In the less touristy Dosurdoro area, there is the canal-side Ristorante Cantinone Storico.   Diners have the option to eat inside or along the canal in a relaxed atmosphere.  Although it is on a canal and the food is outstanding, don't expect to pay exorbitant prices.  The service is friendly and wecloming.  When I dine there, I find it best to order seafood dishes.  For starters, I like the Zupp di pesce con crostini (fish soup with bread).  Then I will dive into a plate of pasta like the Taglioni con gamberi, zucchini e zafferano (Taglioni with shrimp, zucchini and saffron).  How does "grigliata mista di pesce e crostaci" sound to you?  It sounds good to me because I love a mixed grill of fish and shellfish. 

Alle Zattere Ristorante Pizzeria a Venezia is a destination where the view certainly outshines the food, but the food is not bad at all.  Of course, as it name implies, there is pizza and terrific pizza, especially the Margherita.  They do have traditional Venetian dishes (grilled fish, shrip) and pastas too.  But just about anything will taste good here accompanied with a glass of wine and watching the ships and boats pass by on the wide canal.  Do it!  You will love it. 

Not on a canal, but it a garden-like setting is Al Giardinetto da Severino. We stumbled upon this welcoming place on a Traveling Professor small group tour to Venice several years ago.  We like to mention it because it is a cozy indoor place for a change of pace.  The food is great. This is the place to start with Spaghetti alle Vongole (Spaghetti with Clams).  However, look at the variety of Venetian special like “Granceola” (spider crab), “Sarde in saor” (sardines in a sweet an sour sauce), “Baccalà mantecato” (creamed codfish),  “Canocie” (mantis shrimps),  “Schie con polenta” (small shrimps of the lagoon), “moeche fritte”(fried crabs of the lagoon).  Then the main courses include “Risotto alla pescatora” (seafood risotto), “Spaghetti al nero di seppia” (spaghetti with squid  ink, a real Veneitan favorite),  followed by a variety of fish and meat dishes like crispy “Frittura mista” (fried calamari and shrimps) accompanied by “castraure” (small artichokes from S. Erasmo island),   When visiting Al Giardinetto da Severino, settle in for an evening of good food and wine.

I need to recommend a small guide book, "Eating and Drinking Italian" by Andy Herbach.  It has good restaurant recommendations from all over Italy.  But better yet, Andy's book will help in deciding what and where to eat.  The menu translater is very handy in telling you what things like "fagioli lessati al forno"  or "cosciotti di agnello" are when seen on a menu in an Italian restaurant.