Venice Food
Discover Venice through seafood, cicchetti and local specialties, while knowing where and how to look for a memorable meal.
FOOD CULTURE
A Taste of the City
Venetian food reflects a city that spent centuries connected to the sea and international trade. Seafood plays a major role, alongside risotto, polenta, fresh pasta and dishes such as baccalà and risi e bisi. But eating well in Venice can require a little more thought than in some other Italian cities. Restaurants around the busiest tourist corridors often cater heavily to visitors, and prices can rise quickly. I prefer wandering into quieter neighborhoods and looking for small restaurants, bacari and cafés away from San Marco and the busiest approaches to the Rialto Bridge. The historic Rialto Market is also worth visiting for its displays of seafood and produce. It provides a glimpse of the ingredients behind Venetian cooking and reminds you that beyond the crowds, Venice remains a living city with its own culinary traditions.
For a smaller meal, look for a bacaro, a traditional Venetian wine bar; the plural is bacari. Cicchetti are small savory bites, often displayed at the counter and ordered individually. Check what is available and the price before ordering, and try a few local specialties as part of your walk.
Outdoor restaurant beside the Grand Canal near the Rialto Bridge in Venice at night.
I have had some excellent meals in Venice, but also enough disappointing tourist meals that I no longer assume an attractive location guarantees good food. Sometimes my favorite experiences have been remarkably simple. I enjoy finding a café frequented by people who work nearby for a cornetto and coffee, or choosing a simple pizza or sandwich. For takeaway food, use a place where eating is permitted; bridges, church steps and canal edges should not be treated as picnic spots. For a special dinner, I have used restaurant guides and reviews to choose more carefully and have eaten very well as a result. I also pay attention to menu prices and additional charges before sitting down, since dining in Venice can become expensive quickly. For me, food here works best as part of exploring the city: visit the markets, try Venetian specialties, step away from the busiest streets and don't be afraid to make a simple meal part of the experience.
TRADITIONAL FOODS
Local Specialties to Try
Venetian cuisine has developed around the lagoon, the Adriatic and the city's long history as a trading power. Fish and seafood are central to many traditional dishes, appearing in everything from pasta and risotto to small appetizers and preserved fish preparations. Rice, polenta and regional pasta also distinguish the cooking of Venice and the Veneto from the food many travelers associate with other parts of Italy. Some dishes combine surprisingly simple ingredients, while others reflect flavors and techniques introduced through centuries of trade. The nine traditional foods below provide a good introduction to this distinctive cuisine, including seafood specialties, classic pasta and rice dishes, small bites and something sweet to finish.
Risi e Bisi
Part risotto and part soup, risi e bisi combines rice with fresh peas in a soft, creamy consistency that is traditionally looser than risotto. Once associated with Venice's rulers and celebrations of St. Mark's Day, it is a simple example of how Venetian cooking can turn a few basic ingredients into something distinctive.
Traditional Venetian risi e bisi made with creamy rice and fresh green peas.
Mozzarella in Carrozza
Mozzarella in carrozza is wonderfully uncomplicated comfort food: mozzarella sandwiched between slices of bread, battered and fried until crisp outside and melted inside. The Venetian version may also include anchovies, adding a salty contrast to the mild cheese. Look for it as a snack in a bacaro or casual eatery.
Golden fried mozzarella in carrozza filled with melted cheese and anchovies.
Baccalà Mantecato
One of Venice's classic cicchetti, baccalà mantecato is made by whipping cooked stockfish with oil until it becomes smooth and creamy. Despite the name baccalà, the Venetian preparation traditionally uses dried rather than salted cod. It is commonly spread over crostini or grilled polenta and served as a small bite.
Creamy Venetian baccalà mantecato served on small slices of toasted bread.
Carpaccio di Manzo
Carpaccio was created in Venice and has since become an Italian classic. Paper-thin slices of raw beef are served chilled, traditionally with a creamy sauce, although modern versions vary considerably. The dish was named after Venetian Renaissance painter Vittore Carpaccio, whose distinctive colors inspired its creator.
Thinly sliced Venetian beef carpaccio served with a light creamy dressing.
Fritole Veneziane
These small fried pastries are one of the traditional tastes of Venice during Carnival. Made from a yeast dough that can include raisins and pine nuts, fritole are fried until golden and finished with sugar. Variations filled with cream or other sweet fillings are also common in pastry shops during Carnival season.
Golden Venetian fritole pastries with raisins and a dusting of powdered sugar.
Sarde in Saor
Sarde in saor combines fried sardines with sweet and sour onions, vinegar, raisins and often pine nuts. The preparation originally helped preserve fish for sailors and fishermen spending long periods away from home. Today it is a classic Venetian appetizer with a distinctive balance of salty, sweet and acidic flavors.
Venetian sarde in saor with fried sardines, onions, raisins and pine nuts.
Bussolà di Burano
Originating on the colorful lagoon island of Burano, bussolà is a rich butter cookie traditionally shaped into a ring. Another version, known as esse, is formed into an S shape. Made with plenty of butter and egg yolks, these firm, fragrant cookies were historically prepared for special occasions and make an easy edible souvenir.
Traditional ring-shaped bussolà butter cookies from the Venetian island of Burano.
Bigoli in Salsa
Bigoli are thick strands of pasta traditionally made in the Veneto. In this classic Venetian preparation, they are tossed with a deeply savory sauce of slowly cooked onions and preserved fish, traditionally anchovies or sardines. The result is a relatively simple pasta dish with an intense flavor closely associated with the lagoon.
Thick Venetian bigoli pasta served with a savory onion and anchovy sauce.
Tramezzini Veneziani
Venetian tramezzini are soft, crustless sandwiches generously filled so that the center visibly bulges between two triangular pieces of white bread. Fillings range from tuna and egg to ham, cheese, artichokes or seafood. Found in bars throughout Venice, they are ideal for an inexpensive snack or quick lunch while exploring.
Venetian tramezzini with generous savory fillings between soft triangular white bread.