Located on Venice's eastern side, the Castello district is the largest and one of the least visited of the six historic sestieri. It is a working-class community, neighborhood, and peaceful atmosphere, where visitors can uncover hidden gems off the tourist trails, ancient landmarks, and quaint canals.
Back then, osteria was more of an inn where travelers, tradesmen, and locals could come, take shelter from the cold, and enjoy their food. The word stemmed from oste (innkeeper) and from the Latin hospes (host).
Fast forward to today, osterias are very simple restaurant-like venues serving a rotating menu, usually with some mainstays. Menus are often limited, handwritten, and printed or displayed on a large board. They have a very 'homey' feel to them, as you are probably rubbing elbows with locals. Therefore, they are affordable, for which my partner, our friends, family member, and I decided on Osteria Da Valentino.
Situated on Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, we were drawn by the available outdoor seating offering a picturesque view of the canal to create a magical cozy vibe for our last Venetian meal.
For some of us, we decided on the Smoked Salmon Cicchetti, Green Salad, and Bruschetta as appetizers. For the main meal, we opted for the Eggplant Parmigiana, Spinach Ravioli, Vegetarian Pizza, and Linguini in Clam Sauce. We washed them down with Limoncello Spritz and Acqua Fissante. Complimentary bread started the meal.
The food was very delicious, using the freshest ingredients and genuine authenticity. Our plates were beautifully presented. Not only was Kelly our server, but she was also the owner along with her team; they were friendly and caring to our needs.
We were treated with Limoncello shots to end the night.
Grazie di tutto! We can highly recommend it. read more