Our Story

The Restaurant is run by one of the few Venetian families of restaurateurs left in the city.
Brothers Raffaele and Giuseppe Salmaso arrived in Venice in 1954 from Savonara, their native town in the province of Padua.
They took over the management of a small “Bacaro” (traditional Venetian inn) named “Antiche Cantine Veronesi” located in a delightful spot in the Fondamenta delle Ostreghe area.
Eventually, the Salmaso family renamed the place “Restaurant da Raffaele”. Under this name, the restaurant has been well known and loved by both locals and tourists.
Over the years, our restaurant has been a favourite with internationally acclaimed artists, actors and singers, gradually becoming a reference point for the city’s most brilliant minds.
Today Renato, Raffaele’s son, continues to run the family business while also managing, together with his sister and cousins, nearby Hotel Ala, the Accademia Guest House and the recently opened “Locanda de la Spada” located in Santa Maria del Giglio, overlooking the Grand Canal.