while I was pondering my reply about price for meals in Venice, I've seen someone else answered, but nevertheless here's a few tips, hoing you could find some use of it.

The cheapest way to eat in Venice (and in Italy too) is to buy your own food at agrocery store or supermarket. Most of them will prepare sandwiches (in italian panini) at your choice from ham, cheese etc, otherwise you can do your own. A slice or square of pizza from a counter-only place is also a good (and warmer) choice, but in Venice that sometimes can be a bit overpriced. While eating pizza seating in a pizzeria is almost everywhere a decent deal, in Venice you could have some surprise bout about quality and the price. Please remember a sandwich eaten sitting at a table in a bar can cost you as much as a meal at a moderate trattoria!

Next step up is a small trattoria, with limited choice of food, menu chalked on blackboards ant a little sitting area. In Venice they are called bacari and they are usually closed on Sundays or holidays since they mainly feed working people on the break. The owner will probably speak a bit of English, as there's really no place in Venice where tourists don't go. Simple courses, moderately priced. There are a lot around but you have to look carefully.

Not considering a standard restaurant meal of three courses, you can do bit better sitting at a restaurant (check the prices at the door, though) on order only one course. In the past that could have caused evil looks from waiters and embarrassment for you, but now they are used to it. After that, on the upper scale of the price, there's a wide choice of gourmet restaurants, fine wine bars and else... Bon appetit

Paolo Trieste, Italy

P.S. Larry, I visited the Biennale last year but the exposition at the Gardens wasn't of my taste. Better the one at the Corderie old warehouses.