ITALY - Best of Europe 2014 - page 1122

Other Good Eateries near the Rialto Market
(See “Hotels & Restaurants near the Rialto Bridge” map, here . )
ProntoPesce istheperfectplacetosamplefishwhilewatchingthemarketaction.Brunoand
Umberto speak English and like to explain what's good. They serve a €10 mixed fish plate
with bread (daily from 13:00 until it's sold out) that locals plan their day around. Consider
their“expressplates”ofpasta(€10-12,serveddaily12:45-14:15),fishrisottospecials,artful
fishhorsd'oeuvres,andmanyotherfreshfishtidbits.Thisfancyhole-in-the-wallisfunfora
quickbite—eatstandinguportakeittogo(Tue-Sat10:00-15:00&17:30-19:30,closedSun-
Mon, facing the fish market on Calle de le Becarie o Panataria at #319, tel. [phone]).
Al Mercà (“At the Market”), a few steps away and off the canal, is a lively little nook
with a happy crowd, where law-office workers have lunch and young locals gather in the
evening for drinks and little snacks. The price list is clear, and I've found the crowd to be
welcoming to tourists interested in connecting (stand at the bar or in the square—there are
notables and nointerior,Mon-Sat 9:30-14:30 & 18:00-21:00, closed Sun,onCampo Cesare
Battisti at #213).
Ristorante Vini da Pinto is a cheap, tourist-friendly eatery with a basic menu and for-
gettable food at decent prices. It has good service and relaxing outdoor seating (daily, long
hours, facing the fish market, tel. [phone]).
Trattoria alla Madonna is a big, bustling, classic Italian eatery with old-school formal
waiters, a huge menu, and about a hundred tables. Tour groups find it efficient, and local
families have come here for lunch after church for generations. There's no romance—just
solid, reliable, traditional food from a menu that hasn't changed since World War II (€10
pastas, €13 secondi, €2 cover, closed Wed, tel. [phone], tucked away on Calle della
Madonna, 2 minutes west of Rialto Bridge).
Antica Birraria la Corte is an everyday eatery on the delightful Campo San Polo,
between the Rialto Bridge and the Frari Church. Popular for its €8-11 pizza, calzones, and
wonderfulselectionofhearty€10salads,itfillsthefarsideofthiscozy,family-filledsquare.
While the interior is a sprawling beer hall, it's a joy to eat on the square, where metal tables
teeter on the cobbles, the wind plays with the paper mats, and children run free (€11-12 pas-
tas, €14-19 secondi, €2 cover, daily 12:00-15:30 & 18:00-22:30, Campo San Polo 2168, tel.
041-275-0570, see the map on here ) .
TrattoriaPizzeriaalNonoRisorto isunpretentious,inexpensive,youthful,andfamous
for serving good pizza in a nice setting. You'll sit in a gravelly garden under a leafy canopy,
surrounded by Italians enjoying huge €8 salads, pastas, and pizzas, and €12-17 grilled meat
or fish dishes (Thu 19:00-22:30, Fri-Tue 12:00-14:30 & 19:00-22:30, closed Wed, reserva-
tions smart on weekends; from Rialto fish market, get out your map and walk 3 minutes
away from the Rialto to Campo San Cassiano—it's just over the bridge on Sotoportego de
Siora Bettina at #2338; tel. [phone]).