Venice is a tough city for food–and an expensive one, too, especially if you’re accustomed to cities like Rome where you can eat very well on a budget. If you plan ahead and make bookings at restaurants well in advance, you will enjoy Venetian dining, particularly if you are OK budgeting €75 and up per person for a meal including wine. I love institutions like where everything is very good, for fish, and is great for pasta, fritto misto and a very good grappa selection. is another favorite for Venetian classics and a deep wine cellar. and , which are more contemporary, are lovely, too, and books out well in advance. For really good bites standing up at a bar counter, hit up Alla Vedova for cicchetti such as fondo di carciofo (artichoke hearts) and polpette di carne (meat croquettes). The super famous Cantine del Vino già Schiavi is reliably delicious and serves little shots of wine (ombre) for €1.00. Sepa near Rialto is fun and on the other side of the bridge, Al Mercà near the Rialto Market does some sought-after natural wines by the glass alongside everyday drinking options and the sandwiches are great. Pop in next door at Casa del Parmigiano for cheeses and cured meats, then hit Rialto Market (mornings only, Monday to Saturday) for a crash course in Veneto’s produce–look for vegetables from the nearby island of S. Erasmo–and lagoon fish. Also near Rialto is All’Arco, one of my grab a bite and a drink on the fly. For seated natural wines and snacks, I love  and Adriatico Mar. Vino Vero has a great wine list but the service can be super condescending. A bit further along the canal, Mezzo Pieno is cute for a snack and a glass. Stappo has an excellent wine list, though their markup is higher than the competition and the cellar includes a number of problematic wine makers. is amazing for a quick glass and a tramezzino–I prefer this to sitting down to a full-on meal there. just down the street is legendary for pastries.  and Bar Toletta are fantastic, as well, especially around Carnevale when they serve warm frittole (sweet dough fritters). Torrefazione Canareggio does excellent coffee. For more drinking tips, read my lates for Prior . If you’re on the move in the lagoon, visit in Torcello,  in Mazzorbo and  in Burano. In Murano, La Perla ai Bisatei does an excellent frittura di calamari and it’s a quick walk to Murano Gelateria in Calle Dal Mistro for a couple scoops. is my favorite place to eat in Murano and it’s particularly nice for dinner when all the tourists have gone back to Venice. And while you’re in. Murano visit for , , and glass shopping! (Full disclosure: Wave founder is my boyfriend). If you want your own private transport around the lagoon, I recommend hiring a boat from .