Trattoria Bar Pontini — Restaurant in Venice

Trattoria Bar Pontini offers a commendable standard of cuisine, particularly with regard to its seafood dishes. During our visit, we ordered two seafood pasta dishes, both of which were well executed. The pasta was cooked al dente, and the shellfish were fresh and flavourful, reflecting careful preparation and quality ingredients. As a starter, we shared a cheese plate, which, while lacking in visual presentation, was satisfying in flavour and thoughtfully accompanied by honey.

The house wine, ordered by the glass, was enjoyable - full-bodied with a gentle acidity that complemented the meal well. Overall, the food was of a high standard and represents good value in the context of Venice.

The restaurant is situated by the canal, which contributes positively to the ambience and provides a quintessentially Venetian setting. However, it should be noted that many of the tables are positioned directly alongside the thoroughfare used by passing tourists. As a result, even while seated, the experience can feel somewhat hectic and exposed, especially during peak periods.

The establishment is highly popular, and advance booking is strongly recommended. We had made a reservation and were seated immediately, though those without one appeared to face a considerable wait.

Regrettably, our overall experience was diminished by an issue with service. A misunderstanding with our waiter regarding a request for lactose-free milk in our coffee led to two incorrect drinks orders. Although we eventually resolved the matter by ordering directly at the bar and were not charged for the coffees, the waiter’s dismissive attitude and unnecessary comments left us feeling uncomfortable. Additionally, the staff member at the till concluded the transaction without so much as eye contact, merely pointing at the card reader - an interaction that felt impersonal and indifferent.

While the food is undoubtedly of a high quality, the lack of warmth in service detracted from what could have been a very positive dining experience. Venice offers many similarly authentic restaurants where hospitality is delivered with greater care and attentiveness. Based on our visit, this establishment may benefit from improvements in guest interaction to match the quality of...

The best seafood pasta and spaghetti with black cuttlefish in Venice.

The good quality was exceptionally good. Although some comments mentioning that the food was served quickly, the pasta was so fresh so you really don’t have to worry about it. It might not be suitable for someone who like to enjoy a longer dining experience but it is definitely worth a try! The pasta was cooked just about right and perfectly good- al dente but not that ‘chewy’ or ‘undercooked’. The black cuttlefish sauce was so good that we would definitely order again if we could finish it. As well as the seafood pasta, the flavouring was so good as the seafood was really fresh.

Not to forget about their homemade tiramisu!! It’s suitable for 2-3 people sharing. The cream is very smooth and not too sweet. For those who don’t like dessert- it is really worth a try as this is probably the less sweetest tiramisu we’ve tried so far. They balanced the taste really well that everything is so perfect.

Although they are located next to the canal, the price is definitely acceptable with its portion and quality. Drinks price are very affordable as well.

And thank you for giving us a great service and pleasant dining experience.

You would really need to book a table if you are coming after 6pm. It could be a bit rush and quite busy as they have so many tourists coming over. But for it’s high food quality with regards to their location and the price, it is...

First of all: The food ist not overwhelming, but solid and tasty (also, they have a vegetarian menu).

Now to the big “but”: We had a reservation and where placed quite fast, ordered, so far so good. My companion’s food arrived a few minutes later, not without some sauce spilling on my luckily black pants. Shortly after, two of my three courses where served. Since more than half of the table was already taken, only one course stayed. We ate. And waited. After 45 minutes of trying desperately for eye contact, we finally were able to ask for the second and third course. Also another glass of wine was ordered at this point, it never arrived(but was added to our bill). I would have loved to eat the homemade tiramisu everyone was raving about, but my hunger vanished with the wait.

What made the experience worse was the stressful atmosphere. It seemed like they tried to compensate for lack of business during the pandemic with double and triple booking the tables, with people waiting in a queue and some people eating within a given window of 40 minutes (needless to say, they got served much faster than us). One staff member had to know it all and seemed to be constantly stressed, giving us secondhand stress. I think just sending people away at a certain point would help everyone. We will certainly not return, since Venice has enough options, and different...