Rio Della Pila

This small, welcoming restaurant in the province of Padova is run by its two owners, one at the helm in the kitchen, the other overseeing the warm and beautifully decorated dining room. The cuisine is complex and elaborate rather than minimalist, with chef Davide Filippetto either creating different dishes from the same ingredient or preparing different ingredients in imaginative combinations. An abundant and generous menu, which includes an extensive wine list.

Situated in the historic centre of Castelfranco Veneto, this restaurant has an intimate, elegant and contemporary-cum-minimalist feel despite its period courtyard setting and original wooden beams in the first-floor dining room. Nicola Dinato’s cuisine is showcased on two tasting menus, namely Anima and Corpo. The former offers a selection of new dishes created by the chef, who is constantly updating his cuisine, while the latter features his historic signature specialities (don’t miss the scampi “busara” risotto). A lighter, less expensive menu is also available at lunchtime. The wine list in

If you like cod, you’ll be in your element in this restaurant which serves this versatile fish in many different ways, from plain to salted (baccalà) and dried ((stoccafisso). The house speciality is the most famous dish of nearby Vicenza, namely bacalà alla vicentina (written with just one ‘l’ in this region and featuring dried rather than salted cod, despite the name). In addition to cod, the menu also includes other classic fish and seafood options as well as a few meat dishes.

Situated just a stone’s throw from the square with its famous chessboard, this authentic trattoria boasts a warm, inviting dining room and an outdoor space shaded by wisteria. Run by the same family for 120 years, the restaurant serves regional specialities such as tripe soup, bigoli pasta with various sauces, Vicenzo-style bacalà (salted cod), Venetian liver and desserts such as zaeti biscuits and macafame bread pudding. As there are just a few tables and the restaurant is very popular, booking ahead is recommended.

Almost all the main dishes at this restaurant are grilled (mostly meat but there are also fish options), plus there’s a good choice of appetisers, including substantial options such as tripe and sweetbreads, with tasting menus that combine starters and main courses. The à la carte features a generous selection of classic, well-prepared dishes made from top-quality ingredients. The restaurant occupies the premises of a historic café that has experienced closures and problems in the past but has now been courageously reopened by three young business partners.

An inn fragrant with freshly baked pastries, but above all a restaurant brimming with energy, where the glow of the charcoal grill caresses prime cuts of meat, the undisputed stars of the kitchen. Andrea Poli, chef-owner, celebrates product and season with playful dishes and authentic flavors, while embracing contemporary forays such as the irresistible “grilled radicchio gnocchetti, draped in béchamel, red wine sauce, and crispy hazelnuts.” On Wednesdays, a small selection of gourmet pizzas adds an unexpected twist to the experience.

Housed in a charming 18C villa, this elegant restaurant overlooks its attractive garden in a magical setting which is typical of the Veneto. The cuisine also has a regional focus, with classic recipes featuring on the menu alongside more creative dishes (fish appears more often than meat).