Wines from the Veneto are improving rapidly. The name Pieropan on a bottle of Soave, or Maculan on a bottle of red, is a guarantee of quality. Even Valpolicella is no longer the mediocre wine the British once imported in huge quantities. To accompany strong meat, Amarone can be sublime — Thomas Harris fans will remember that it was “a big Amarone” which Hannibal Lecter chose to accompany the fried liver of one of his victims, a choice the film’s scriptwriter subsequently, and ignorantly, dumbed down to “a nice Chianti”.

There are those who maintain that the whole point of Venice is to go upmarket, to put on a jacket and tie and make a bella figura. Such traditionalists will be happiest in the restaurants attached to hotels, such as La Colomba, owned by the San Marco Palace, which makes the Ivy look understated. Then there’s always Harry’s Bar, where a note on the menu says in Italian: “The use of cellular telephones seriously compromises the preparation of our risotto.”

You will surely enjoy your bellini more next door, on the recently refurbished terrace of the Hotel Monaco & Grand Canal, where it comes with an ingredient Harry’s can’t supply: a view of the most beautiful church in Venice, Santa Maria della Salute.

Avogaria, one of my favourite new Venetian restaurants, is in the calm backwaters of Dorsoduro. In an ancient building, the modern refurbishment is striking, even jarring, but perfectly complements the food, which is serious without being in any way in thrall to the past. True, the place is so trendy that it doesn’t call itself a mere restaurant — according to the website, it is also a design centre and music lounge — but don’t be fooled: classics such as home-made pasta with mixed seafood are fresh and delicate, and come laden with crustaceans, while dishes such as tagliate of herb-encrusted beef represent tradition with a twist — lightly seared on the outside but raw in the centre, it is a recipe usually applied in Venice to fish. The young waiters treat food, wine and customers with the respect each deserves. There is even a tiny and very beautiful garden, which contains just one table. If you close your eyes, you could almost be in Birmingham.

TRAVEL BRIEF

Getting there: fly to Venice with British Airways (0870 850 9850, www.ba.com), from Gatwick; BMI (0870 607 0555, www.flybmi.com), from Heathrow; EasyJet (www.easyjet.com) from Nottingham, Gatwick and Bristol; Jet2 (0871 226 1737, www.jet2.com), from Leeds/Bradford; or Aer Lingus (0818 365000, www.aerlingus.com), from Dublin. Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) flies to nearby Treviso from Stansted, Liverpool, Dublin and Shannon.

Tour operators: Kirker Holidays (0870 421 1201, www.kirkerholidays.com) has a three-night break, staying at the Hotel Monaco & Grand Canal, from £855pp, B&B, including flights from Heathrow or Gatwick and return water-taxi transfers. Or try Great Escapes (0845 330 2057, www.greatescapes.co.uk) or Kuoni (01306 747746, www.kuoni.co.uk).

Your gastronomic map

PRICES are per head, for three courses, without wine.

Al Fontego dei Pescaori, Sotoportego del Tagiapiera, Cannaregio 3726 (00 39-041 520 0538); closed Mon; £25

Osteria La Zucca, San Giacomo dell’Orio, Santa Croce 1762 (041 524 1570); closed Sun; £20

L’Osteria di Santa Marina, Campo Santa Marina, Castello 5911 (041 528 5239, www.osteriadisantamarina.it); £30

Cip’s Club, Fondamenta de le Zitelle, Giudecca 10 (041 520 7744, www.hotelcipriani.com); closed January to March; £20-£60

Alla Vedova wine bar, Calle del Pistor, Cannaregio 3912 (041 528 5324); closed Thu

Enoteca San Marco, Frezzeria, San Marco 1610 (041 528 5242); £20

La Colomba, Piscina Frezzeria, San Marco 1665 (041 522 1175, www.sanmarcohotels.com); £40

Harry’s Bar, Calle Vallaresso, San Marco 1323 (041 528 5777, www.cipriani.com); £80

Hotel Monaco & Grand Canal, Calle Vallaresso, San Marco 1332 (www.monaco.hotelinvenice.com); bellini £9

Avogaria, Calle della Avogaria, Dorsoduro 1629 (041 296 0491, www.avogaria.com); closed Tue; £35

Food guide: Sara Cossiga can be contacted via www.venicevenetogourmet.com.

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