Skye compares Christmas to trips abroad, in that the anticipation, reflections, shared photos, and the excitement of planning are as much fun, if not more so, than the event itself. She is known by her Instagram followers for the epic number of Christmas cakes she makes as gifts throughout December. It was something her mother did. “I’ve played with some of her recipes, and I decorate them differently, but it’s definitely a tradition inherited from her,” Skye says. “And my sons and I always make gingerbread biscuits, and then we turn them into ornaments for our tree. I make the cakes for friends, and it drives my husband slightly mad because every surface of the kitchen becomes a Christmas cake.”
Skye’s Italian background has had a profound influence on her, and it’s the nostalgia, the sense of stepping back in time and the long history of multi-generational restaurants that she adores when there. Her taste “tends to gravitate towards something established and old school” when she is back home in Venice. With that in mind, it comes as no surprise that the restaurants in Venice that she recommends to us have been around as long as she has, if not longer. Henceforth, Skye’s favourite Venetian eateries.
Al Covo
This is such a lovely restaurant, and it’s near my mum’s house, so it’s in the area of town that I grew up in. It’s family-run and has been for generations. Today, it’s run by a really lovely couple called Cesare and Diane Rankin. It was in his family, and he married Diane, who, I believe, was in Venice on holiday from Texas many years ago. They met, fell in love, and she stayed to take over the restaurant with him. They’re both incredibly charismatic and very warm, and the food is not only delicious, but they also set a really lovely, welcoming tone in the restaurant. I think it’s one of the earliest proponents of slow food in Italy. They really believe in these things, and now they grow a lot of their own vegetables and produce themselves, so everything is super fresh and hyper seasonal. The dishes are all very traditional, though they may give them their own spin, and it’s not overly pretentious. They don’t complicate things for the sake of it. I love it. Everything is amazing, but I particularly love their fried zucchini flowers with mint and ricotta; the batter is just perfect. They’re the best zucchini flowers I’ve had anywhere, I think – certainly in Venice. Diane also does this ricotta cheesecake, which is to die for.
Gelati Nico
This is amazing for ice cream and coffee, and you can also get sandwiches. It’s an ice creamery that’s been there forever and has seemingly remained unchanged, at least since I was a child. It’s on the waterfront in Venice, on the canal. They have a pontoon that sits on the water, and that particular strip of Venice is famous because it always captures the sun; if there’s any sunshine, you will get it there, so it’s a lovely spot to sit, and the ice cream is delicious. The waiters wear proper old-fashioned outfits, and it’s really charming. Gianduiotto is everywhere, but they do it particularly well at Nico. It’s basically whipped cream with a rectangular chunk of chocolate and gianduia, and it’s almost like a semifreddo. It’s so good. I don’t know what they do to their whipped cream, but it is super light and airy. It’s incredible; it’s their thing, and it’s just perfect. My boys love this place.
Rosa Salva
I love this place for breakfast. They actually have three locations across Venice, which all have their own character, but my personal favourite is in Giovanni e Paolo. It’s wonderfully old-fashioned, and you can have a coffee and a pastry or a sandwich standing at the bar. They also have this sweet little back room that’s literally like stepping into the 1960s, or they also have, and this is my favourite bit, tables and chairs in the square outside. It’s not a particularly touristy part of town, but it’s where the hospital is, and that is actually a really beautiful building. Next to it is the church of San Giovanni Paolo, and outside is one of the few equestrian sculptures in Venice. It’s a man on a horse, and I think there are only two in Venice, with one in this square, so you can sit looking at it. It’s just a beautiful spot to sit. Their coffee is fantastic, and they do great Aperitivo and these delicious, soft white bread sandwiches with mayonnaise, which is a really Venetian thing. I’ll always get a hot chocolate.
