There are few families more closely associated with modern Venetian dining than the Alajmos. From the Michelin-starred heights of Ristorante Quadri to the relaxed atmosphere of Bistrot Quadrino and the historic Gran Caffè Quadri, the brothers have become custodians of one of Venice’s most historic addresses.
Set beneath the Procuratie Vecchie overlooking Piazza San Marco, Quadri traces its origins back to 1638, when the space first opened as a tavern called Il Rimedio, famed for its restorative Malvasia wine. In 1775, Giorgio Quadri transformed it into one of Venice’s earliest coffee houses and, over the centuries, it evolved into the multi-level institution it remains today. Since taking ownership in 2011, Massimiliano and Raffaele Alajmo have overseen a careful revival of the property, culminating in Philippe Starck and Marino Folin's acclaimed 2018 restoration.
Yet ask the brothers where to eat in Venice and the answers extend beyond Piazza San Marco. Their recommendations reveal a city best experienced slowly: standing at a bar with a cicchetto and glass of wine, lingering over cuttlefish ink pasta in a tucked-away trattoria or watching the light fade across the Grand Canal with a Martini in hand.
Gran Caffè Quadri, for cicchetti in Piazza San Marco
The most iconic of Quadri’s three personalities, the Gran Caffè spills onto the square itself, where orchestras still play beneath the Basilica in the evenings. Breakfast blends into aperitivo here, with trays of cicchetti, pastries and tramezzini circulating through the café.
“The cicchetto is one of the great Venetian inventions,” says Massimiliano. “What we have tried to do at Quadri is take that tradition seriously without making it pretentious.”
His favourite way to experience it is through the Cicchettata Maxima, a spread of all 12 cicchetti served together. “In summer, when the orchestra plays in the square in the evening and the light falls across the Basilica, there is nowhere else I would rather be.”
Bistrot Quadrino, for classic Venetian comfort food
Just downstairs, Quadrino takes a more informal approach, though the setting remains richly Venetian, with frescoes, mirrors and ornate stucco restored to their former glory.
For Raffaele, this is where he comes when craving the flavours he grew up with. “I always start with a board of freshly sliced culaccia, a plate of our house-cured anchovies and fried artichokes,” he says. “Then I almost always end up ordering the spaghetti alle vongole (spaghetti with clams) or the fegato alla veneziana (Venetian liver and onions). These are the dishes I grew up with. Classic, no shortcuts, right on Piazza San Marco.”
Ristorante Quadri, for a Michelin-starred meal
Upstairs, the Michelin-starred Ristorante Quadri is the only fine-dining restaurant in Venice with a direct view over Piazza San Marco. The menu reflects Massimiliano's ongoing dialogue between Venetian culinary history and contemporary technique.
Led by chef Sergio Preziosa, the kitchen sources ingredients daily from Rialto Market and local lagoon producers. Guests can choose à la carte or explore one of three tasting menus inspired by Venetian banquets of the Renaissance.
“At Ristorante Quadri, I always begin with the Primo Atto,” says Massimiliano. “It is our homage to the great banquets of the Venetian Renaissance.”
Then comes his signature spaghettone with caviar, which is rooted in Venetian history. “Venice has been at the centre of the caviar trade since the 13th century,” he explains. “Marco Polo, the Silk Road, the Sea of Azov…”
L’Osteria di Santa Marina, for the flavours of the lagoon
Hidden away from Venice’s busiest thoroughfares, L'Osteria di Santa Marina is one of Massimiliano’s favourite examples of traditional Venetian cooking.
“Talent, experience and hospitality run through everything they do here,” he says. “The meal begins with something the sea decided that morning.”
He points to razor clams grilled simply and linguine alle mazzancolle in busera - prawns cooked whole in a rich tomato and white wine sauce - as dishes that capture “the lagoon on a plate”.
Trattoria Da Bepi già 54: A local institution
For Raffaele, few places feel more authentically Venetian than Trattoria Da Bepi già 54.
“This is my kind of place,” he says. “No tourists, no fuss, just proper Venetian cooking and people who’ve been coming here for years.”
His order rarely changes: lagoon fish antipasti, spaghetti alla Loris with cuttlefish ink and chilli, and grilled eel. “Don’t skip it,” he insists.
Antiche Carampane: Venice at its purest
Tucked into a quiet corner of San Polo, Antiche Carampane has long been one of Venice’s best-kept culinary secrets.
“Anyone who really knows Venice knows it,” says Massimiliano. “The crudo is extraordinary, the kind of raw fish that makes you understand why simplicity is the hardest thing to achieve.”
When the soft-shell moeche crabs are in season, he considers them essential ordering.
Birreria La Corte, for pizza and people-watching
Not every Venetian meal needs ceremony. In Campo San Polo, Birreria La Corte offers pizzas, craft beer and a lively local crowd.
“This is the kind of place you go when you want to eat well and not think too hard about it,” says Raffaele. “Locals, noise, good energy. Sometimes that’s all you need.”
Strazzaria: Venice’s newest pizza obsession
Raffaele’s current pizza favourite is Strazzaria, located in the historic Jewish Ghetto.
“They’ve put it right in the Ghetto, which is a neighbourhood people walk past without stopping,” he says. “The pizzas are creative but not showing off: Venetian ingredients, proper dough, done right.”
Harry’s Bar: A Venetian legend
Few places carry the mythology of Harry's Bar, the birthplace of the Bellini and longtime haunt of writers, actors and aristocrats.
“When Raffaele and I were young, we would finish service at Le Calandre and drive to Venice just to go to Harry’s,” recalls Massimiliano. “Some places feed you. Harry’s Bar restores you.”
The Riva Lounge at The Gritti Palace, for aperitivo with a view
For cocktails, Raffaele heads to The Gritti Palace and its Riva Lounge terrace overlooking the Grand Canal.
“You sit there with the Chiesa della Salute right in front of you across the water,” he says. “I always order a Martini. And then another one. The view makes it very easy to justify a third.”