Pietra Rossa

I had an unforgettable evening at Pietra Rossa in Venice. From the moment I walked in, Andrea and Sandra made me feel genuinely welcome — warm, friendly, and personal in a way that instantly put me at ease. The food was outstanding, with a perfect balance of creativity and respect for authentic flavors. The wine pairing was spot on, clearly chosen with care, and I loved that I could even buy the bottles afterwards. What truly made the night special was the human touch. After dinner, Andrea and Sandra invited me to share a drink with them, turning a wonderful meal into a memorable connection. It’s rare to find a place where quality, atmosphere, and heart come together so effortlessly. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Since 2013 we are visiting this nice restaurant founded originally as Co Vino in Arsenale. Since 4 years now it is the Pietra Rossa which is for us the place to be, while we are visiting Venice. For all these years, we experienced a very welcoming and friendly service, wonderful interpreted Italian dishes with a Venetian twist and influence. The restaurant is located in Arsenale but unfortunately, not on one of the main roads / walks to go. His inner courtyard is extremely beautiful and the vine list with mainly regional but also international natural vines is absolutely adorable. For all these years we had a very surprising high quality food. For example this year a pasta dish with smoked tomato’s and ragu. If this restaurant would be in hour hometown we would spent a lot of money there. It is worth every pence you pay. Grazie Mille per tutto and keep on working like this.

It was in 2013 when we first went to Andrea Lorenzon's (then) new restaurant, CoVino. It was a small and intimate space, where Andrea held court. It featured a special fix prixe menu that he chose. It also had an extremely interesting wine list, which was due to the fact that wine is Andrea's passion, and he is very knowledgeable about it, and is happy to share his knowledge with you. We learned about his commitment to sustainable practices of food production, and his love of the Venetian community. A few years ago he made the major step of starting up a brand new restaurant, Pietra Rossa. Although it is a bit more out of the way, it is well worth the effort to find it. Andrea operates out of his heart, and indeed the heart is the symbol of his new place. Go to their website and read all about it. Andrea's father is Mauro Lorenzon, who was the well known proprietor of the iconic Mascareta for years. The new restaurant also features a set price menu, or you can go ala carte if you prefer. When you reach the restaurant, ring the bell and you will enter into the bar area, most likely greeted at the door by Andrea himself. From here it leads either to the lovely outdoor courtyard, or to the small main dining room. There also is the option of sitting at a communal table in the kitchen area where you have a front row seat to all the goings-on, as well as getting wonderful attention. Pietra Rossa is a member of the Buona Accoglienza Association Restaurants - a group that are united by their commitment to sustainable food production, and use of local fresh products. They also are part of the Osti in Orto project - local restaurants that have their own land on Sant Erasmo where they source their own produce. Take the time to look up these organizations and read about their ethos. We love Pietra Rossa, and we love Andrea. When you are in Venice, make sure to take the time to have dinner at this lovely place that is run with so much heart and soul.

We had the three course set menu plus a dessert. The restaurant had no difficulty accommodating my wife who is celiac (gluten free) and pregnant. The dishes were fantastic. It was a fair distance from the more touristy areas but everything is close enough and within walking distance in Venice. A really cozy restaurant which we would recommend to anyone (including anyone who is gluten free).

Beautiful food. We ordered a bunch of simple, elegant modern takes on classic Italian and Venetian classics, with plenty of vegan and vegetarian options. Sat outside, and the decor is modern and idiosyncratic, with a lovely outdoor patio. Most importantly, Andrea and his staff are incredibly hospitable; it was fantastic service from the moment we walked through the door, and I really enjoyed chatting with them. Order a coffee before you leave, and try the excellent biscotti, which is made by Andrea’s mother! Highly recommend.

The best dining experience we have had in Venice. It’s outside the crazed human zoo near St Marks’, and this gem of a restaurant is absolutely wonderful. The open air patio is lovely and the service exquisite. Andrea was most accommodating for our party of five. We asked him to choose our meal and wine selections and couldn’t have been happier. It’s intimate, friendly, and so refreshing compared to the typical conveyor belt of sub-par pizza one often finds in tourist-oriented Venice. Truly a delight. In fact, as far as I know, they don’t serve pizza at all. Wonderful.

This was one of the best meals of my life, from start to finish. We were in Venice for the day and this off the beaten path place was recommended by a local. The staff and owner greeted us immediately and made us feel welcome. They were very comfortable speaking to us in English. We went with the 3 course menu by the sea and the wine pairing. Even as not a foodie, I thoroughly enjoyed the pairings. And all of it was extremely affordable. You can’t go wrong even if you only order a dish. They have vegetarian friendly options as well. Cannot recommend this friendly, authentic Italian, quiet yet vibrant experience. Will definitely come back whenever I’m in Venice!

What a wonderful place! I booked online for our first night in Venice having read some great reviews despite being a newly opened restaurant. We let them chose the food for us and paid €49 each for 4 surprise courses, all of which were amazing. We also chose the wine pairing option, and the wines were matched perfectly to the courses. This was a great option as we got to try things that we probably wouldn’t have picked for ourselves, and certainly felt like a more authentic Venetian experience. Sat outside in the courtyard with fairy lights strung across the top, it was so pretty. All the staff were so friendly and helpful. We loved the first night so much that we booked again, for our wedding anniversary meal. I accidentally booked their social table, which meant that we sat with two Italian couples on a group table facing the kitchen. My husband and I are both pretty introverted so my initial reaction was one of apprehension, however that quickly melted away as the other couples made us feel welcome and showed us the famous Italian generosity! This time we chose from the a La carte menu and it was again a wonderful meal. The open ravioli might be the best thing I’ve ever eaten! We felt that the prices were reasonable for what we ate and drank, and would expect to pay more for this quality back in our hometown of Oxford.