Eating & Drinking in Venice
Venice's cuisine revolves around the lagoon and the sea: fish, seafood, risotto, and the unique Cicchetti — Venetian snacks enjoyed standing up in the Bacari (wine bars).
Cicchetti & Bacari ★★★
The Venetian version of tapas: small bites on bread or toothpicks. In the Bacari (traditional wine bars), you order a glass of wine (Ombra, 2–3 €) and 2–3 Cicchetti (1–3 € each). The best Bacari:
- All'Arco · San Polo 436 — Tiny, loud, fantastic. The best Cicchetti in Venice (sardines, Baccalà, artichoke hearts). Only mornings/afternoons.
- Cantina Do Spade · San Polo 860 — Since 1488. Cicchetti and small dishes in an ancient osteria.
- Un Mondo di Vino · Cannaregio 5984a — Lively bar on Strada Nova. Good wines, fair prices.
Classic Venetian Dishes
- Sarde in saor — Sardines in a sweet and sour onion-raisin-pine nut marinade. Venice's signature dish.
- Baccalà mantecato — Creamy whipped salt cod on polenta or bread. Heavenly.
- Risotto al nero di seppia — Risotto with cuttlefish ink: pitch black, sea-intense, an experience.
- Fegato alla Veneziana — Calf liver with onions, slowly braised. Sounds unusual, tastes sensational.
- Frittura mista — Mixed fried seafood. Light and crispy in good restaurants.
- Bigoli in salsa — Thick whole wheat spaghetti with anchovy-onion sauce. Simple and great.
Wine
Veneto produces Prosecco (the hills of Conegliano-Valdobbiadene are a UNESCO World Heritage site), Amarone della Valpolicella, Soave, and Valpolicella. A Prosecco Spritz (with Aperol or Select) is the Venetian standard drink from 5 PM. In the Bacari, it costs 3–4 €, at St. Mark's Square 15 €.
💡 Tipp
The golden rule in Venice: The closer to St. Mark's Square, the worse the food and the higher the price. The best restaurants and Bacari can be found in Dorsoduro, Cannaregio, and western San Polo. And: Avoid any restaurant with a tout at the door and pictures on the menu.