Adrian Webster, publisher, writes:
Like you, I always list Fiaschetteria Toscana in Venice as a favorite, yet the last two occasions we have been there have been a disgrace. Appalling service (and attitude) and less than stellar food. The wine remains good of course. I fear they have succumbed finally to the absolute lack of any need to try in the face of swarms of visitors. . .
BStP: It’s quite popular with Venetians, too—we found it was better in every respect to go early, before the dining room and kitchen got too busy.
Paul Henderson, former owner of Gidleigh Park, who's had more Michelin-starred meals than the average Michelin inspector, writes:
We spent a week in Venice, and ate for the first time at Alle Testiere, which I thought was terrific: the razor clams with garlic was the best single dish I ate in the week. We also returned to Da Ivo after several years, and had an exceptional (and exceptionally expensive!) lunch with molto tartufi bianco, T bone from Val de Chiana, and Pergola Torte 1997, then poured ourselves into the water taxi and the flight home, suitably anaethesthised! We had excellent meals at Locanda Cipriani on Torcello, Da Fiore, Cips, and an unprententious but good fish restaurant on the Giudecca, Altanella. Do Mori near the market is our favourite for sandwiches and glasses of wine. Harrys Bar has been a favourite even if ridiculously expensive for many years, but after this last meal we won't return. Amongst other criticisms, they tried to serve an Antinori DOC Toscana 2003 instead of Chianti Classico 1999, explaining that it was a change of vintage. When I said that it wasn't Chianti Classico, the waiter said that Chianti was from Tuscany! He went away with a flea in his ear and came back a few minutes later with the Chianti Classico.
BStP: Da Ivo was also one of our favorites, always very good. . . Harrys? I gave up when the bartender insisted the peach juice in their Bellinis was fresh--in December!
foodandwineinlondon.com