Venice Film Festival: Where to Stay and Eat in Italy

Here's your guide where to go during and after the fest, from Francis Ford Coppola's newest venture to the hotel once rented out entirely by Johnny Depp.

Here's where to go during and after the fest, from Francis Ford Coppola's newest venture to the hotel once rented out entirely by Johnny Depp.

VENICE

WHERE TO EAT: The place to power lunch during the festival (Aug. 31-Sept. 10) is likely to be the bistro-style NARANZARIA, on the edge of the Grand Canal and owned by Agnelli heir Count Brandino Brandolini d'Adda. Wash down the swordfish carpaccio with some Friuli wine from the count's nearby vineyards (Sotoportego del Erbaria,San Polo, naranzaria.it). Make a reservation for dinner at the city's newest star-spotting hub, RISTORANTE QUADRI (Piazza San Marco 121, caffequadri.it) on St. Mark's Square. Its Michelin three-star chef Massimiliano Alajmo this year turned a stuffy old cafe into a buzzy gourmet destination. Make sure to order the eight-course tasting menu (€180) when Venetian-style risotto is on the bill. On the Lido, where festival screenings take place, Italian director Tinto Brass (La Vacanza, Caligula) recommends OSTERIA AL MERCA (Via Enrico Dandolo 17/A, Lido, +39-041-526-4549). "Fresh fish prepared well. It's unpretentious and friendly," he says.

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WHERE TO STAY: Thanks to his hideaway in Lake Como, George Clooney is literally an Italian-American, but he also has a favorite spot in Venice -- the bar at HOTEL CIPRIANI (Giudecca 10, hotelcipriani.com, doubles from about $1,350), the only real rival to the industry-heavy private bar at the Hotel Excelsior on the Lido. The cocktail Clooney invented at the Cip, the Buonanotte (vodka-cranberry spiked with muddled ginger and cucumber), caused such a stir a few years ago that it has become a staple of the menu. The just-renovated hotel oozes the same Old Hollywood glamour Clooney does; its 100 rooms and suites are timelessly chic and crammed with mosaics and marble. Bonus: The Cipriani (pictured below) is practically paparazzi-proof because it's on a private island reachable only by the hotel's launch. But for contemporary design, follow Johnny Depp's lead: He commandeered the entire 26-room PALAZZINA GRASSI (San Marco, palazzinagrassi.com, rooms from about $500) when he lived in Venice to film The Tourist. Clearly, Depp's a fan of Philippe Starck's surrealism as the French maverick oversaw the overhaul of this 16th century palazzo (think transparent closets and thousands of oversized mirrors) when it reopened 18 months ago. During the festival, Palazzina G transforms into a pop-up of the much-missed New York boite Bungalow 8. Expect high-caliber crowds like last year, when Quentin Tarantino and Harvey Weinstein stopped by the rooftop bar.

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BASILICATA

WHERE TO STAY: Director-hotelier Francis Ford Coppola has returned to his roots in the rustic southern region of Basilicata, opening his latest hotel in Bernalda, the tiny hilltop village from which his grandfather emigrated to America. The 12-room PALAZZO MARGHERITA (Corso Umberto I 70, coppolaresorts.com, doubles from about $575) is a converted 19th century villa designed by Jacques Grange that's set to open this year and feature a new gourmet restaurant. Sofia Coppola will inaugurate the hotel in late August with her wedding to composer Thomas Mars.

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ROME

WHERE TO EAT: Woody Allen's latest film-cum-travelogue -- The Bop Decameron, which he's shooting with Ellen Page, Roberto Benigni and Penelope Cruz -- spotlights Fellini-era Rome. The director has been spotted more than once at PIPERNO (Monte de Cenci 9, ristorantepiperno.com), known for its "Jewish style" artichokes, which are fried whole. Drive from the city center to the landmark LA PERGOLA (Via Alberto Cadlolo 101, romecavalieri.com/lapergola.php) inside the Rome Cavalieri hotel. Michelin-star-hogging chef Heinz Beck serves six- and nine-course tasting menus (€175, €198) that usually include his deconstructed carbonara -- pouches of pasta filled with bacon and barely cooked egg. Otherwise, a grimy, authentic place to try spaghetti carbonara is the trattoria PERILLI (Via Marmorata 39, +39-06-574-2415) in the working-class Testaccio neighborhood. For beautiful-people watching, head to trendy new ELLE (Via Vittorio Veneto 81, elleristorantecaffetteria.com), a favorite of Italian actress Clotilde Courau.

WHERE TO STAY: The Eternal City's best hotels are boutique hideaways away from prying eyes -- there's a reason the word "paparazzo" comes from Italy. Located on luxury shopping drag Via del Babuino, the 14-room BABUINO 181 (Via del Babuino 181, romeluxurysuites.com/babuino, doubles from about $315) offers Frette-sheeted bedrooms, marble baths and a rooftop bar. Minutes from the iconic Piazza Navona, there's the similarly low-key, high-style GIGLI D'ORO (Via dei Gigli d'Oro 12, giglidorosuite.com, doubles from about $310), a year-old hotel with six all-white rooms in a renovated 15th century palazzo.

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TUSCANY

WHERE TO STAY: There's no finer base on the Tuscan Riviera than IL PELLICANO in Porto Ercole (Localita Sbarcatello, pellicanohotel.com, doubles from $540). Opened in 1965, the hotel is the subject of the new Rizzoli picture book Hotel Il Pellicano ($60), which includes vintage Slim Aarons photos of the sun-tanned likes of Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and designer Emilio Pucci. Set on a cypress-dotted cliff, the terra cotta-roofed hotel features 50 rooms and suites, a saltwater pool and a private beach. It continues to lure high-profile guests: Darren Star (celebrating his 50th birthday) and Graydon Carter were spotted on the same weekend in July. "It's luxurious, but it also feels retro. There's a jet-set vibe," says Project Runway exec producer Desiree Gruber, a recent guest. "It's a family-run hotel, and you can feel that."            

Eric J. Lyman contributed to this report.

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The Eat Sheet: Where to Go Gourmet Vegetarian in New York City

So where do Rachel Weisz, Gwyneth Paltrow and Gisele Bundchen go for haute cuisine vegetarian? Here are the five top spots in Manhattan to eat green right now

It's easy being green in NYC. While the city may be famed for its hot dog stands and pizza-making prowess, several top chefs are helping the Big Apple live up to its earth and body-friendly nickname with vegetable-based menus all the rage in the city. New York's chefs are letting their leafy friends steal the spotlight from their meatier and fishier costars and proving they are more than just supporting roles as side dishes and salads. Whether you’re looking for a light summer meal under the scorching sun or trying to stay fit before the early fall film festival season gets underway, here are THR's top picks for a veg-central meal in Manhattan.

Daniel Boulud
At, Daniel, his eponymous spot on the Upper East Side, French chef Daniel Boulud offers a full vegetarian menu complete with several choices for every course. Boulud's effervescent personality shines through in his cooking and Daniel's spacious dining room and attentive though not obsequious wait staff make for a special evening whether for a long business lunch or a celebratory dinner. Start with a tasting of young carrots or a celery gazpacho, follow with a fennel royale with black mission figs or a cauliflower mousseline before ending on a sweet note. Howard Stern was a recent guest. Boulud has also just opened the new Mediterannean-themed Boulud Sud just across from Lincoln Center. The "Le Jardin" portion of the menu is entirely devoted to vegetable dishes including a Salade Tropezienne with artichokes, celery and fennel or a Ratatouille with soft egg. The restaurant just opened in May, but already boasts a celeb following including Bette Midler, Gene Wilder, Samuel L. Jackson, Rachel Weisz, Steven Sondheim and Jeremy Irons. Boulud Sud will serve lunch "à la mode" starting just in time for NYC’s September fashion week. (Daniel: 60 East 65th Street; Boulud Sur: 20 West 64th Street)

Pure Food & Wine
Sarma Melngailis pioneered New Yorkers into the raw food movement before it was trendy and now has a vast local, international and celeb following that includes Gwyneth Paltrow, Bill Clinton, Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady. "We cater quite a bit to the entertainment biz, a lot of musicians and actors,” Melngailis says of the restaurant and One Lucky Duck take-out service that boasts several industry regulars, adding: "I think people who have to perform in their careers are particularly aware of how food, diet and lifestyle can affect energy levels." The sleek décor inside and scenic outdoor garden provide "an intimate setting for people who don’t want to dine under a spotlight," says Melngailis. Don't miss Pure's oven-free yet flavor-filled classic raw lasagna and new seasonal, creative creations like fresh figs with black summer truffles or a blueberry lavendar tart and beat the sweltering summer heat with a bowl of their famous cashew-based ice cream. (54 Irving Place)

Adour by Alain Ducasse at the St Regis New York
Vegetables have always starred in Alain Ducasse's cuisine and the celebrity French chef has brought his seasonal savoir-faire to NY with a special vegetarian tasting menu at the Adour restaurant at the St Regis. Based on his mantra of "60% ingredients and 40% technique" Ducasse uses fresh, local and seasonal fare for the 5-course culinary tour de vegetables that includes a chilled local sweet corn veloute, white vegetable carpaccio, Yukon gold potato gnocchi, the chef's famous "cookpot" filled with veggies from NY state finished off with a mango, coconut and passion fruit vacherin. Ducasse recently treated Prince Albert of Monaco and his royal and celebrity wedding guests to a veg-centric menu. If you weren’t invited to the festivities, this is the next best thing. (2 East 55th Street)
Blue Hill NYC
If you can’t find the time to schedule a trip out to the farm, not to worry, Dan Barber is bringing farm to table dining to Manhattan at Blue Hill's Washington Place location. And if eating farm animals isn't your thing, not to fear, Barber has handpicked a wide array of garden gems to keep your meat-free palate busy. The fresh menu changes daily based on Mother Earth's whims and recent options include a grilled sugar baby watermelon with goat cheese, heirloom tomato salad or tomato and melon gazpacho to start followed by an emmer and quinoa primavera as a main with a choice of side superstars like marinated beets or cherry tomatoes, summer beans or roasted peanut potatoes. Book early at the always-packed location whose intimate setting provides a welcome refuge for celebs including President and Michelle Obama who chose Blue Hill for a date night. (75 Washington Place)

Eleven Madison Park
You don’t have to be a celebrity anymore to design your dream dinner. At Eleven Madison Park (pictured below), exec chef Daniel Humm lets diners choose their favorite ingredients and signal their least favorites, then creates dishes designed exclusively for them. Humm is happy to oblige even the most picky of palates and makes sure that perfect produce makes its way to every plate.  "Vegetables showcase seasons in a way that no other food can. For me, cooking with vegetables has always been about highlighting every aspect of their flavor and texture and about being very creative," Humm says. The chef enjoys cooking several versions of the same vegetable – he'll roast, crisp, puree and fry that eggplant you requested – and his carrot-based dish (yes, carrots indeed) was a menu sensation for months.  "For me as a chef, I'm used to working with many luxury ingredients, but I've realized that there is also a luxury that comes with finding the right carrot, or the right celery, or the right peas," Humm explains, adding: "And building dishes around those ingredients can be incredibly beautiful and rewarding." (11 Madison Avenue) -- Photo by Francesco Tonelli

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