Opened in 2015, Local is a gourmet benchmark in the constellation of quality Venetian restaurants that immediately entered the Olympus of the most famous food and wine guides, earning its first Michelin star in 2021.

The name has the double meaning of locàl, which in Venetian means “place where you can eat and drink in company”, but also lòcal to emphasize the farm-to-table philosophy that distinguishes the restaurant. To these two reasons, we add a third: being frequented by a nice “local” clientele, outside the tourist circuits of the city.

The interior design is very chic, designed in the smallest detail by the owners, Luca and Benedetta (already known in the world of good food for the Wildner family restaurant), who designed the logo, the original light points, and commissioned the furnishing to the best local artisans.

At the entrance, we find a beautiful open kitchen and the original bar counter covered with parts of Valpolicella barrels in the thousand nuances of wine. The precious, yet very Venetian floor is in granulated marble where over 5000 murrine (floral glasswork) in the shape of the logo icon have been set by hand. The chairs and tables were made to measure, a deluxe version of the 1970s tavern furnishings, by the woodworking guru artist Remo Pasquini who made them from a precious oak. So beautiful that they don’t deserve to be covered: Local is, in fact, the only high-end restaurant in Venice where you can eat without a tablecloth, winking at a trend very popular in NY, just to let you touch the beauty of the wood grain, enhanced with special natural waxes that also ensure total surface hygiene.
On the walls, paintings and works-of-art of the famous Galleria Contini that change every six months, giving space to new emerging talents.

In the kitchen, a young crew led by chef Salvatore Sodano, son of art, with important experiences in Rome, Los Angeles and London at Enoteca Turi and at the Fera restaurant at Claridge’s, offers a Venetian cuisine revisited with an international twist. On the menu, which varies often, we find dishes such as risotto di gò, bigoli in sauce or ravioli stuffed with guinea fowl served on coconut cream, lime zest, and raw red shrimp; all prepared with carefully selected ingredients of organic origin and locally produced. The wine list is excellent and extensive, with a vast choice of natural and organic labels.

Recommended for lunch or dinner for a truly high-level Venetian culinary experience, just go for the table by the window in the main room facing the open kitchen. Ask for the tasting menus as they are an excellent value for money to fully experience the best of the local organic gourmet cuisine. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes are also always available.

The Secret

The owner, Luca Fullin, is also a founding member of Meteri, an e-commerce business of only natural wines that are produced in small quantities, respect the cycles of the seasons, and are made according to artisanal production methods. Local also offers a small, delightful cellar where tastings and masterclasses are held.

Useful Info

Local
Salizzada dei Greci 3303
30122 Castello, Venezia
Tel. +39 041 2411128

Tasting menu: from 95 euro
Choice of three courses: 85 euro, from 38 euro at lunchtime
First courses: 22 — 25 euro
Second courses: 24 — 30 euro