A Gastronomic Tour of Venice with Gritti Palace Chef Daniele Turco

Chefs Travel week is stopping for a gastro tour of Venice led by chef Daniele Turco of the legendary Gritti Palace. He also gave us a very Venetian recipe for red shrimp carpaccio with ginger gelato, his contribution to the cookbook set The Luxury Collection Epicurean Journeys.

VENICE – I have worked in Venice for 22 years and I live approximately ten miles from the heart of the city. I love Venice for its extraordinary history, art, and culture, which I enjoy exploring on foot. (The city is very walkable.) My wife is Venetian, so even when I'm not working, I'm in town with family. And in the summer, we're usually relaxing on the beach at the Lido, another part of Venice that I love.

WHERE TO EAT

L'Osteria di Santa Marina
5911, Campo Santa Marina
+39-041-528-5239
A traditional Venetian-style restaurant in Campo Santa Marina that serves classic Venetian specialties and hand-made pasta.

Vini da Gigio
3628a, Sestiere Cannaregio
+39-041-528-5140
A cozy and very traditional osteria trattoria with an amazing wine selection and indigenous plates.

Osteria Bancogiro
122 Campo San Giacometto
+39-041-523-2061
The Rialto restaurant that serves a mix of modern and traditional local cuisine. This place is great for dinner or just for an aperitivo and mingling.

Ristorante da Ivo
1809 Calle dei Fuseri
+39-041-528-5004
An intimate restaurant that is known for its high quality meats and its celebrity clientele. (George Clooney and his guests dined here the night before his wedding.) It's adjacent to a canal, so customers arrive directly by water taxi or gondola.

Ristorante Quadri
121 Piazza San Marco
+39-041-522-2105
A fine-dining Michelin-starred restaurant overlooking Piazza San Marco. Very elegant, very fancy, impressive menu. This a the spot to impress your date.

Piazza San Marco. Photo courtesy of Ristorante Quadri.

WHERE TO SHOP

Rialto Market
42 San Polo
An open market northwest of the Rialto bridge in San Polo and a great place to explore the natural bounty of Venetian cuisine. I take my classes from The Gritti Epicurean School here to shop for produce and fish before we go into the kitchen for our cooking lesson.

All'Arco
436 Calle dell'Occhiale
+39-049-887-1339
After a visit to Rialto Market, I often head to All'Arco, a small bacaro (wine bar) located nearby, for chicheti bar snacks and a good glass of wine.

WHAT TO SEE

Peggy Guggenheim Collection
701-704 Dorsoduro
+39-041-240-5411
I am a big fan of modern art, and this is  one of Europe’s premier modern art museums as well as a Venice landmark. We even named a suite at The Gritti Palace after Ms. Guggenheim, a legendary art collector who was a frequent guest. The suite features rotating contemporary artwork by emerging artists.

Palazzo Grassi 
3231 Campo San Samuele
+39-041-523-1680
Another fantastic modern art museum that presents major exhibitions in Campo San Samuele. The historical building is the last palazzo built on the Grand Canal before the collapse of the Republic of Venice.

Sant'Erasmo Island
Adventurous foodies should take a ferry (#13 from the Fondamente Nove stop) to the island in the Venetian lagoon that produces much of Venice's fruits and vegetables and is especially known for its artichokes. I like to take my classes on field trips here to source produce and to fish: On our way to and from the island, we cast for cuttlefish and Moeche soft shell crab, which can be found in the lagoon at the end of September.

Campo Santa Margherita
Dorsoduro
A lively neighborhood filled with several restaurants and bars with outdoor seating. Come for aperitifs, to meet friends both old and new, and to people watch.

The Gritti Epicurean School
2467, Campo Santa Maria del Giglio
+39-041-794611
This is where I share the secrets behind the dishes we serve at The Gritti Palace. Courses range from private classes and half-day programs to more intensive three-day Stay and Cook programs. Most classes begin with a market outing or a trip to Sant'Erasmo Island to source produce.

WHERE TO STAY

The Gritti Palace, A Luxury Collection Hotel
 2467, Campo Santa Maria del Giglio
+39-041-794611
Of course I'm biased that everyone should stay here! The Gritti Palace is an iconic 82-room hotel facing Santa Maria della Salute, steps from Piazza San Marco. The hotel reopened in 2013 after a meticulous restoration. The Gritti is home to Club del Doge Restaurant and Bar Longhi, as well as The Gritti Epicurean School, all of which I oversee.

Hotel Danieli, A Luxury Collection Hotel
4196 Riva degli Schiavoni
+39-041-522-6480
Hotel Danieli is a 14th-century masterpiece located steps from the Doge. Many of the guest rooms have balconies overlooking the lagoon. Restaurant Terrazza Danieli is a nice spot for rooftop drinks.

GET EVEN MORE AMAZING RECIPES

Buy The Luxury Collection Epicurean Journeys, by Joshua D. Stein

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE

A Recipe for Red Shrimp Carpaccio With Ginger Gelato
Fathom's Venice Guide
In Love at the Gritti Palace
Eat, Drink, and Play Like the Eloise of Venice