After a 2:30AM wake-up call in rainy Switzerland, pushing through to a sunny arrival in Venice, I was in dire need of lunch! Nothing too heavy as I’d booked a nice dinner that evening, but just enough. My hotel restaurant’s tiny terrace was full, so I did the next best thing and just plopped down next door without overthinking things. Sometimes no research and simply noticing the right vibe is the way to go and Ristorante Riviera was just the ticket.

After being handed a tall glass of Franciacorta and a water-front seat, I took turns monitoring the high sea level lapping at my feet and reading a rather trashy book that I was enjoying if, if not overly predictable.

My late lunch thankfully arrived maybe just ten minutes later and further attention to my bread, oil, and vinegar needs were serviced immediately without even the need to ask. The team of servers were very kind and attentive without being the least bit invasive. They were the same when I returned to the restaurant a few nights later.

The Caprese was simple, just heavy enough and filled the empty hole in my stomach.

On my last night in Venice, my attempt to walk-in to a pizza restaurant with amazing reviews was thwarted by complete reservations, even for a solo lady. So, I crashed back into Riviera, exhausted and in need of something to eat after an abysmal dining experience attempted for lunch at Venice M’Art. (Potentially not even worth a review!)

I let my waiter guide my meal selection and he started me with salmon carpaccio which seemed like a strange choice for Venice. When asked if the fish was local, he claimed it came from Sicily. I’m not sure if I believe that as I associate Salmon to Scotland, but it was astoundingly delicious! It photographed horribly. Ok, or my wine photographed it horribly, but just trust me as I was a skeptic myself.

The main was also something I’d never order… While I adore seafood and ADORE pasta, I kind of don’t favor the two together. Again, the waiter’s guidance is how I ended up with a plateful of sea bass stuffed ravioli. It was more than a generous serving and I polished off every bite. Incredible!

The reviews online seemed a bit mixed, but just forget it and go for the food and service, I’d absolutely recommend this spot as I did with my second visit. May your waiter be your guide.