The Taverna San Trovaso does fast food - and they mean fast. I entered, was seated, served a fresh piping hot pizza, and was moved out again within thirty minutes. A mere hop, skip and a jump from the Accademia this is an ideal place for a quick lunch to recharge you before another afternoon of frantic sightseeing.

The service was a tad brusque, but the place was full, even at the tail end of November. While it looks like a hidden rustic nook from the exterior it is definitely on the tourist trail - Yorkshire and Estuary accents predominated. Maybe not surprisingly - I headed here after noticing it in my Rough Guide, one of the nearest marked restaurants to the Accademia.

The food is nothing fancy, but it's good, unfussy, and comes to your table quickly. I plumped for the Pizza San Trovaso, a crispy base topped with mozzarella, prosciutto, wurst, mushrooms, avocado and olives. It was €8.50 - and this was one of the most expensive pizzas on the menu! Refreshed, I set out again.

The trattoria is closed on Mondays, and is in a very scenic area of Dorsuduro. Continue down the Fondamente Nani while you are in the area to spot one of Venice's two remaining 'squero', or gondolier workshops, an incongruous courtyard looking like an Alpine barnyard. Great photos can be had here.

The tavern of San Trovaso is one of the most popular establishments in Venice. Moderately priced (under €15), this restaurant is a "can't miss" choice. You’ll be able to tell by all of the young locals and visitors alike crowding here (the tavern is always packed, but table turnover is fast). You can sample here an authentic Venetian pesce (fish) dish. A wide choice of Venetian dishes served in robust portions, economical prix-fixe menus at both lunch and dinner, delicious pepperoni pizzas, and house wine by the glass or pitcher keep this two-floor tavern busy. Two steps from the Campo San Trovaso with its famous church and the gondola yard, and 5 min. walk from the Gallerie dell'Accademia, this is a good place to slip into while sightseeing in Dorsoduro, or for an early evening aperitif and some cicheti.

I have to admit, when I saw the Traverna San Trovaso, it didn't look like much. It was crammed into the corner of a building and I wasn't all that sure about it.

I was pleasantly surprised, however. The food was tasty and they had a good variety of pasta, pizza and fish. I had the margarita pizza which I enjoyed, but then again I have yet to eat bad pizza in Italy. The pizza was about $6; however, the other things on the menu were a bit more. A "catch of the day" meal might cost you $12 or $13 dollars, which for Venice is still very reasonable.

There are two floors-an upstairs area as well as a smaller downstairs layout. Both are fine but for a large group, you may want to sit upstairs.

If you take the vaporetto to the restaurant, you will want to get off at the Accademia stop.