Hotel Cipriani

ABOVE: A waiter in the Poolside Restaurant serves branzino in crosta di sale marino (baked sea bass in a sea-salt crust).

Restaurants and bars

The Hotel Cipriani has much in common with a cruise ship at anchor: It's like a floating resort that sits offshore, away from the hustle and bustle of the port, with guests being shuttled to the waterfront by tenders. And, like a luxury cruise vessel, the Cipriani serves up top-quality food and drink so passengers won't become mutinous or bored.

The Poolside Restaurant is open for lunch daily, with awnings to keep guests dry in case of rain. You can order from a menu or browse the buffet. The food is outstanding: During our visit, we had carpaccio in Cipriani sauce, eggplant gnocchi with fresh tomato and basil, moist and flavorful sea bass baked in a crust of sea salt, a delectable sorbetti assortment, and espresso with tiny pastries. Service was efficient without being overbearing.

The Cipriani Restaurant (also known as the San Giorgio and Terrace Restaurant) normally serves dinner only. In a November, 2001 article for Cuisine, New Zealand author Ray McVinnie wrote:

The Cipriani restaurant, with its terrace on the water's edge, panelled ceiling and Murano chandeliers, offers a formal dining experience. Lunch with [General Manager] Dr. Rusconi was a voyage of discovery as he guided us through Venetian specialties, concluding with the incredible Cipriani cheese selection, the highlights being the sublime buffalo mozzarella, the smoked ricotta, and the creamy Taleggio, which was eaten drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with cracked pepper.

Cip's Club is an informal pizzeria and grill that serves pizza from a wood-burning oven, Venetian food, the usual wines and spirits, and beer by the glass. Its pontoon terrace has been replaced by a larger terrace built on pilings, so you can enjoy lunch or dinner with a view of the Piazza San Marco. If the weather turns sour, retreat to Cip's indoor quarters bar on the ground floor of the Palazzetto Nani Barbaro.

Other bars include the Piano Bar Gabbiano, the San Giorgio Bar, and the Poolside Bar.

Room service is available 24 hours a day.

Next page: Palazzo Vendramin, Palazzetto Nani Barbaro

About the author:

Durant Imboden has written about Venice, Italy since 1996. He covered Venice and European travel at About.com for 4-1/2 years before launching Europe for Visitors (including Venice for Visitors) with Cheryl Imboden in 2001.

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