Originally Posted by
VivoPerLei
I felt like Da Fiore was just going through the motions. It struck me as place that is there simply to cater to rich tourists, but without backing it up with extraordinary cooking. A fancy, exclusive place to dine, but lacking greatness. There's one in Rome that struck me exactly the same way. Had the 7 course tasting menu and there was nothing remarkable nor memorable about any of it. Ai Mercanti (same category of restaurant) presented a better all around experience, in my opinion. I tend to judge my restaurants a bit harshly though; you might eat at Da Fiore and have the meal of your life. Lots of reviews on TA that say just that.
As for Alle Testiere, we had a reservation for mid-evening and they were out of most everything. All they could offer was a mixed grill of the pieces they had left. Not particularly impressive for a restaurant that one survey said was the fifth best in all of Italy. Maybe they are a victim of their own success and having trouble handling the volume that comes with such good PR. Only thing I can say is, I would go the earlier in the evening the better and I'm guessing you'll have a better meal.
One more thing. Not going to re-read this thread from the beginning to see if you already have a reservation, but next time I go dining in Venice it will be to Quadri. Sounds great and not necessarily that much, if the experience is as good as it is reported.
One last thing - if you really want a fabulous meal, make a daytrip to Modena and eat lunch at Osteria Francescana. One of my best meals
You have to make sure you are at the right place. As mentioned upthread, in ore to capitali e in the name there are three restaurants with the name Da Fiore in it. One is the Michelin star place. The others are imposters of the worst kind. They serve frozen food, adverse being near San Marco, etc, which he real one is not. Probably 90% of the people who rate Da Fiore on TripAdvisor, should someone rely on that, probably didn't even know what restaurant they went to.
Alle Testiere cannot be overwhelmed by their volume. They only have nine tables, and it has been a sell-out every night sinc they were voted one of the 50 best restaurants in the world about 13 years ago. The same two guys run it.
Cafe Quadri, sure, but OP was looking for a place that is about the way Venetians eat. They have two prices: a 5 course menu for about $200, no substitutions, and a 7 course menu for about $300, no substitutions. The restaurant is owned by the same guys who own ale Calendre in Padua, which is always recognized as one of the best restaurants in Italy. They formed a group that bought Quadri a few years ago because it had gone to rot as a restaurant. A $300 7 course tasting menu, not including the cost of wine, is not the way a typical Veneziano goes out for dinner. It's great if that's OP's intention.
Osteria Francescana was just name best restaurant in the world, displacing the Spanish successors to perennial winner Nomo. It's in way out suburban Modena, which is too far away from staying near Piazza San Marco. Even f he takes the hours long train ride to Modena, he still couldn't get there without hiring a driver.