Ristorante Vecia Cavana

A Mixed Bag: Good Food, Pushy Service, and a Tipping Quandary This restaurant presents a bit of a dilemma when it comes to a review. The food was undoubtedly good, high-quality, and enjoyable, though it certainly leaned towards the expensive side. My experience with the server was quite a unique one. He was undeniably nice and personable, which initially made for a pleasant interaction. However, he had a rather pushy upsell technique, constantly asking "why not?" whenever he suggested an addition or upgrade. While this was a bit much at times, I found myself strangely liking his direct and persistent style – it was certainly memorable! My biggest hang-up, and honestly, quite a source of frustration, was the expectation of a tip. In Europe, a tip is traditionally a modest rounding up for good service, not the percentage-based system common elsewhere. Given that there was already a cover charge, the additional push for a significant tip felt out of place and left a sour taste. Overall, while the meal itself was enjoyable, the combination of the high price, the server's pushiness, and the unexpected tipping pressure made for a somewhat complicated dining experience.

Our first day in Venice, after roaming and bar hopping a few places, we decided to have dinner at a historic restaurant; Ristorante A La Vecia Cavana, Venice was a delightful experience for us. This historic establishment, open since 1912. Impressive decor and immaculately clean facility. We arrived at the restaurant and the was warmly greeted by our host who was very friendly and pleasant. He showed us to a table which was small & setting the tone for a truly enjoyable evening. We began our culinary adventure with two classic Bellinis and a simple yet satisfying offering of breadsticks with butter. For appetizers, we ordered a diverse selection from the menu, a mixed fried fish with fried vegetables platter, & heart of artichoke with mozzarella and truffles, and a refreshing spider crab salad. Our wine journey commenced with a bottle of Amarone Valpantena, a perfect companion to our starters. The highlight of our meal was undoubtedly the two plates of their seafood risotto. It was amazing and instantly became our instant favorite, a dish we'll long remember. At the host's excellent recommendation, we also savored a half bottle of Amarone Classico, which perfectly complemented the rich flavors of the risotto. We wrapped our evening with Our host recommended shots of limoncello and a few delightful house-made meringues. We thoroughly enjoyed every moment of our visit and left feeling super satisfied. Ristorante A La Vecia Cavana has undoubtedly become my forever favorite from my entire Italy trip. I wholeheartedly recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting Venice.

This place was our 1st stop when we arrived in Venice and it did not disappoint! We are Celiacs and this place is AIC!! We sat outside and enjoyed the ambience! It was a very busy place so reservations are proabably a good idea! We started off with Spider Crab Salad. It was ok, as there were tiny pieces of shell while we ate it! Then we had Baked Turbot Venetian style. It was fantastic!! We finished off the night with dessert, Tiramisu and Panna Cotta!! It was good place, pricey but worth it!!

Came here by the recommendation of a shop owner in Murano, as this is where he and his wife go for fresh seafood on date nights. Did not disappoint. Food was delicious. Service was even better. Everyone from the bartender in the wine room while we waited for our table, to the gentlemen that served our table...100%. Best dining experience we had in Venice. Raw platter appetizer was yummy. Turbot melted in your mouth. My daughter loved her lobster. They gave us free drinks to start out with, an entire bottle of Limoncello at the end. Will definitely go here again next time we visit Venice.

*Tourists Warning* Ambiance was nice.. food was average… however we feel like we got swindled on the $5 per person ‘coperto’, which the server said was NOT a service charge, but absolutely was. Why am I paying a service charge to come in and pay you for a meal? Makes no sense. Especially in an area with a ton of similar restaurants in the vicinity. We get the feeling Americans are taken advantage of at this restaurant.

nice place with friendly staffs. there was warm inside, chairs are soft and comfortable (we got to another place next day and my butt was frozen at wooden chair. we got a glass of spritz for every guest, some bread and butter before meal and some limoncello and cookies after as a compliment. our food was prepared quickly and was tasty. next day our waiter recognized us from inside and send hello 👋:)

Nice place with friendly team and good food. The servings were quite small though, especially considering the Price. You pay additional 5€ cover per person, that’s too much…

Simply the best restaurant in Venice. Beautiful and characteristic atmosphere, good wine and homemade limoncello. The Food is amazing, with also all options gluten-free. But I would like in particular to thank the personnel for their welcoming and so nice treatment. Their attention to particulars made us enjoy dinner like never before. Thank you so much! See you again soon. Giulia, mum and Aida