Taverna San Trovaso

Restaurant Review

The Venice restaurant spectrum could be diagrammed in two ways: from expensive to cheap, or from tourist restaurants to neighborhood eateries. On either graph, the Taverna San Trovaso would fall somewhere in the middle.

Food

Like many affordable Venice restaurants, the Taverna San Trovaso offers pizzas and a full à la carte lunch or dinner menu. Although there's nothing wrong with the pizzas, it would be a shame to pass up the San Trovaso's excellent gnocchi al quattro formaggi, grilled fish specialties, or local favorites such as seppia alla veneziana (cuttlefish in its own ink) and frittura mista di pesce (fried seafood platter). While the cuisine may not be on a par with the top restaurants in town,  it rates a solid B to B+ within its price category.

Atmosphere

The San Trovaso attracts a mixed clientele of local residents, university students, and foreign visitors. One night my wife and I found ourselves seated near a dozen students who were celebrating a birthday; other tables were occupied by Italian couples and families. On another night, the diners next to us were a publican and his wife from England.

The downstairs is cozy, with booths and small tables; the upstairs dining room is brighter and more open, with tables that can be arranged for larger groups. Both areas are pleasant, and you needn't feel that you're being relegated to Siberia if you're sent upstairs.

Prices

The Taverna San Trovaso's prices are inexpensive (for pizza) to moderate (for à la carte items). Here are a few prices that I wrote down in spring, 2004:

Note: Like most Italian restaurants, the Taverna San Trovaso adds a small "coperto" or cover charge for cutlery, table linens, and bread. This charge is legitimate and is not a substitute for a tip.

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