Osteria Fanal del Codega — Restaurant in Venice

Review: Osteria Fanal del Codega – A Hidden Gem in Venice

Tucked away just minutes from the bustle of St. Mark’s Square, Osteria Fanal del Codega offers an exceptional dining experience that effortlessly blends warmth, authenticity, and elevated Venetian cuisine. This place is a true gem—unpretentious yet refined, and absolutely worth seeking out.

From start to finish, the meal was flawless. The carpaccio was a standout—delicate, perfectly seasoned, and melt-in-your-mouth tender. Every ingredient on the plate served a purpose, from the light citrus dressing to the shavings of Parmigiano that added depth without overpowering. It’s one of the best preparations I’ve had in Italy.

The atmosphere was welcoming and intimate, with just the right balance of casual charm and polished service. Our server was knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and guided us beautifully through the menu.

For dessert, the tiramisu was nothing short of transcendent. Creamy, balanced, and expertly constructed—this is how tiramisu should always taste. Light enough to end the meal without overwhelming, but rich with flavor and tradition.

Every dish was thoughtfully prepared, the wine list was well-curated with local selections, and the pacing of the meal was ideal. Osteria Fanal del Codega is the kind of place that makes you slow down, savor each bite, and remember why Venetian cuisine is so celebrated.

Highly recommended for anyone looking to step off the tourist path and experience something truly memorable. We’ll be...

Had a very disappointing meal - the two pasta dishes we had were so bad that we cancelled our main course and asked to pay up and leave. The waiter in fairness was professional and courteous, and seemed to understand our concerns. We found the experience so odd considering how highly rated this restaurant is on google, tripadviser etc., but the quality of the food was incredibly poor. I had the Paccheri with parmesan cream and braised beef cheek and the sauce was essentially mildly warm cream - no seasoning or body to the sauce. My partner had the Tagliatelle with Gorgonzola cheese, speck and walnuts, and although the pasta had more taste than my dish it was ultimately not pleasant - I had the impression the dish was aimed towards a certain type of palette. Giving restaurants bad reviews is not something I normally do, because I appreciate the level of harm they can to do a business and the staff involved, but this is an honest account of arguably the worst meal I’ve had in Italy. We arrived with huge expectations, and it should have been the final meal of our holiday, but in no way should a restaurant this highly rated serve food so poor. In full transparency, one of the pasta dishes was knocked off our final bill, which showed goodwill on their part, but it also suggests an acknowledgment that the food served was poor and out of character for a restaurant this...

We had booked the restaurant 4 days in advance, for two, specifying outdoor table at 21:00. We arrived right on time and the waiter asked us to wait for five minutes to prepare our table as two other couples were « soon to be leaving ». One of them had just gotten their dessert, and even asked for another glass of wine later on. After ten minutes of wait we asked them why it was taking so long and they offered two glasses of Prosecco… We waited 30 MINUTES to be sat (!!). Once we ordered our bottle of white wine, the young male staff just served us and literally left it hanging on the edge of the table without providing a cooler ! I was shocked. Meanwhile another group of girls (reserved or not) got a table folded out to accommodate them… needless to say that my appetite was ruined and sadly it was the worst experience of a very magical trip in beautiful Venice. The problem is that they didn’t inform the earlier guests that there are bookings after them to be respected. Otherwise what’s the point of reserving at all, you might as well operate a walk in service. Staff was kind enough but management is very very poor. It’s a shame because the chef and kitchen do a good job with their food. Ultimately I would NOT recommend this place. Not worth the trouble. There are many other beautiful restaurants that served great food with...