El Magazen
Venice
Recensioni
A truly delightful and surprising dinner experience. The menu is mainly fusion, and every dish was absolutely delicious—even the pre-meal bread deserves special praise. The dessert perfectly concluded the meal on a high note. What stood out even more was the incredibly friendly owner and the excellent service throughout. This is clearly a restaurant that puts genuine care into every detail. On the fifth day of my trip in Italy, having had around ten meals so far, this is the only one I felt compelled to leave a review for. Highly recommended.
Amazing place. We had our wedding lunch here, and the atmosphere, food, and staff were all 10/10. It feels both cozy and classy at the same time. We had some of the best dishes of our lives, especially the seafood gnocchi and the passion fruit dessert. The owner is professional, welcoming, and genuinely friendly. We will definitely come back the next time we’re in Venice.
El Magazen is the kind of place you hope to stumble upon in Venice but rarely do—tucked away from the relentless tourist crush, it offers a genuine escape and a meal worth lingering over. We came for lunch and left thoroughly charmed, both by the food and by the husband-and-wife team who make this place what it is. The restaurant is run by a couple whose partnership is the heart of the experience. The husband, an Italian, serves as your waiter with warmth and attentiveness that elevated the entire afternoon; his wife, a Bangladeshi chef, works the kitchen with quiet mastery. The interplay of their two cultures gives the cooking a distinctive point of view—rooted in Italian technique but threaded with something more adventurous and personal. The intimate setting only deepens the appeal: you can watch directly into the kitchen as your dishes come together, a glimpse of craftsmanship that most restaurants keep hidden. We worked our way through three plates, and each was a small masterpiece. The buffalo burrata arrived with artichokes and basil, Cantabrian anchovies, and crunchy bread—a study in contrasts that came together beautifully. The sea bass carpaccio, brightened with green apple and lime, tatsoi, sour cream, and cuttlefish caviar, was delicate and precise. And the octopus tentacle, paired with parsnip, snow peas, olive cream, and a whisper of smoked paprika, was perfectly cooked and full of character. Across all three, the flavors were uniquely distinguished yet harmonized into something seamless and delicious. Service was exceptional, the atmosphere was intimate without being precious, and the location gives you a welcome reprieve from the chaos of Venice’s busier corners. If you want a meal that feels personal, thoughtful, and a little off the beaten path, El Magazen is well worth seeking out.
We’d initially picked El Magazen based on its excellent reviews & it’s proximity to our apartment. Nino, Yasmin & the rest of the team really looked after us & treated us to an amazing gastronomic experience. If we are ever to return to Venice we would love to come to your lovely restaurant once again.
My wife and I took a chance that lunch was still being served and we were welcomed warmly. The restaurant is beautifully appointed and situated and the owner introduced us to the menu options, including showing us the dishes in photographic form. We chose the two course set menu and both had the same. The burrata with artichoke for starters and the gnocchi with duck ragù to follow. Having been in Venice for 5 days we can both say this was by far the best meal we have had. Both courses were delicious, particularly the gnocchi. We were also served warm bread with beautiful olive oil to dip it in. We could not resist desert and my wife had the panna cotta with passion fruit and strawberries, while I had the tiramisu. Again beautify presented and tasted fantastic. We finished with coffee and a tea, along with a lovely homemade chocolate biscuit and raspberry jelly. The service was exceptional. We were treated with patience and never rushed, all of which led to a wonderful experience. I cannot recommend El Magazen highly enough.
