The 8 top Restaurants in Venice

The Italians take their cuisine very seriously and Venice restaurants are widely regarded as some of the best in the country.
Risotto and bigoli pasta are classic dishes to try here, along with seafood, which is a big feature of the Venetian diet. Ranging from fresh sardines to crab, shrimp and cuttlefish, the fish and seafood offering is rich and varied. The best restaurants source this seafood locally from the Lagoon, so your catch will always be fresh. On top of this, Venice is celebrated for its traditional cookies, cakes and desserts such as Tiramisu, so it’s well worth leaving some room for each restaurant’s sweet plates. To try this exceptional produce and local recipes at their best, follow our Passion4Luxury guide to the best restaurants in Venice.

OSTERIA BOCCADORO

CUISINE: VENETIAN SEAFOOD AND PASTA

Style / Ambiance: A typical Venetian restaurant, located away from the tourist trail in a quiet Venetian square, the Osteria offers traditional Venetian dishes using only fresh fish, homemade pasta, vegetables and local ingredients, giving diners the chance to savor the authentic and natural flavors. This is easily one of the best places to eat in Venice.

It is also equipped with an excellent wine cellar and the resident sommelier will happily advise you. The atmosphere of the restaurant is simple and elegant, and there is a small private dining room for business lunches or more intimate gatherings. The restaurant has played host to many famous people, including former Italian Prime Minister, Romano Prodi and the Secretary of the Treasury, Tommaso Padoa Schioppa.

boccadorovenezia.it

LOCANDA CIPRIANI

CUISINE: ITALIAN

Style / Ambiance: Located on historic Torcello island, Locanda Cirpriani is just 30 minutes from the center of Venice, and despite not being in the city center is still regarded as one of the best places to eat in Venice.

Since it opened in 1938, the restaurant has attracted an elite clientele including Ernest Hemingway, Paul Newman and Queen Elizabeth II. It is still owned and run by the Cipriani family and specializes in rustic, traditional cuisine, such as the John Dory fillet which is cooked according to Carla Cipriani’s recipe. The three indoor dining rooms, outdoor terrace and garden can all be booked for special events and customized according to guests’ requirements.

locandacipriani.com

ANTICHE CARAMPANE

CUISINE: VENETIAN

Style / Ambiance: One of the city’s oldest trattorias, located near the Rialto Bridge, Antiche Carampane serves an authentic menu with traditional cooking, fresh wild fish, handmade sweets and biscuits.

In the last few years VIP guests have included: Yoko Ono, Bill Murray, Monica Bellucci, Natalie Portman, Salma Hayek, Audrey Tatou, Timothy Dalton, Brian Ferry and many Italian actors and international politicians.

antichecarampane.com

L’ALCOVA RESTAURANT

CUISINE: ITALIAN

Style / Ambiance: With its splendid panoramic terrace next to the Grand Canal, L’Alcova Restaurant (at the Casagredo Hotel) is the perfect setting to watch all the action on the Venetian waterway and one of the most romantic restaurants in Venice.

Open all year round, L’Alcova is an exclusive and intimate restaurant with Chef Klostermaier preparing refined natural dishes characterized by rich tastes and great personality. He has a strong ‘Natural Flavors’ philosophy, providing a fresh twist on traditional Venetian cuisine.

casagredohotel.com/ristorante-lalcova

OSTERIA ALLE TESTIERE

CUISINE: ITALIAN

Style / Ambiance: Located right in the heart of Venice, a few steps from Saint Mark’s and the Rialto Bridge, Osteria Alle Testiere is a very popular romantic restaurant with only nine tables.

Luca, the sommelier, and Bruno, the chef, offer the best of the daily fish market – no bolognese, no pizza – just the catch of the day. Listed in the Michelin Guide since 1997, l’Osteria alle Testiere has become a haven for artists during Art Biennale and the Film Festival, partly because of its ‘secret’ location away from the paparazzi. Osteria Alle Testiere is open for lunch and dinner; closed Sunday and Monday.

osterialletestiere.it

MIRAI

CUISINE: SUSHI

Style / Ambiance: Setting the standard for Japanese dining establishments in Venice, the alchemy of flavors at the Mirai is thanks to the creativity and talent of top sushi chef Norio Nishibori, who has created exquisite dishes for the restaurant.

In Japan, ‘sushi’ refers to a wide range of dishes, not only fish-based, but all using rice as a staple element, and prepared according to rigid and complicated rules. The Mirai uses fish of the highest quality and freshness and for this reason the fixed menu always gives way to the specialty of the day.

miraivenice.com

ANTICO MARTINI

CUISINE: VENETIAN

Style / Ambiance: Cuisine at the Antico Martini offers diners the choice of fresh fish, such as king prawns and scampi, or traditional meats like Venetian-style liver (fegato alla Venezian) accompanied by fresh seasonal vegetables.

The first course embodies the delicacy of Venetian cooking with an array of flavors and colors. The desserts here are worth savoring with a wide choice of pastries, cakes and confectionery. Located close to the Fenice Theatre, Antico Martini it is an ideal pre-theater restaurant. Dine in the enchanting private courtyard, the terrace facing the square or in one of the three elegant dining rooms.

anticomartini.com

RISTORANTE DA FIORE

CUISINE: ITALIAN

Style / Ambiance: Dine on classic dishes interpreted in a modern and lighter way. Offering specialist seafood, emphasis here is on fish caught in a local harbor and nearby.

The elegant restaurant offers delicious gastronomic dishes characterized by a prominent use of the best first seasonal fruits and vegetables. Much relished are the entrees of raw fish and the vast and selected cakes choice.

Among the most famous dishes are the bass in balsamic vinegar and the tunny-fish with rosemary flavor, the risotto and the “molecche” (typical Venetian food), which are the favorites of demanding gourmets.

dafiore.net/restaurant

THE 3 BEST RESTAURANTS IN THE FRENCH ALPS

Gastronomy is an important part of France’s heritage, as much as our countryside and our monuments,” declared French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius at an exclusive Michelin hosted Gala.
Mr Fabius was proudly introducing this year’s Michelin guide to France’s best restaurants, including two restaurants that were newly awarded with the prestigious 3 stars this year.

Comprising a Savoyard father-and-son team, Rene and Maxime Meilleur took the guide’s second new three-star award for their restaurant LaBouitte in the French Alps. Although an extraordinary achievement, such highly acclaimed gastronomy is in fact quite ordinary in the French Alps.

There are in fact many Michelin-starred restaurants to be discovered and Heli Securite offer their recommendations for the best establishments on the slopes this winter.

LE CHABICHOU

Besides taking a helicopter to Méribel to visit the wonderful La Bouitte, nearby Courchevel has plenty to admire in gastronomy, with more luxury hotels than any other French city outside of Paris. In addition, the Alpine town boasts an impressive seven restaurants in the Michelin guide, five of which have two stars.

One of those restaurants is Le Chabichou which delights the diner with “subtle, refined, inventive and bountiful flavours” from the freshest local produce. With a dramatic mountain backdrop to accompany Michel Rochedy and Stéphane Buron’s fine warm regional and international dishes, this is one of the finest dining experiences the French Alps has to offer.

FLOCONS DE SEL

Flocons de Sel also enjoys a two Michelin star reputation thanks to Emmanuel Renaut’s daring and unique flavour combinations. Signature dishes such as his suckling lamb with black radish and prune purée, roasted pigeon perfumed with juniper, and fine pike stuffing with lake crawfish are just some examples of his unconventional style.

Menu prices range from €39 to €139. Charter a luxury helicopter to Mègeve to discover the delights of Flocons de Sel.

LES AIRELLES

Chef Pierre Gagnier’s restaurant produces dishes that combine a passion for art and food.

Not only is the restaurant immaculately decorated with jewel-toned silk curtains, Hermès tableware, and Saint Louis chandeliers, but also his food is beautifully presented. The carefully assembled malabar-peppered goose liver soup with green lentil gnocchi, the colourful carob-rubbed red mullet oven baked on bread and Indian Jelly are to be savoured as much by the eyes as by the tongue.

There is little wonder as to why Les Airelles is a two Michelin starred restaurant and why Courchevel continues to be respected as a haven for fine dining. Be prepared to spend anywhere from €200 to €600 per person.

Nobu Hospitality Launches In Europe With A Whirlwind Road Trip

Nobu Hospitality is ranked among an elite selection of global luxury brands. Founded by chef Nobu Matsuhisa, Hollywood legend Robert De Niro and movie producer, Meir Teper, with operations spanning five continents, the Nobu brand thrives in the world’s capitals as the ultimate destination lifestyle experience.

I had the pleasure of accompanying the trio (the three main stakeholders) on a road trip from London, to Marbella, and finally to Ibiza. The purpose of the road trip was for chef Nobu to officially launch all three hotels and conduct the traditional Japanese Sake Ceremonies. The group is well on their way to realizing their ambitious plan of launching twenty new hotels in twenty locations by 2020.

In 2013, the first Nobu Hotel opened within Caesar’s Palace Las Vegas  followed by Nobu Hotel Shoreditch London and Nobu Hotel Ibiza Bay in 2017 and Nobu Hotel Marbella in 2018.

Robert De Niro, Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, Meir Teper & Trevor Horwell (CEO) at the Nobu Hotel in Marbella for the official ‘Sake Ceremony’ marking the official opening of the Nobu Hotel and restaurant in Marbella, Spain

Photo Credit: Justin Kernoghan

After a few days on the road, the group finally get to sit down and have a chat over a cup of tea. Meir explained that after they opened their first hotel in Vegas, the expansion happened at a much faster pace than any of them could have imagined, he says, “Since starting Nobu Hotels, our intention is nothing less than to stir the hospitality industry and change the game. With each property taken from the inspiration of Nobu’s very first restaurant, we are consistently channeling this important signpost on an international level and it will remain the main challenge for Nobu Hotels.”

Robert De Niro, Daniel Shamoon, Chef Nobu, and Meir Teper

Photo Credit: Fox PR

De Niro, goes on to elaborate about how the whole Nobu Hotels concept came to fruition, he recalls, “Nobu restaurants were asked to be in a lot of places, in hotels and shopping centers. We were asking, if we’re going into those places, why not do this ourselves? If you’re giving credibility and cachet to a place, why? We have something people want, to elevate their brand.”

Photo Credit: Fox PR

Over the duration of the road trip I had the pleasure and honor of attending all three sake ceremonies. The Sake Ceremony originates from the Japanese culture and it was at Chef Nobu’s suggestion that they began to incorporate it for the launch of their new ventures.

Meir has attended the ceremonies since Nobu first started performing them for Nobu Hospitality and shared his thoughts on this sacred tradition, “The Sake Ceremony is a special Japanese tradition that we perform to mark the official opening of the restaurants. It is a custom where a sake barrel is filled with Nobu’s signature sake and we break open the barrel with wooden mallets. The sake is then served to everyone present and a toast is then made to signal good fortune and an official welcome.”

Meir Teper, Chef Nobu, Robert De Niro, Trevor Horwell, Hiro Tahara, Daniel Shamoon

Photo Credit: Fox PR

Striving for more than restaurants and hotels, the Nobu hospitality team is planning to expand with the Nobu Residences project at the same speed. Meir is very confident that they will achieve their goals, “Our vision is to open 20 hotels by 2020, and yes that includes residences too. Other areas we are expanding into include Barcelona, Riyadh, Los Cabos, Chicago, Toronto, Sao Paulo, Atlanta and Tel Aviv.”

Photo Credit: Fox PR

Their mission is to stand out from the crowd, and not to follow in the footsteps of other luxury hotel chains. De Niro is determined that they will remain unique, “What makes the hotels special, is creating a destination restaurant, where locals, tastemakers come to dine and Nobu Hotels is extending that into the night. We also have a clear focus on exceptional quality, great service and charismatic design.”

Chef Nobu chimes in with the last word, claiming that each and every hotel will reflect the characteristics of each location, “At Nobu Hotels, nothing is carbon copy. Each hotel mirrors the personality of that given location. From David Rockwell’s beach-house inspired rooms in Miami to the street art feel of London’s Shoreditch hotel – every property feels like the place that it’s in. It’s the same with the restaurants, we use locally sourced and fresh ingredients and the menu is slightly tailored to reflect its location. In terms of keeping things connected globally we set a standard and we stick to it.”

Photo Credit: Justin Kernoghan

Robert De Niro & Chef Nobu Matsuhisa at the Nobu Hotel in Ibiza for the official Sake Ceremony

Photo Credit: Justin Kernoghan

After spending a few days with this trio it is clear to see that everything they touch turns to gold. Whether it be the movie business or hospitality, they certainly seem to have the x factor that makes them unique and stand out in a saturated market. The respect and honesty in this partnership is clearly visible, and I wish them the very best of luck, and look forward to hearing more about the world domination of Nobu hospitality.

Rates at Nobu Hotel Ibiza Bay start at €630 (approx. US728) per night, based on double occupancy. The hotel is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World. Visit: www.nobuhotelibizabay.com.

Rates at Nobu Hotel Marbella start at €295 (approx. U$340) per night, based on double occupancy. Visit: www.nobuhotelmarbella.com

Rates at Nobu Hotel Shoreditch: Deluxe start from €218 (U$251)and Suites range from €440 – €950 (U$508 - U$1100). Visit: www.nobuhotelshoreditch.com

Gucci Garden, a Combination Restaurant, Museum, Shop, Opens in Florence

The fashion world is known more for skipping lunches than indulging in them -- but it might make an exception for a new restaurant opened by Italian designer Gucci.

Gucci Osteria, in the Italian city of Florence, is a marriage of minds between Michelin-starred chef Massimo Bottura and Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele.

The restaurant is part of the new Gucci Garden complex, the renovated Gucci Museo next to Florence's Palazzo Vecchio that includes a store selling exclusive Gucci goods.

It serves up Bottura's eccentric takes on classic Italian dishes in a spectacular, patterned space -- without a designer price tag.

Main dishes are priced from 20 to 30 euros ($24-$36) each—this is Gucci, after all. “Haute couture and haute cuisine are a recipe made in heaven,” Bottura told reporters. Not for nothing, Gucci Chief Executive Officer Marco Bizzarri and Bottura are childhood friends as well.

Bottura is the dynamic mastermind behind the three-Michelin-starred eatery Osteria Francescana in the Italian city of Modena. It was named the world's best in 2015 and 2016.

For Gucci Osteria, the chef has created a striking menu designed to complement Gucci's iconic brand.

"Traveling the world, our kitchen interacts with everything we see, hear and taste," Bottura said in a statement. "With eyes wide open, we look for the unexpected and next éclat."

The 11 Most Expensive Restaurants In The World

In a time when Euro 25 - $30 is considered normal for the price of pizza, it’s not uncommon to splurge on a great meal. When the meal is created by one of the best chefs in the world, in one of the most special places in the world in a unique setting that you won’t soon forget, then you are probably at one of the most expensive restaurants in the world.

Alinea, Chicago, Illinois

Euro 324 - $385 per person

Alinea is only one of a pair of Chicago restaurants to earn three Michelin stars. The high rating is part of the reason for the high price point. Grant Achatz’s in-demand menu (it was voted Best Restaurant in the World four years in a row) rings in at  around $770 for two people. The 21-course tasting menu can only be served to six people at a time, in a private dining room.

Saison, San Francisco, California

Euro 335 - $398 per person

At last check, Saison was the West Coast’s most expensive restaurant. The 22-course tasting menu here will never be the same. Each  morning, a new menu is crafted based on the bounty that comes in from the local farms, fisheries and ranches the restaurant sources from. Expect a few surprises from the restaurant’s herb garden, every dish prettier than the previous. Want to add wine? Be ready to pay upwards of $1000 for two.

Restaurant Le Meurice Alain Ducasse, Paris, France

Euro 374 - $444 per person

As with any Alain Ducasse menu, the one at Le Meurice is pure perfection, as are the Versailles-like surroundings. And you’ve got options here. His collection menu can cost up to $550 per person for dinner with some added extras,  and lunch will never be less than $99 (before beverages and tax, of course). As the restaurant puts it, “each dish expresses the truth of the product around which it is built. For example, carrots, artichoke and Chioggia beets, which comprise the Vegetable Cocotte, are sourced from Créance, in Normandy, where they were grown in strict compliance with organic agriculture guidelines.”

L’Arpège, Paris, France

Euro 384 - $456 per person

If you prefer meatless courses, L’Arpege is where you will want to be overspending for your meal. Alain Passard centers most of the dishes in the 12-course menu here around the chef’s “garden.” And by garden, we mean five acres of farmland. (Lunch is actually called the “gardener’s lunch.”) For dinner, expect earth & sea options including vegetable ravioli, purple vegetable tartare and farm-fresh eggs with four spices and maple syrup.

Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée, Paris, France

Euro 384 - $456 , per person

Alain Ducasse’s other Paris presence is just as grand as you would expect. Located on the prestigious Avenue Montaigne, it’s a feast for your eyes as well as palate. The $456 menu here will get you just three half dishes, cheese and dessert, but what dishes they will be. Expect Alain Ducasse to tell you  personal and radical story though is food, Groix Island sole fillets are surrounded by ,undergrowth chanterelles and edible flowers while Volcanic hill green lentils and caviar are flavoured  with delicate jelly. “He represents the naturalness cuisine, inspired by the fish-vegetables-cereals trilogy, with the help of his chief of Romain Meder,” says the restaurant.

Guy Savoy, Paris France

Euro 389 - $462 per person

Ask Guy Savoy about his job and he will say, “cooking is a day-to-day discipline where time and toil meet in a practice entirely subservient to touch, sight, smell and taste.” This makes complete sense since the menu at Restaurant Guy Savoy in Paris is titled the ‘Colours, Textures & Flavours’ menu and rings in at around $462 per person. Each dish promises to touch on each category. Think concassé of oysters, seaweed and lemon granité,, a Lobster ‘surprise’, Caviar with smoked sabayon’ and artichoke soup with black truffle. Other items in the multi sensory and course menu include  layered truffled mushroom brioche and barbecued pigeon.

Joël Robuchon, Las Vegas, Nevada

Euro 358 - $425 per person

Joël Robuchon at the MGM Grand is the first and only three Michelin star restaurant in Vegas. And the accolades re part of the reason the venue can demand over $400 per person. The other reasons? The exquisitely crafted dishes including frog leg kadaif fritter with red miso and Espelette pepper, Oscietra caviar served in a crustacean gelée dotted with cauliflower puree and rose Shrimp in bonito tuna and kombu seaweed broth with ginger.

Kitcho, Kyoto, Japan

Euro 413 - $490 per person

The indulgent menu at Kitcho by Chef Kunio Tokuaka, is actually served on priceless Japanese tableware, so please be careful while feasting on 12 courses including seared octopus, pike conger soup, spotted grouper sashimi, homemade tofu with sea urchin and more sashimi of lightly grilled Japanese whelk and fatty tuna. It;s not just about dinner here. Kimono-clad entertainers will make an appearance in a setting built in the style of a tea ceremony house.

Masa, New York City, New  York

Euro 501 - $595 per person

Celebrated sushi genius Masa Takayama has created a stunningly simple sushi mecca in New York City.  Each of the 20-25 courses on the tasting menu build on seasonal properties utilized only in their freshest most delicious state.. If you’re feeling festive, add the $250 per person wine pairing option.

Ultraviolet by Paul Pieret, Shanghai, China

Euro 734 - $871 per person

Conceived by Paul Pairet, Ultraviolet is a complete and immersive dining experience including not just food, but multi-sensory technology, too. There are only 10 seats in a space that can fit 100.  There are no paintings, no views, no decorations. Instead, the dining room is “ascetic by nature, dressed up by lights, sounds, smells, images, imagination, scenario ad food.” Aso for the food, it’s “avant garde and figurative,” and “influenced by your memories, surroundings and expectations.”

Sublimotion, Ibiza, Spain

Euro 1.376 - $1,633 per person

It takes 25 people to bring the 13-course and three-hour tasting menu to life at Sublimotion, located at the Hard Rock Hotel in Ibiza, Spain. Run by Chef Paco Roncero, a meal here includes DIY-cocktails, multi-sensory tasting experiences, 360 -degree visuals and is available for only 12 people at a time.

Le Cinq at Four Seasons Hotel George V awarded Third Michelin Star

Four Seasons Hotel George V has announced that after just one year as Executive Chef at Le Cinq, Christian Le Squer has been awarded a third Michelin star in the 2016 Michelin Guide.

 This prestigious award further exemplifies Le Squer’s unique approach to combining traditional French cuisine with brilliant modernity. Christian defines himself as a creator of flavours and composer of tastes. His memorable signature dishes provide diners with a refined culinary experience keeping in mind a strong sense of well being that is so important today. In addition to the prestigious third star in the 2016 Michelin Guide, Christian Le Squer was recently awarded an outstanding score of 19/20 and a 5th toque in the 2016 Gault et Millau for Le Cinq. 

The Four Seasons Hotel George V is the only luxury palace in Paris to achieve this double distinction. Christian Le Squer comments: “I am delighted to have been awarded this third star – every fine Chef’s goal – for the magnificent Parisian luxury hotel that is Four Seasons Hotel George V. My thanks go naturally to my culinary brigade and the dining room team, who do a fabulous job every day alongside me, and to Eric Beaumard, renowned Director of the restaurant and past winner of Europe’s Best Sommelier. I’ve been reworking some of my signature dishes to satisfy a demanding clientele that’s always on the lookout for the detail that makes the difference; and I’ve been reinterpreting the conventional gastronomic codes.”

Jose Silva, Vice President and General Manager of Four Seasons Hotel George V, adds: “I am proud of this third Michelin star. The arrival of Chef Christian Le Squer, triple-starred for the last twelve years, was key in the re-positioning of Le Cinq as one of the finest Parisian gourmet restaurants, and this third star confirms its legitimacy. I have high culinary aspirations for the Hotel. Our owner and the Four Seasons group have provided unwavering support in this quest, enabling me to develop a variety of restaurant offerings in terms of decor, menu and talent. We are the first luxury hotel to be working with three Chefs who bring distinct and highly individual culinary signatures in each of our three restaurants.” Boasting beautiful views of the Hotel’s courtyard, Le Cinq is an exquisite dining room, which has recently undergone a refurbishment, created and designed specifically for this legendary Hotel.

The Four Seasons Hotel George V is the jewel of the world’s leading luxury hotel group, which has 96 hotels and is present on every continent. The Four Seasons Hotel George V joins the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong with the distinction of having a three-Michelin-star restaurant.

 Today Four Seasons Hotel George V provides a unique gourmet offering, with 3 Chefs and 3 exceptional restaurants:

-          Le Cinq – French Haute cuisine, 3 Michelin stars – Chef Christian le Squer Le

-          George – Mediterranean cuisine, opened October 2015 – Chef Marco-

-         La Galerie – French cuisine, opening May 2016 – Chef David Bizet

      Eric Jrm Engelen