It's right around the corner from the train station, but on the Canale di Cannareggio. There are only two canals in Venice. Grand Canal and Canareggio. The others are too small, and not referred to as canals. They are Rio's etc. people don't generally walk this canal, but it's one of the great walks of Venice, with few tourists and a fine place to stop and eat. For some reason, tourists don't seem to go there. Perhaps because you have to walk down the dreaded Strada Nuova, or use back streets from the train station?

Good food is on that street. I'd have a little caution about choosing a place because that's where the gondoliere or motiscafi drivers are. They are forbidden to leave their boat. If they leave their boat they will never work in the guild again. Where are their parking spaces to wait for for customers? Piazza San Marco, the train station, La Fenice, etc. in other words, they can't walk half a block away to get to a better restaurant down the street.

Since they can only stop at a specific place, and can only leave their boat if another driver is there to watch take responsibility, they are limited to eating within sight of their boat stop, sort of like a truck driver on the highway has to eat at a truck stop. It is usually a sign of decent coffee, but generally not food at a place where you see truckers stuck on a route.

There are many places where they go in and have a coffee or un'ombra, but dinner not so much because they are stuck in touristy areas and have to remain there. No one is flagging down a gondola or motorboat in the back alleys of Sant Elena.

But when I have no particular place to go, if in the neighborhood I'll walk down the Cannareggio Canal and stop some place to eat. Never great, but always decent.