The name is meant to be revealing—Local’s menu and mission is all about sourcing sustainable, locally grown ingredients and supporting the lagoon’s farmers, fishers and craftspeople. Plates coming out of Burano-born Chef Matteo Tagliapietra’s kitchen are fancy, but not fussy, and they’re full of color and artfully arranged. Another unfussy aspect of Local? Breathing room in a bright, rustic-modern and uncluttered dining room—a nice break from the stuffed-to-the-gills Venetian norm. You’ll need a reservation to dine here, but many past guests recall it as their finest meal in Venice.
Time Out tip: If dinnertime menu prices are a little steep for your budget, try booking at lunch and ordering the abbreviated tasting menu, for a sampling of Local’s cuisine without the sticker shock.
Nearby:
Scuola Dalmata: For a church filled with Carpaccio paintings
Castello’s east side: For a real Venetian neighborhood, especially the farther east you go
In Paradiso: For a spritz and cicchetti in a leafy setting, with epic lagoon views