As an international traveller, I always struggle to find good, local places to eat in foreign countries, so when I come across a particularly commendable restaurant I feel the need to share it.
Venice is home to many things such as the St. Mark’s Square, fine leather and Gondoliers, but my favorite part of Venice is the seafood. On my trip, I had ups and downs with the seafood, but the one place that really stood out to me was Al Conte Pescaor. This tiny restaurant is located a few minutes away from the Rialto Bridge and is on the way to St Mark’s Square.
Once you step inside, you are fully transported back in time. There are quaint decorations on all the walls and the sounds of local Venetians fills your ears. A kind waiter shows you to your table as you take in the smell of fresh seafood sitting right in front of you. Most of the seating is in booths, which sets a cozy and loving atmosphere.
As much as I love the setting, the food is truly what makes this place special. To start, we ordered Octopus Salad and Scallops in the shell. Now, I am a huge fan of octopus so I set the bar extremely high for taste and quality, but when I tasted this, I was speechless. The octopus was so tender and flavorful and it tasted like it had been just drawn from the sea. The octopus was also served with grilled polenta (which is surprisingly popular in Venice) and celery. The polenta was a creamy relief from the sea taste of the octopus, and the celery gave the dish a nice crunch.
(left: octopus salad / right: scallops in the shell)
The next plate we had was the scallops in the shell. I had never tried baby scallops actually in their shells before, so this was a new adventure for me. Not to my surprise, I absolutely loved these little scallops! They came right off the shell and were covered in lemon to bring out the fishy flavors of the scallops. They were so soft and perfectly cooked, and I couldn’t stop eating them!
For my main course, I ordered Spaghetti alla Vongole (Linguini and Clam Sauce), and it was probably the best I have ever eaten. The clams were soft and cooked to perfection, the pasta was warm, al dente and had just the right amount of butter and garlic, and to top it all off was a fresh bit of parsley grated on top. This pasta was so amazing that I ate the entire plate even though the portion was fairly large. I absolutely recommend this Venetian classic to anyone looking for a not too heavy pasta dish that will make your day. I know that it made mine!
If you are looking for a local, Venetian place to enjoy classic dishes and seafood, then you must try Al Conte Pescaor. If it seems far from where you are, don’t worry because everything in Venice is very close. I hope that you can check out this amazing place!
Click Here for Al Conte Pescaor’s website (it is in Italian so be careful)
Avoir La Pêche NYC 