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    Mama Isa's Cooking School

    5.0 (25 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

    Mama Isa's Cooking School Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Mama Isa's Cooking School

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    Andrea F.

    We took Isa's cooking class while on our honeymoon in Venice and it was easily the best day of our trip! Isa and her husband were such wonderful hosts and instructors. We had so much fun, I've never seen my husband smile so much over food. Highly recommend! We hope to come back someday!

    Menu
    Jessica H.

    We LOVED, LOVED, LOVED Mama Isa and Stefano!!! My friend and I heard about pasta making classes in Italy but we were not sure if we wanted to spend the money. The day before arriving in Venice we emailed Mama Isa to see if she had any classes available. Lucky for us, she did! We chose the meal option instead of just pasta. We were able to customize our menu based on our likes and dislikes. We went with the Tiramisu, Pea Risotto, Ragu and Pasta. We also found out that the class was just going to be my friend and I. Double yes!!! So much hands on attention. From email to completion of the class, Mama Isa was so helpful. Her email directions were very detailed and accuratel on how to get to her house and estimated costs for transport. We woke up very early to come to Padova from the area near Venice that we were staying - accross the bridge, not on the island. We were greeted by Stefano and Mama Isa and started cooking immediately. She gave us so much history on Italy, what we were cooking and detailed step by step on how to do everything. She constantly offered to take photos the whole time for us so we could remember everything. We ate each item separately and we were offered enough food to feed our entire families at each course. Not only did we get the delicious food that we prepared but we also were given homemade lemoncello, taught how to make Italian Espresso with a yummy sugar reduction and unlimited wine throughout the day. Anyone considering a class with Mama Isa should do it! Is it worth the cost - absolutely! Would we do it again - YES, YES, YES!!! Do not hesitate at all to book with Mama Isa. She is incredible and you feel like you are part of the family once you leave. Oh and you are full - very full!

    Daniel G.

    Vacation highlight! Hope to take more classes. The key things to know: -Hands on. The best experience you can get. -Great conversation. Constantly learning about cuisine and culture. -Wonderful recipes. Tasty food that is approachable and reproducible when you get home. Do yourself a favor, sign up for as much time as you can!

    Mama Isa's Cooking School was the absolute highlight of our trip. Their willingness to make us feel welcome and desire to pass along their knowledge and heritage was moving. We truly felt part of their family. They were genuinely kind while showing the utmost professionalism. We had so much fun and learned so much. The food we cooked rivaled even the best restaurants we visited on our trip. I cannot wait to cook for my friends and family. We will certainly be making time for her week-long class the next trip we take!

    My girlfriend and I had the opportunity to spend a week taking a private cooking class. There is so much I could say and write about but I feel like none of it would do it justice. I HIGHLY recommend you have this experience if you are interested in learning home Italian cooking so it can enrich your cooking in your own kitchen with these memories.

    Marianne E.

    My husband Dale and I went to Venice for two days before a cruise and we decided to take a cooking class for two. We took a train from Venice to Padova. We were welcomed by Mama Isa and Steffano like we were family. The first thing they did was give us drinks and appetizers and then we went to the kitchen and went to work. We signed up for the romantic dinner for two and we started out making calzone, we ground the meat and made Bolognese sauce, we made handmade fettuccine noodles, which was my favorite of lessons that I learned. After that we were taught her secret recipe of tiramisu. We insisted that they join us for The feast we had just created! I cannot wait to return to Padova and learn more and visit our friends!

    Michelle S.

    Wow! This class so amazing! From booking to the end of class to afterwards, Mama Isa and her husband Stefano took care of us. Mama Isa tailored the class to our interest in gelato and fresh pasta. She was an amazing teacher, even letting us know where to find certain ingredients and what would be suitable replacements here in the states. She has also answered questions for us after the class. During the class peaked all our senses. The aromas, colors, tastes and also touch were wonderful. She far exceeded my expectations.

    Making tiramisu
    Liz C.

    My husband and I travelled all over Italy for 16 days and honestly this was our favorite day out of all of them!! In the 4 hours we were with Mama Isa and Stefano we learned how to make 1) Tiramisu 2) real Italian coffee 3) focaccia with spicy salami, olives, tomatoes 4) risotto with black truffles and a surprise of 5) bruschetta. We still can't stop talking about the focaccia. I can't wait to get home and start making it. She now has a week long stay and cooking class. I'd really like to be able to do that my next trip to Italy. Just hanging out with the two of them was a total blessing to our trip and a once in a lifetime experience to be able to learn generations of recipes! One more thing, she is completely flexible, you can just tell her what you want to learn, and she'll teach it!

    Cooking Class at Mama Isa's

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    Isa I.

    Thanks Laurie for your nice review!!!!!!!

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    Review Highlights - Mama Isa's Cooking School

    We had the great pleasure to meet Chef Isa, her husband, Stefano, and son, Marko, at their home.

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    Venice Cooking Class - Kids LOVED making pasta - Oct 2024

    Venice Cooking Class

    5.0(4 reviews)
    1.6 km

    Two weeks in Italy and the absolute highlight was our day with Chef Michele. I had seen the…read moreamazing reviews so it was an easy decision to make a deposit. We booked the experience about 4 or 5 months in advance of our visit and glad we did. He books up early and for good reason! The booking was for my husband and I (and I love to cook) and our two kids aged 11 and 8. We opted to meet him at the market where we shopped together for ingredients for our meal - we visited a butcher, the fish market and the fruit and vegetable market. We also visited a spice shop together. He let us decide which two pastas we'd make and it was largely based on what we found in the vegetable market that morning in addition to our personal preferences. We ultimately decided on: - Squash and Porcini Gnocchi - Linguine Bolognese - Bruschetta - Chocolate/Vanilla swirled Gelato As we walked to his home (about 10-15 mins away) after shopping, he pointed out his favorite sandwich and gelato shops, taught us about cicchetti and where to find it, and so much more. We made mental notes and the next day returned to his favorite places for great snacks and bites and gelato! The day totally exceeded our expectations. It was a great cooking class, my kids loved all the hands-on time making pastas or learning to make gelato, and the end result was an incredible meal! He has a very seamless way of teaching you, but also allowing you to relax and watch to fully enjoy the day. But it was so much more than cooking - Chef Michele is very warm and personable - he is a father and was good with our kids. He is full of fascinating information about Italy and Venice. His home is gorgeous and full of so much history. We talked about his experiences over 30+ years as a professional chef, his family, and our shared enjoyment of food, history, travel. It was an amazing experience. Our kids still say it is the best part of their two-week trip to Italy (and they enjoyed a lot of fun stuff in those two weeks). Only downside to the class is that now my family has expectations that I'll be able to recreate what Chef Michele taught us! I hope I can!

    Michele offers many different options. Whichever one you choose you won't be disappointed. This was…read moreone of the most memorable parts of our trip. We would have never seen the markets or understood the history and culture associated with their locations etc if it weren't for Michele. He took us to his home, taught us how to prepare authentic food and we ate it. Beyond an incredible experience. You must book with him! I emailed him options. He is so kind, genuine, and talented to say the least.

    Photos
    Venice Cooking Class - Bruschetta  - Oct 2024

    Bruschetta - Oct 2024

    Venice Cooking Class - Getting all ingredients ready - Oct 2024

    Getting all ingredients ready - Oct 2024

    Venice Cooking Class - Taught us how to make so many different pasta shapes - Oct 2024

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    Taught us how to make so many different pasta shapes - Oct 2024

    Cooking With Lucas - Lucas

    Cooking With Lucas

    5.0(6 reviews)
    61.8 km
    €€

    This is one of the most incredible experiences you could ask for. If you are a foodie or just enjoy…read moreamazing food and incredible history, you need to book a class with Lucas! He has scheduled classes as well as private classes. I've done both and it fabulous to be with friends, cook, and eat delicious food. It's also equally enjoyable to meet travelers and make new acquaintances. His place is located in the old wall of the Vicenza Castle. The art on his dining room ceiling dates back to the 700's. Your senses come alive when you arrive and start to walk up the old stairs to his flat. Lucas will walk you through several courses and if it's a private class he is able to cater to your dietary needs. Recently we made an incredible meal. We started with his Lentil soup with chestnuts. It was mouth watering divine. I went home and recreated that night. While the soup was cooking we started the pasta, desert, and fish. We boiled pealed pears in a wine sauce, made homemade pasta, and enjoyed a salmon filet covered in our choice of veggies and mussels and cooked in parchment paper. He served the pairs with gelato and cream. It is an out-of-this-world experience! Plan for a minimum of 4 hours and approximately 35euro per person. You won't regret the experience. He will also provide a bottle of wine, but it's fun to bring a wine to share.

    This is a great way to spend a day in Italy! Lucas is a great chef and teacher, and makes it fun to…read morecraft an incredibly delicious meal from scratch. This was one of our favorite things from our vacation. Do it!

    Photos
    Cooking With Lucas - Lucas and his amazing food!

    Lucas and his amazing food!

    Cooking With Lucas - The entry area to his place is through the gate and on the left.

    The entry area to his place is through the gate and on the left.

    Cooking With Lucas - The pears, the fish, the veggies!!!

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    The pears, the fish, the veggies!!!

    Savor Italy Tours - Deep fried sandwiches. So. Good!

    Savor Italy Tours

    5.0(4 reviews)
    1.1 km

    Date of tour: May 28, 2025…read more Love, love, love Anna and this tour! When it comes to a food tour, the guide is as important (if not more) as the stops on the tour and the food that is featured. A great guide makes or breaks a tour and Anna did a wonderful job. She has clearly cultivated a relationship with these vendors and takes the time to talk about the backgrounds of the food, of the restaurants and bars, creating a rich, vibrant story. Our tour happened to be entirely comprised of Americans, though given it's an English tour, that should not be all that surprising. It was a wonderful group of people that we enjoyed spending nearly three hours with--that's also important but certainly out of the hands of the tour and more just luck of the draw! The description on the Viator website didn't quite match the tour, but Anna did such a great job that I have no complaints there. We really got a great sense of Venezia from the tour and it was so sad to part ways with the group when it was time to say goodbye. Highlights on the tour: Meat croquette, calamari, shrimp pasta, and the mac and cheese balls. Definitely look for this Eat Like a Local Tour in Venice, you won't regret it!

    I had an amazing time on on the Eat Like a Local tour. I learned so much about how Italians eat,…read moreand the difference between local food and tourist traps. I tried wines I hadn't heard of, cafe corecto, pastry, gelato, many different types of cicchetti, and the best prosciutto and balsamic. Martina was an amazing guide! I felt very welcome doing this tour as a solo traveler.

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    Savor Italy Tours
    Savor Italy Tours - What a beautiful group!

    What a beautiful group!

    Savor Italy Tours - Tour Guide in a bakery

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    Tour Guide in a bakery

    Pastificio Giacomo Rizzo

    Pastificio Giacomo Rizzo

    5.0(3 reviews)
    1.2 km

    Came in here on our last day in Venice. Looked for some more Truffle products as well as some good…read moreolive oil. It's a smaller shop, but filled with all the good stuff. Friendly owner, no rush or push. Bought some jars with truffle honey (big and small) from just 7 Euros to 20 Euros a jar. Then a few bottles of Extra Virgin Olive Oil - from some smaller producers. Always fun to try new olive oil. And these we bought here tasted great when we used them at home. Prices very fair from 8 to 20 Euros a bottle. They sell a lot of their fresh and dried pasta as well. Looked very good, but we just didn't have much more space to carry. Maybe next time. A nice little independent shop. Great quality products.

    Pasta! Pasta everywhere!…read more It was always hard for me to figure out what soveneirs to take home from trips. This time, coming from Venice, it was easy - locally made wine, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and pasta. Research brought me to this local, 100 year old, pasta place. Considered new by italian standards, but still making traditional pasta as good as the older ones. They also make flavored pasta like herbs, pizza, and squid ink. I loved that they make the pasta onsite. Supposedly, if one comes early enough, you can get a demo and possibly a pasta cooking lesson. They also offer sauces, olive oils, balsamic vinegar, truffles, and wines. In addition to those things, it's one of the few stores in Venice that carry asian groceries. Not a lot, but they have some. The price is also not too bad. It's cheaper than other places and had better pasta selection. This is a good, small shop to get food souvenirs from and I highly recommend it.

    Photos
    Pastificio Giacomo Rizzo - Inside tge store. Lots of pasta with different flavors.

    Inside tge store. Lots of pasta with different flavors.

    Pastificio Giacomo Rizzo - Window display.

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    Window display.

    Mama Isa's Cooking School - cookingschools - Updated May 2026

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