During my most recent trip to Venice I had two objectives. The first was to explore the lagoon, getting out of the main city of Venice to visit some of the lesser known islands far from the hoards of tourists. I’ll be telling you more about that later.
My second objective was in some senses easier, but in other ways more difficult. I wanted to finally visit some of the restaurants that for whatever reason I’d been avoiding. I always have a working list of places that will most likely eventually make it into my apps or blog. These are places that I’ve read about on various forums and/or that friends and locals have recommended. The places on my list this time around were the leftovers. That for various reasons never got ticked off my list year after year. Dalla Marisa was one of those. Just a bit off my beaten track, this time around I planned my day around visiting its slightly out of the way location and was very glad I did.
Trattoria La Zucca, situated in the more centrally located Santa Croce neighborhood has been at the top of my ‘to do’ list for years. I’d even gone so far as to reserve there, and then cancel at the last minute. Why? Even though it makes the list of top recommended restaurants by a lot of people, every time I read a description of the food it sounded just a bit too…..heavy? Which is strange since one of the main things it has going for it is i’s focus on vegetables. Yet almost all the reviews mentioned dishes that were baked, and it all just sounded too late 1970’s Vegetarian Restauranty for my tastes. Even the photos I’d seen of the wood paneled interiors looked a little chalet-like for my idea of a Venetian restaurant.
This time around though I finally made it there. Emma and I found refuge from this summer’s heatwave for lunch one day, eschewing the charming (but way too hot) canal side tables for the dimly lit (and welcomely air conditioned) back room.
As it turns out I was right about most of my preconceptions. The food does feel a bit dated, as if one of their main sources of inspiration was the original Moosewood cookbook. And the interiors do feel a bit like I should be drinking spiced wine after a particularly vigorous downhill run. But despite all of this? The food was really good.
Although they weren’t serving their signature Pumpkin Ravioli that day, we stuck with the zucca theme and ordered both the Saor di Zucca e Melanzane and the Flan di Zucca con Ricotta Stagionata .
The Saor di Zucca was a welcome change from the usual fishy saor that I was used to. Slices of pumpkin and eggplant were fried, drained and then dressed with a sweet and sour dressing, that included lots of pine nuts and raisins. The Flan di Zucca was fluffy and light, and topped with an abundant dusting of ricotta salata which offset the natural sweetness of the pumpkin perfectly. The toasted pumpkin seeds provided a bit of crunch.
Since there was a heat wave going on we just ordered a couple of side dishes to complete our meal. Braised artichoke hearts were done perfectly and a plate full of frigitelli peppers were pan fried and then drizzled with a yogurt hummus dressing. Not at all Veneitan, or even Italian, but very good none-the-less.
Somehow Emma convinced me that we needed dessert, so there was tiramisu as well.
If you’re looking for a typical Venetian trattoria this is not it. While they have a few meat dishes, there is no fish in sight. But if you’re looking for a change of pace, and a lot of vegetables, then La Zucca hits all the right buttons. Even if those buttons are from 1979.
La Zucca
Santa Croce, 1762, Venice
tel: +39.041.524.1570
Open for lunch and dinner. Closed Sunday.
For more information on dining in Venice and Italy download my app, EAT ITALY. EAT ITALY is a free app, and contains guides to  Venice, Milan, Rome, Umbria and Florence (and an ever expanding list of regions and cities) available as in-app purchases for both iPhone and iPad.
I enjoyed reading this review. Sounds like a good place to visit in the fall. Amazed you could eat much, as a heatwave kills my appetite unless it’s for very, very light things like fruit, ice cream and cold drinks.
I have eaten here about 5 times now over the years and it never disappoints. I have always eaten lunch there. The Zucca flan is fabulous, the pork cooked with prunes delicious and for dessert the chocolate and hazelnut semi freddo is to die for. So what if the interior is outdated the food is delicious!!
Yes Yes Yes
We ate here a few years ago and I still remember the pumpkin flan!!!!!
I frequently recommend La Zucca to friends headed to Venice. It’s a change of pace from traditional fare and consistently good.
Ok, so we are one of the few patrons who had a bad experience here, but after reading your post I’m looking forward to trying it again. grazie
It’s a bit churlish to claim that La Zucca is dated in a country where culinary innovation is far from the norm. I spend a lot of time in Italy, and in Venice in particular, and I have to say that La Zucca is a wonderful relief from the standard fare. This is particularly the case with the careful preparation of vegetables, as you note. There are many excellent, modern options in Venice these days, but Zucca was ahead of its time and remains a favorite! An architect friend tells the story of being there at the very beginning, when a group of collaborators worked to finish the construction. I prefer Zucca’s simple and direct interior aesthetic, which reminds one of a well-designed boat (a propos in Venice), to faux-luxe places that try too hard to impress with finishes, while there is no love in the food.
I think you must have misunderstood me when I used the term dated. I meant it in a purely descriptive, but not negative, way. I love the interiors, and they do indeed feel like a boat. And I love the food, which may have been ahead of it’s time when they opened but now harks back to that period of cuisine. In other words, I’m a Zucca lover too.
Loved this post and completely agree.
I ate there during a vacation to Venice (years ago before I moved here) and when I first walked in, I wondered what was up with the decor. I was a little concerned.
I didn’t need to worry. My meal was delicious and one of the best of my trip.
I have been to Venice 8 times over the years, mostly in he early spring, and always stop here for lunch or dinner. It is always consistently good. While not traditional Venitian fare, I find the ingredients fresh and the specials are exceptional.