What and Where to Eat in Venice: Cicchetti
What is Cicchetti?
Consider Venice the queen of snacking, as it is famous for what is called "cicchetti". Cicchetti are basically small bites, imagine "crostoni" or toasted bread with a variety of food on top. It is more of a casual dining experience, where you stand and eat outside.
In Venice, when the hunger starts to kick in or friends want to get together to catch up, locals head to their favorite bàcaro, or a wine bar, for Venetian tapas, called cichetti. The word comes from the Latin word, "ciccus" which means "little or nothing".
Usually these include a range of small finger foods like crostini or small pieces of bread topped with something like fresh fish or cheese, (similar to an open faced mini sandwich), polpette (fried meatballs), or even an array of pickled vegetables. It all depends on the wine bar, or bàcaro you go to, but the dishes tend to be unique and creative.
Cicchetti are inexpensive, usually just a couple of euros per item, and make for the perfect snack to pair with a glass of wine, or ombra.
Where to eat/drink?
