Padova Restaurant Tips by oriettaIT Top 5 Page for this destination

Trattoria da Nicola: One of my favourite local restaurant

Very cosy restaurant, built inside a old farm, the dining area is split in two different floors plus a small side room for more intimacy, there is also a outdoor garden used during summer.
The menu change according with the seasons and consist in a wide selection of local and international food. They have meat and fish dishes on the menu, sometimes they have more, let the waiter explain you all about them, usually they are SPECIAL.
Wine list is good too, the average price for a nice bottle of wine is 15 euros, house wine is good too.
Closed on Monday, during week end it can be quite busy so it would be better to make a reservation.

It is our "celebration" restaurant, we usually go on birthdays, anniversary etc, a special treat.

Favorite Dish: Zucchini flower stuffed with caprino (soft goat cheese)
tuna fish tartare
Branzino with crunch potatoes
Grilled bufalo steak!!!! if you found this eat it! you will be not disappointed!
We recently tried their mixed grilled fish plate and it was a huge portion and all delicious!

Address: Via Sabbioni 38 Montegrotto Terme (Padova)

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: Exit from Padova following Monselice direction (Strada Battaglia). You will found a sign on the right after about 3 km

Phone: 0039 049 794369

Price: US$31-40

Rating: 5

Theme: Local

Ristorante Pizzeria Savonarola: One of best pizza in town

This restaurant is in business since the '80 and it cater mostly to the university students . This mean their prices are cheaper but also that they are usually full and it can get kind of noisy.
They have two indoor dining room nicely decorated with antiques and a small outdoor area under the porch.
Their menu is usually not too large, they cook a few items but they do it very well.
Their pizza is the more digestible I have eaten in a long time! perfectly cooked and generous with the toppings.
Beside the items on the menu they have a daily board where they write what is the day's special. Those items are usually from something special they could find in the general market that morning so pay attention to them.
They have my favorite brand of white beer Hoegaarden, along with lot more.
It is advisable to book in advance or expect to wait in line to get in, especially friday and saturday nigh

Favorite Dish: Pizza is my favourite here, very good, fast served and delicious. But I tasted their first course and second course too and was always happy with them.

Address: Via dei Savonarola, 38

Comparison: less expensive than average

Phone: (+39) 049 8759128

Price: US$21-30

Rating: 5

Theme: Local

Taverna Greca da Kosta: Greek food

We recently tried this Greek restaurant near Padova. It has been open not long ago by a Greek couple. They made an effort to transform this plain restaurant of a suburban area in a Greek looking taverna. Since you walk in the white walls and the turquoise chairs will take you straight to a Aegean Island.
They have also a big outdoor seating area with umbrellas for the warn summer's nights.
The menu has a good selection of Greek food, appetizers are from 3 to 5 euros and main courses from 7 to 13 euros for a combined plate. Desert was 4 Euros.
They have a selection of Greek wines, retsina and Greek beers, my favorite is Mithos.

From the center of Padova you need a car or a taxi to reach them as they are about 10km outside the town in a village called Limena.

Favorite Dish: We tried zucchini and check peas croquettes and dolmades (wine leaves stuffed with rice), also their tzatziky which was really good. They served appetizers with pita bread.
As main course we tried Gyros Special made of chicken meat, lamb souvlaky and chicken souvlaky. Every plate was served with a side of salad, fries and tzatziky and was very good.
We also tried their deserts, galactobureko, kataifi and yogurt with Greek honey.

Address: Via MAGAROTTO 3 Limena (PD)

Comparison: about average

Phone: (+39) 049 768158

Price: US$21-30

Rating: 4

Theme: Other

Website: http://www.tavernagrecakostas.com/

Corazon Cubano: 30 km from Padova original Cuban food and fun

This restaurant is about 30 km from Padova center in a town called Piove di Sacco. You need a car to reach it and better if you have a GPS Navigator.
This cuban restaurant is run by Leo and its whole staff is from Cuba.
We went for the first time using a coupon deal but we will definitely go back as we were super happy about our dinner.
The restaurant is not too big, they have a indoor seating area nicely decorated with hundreds of photos about Cuba and a colorful map on a mural. During the warm season the tables are transferred outdoor in a covered area.
They organize music event with Cuban singer and dancing.
They are open for dinner from 7.30pm to 2am Tuesday to Sunday.
Wednesday night they have a buffet night, 10 euros each person included a glass of sangria.

Favorite Dish: Our menu was:
Mojito and platano chips
appetizer La tentation: a mixed dish of chicken croquettes, meat balls, fried Yucca and fried platanos. Hot salsa to dip in.
Three different kind of meat: picadillo(ground meat in a tasty sauce), fricase de ternera(sort of beef stew), pollo in salsa con arroz blanco(chicken stewed in a white sauce with white rice, congris (rice cooked with beans)
Desert was dulce de leche

We found everything perfectly cooked, tasty and delicious, I really enjoyed Leo's Mojito too.
My favourite was picadillo, but next time I will want to try their fish dishes as well.

From the a la carte menu, appetizer was 3-5 euros, main course 11-16 euros, cocktail 5 euros.
They also had some Cuban beer

Address: Via Gelsi 84 Piove di Sacco PD

Comparison: about average

Phone: 0039 342 5833305

Price: US$21-30

Rating: 5

Theme: Other

Website: http://www.corazoncubanopadova.it/

El Agave: Mexican restaurant

This restaurant has been opened by a Mexican family now living in Padova. They are making great efforts to make sure the food represent mexican cooking. They brought original decorations and tried to create the typical atmosphere of Mexico.
The menu has a good selection of food, some spicy and some less. They will be glad to assist you to make a good decision if you are afraid to get a dish that is too spicy. You must ask for a glass of their very special house margaritas which is typical of Mexico. If the food is too hot you can always take a glass of milk.

June 2010 - Unfortunally this restaurant is not owned by the same people anymore. I havent had the change to try it out after the change. Will report soon about it

Favorite Dish: Tacos el pastor and margaritas

Address: Via Altichiero 27 Padova

Comparison: about average

Phone: 049 619305

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 5

Theme: Mexican

Website: http://www.elagave.it/

La Meridiana: Excellent pizza

The entrance of this Ristorante Pizzeria dont give it justice, it is located in a busy street out of the city center and you cant tell from the outside if the place would be nice or not. BUT once you open the door you are pleasantly surprise!!
The ambience is nice, few tables surrounded by nice decorarion, street lights and plants give you the feeling you are in a outdoor terrace not indoor.
The weiters are very friendly and usefull when you ask them help to make your choice. They serve Pizzas, salads and italian food. Everything is well cooked and presented.
It is Closed on Sunday. It can be hard to find a parking for a car but it is possible to reach it easily from the tram stop Santa Croce or Cavallotti.

Favorite Dish: Even if i tried more than once their restaurant's specialties and i love it alll, I like to come to this place for their pizza. The croust is perfectly raised and all the ingredients are fresh and high quality.
My favourite pizza here is a Margherita with bufala mozzarella, so simple but WOW ... SO GOOD!!!

Pay attention at the "Piatto del giorno" board, Dish of the day, it is a special dish or pizza they are offering beside the ones in the menu.

Address: via Costa, 12 - PADOVA

Comparison: about average

Phone: 0039 049 685850

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 4

Theme: Pizza

Folpetteria di Max e Barbara: Padova Street Food

Folpi in Veneto language means octopus, as the name tells this street vendor is famous for a local specialties, boiled baby octopus. They are served cut in small pieces so it is easy to eat them picking them up with a toothpick.
Along with the boiled octopus they also serve shrimps cake, fried fish, boiled sea snails and other sea food.
It is normal to sit at a table at the nearby Caffe dei Osei, order a drink and then go get some food from the stand but make sure you leave a friend at the table or you will loose as there is often a crowd waiting to get a seat.

Address: Piazza della Frutta

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: It is in the corner near Caffe dei Osei, near the under passage to Piazza delle Erbe.

Phone: (+39) 347 5701232

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 5

Theme: Street Vendor

Hostaria dei Artisti: Small restaurant with excelent cousine

This restaurant is a little hidden from the center of Padova but it is worth the trouble of finding it.
It has three small dining rooms that make it great for a romantic meal as it never get too noisy and crowded.
The owners promote local artists so their walls are always decorated by paintings of various artists and style. There is often jazz music softly played instead of the usual tv sound or radio blast that is unfortunately getting the NORMAL in Italy.
During the summer they have a small inner courtyard with shade so it is possible do dine outdoor.

Favorite Dish: They make an effort to cook traditional veneto dishes and they excell on it.
During our last visit we had spaghetti with clams, bigoli in salsa (mean with a anchovies paste), small octopuss cooked in red sauce with polenta and a seabass fillet with potatoes crust.
Their prices are 7-10 euros for a pasta dish, 10-20 euros for a main course.

Address: via San Biagio 58

Comparison: about average

Phone: +39 (0)49 8752965

Price: US$21-30

Rating: 5

Theme: Seafood

Villa Vanna: Excellent Fish restaurant

This restaurant was a great find. We went here using a online coupon and we were not expecting much.. we have been blew away!
The location is a well kept villa from the 1700. A horse riding club use the garden and the restaurant has been set in the restored interiour.
The dining room is very well decorated with authentic furniture and lots of details, it has big windows looking out the covered porch where it is possible to eat during the warm season.
The owner and the weitress are very friendly and will help you choose your dish and your wine.
It is a great place for a special celebration.

Favorite Dish: We were four people so we tried to order all different things so to share and taste more.
We had a warm seafood , baked shell of Saint John, spicy clams and mussels as appetizer
Seafood risotto and spaghetti with clams as first course
Mixed grilled fish, grilled king prawns, baked bass with potatoes as main course

we could not find one thing that was wrong! every dish was well prepared, well presented and delicious.

Address: Via pietro bembo, 211 Padova

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: you can reach it with Bus nr. 3 from the center

Phone: 049.8011560

Price: US$41 and up

Rating: 5

Theme: Seafood

Zhou Haibin Restaurant: Chinese food

This restaurant is becoming popular in the industrial are of Padova because it offer nice food and very reasonable prices.
They cook food for the local Chinese comunity so it is not Europeanized too much and it taste good.
The dining room is simple but fearly clean, they have a glass counter where you can see some of their appetizer and pick a raw fish you want them to cook.
The menu is in Chinese, Italian and English and it is large.

Favorite Dish: So far my favourite dish was Hot and sour soup, really tasty! I also like cashew nuts chicken and shrimps whit onions and ginger. Their spring rolls and steamed doumplings are also good.

Address: Corso Stati Uniti 1/22 Padova

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: It is 3 minutes driving from the Autostrada exit A13 Padova Zona Industriale. Driving toward the center after a few traffic light you will see a whole block called China Export, the restaurant is on the corner facing the main street but into a fenced yard

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 3

Theme: Chinese/Dim Sum