Osteria Ai 4 Feri

We try to come here every time we visit Venice.
It’s homely and special in a way that only a place in this city can offer.
Cod ravioli with an artichoke sauce — I’m still dreaming about it now!
Book before you arrive, book for the last day on the first day your there, go at a time that suits them (not you), just go!

Buttery spaghetti seafood dishes with big shrimp, soft scallops, tender clams, and more. I had the black squid ink sauce — lovely «seppie nere» — for the first time in my life. Smile and you teeth are black. All dishes are around 28 euro, but are double sized for sharing. Single portions of spaghetti with clam sauce and spaghetti ragu run 11 euro and 8 euro, respectively. Five of us shared two double entrees. Appetizers included a plump scallop with caramelized veggies on a pecten shell, a large oval dish of big, clean, flavorful mussels with baby clams scattered about, in an outrageous butter/​lemon sauce that we soaked up with our bread. (Venice at the moment has small clams due to unregulated overfishing, and clammers are picketing a few blocks South every morning.) My favorite app was a Venetian styled white sardine with pickled onions and white raisins. I picked the bones out, but most in my company didn’t. Dessert, wine, grappa… it’s all there along with a fast and friendly staff that pride themselves for being a little cuckoo.

We had a great dinner here, our server took the time to translate the entire menu verbally into English for us. We had scallops for an appetizer and spaghetti with lobster and artichokes for dinner. We also had some sort of homemade milk custard topped with a caramel sauce for dessert. I would recommend all of these, everything was fairly portioned and delicious. We spent around 50 euros on dinner and received very friendly and welcoming service.

Visiting from USA. Authentic, charming small space. Our vegetable plate starter was amazing! We licked the plate. Spaghetti with giant shrimp (they tasted like mini lobsters) in a red sauce, was very simple and satisfying. We sat at a community table. The pricing is very reasonable.

Birds of a feather…
Difficult to find (what isn’t in Venice?) but well worth it. Just round the corner from the trendy bars of Campo Saint Margherita, Ai Quattro Feri is a must for lovers of fish and seafood. Prawns were tasty and succulent and portions were huge. The restaurant has an informal, laidback vibe with well-​worn wooden furniture, wine in pottery jugs and friendly staff who don’t mind engaging in a bit of banter. Probably not the best place for a romantic meal à deux as you may find yourself sharing a table. Great fun and even better value.