La Colombina

We are happy we were recommended the place - we would have not stumbled into it otherwise (it is situated in a side street and is easily overlooked) which would have been a pity! We had a lovely dinner there with the Lady of the house introducing and explaining the meals and helping to choose. The sets of local antipasti were delicious and nicely presented on tiny plates - i loved unexpected combinations of tastes like shrimp on a pumpkin mousse or a tiny crab cake on a vegetable ragout. The main course was just as inventive and tasty: sea bream rolled into an eggplant on a sauce bed. Family-home-Like atmosphere made our dinner a real treat.

La Colombina is a cute, small place just off a main street. While it looks unassuming from outside, inside is a host of delights - quite literally, as they have a section full of small dishes that make a great entree, which you can choose four, six or eight of. We went with a squid in a sauce that appeared to have cocao in it, a crumbed meatball, a delicious melty cheese and a delicate prawn + cabbage item. Each item spoke to the different food influences that have come through Venice, and were a wonderful start. (You also get a highly interesting bruschetta item too beforehand - very mild tomatoes on top of a creamy sauce). For mains, we had the casopipa and the stuffed guinea fowl. The casopipa used nutmeg and cinnamon, flavours that were more common prior to the arrival of onion and garlic. The guinea fowl was reminiscent of porchetta with its fillings. Both were lovely!! All paired with a great wine as recommended by the sommelier. A must visit for truly interesting Venetian cuisine!

The chicken soup/lasagna was excellent! Perfect blend of tastes for a cold day. The bread was nice but you have to ASK for olive oil to go with it. Otherwise, no olive oil. Unfortunately the fried monkfish was rubbery and very disappointing. I tried my wife’s sea bream and that was what I should have ordered. The staff is quite nice and fairly attentive. Prices are about average for wines and food. Dessert was okay. Better than average overall.

My husband, older son and myself had the pleasure of dining at this exquisite restaurant at the end of June. Our son is our restaurant guru and he certainly hit the mark with this choice. The restaurant is tucked away in an alley in enchanting Venice. We went for the multi course menu. Every dish was exceptional, unique and a work of art. Truly a delight for the palate. The service and the entire staff were wonderful. I did the wine pairing which was perfectly matched with each dish. We also enjoyed the company of our little canine friend, Napoleone. What a cutie! A must go to restaurant in Venice!

An absolutely beautiful hidden gem. We came here as it was very close to where we were staying and we are so glad we did. By far our favourite place to eat in Venice. We were lucky enough to be able to try their new menu and it was unbelievable. Beautiful flavours, fresh food and exceptional service.

The best meal I ate while I was in Venice. Stumbled across this gem one evening wandering around Cannaregio, the food was PHENOMENAL. The assortment of appetizers was a real gem with many things I discovered I loved after having worse versions of them at other places. The staff is extremely personable with the host coming out to make recommendations on what was fresh and offering wine suggestions based on what I ordered. THEN THE DESSERTS!!!! The chef came out and chatted with us. Truly an amazing experience start to finish, worth visiting wherever you are staying inside of Venice.

Excellent service, great food and cozy atmosphere! The hostess/owner and her dog Napoleoni were very polite. The food tasted and was plated better than expected. Food was very slightly pricier than others but it was well worth it to get a slightly more upscale feel just off the main stretch. The restaurant itself was on the smaller side and quiet but unfussy. The asparagus soup and artichokes were excellent. The roast lamb we thought was better than the grilled lamb chops we had in other restaurants. The tiramisu was a half step above the many others I’ve had and the panna cotta my wife had was her favorite ever. The three wine pairings were also well selected. I’m doubtful as to La Colombina currently being a Michelin Plate restaurant, as the door stickers may suggest. I could not find them in the current Guide. Despite this it was one of our favorite restaurants in our weeks long Europe trip and I would highly recommend it!

Great staff. We got the meat tasting menu. It was good, but not amazing. We didn’t think it was worth the price. Maybe the fish tasting menu is better. The ravioli is very dry, hard to eat. I was surprised how much they use a microwave to warm up food. Nice presentations. Great wine. We liked dessert. The staff is very friendly and attentive.