A super trattoria opens in Venice, created by one of the city’s most renowned chefs

by Giovanni Caldara 

In a city overwhelmed by tourism — in every sense— such as Venice, high-quality new openings are often geared towards a niche of high-spending clientele. However, the imminent opening of Trattoria del Local— scheduled for 20th February in the Castello district— takes a completely different direction. Here, the traditional dishes of the past, the kind your grandmother would make, take centre stage once again. The most intriguing aspect? They are perfected and signed off by the kitchen of Local, one of the restaurants that has been elevating Venice’s gastronomic scene for quite some time.

Exceptional ingredients

Bigoli in salsa, polenta, braised and slow-cooked meats, gnocchi on Thursdays, baccalà on Fridays, and even Neapolitan ragù on Sundays: no modern reinterpretations or gourmet adaptations are on the menu. The focus is simply on the pleasure of food and sharing— and, of course, the key ingredient: a meticulous selection of raw materials. Among the many carefully chosen Slow Food Presidia products are polenta made from biancoperla corn flour, broccolo fiolaro, Brogna sheep, Alpago lamb, Monte Veronese malga cheese, and culatello.

A celebration of traditional cooking

"We counted the steps between the gourmet restaurant and the trattoria— just 75," smiles Benedetta Fullin, owner of both establishments. "We were looking for a storage space and came across a restaurant. We thought: let's create a place we love, something we still feel is missing in Venice. Simple dishes, well-made, and above all, accessible to everyone."

Chef Marco Vallaro, who has been part of Local’s team for seven years, will lead the kitchen at the trattoria under the supervision of Salvatore Sodano, who clarifies: "We don’t want to create a contemporary trattoria, because we don’t feel the need for one. Innovation remains at Local; here, we bring only authentic traditional cuisine."

A Quartino of wine

Metaphorically speaking, the number of steps that separate the trattoria from the gourmet restaurant is much greater. However, the vision behind this new venture is rooted in the same high-reaching entrepreneurial philosophy. Over at Local, there are 55 wines by the glass and two tasting menus (7 or 9 courses) at premium prices. Yet, here too, sommelier Manuel Trevisan has curated a broad selection of wines by the glass. He has also revived the somewhat forgotten quartino — typically associated with house wine— but here, available even for some of the more prestigious labels on the wine list.

As for menu prices, they remain surprisingly reasonable— especially for an expensive city like Venice. Starters range from €14 to €18, first courses from €15 to €18, and mains from €20 to €29.

A colourful and playful ambience

The menu engages in an intriguing dialogue with traditional Italian recipes, particularly focusing on the Venice-Naples axis— a nod to Chef Sodano’s Neapolitan roots. Meanwhile, the interior is designed in soft sky-blue tones, with a special emphasis on lighting— aiming to echo Venetian style but with a pop, simple, light, and colourful aesthetic. Soon, an antique-style Venetian grand café mirror will add even more depth and atmosphere to the space.