Ai Gondolieri restaurant in Venice is something special in the Venice dining scene – a kitchen that concentrates its menu on meaty dishes of the mainland rather than the typically fishy fare of most other eateries here. A short walk from the Guggenheim Museum and the Accademia (take vaporetto 1 or 82), Ai Gondolieri enjoys a magically romantic setting in a genuinely old inn with its own arched bridge over a picture-postcard canal. The dining rooms are not splashy or over-decorated, with wood panelling, modern seating, white table linens, ceiling fans. Nevertheless this place attracts the starriest visitors to Venice, from presidents to film stars. The upmarket menu changes seasonally, featuring dishes like deep-fried stuffed zucchini flowers, breaded deep-fried lamb served beautifully pink, superb steaks, excellent risotto. Your host will chat in English with you about the all-Italian menu.