La Colombina di Sigfrido e Domenico. This is the place to go when you want to eat some of the best Italian food you've ever had, period, whether in Venice or elsewhere in Italy. This is the place to go when you want to spend less than 20 Euros each for dinner and return again the next night, and then the next. La Colombina is #8 in TripAdvisor's list of restaurants (and getting closer towards #1 every day). It's worth every penny and you definitely will go back!
Directions: Take the vaporetto to San Marcuola stop (or walk there -- 5-10 min. from the train and/or the bus station). Once there, look for the ancient, plain brick church of San Marcuola. Head to the right of the church and go straight past the building with the two lions sitting outside. Proceed to the end of the street and turn right onto a short, unnamed street. Turn right again at the end of that street and you arrive in Corte del Pegoloto. You will see La Columbina on the left. The owners, Stacy & Domenico, also have a lovely, reasonably priced guest house. Keep going straight past La Columbina about 200 feet. The guest house is on the right.
Dona Onesta, or Antica Trattoria di Venezia Dona Onesta, http://www.donaonesta.com. Directions: From the San Toma vaporetto stop, head down the narrow street in the direction everyone else is going in. It will come to a “T” – turn left. On the right you will pass an exquisite chocolates shop, and then a clothing shop. At the corner (clothing shop) is a small canal and delightful small stone bridge. Turn right (for now don’t cross the stone bridge) and head straight on for 100 feet, and you’ll be upon a small iron bridge on the left. Cross this bridge and directly on your left is Trattoria Dona Onesta.
The cream sauce on the pasta is perfectly textured. The grilled verdura (vegetables, e.g., artichokes, eggplant, mushrooms, spinach) are done to perfection—the artichokes have a delicate hint of vinegar--delicious. They also offer grilled salmon, traditional liver and onions and pork chops. Even though it is a "house" white, the wine is an excellent quality. Follow your dinner with a slice of Torta al cioccolato (chocolate cake). Great place for a budget traveler - first courses, approximately €10+; second, approximately €13+.
Ristorante S. (San) Stefano, Campo S. Stefano, già Morosini, 2776. From the Accademia bridge (San Marco side), it’s about five minutes' walk north. Once in the campo, keep heading straight almost to the end. The restaurant is on the right side, with the pink tablecloths. http://www.elmoro.com/ris/it/frame1.htm (scroll down on left for Restaurants, and click the second, S. Stefano).
Try the spaghetti with clams, about €12. The clams are just slightly salty and balance out the pasta, which has an almost imperceptible sweet buttery taste; all, not too liberally flavored with chopped parsley. Freshly ground pepper can be added by an attentive waiter to make the dish perfect.
The Venetians put up with a lot from the thousands of tourists who descend on La Serenissima all year long, every day in and out, and sometimes they may put you off. You will not find this at all at Ristorante S. Stefano, where somehow, a spirit of generosity, reflected in the excellent food and service, continues. Their specialty is seafood. Do take the waiter's recommendations.