Wine? Thanks, but no. At Local in Venice, anyone who chooses not to drink alcohol is offered an alternative that’s anything but secondary: tea, served in a wine glass and paired with chef Salvatore Sodano’s dishes with the same poise and intention as an enological pairing.
The Philosophy of Local and the Concept Behind its Non-Alcoholic Pairing
The idea surfaced two years ago and belongs to Manuel Trevisan, Co-Owner of the restaurant alongside Benedetta Fullin, and Marco Canu, the Restaurant Manager and a deeply knowledgeable Tea Specialist. An intuition that made Local’s experience even more aligned with its philosophy — a cuisine built on balance, respect for the lagoon, and genuine attention to the guest. At Local (pronounced Locàl in Venetian), the lagoon flows into the plate with a contemporary step. Ingredients come from Venice’s markets and from small, trusted producers — a network built on time and confidence. Each of Sodano’s dishes begins with a precise intent that brings out the essence of every ingredient. The dining room follows that same thread. Canu, together with Trevisan, has shaped the tea-and-infusion pairing: a parallel path to wine, designed to broaden the experience and embrace guests who seek a different kind of tasting.
Tea as a Tasting Experience at Local
“We wanted a beverage that could pair the dishes with the same refinement as wine,” Canu says. “We sensed growing interest in nonalcoholic pairings, but the goal was to move beyond juices or overly sweet mocktails. Tea, with its dryness and aromatics, offered the balance and lightness we were looking for.” Canu’s passion for tea goes back years. “In London, where I worked for a long time, I discovered the depth of this world. In fine dining, terroir, varietals, and infusion methods are studied just like wine. From the same plant you can obtain radically different teas depending on oxidation and climate.” Returning to Italy, he translated that curiosity into a personal study that now shapes each service, in dialogue with Trevisan and Sodano.
Teas and Infusions
Local — a well-earned Michelin-starred restaurant — executes its tea pairings through cold or room-temperature preparations, techniques that preserve clarity and aromatic definition. “We wanted everyone to take part in the ritual of tasting. No one should feel excluded at the table: tea allows guests to live the same experience, with the same gestures, through a different sensitivity.” The pairing rises in intensity alongside the progression of dishes.
Tea Pairings with Chef Sodano’s Dishes
Some examples? The Red Prawns with goat cheese and beetroot meet a Long Jing, the wok-toasted green tea from Zhejiang that halts oxidation and preserves minerality. “It balances the plate’s sweetness and acidity. It’s bone-dry, with a clean finish.” Asparagus with almond and nettle is paired with an infusion of chamomile, lemongrass, and lavender — the vegetal sweetness of the dish weaving into green and floral notes.
“Lemongrass lifts the herbal side, chamomile and lavender soften the angles.” For the Fish of the Day with kefir and cucumber, the matchup is an Ali Shan oolong from Taiwan, a semioxidized mountain tea with floral, mineral aromatics. “It’s light but deep. Its controlled oxidation gives it a nuance that works beautifully with the lactic and vegetal tones.” The finale — Acetosa with blue cheese and dates — finds its balance in a Silver Needle, a white tea made from spring buds scented with jasmine. “The buds are left to wilt, then layered with fresh jasmine blossoms for five nights. It’s dry, floral, incredibly delicate.”
Precision, Attentiveness and Identity
At Local, every detail is tuned with the kitchen. Canu tastes, adjusts infusion times and leaf quantities, fine-tunes temperatures, in a meticulous craft built around the plate and the guest. “A shift of just a few degrees changes the entire structure of a tea. It is a precision work, like choosing the right wood or the right dose for a spirit.” The experience that emerges is intimate, inclusive, and quietly revelatory. Guests discover a new register of flavor, sober, layered, and compelling. “The first thing you notice is the absence of alcohol. Then comes the surprise: your palate stays clean, ready for the next bite. Many guests tell us tea makes the experience feel more fluid and natural.”
In the gesture of serving tea like wine lies the essence of Local: precision and attention, respect and coherence. Every element speaks to the next, from plate to glass, in a narrative built around the idea of perfect balance. A way of understanding hospitality that unites skill with sensitivity, where even what many still consider “just tea” becomes part of the contemporary culinary language and wins over even the most demanding palates.
The article first appeared on Coqtail – for fine drinkers. Order your copy here
Images courtesy of Local, all rights reserved
