Taverna Da Baffo, Venice Italy

by The Travel Italy Grapevine

The Taverna Da Baffo is the perfect place to visit after trip to the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, a church that is a UNESCO heritage site and not to be missed on your trip to Venice.

The pub was named after a friend of Giocoma Casonova the Venetian author and adventurer, and can be found on Campiello Sant'Agostin, in the San Polo district of Venice.

It is called a pub, but it really is a lovely little restaurant that is mid-range when it comes to prices, but first class when it comes to food.

The first thing you notice when you walk in are the ancient bricks in muted yellows, ochres and reds with rich wooden paneling and strong chestnut beams spanning the roof. Somewhat incongruously there are two stone pillars that look as if they belonged in another era to a church, but they help to prop up the roof.

The tables were covered with crisp, white, linen table cloths and set the scene for what was to come.

We started off with zuppa de cozze which was mussel soup. However, the broth was really just the water the mussels were cooked in and not a soup at all. However, no one was complaining. The bowls were enormous, piled high with steaming, plump and juicy mussels. We must have eaten our way through at least 2 dozen mussels which were tender and succulent.

After that I ordered the English Beef. If you expect to get your beef with Yorkshire puddings and gravy, then you will be disappointed. I didn't know what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised. A large plate arrived with thinly sliced rare roast beef carpaccio with arugula and olive oil. It was divine!

The mussel soup was well-priced at 8 euros as well the English beef at 11 euros.

If you aren't around at the time of a meal, just pop in and have a quick prosecco or a campari. Having a drink from around 10:30 a.m. onwards is certainly not out of place in Venice.