One Michelin star, a cozy store next to the Venice Canal branch. Unfortunately, it was not the season when the wisteria flowers bloomed as the name suggests; the service outside was restrained and the introduction was detailed; the food had an oriental style that belonged to Venice, with a lot of spices, and most of the dishes had a restrained sense of novelty and conflict. Although some dishes were beyond my understanding, it was generally an interesting experience
Appetizers
Celeriac: The small tower is filled with pickled celeriac slices, paired with nut puree and olive powder; the first thing you taste is the juicy and sour flavor of vegetables and olives, and the last bit is the warmth of nuts. I quite like it.
Beetroot: Beetroot chips with cream cheese, light and with a hint of smoky cheese flavor
Gorizia Rose: Crisp red chicory from Gorizia in northeastern Italy, with a lingering bitterness; paired with yogurt sauce and citrus gel to balance the bitterness, and sprinkled with curry powder for an oriental aroma
Fried Sardines: This is obviously a variation of the traditional Venetian dish Sarde in Saor. Here, the fish is breaded and deep-fried. The frying is quite good, the outside is crispy and the fish is soft and sweet. It is served with pickled onions, raisins and mayonnaise. It is delicious but the whole dish is too tempura-like. If the onions were more sour and bright, it would retain more of the Venetian style.
There is also a cup of broth on the side, flavored with saffron and cardamom. The rich saffron aroma goes perfectly with the fish broth.
bread
The crust is hard and crispy, but the inside is a bit soft and sticky, which I don't particularly like; the cream spread has a distinct cod flavor, which is also a tribute to the traditional cod spread Baccala' Mantecato
Mackerel/Corn/Chicory
The fish has a beautiful charred aroma and a distinct fish flavor; the sauce has a bright fruity acidity and the slightly bitter chicory balances the fish flavor.
Cauliflower/hazelnut/red pepper powder
Cauliflower in all its forms, with a base of seared cauliflower cream and the nutty aroma of toasted hazelnuts. The top is cooked cauliflower, which is well cooked but still a little crispy, seasoned with teriyaki sauce and red pepper powder, which makes the flavor solid and blends into a nutty hot sauce flavor; on top are pickled cauliflower slices that are pickled very sourly, adding layers of taste and flavor
Shrimp/Duck/Kiwi
Shrimp, duck ham, served with shrimp and duck concentrated sauce;. The taste of duck meat is rich, with a bit of wild blood and barbecue aroma. The shrimp meat is perfectly cooked, with a crisp chewy texture and sweetness, which is not inferior to duck ham at all. I never thought of the combination of shrimp and duck meat. It is a very surprising dish.
Pasta/red chicory/pink pepper/thumb lemon
The noodles have a good taste. The sauce has been warned in advance by the outsiders. The sourness and bitterness are still a bit surprising when you put them in. The two collide strongly with each other, but because of the same distinct sourness, the bitterness does not stay on the tongue all the time. It is more like a grapefruit with a unique sour and bitter flavor. Although it is not intuitively delicious, it is indeed quite interesting.
Rice stew/wild duck/shiitake mushrooms/bay leaf
The rice in the risotto has a restrained and chewy texture, and the sauce has a salty and sweet mushroom flavor and the herbal aroma of bay leaf oil; the juniper powder has a slightly spicy taste, and the combination with duck meat unexpectedly reminds people of ginger duck. After the shocking sour and bitter noodles, this dish is warm and comfortable, which can be regarded as a bit of tenderness from the chef😆
Sea bass/chicory/caviar
The roasted sea bass was cooked to perfection, with crispy skin, firm fish meat, and a little bit of elasticity that is rarely tasted in sea bass; the sea bass liver pate and caviar are very fresh and rich; the bitterness of the fried chicory is balanced by spinach cream
Savoy Kale/Horseradish/Grapefruit
This is another dish that combines sourness and bitterness. The cabbage with concentrated vinegar is sour and bitter, the grapefruit has a distinct flavor, and the horseradish cream frozen with liquid nitrogen has a perfect balance. But I was a little confused about this dish after the main course. After asking, the chef explained that ending with vegetables is the chef's specialty.
Pre-dessert
Beetroot is used in various forms, including foam, crisps and ice cream. The bittersweet aroma of coffee sauce is a beautiful finishing touch.
Pumpkin/Licorice/Almond
The same logic as the pre-dessert, pumpkin sorbet, seeds, cream and pickled pumpkin flakes, finished with liquorice sorbet. The thin slices are crispy with a slightly spicy cardamom aroma, and the nutty aroma of the pumpkin seeds is quite good, but unfortunately the pumpkin flavor is a bit lacking, and the sweetness is too low, lacking the happiness that a main dessert should have.
refreshments
In the end, the chef's unique style was still implemented, serving spicy Madeleines and a very strong curry flavor with a little sour chocolate 😆
On our last night in Venice, my wife and I dined at Restaurant Wisteria—and I’m so glad we did. What a truly memorable experience. We opted for the eight-course tasting menu with the superior wine pairing, and it exceeded all expectations.
In our many visits to Michelin-starred restaurants, the course before dessert is typically a protein. Wisteria breaks that convention, and the result is refreshing. The courses are far from typical. We really appreciated the thoughtfulness and philosophy behind the menu—it’s clear each dish is designed with creativity and intention.
The sommelier did an outstanding job with the pairings, many of which were unexpected yet perfectly suited to the dishes. Again, this uniqueness reflects the restaurant’s bold and distinctive approach.
The staff were professional and attentive. Each course was beautifully presented and thoughtfully explained, and the service helped elevate the entire evening.
We had a fantastic time and will absolutely return the next time we’re in Venice.
C Hendrix
.
11 Maggio 2025
10,0