Le Zie 2000

In Italian, zie means “aunts,” a reference to the ladies who haunt Venetian fish markets in search of the freshest catch. Their metaphoric bounty is on display at this pescatarian-friendly gem. The cicchetti sampler is an assortment of stewed squid, cod mousse, sardines and ceviche; a whole striped bass, baked under a coating of sea salt and filleted tableside, needs nothing more than olive oil, lemon and herbs to coax out its flavor. Request a seat in the smaller back room for an intimate experience; the hidden-away space feels like something you’d stumble upon while roaming the narrow streets of Venice.