A cut above most Italian restaurants in ambience, service, and view, the Cipriani is an expensive, world-class experience worth having once. In white-peach season (July to early September), start with the famous blossom-scented Bellini. The cuisine is rooted in Venetian tradition, prepared with a star chef's hand, and matched with a superb wine list. Sole fillets instead of whole sardines are used for the saor; deep-fried prawns, coated in semolina flour, stay wonderfully crisp. Desserts are spectacular: a decadent tiramisu is served in a bitter-chocolate shell topped by a gondola. (vaporetto Line 82, Zitelle stop). Reservations essential.