. Thank you Venice but I wouldn't come back for this... we are spoiled in America, we can return our meal or complain, and God save...