Glam by Enrico Bartolini: Donato Ascani Serves the Soul of Venice at Palazzo Venart

My first encounter with Glam happened entirely by chance. Driving from Rome to Slovenia, en route to the restaurant Milka, I was “forced” to stop in Venice for an overnight stay. Glam may not be the most high-profile restaurant in the media, but it had intrigued me for some time. So that afternoon I decided to experience its cuisine. Sometimes instinct leads you to unexpected discoveries.

Its two Michelin stars had already raised my expectations, yet what I experienced went far deeper: a meal that genuinely moved me. So much so that a few months later I returned, eager to rediscover that sequence of flavours that had captivated me on my first visit.

Palazzo Venart stands in the Santa Croce district, directly on the Grand Canal, and was built in the 16th century during a period of great prosperity for Venice. For centuries it served as the residence of prominent families and today, following a meticulous restoration, it operates as a boutique hotel that preserves the atmosphere of its era intact: the frescoes, the marble and the architecture speak for themselves. I remember walking through the courtyard and catching sight of its small garden – a rare pocket of tranquillity in the heart of Venice. It’s the perfect prelude to the experience that awaits at Glam’s table.

Glam opened in 2016 with the multi-award-winning chef-restaurateur Enrico Bartolini at the helm. Just a year later it earned its first Michelin star, with a second following in 2020 — confirmation of its status as a city landmark. Bartolini stands out for his ability to create restaurants of the very highest calibre while giving the chefs who run them the freedom to express themselves. The result is rare: none of his venues feels like any other. Each has its own personality, its own cuisine, its own narrative. Glam is not simply another Bartolini restaurant in Venice; it is the place where Donato Ascani’s voice meets the terroir of the Venetian lagoon and becomes a gastronomic experience that belongs uniquely to this setting.

Donato Ascani is one of those chefs who makes you believe again in the power of cooking. Young, yet possessing a maturity that is rare, he stamps his dishes with a distinct identity. At Glam, Venice is brought to life through his lens: the lagoon, seasonality and the place’s memories are woven into a striking culinary language that speaks directly to the palate and the heart. There is sensitivity, there is strength, and there is a clear culinary voice that does not need to shout to be heard.

Donato Ascani possesses the rare gift of taking the simplest ingredients and transforming them into masterpieces. A fish from the lagoon, a humble vegetable, or a seasonal herb—under his hands, they gain a new dimension, as if he gives them a voice they never had. Each flavour retains its purity, while simultaneously becoming part of a composition that surprises with its balance and complexity.

This interplay between the simplicity of the raw ingredient and the sophistication of the final experience is what elevates his cooking to an exceptionally high level. The dining room—well-appointed, yet somewhat austere compared to what arrives at the table—may not enhance the experience, but in such a remarkable hotel, the food rewards you so richly that it becomes easy to forget.

If there is one dish that encapsulates Donato Ascani’s entire culinary philosophy, it is the Acquadelle in Salsa. Tiny fish from the Venetian Lagoon are fried in three different tempura batters – bay leaf, Senise pepper and cuttlefish ink – and served with four vivid gels that act like brushstrokes of colour on the plate. It looks almost playful at first glance, yet the flavour reveals something far more profound: Ascani’s ability to take a humble ingredient and elevate it into a work of high gastronomy. For me, this was the moment I realised that Glam’s cuisine has the power to speak of Venice with clarity, sensitivity and originality.

On Glam’s menu, one highlight follows another. The raw cuttlefish with caviar and baby artichokes from Sant’Erasmo was one of its defining moments. These castraure – the first tender artichokes of spring – are a true treasure of the Venetian soil and rarely seen outside the region. Their bittersweet flavour and delicate texture married beautifully with the freshness of the cuttlefish and the briny depth of the caviar, resulting in a dish that carries the essence of the place on the plate.

Verde Inverno was a dish that brought the power of winter to the plate. Romanesco broccoli, capers and wild garlic, herring caviar and an herb sauce combined to create a verdant composition brimming with freshness. The flavour was clean and crisp, with the vivacity that only winter vegetables can deliver. Equally striking was the linguine with a piquant salumi and a tartare of Fassona beef, where the heat of the spice married the sweet, buttery texture of the raw meat to produce a dish full of character. The lamb from the Dolomites, perfumed with white truffle, completed the meal with the assuredness of a great classic — executed with precision and restraint.

A pivotal figure in the Glam experience is Ottavio Venditto, a sommelier of deep knowledge and rare intuition. His ability to craft a narrative through wine, pairing it with Ascani’s dishes to give them new dimension, is remarkable. Equally impressive is the way he links local wines to the terroir of the lagoon and matches them seamlessly with even the most intricate creations. It’s no coincidence he is regarded as one of northern Italy’s leading sommeliers. Glam simply wouldn’t be the same without him.

Score: 9.5 / 10

Info: Ristorante Glam di Enrico Bartolini, Palazzo Venart, Santa Croce 1961, 30135 Venice, Italy
Tel: +39 041 523 3784

Opening hours: Wednesday to Sunday, lunch and dinner (closed Monday and Tuesday).