In a quiet little piazza near the Adige River, Pescheria I Masenini offers something slightly unexpected in a city better known for risotto, Amarone, tortellini, and hearty Veronese cooking: an excellent restaurant devoted almost entirely to fish and seafood.
The location couldn’t be more appropriate. Piazzetta Pescheria was once home to Verona’s old fish market, and it was here that I Masenini opened in 2009 with the idea of bringing exceptional fresh fish back to the tables of Verona.
Chef Michele Montolli keeps the quality of the seafood at the center of his cooking, combining recognizable Italian preparations with more creative touches. The menu moves easily from beautiful raw fish, tartares, scampi, and red prawns to spaghetti alle vongole, squid-ink gnocchi with lobster ragù, whole and grilled fish, shellfish, and a particularly inviting mixed fritto from the pescheria.
The crudo deserves attention. Depending upon the current menu and market, sea bass, tuna, dentice, scampi, red prawns, and other seafood may appear raw or only delicately dressed, allowing freshness and texture to remain the focus.
The dining room is intimate and polished without becoming formal, with warm wood paneling, a small mezzanine, and an open kitchen. In warmer weather, tables spill outside into Piazzetta Pescheria, transforming dinner into one of those wonderfully atmospheric Verona evenings when the setting becomes part of the meal.
Wine is equally well considered. The cellar ranges from excellent Veronese and Italian whites to Champagne and French wines, with enough depth to make pairing part of the experience rather than an afterthought.
