Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

There are two places I would highly recommend in Venice -- one we ate at last summer, Taverna San Lio (www.tavernasanlio.com/en/restaurant.htm); and a very pleasant surprise we found just last week in the Castello district, Hostaria da Franz! The latter is a little place, in a quiet part of Venice, far from the tourist crowds, but the food and the service was amazing! I assume their guests find them through word-of-mouth and hotel recommendations, because one would never find them walking around the usual places in Venice. We happened upon it because we were staying in an apartment nearby within the neighborhood. The former, Taverna San Lio, was also a great find,when we visited in 2006. It is an unusual retaurant in Venice -- more like something you would find in Amsterdam -- very modern, stylish, and with EXCELLANT food and service!