Tasting Italy: Venice 🇮🇹

This list has just a taste of all the great meals you can find in Venice! I also offer a larger list with more categories, more neighborhoods, and explanations of typical dishes to try! My Venice foodie list has 50+ options including restaurants, cicchetti & cheap eats, coffee & breakfast, wine & cocktail bars, and gelato. It means there’s always something delicious in easy reach wherever you are. Grab it here:

Emma | Where's Emma Now

🇮🇹 Tasting Italy: Venice Foodie List

If you're headed to Venice and want to eat some of the best meals of your life, grab this list! WHY THIS LIST INSTEAD OF MY FREE VERSION? Because this way, you have options! Find yourself hangry and need food ASAP? You'll find great, authentic options on this list near you no matter where you are! Your first choice restaurant is full? I include plenty of options, so you have backups in each neighborhood! In a really touristy area without a reservation? This gives you a cheat sheet for eating well anywhere you find yourself! Everywhere on here I've personally eaten or had it recommended to me by someone I trust living here at least 5 years. In this guide, you'll get: - an interactive map to help navigate you to each spot - recommendations on typical dishes to order - Categories include: restaurants, cicchetti & cheap eats, coffee & breakfast, wine & cocktail bars, gelato

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Generally, I highly advise making reservations- Venice restaurants are small, and the good ones fill up fast!

A good rule of thumb is to ask what the catch of the day is - that's often what's best and freshest! In terms of pasta, anything with shellfish is generally great.

Classic Venetian Foods

- aperol spritz - you're in the birthplace of the spritz aperol! They're the classic apertivo drink for a reason!

- cicchetti - a bunch of different toppings on bread! It's a common cheap lunch or snack choice for locals. I’ve included several cicchetti spots below.

- fritole/fritelle - Fried dough served around Carnivale! Traditionally, it's either filled with things like nutella or cream, or dotted with raisins.

- langostines - sometimes called prawns on the menu, these large crustaceans are a Venetian staple. One of the most common dishes is called spagetti alla busara, but you can also get a plate of them on their own!

- pasta (or risotto) al nero di seppia - squid ink sauce is really common here. It's a bit surprising, because the dish is dark as night when it comes to the table, but it's tasty!

- sarde in saor - sweet and sour sardines! These tiny fish are marinated and served as an appetizer/antipasto, sometimes on bread

- baccala - salt cod is a longtime favorite here. It tastes almost creamy (but no cream or cheese added). You can find it as an appetizer or a main dish, somtimes served with polenta. Definitely worth trying!

If you're feeling a little intimidated by Venice's unusual seafood specialties, look on menus for a mixed antipasto platter! It'll allow you to try a bite of all the classics without committing to any single one.

Restaurants

Ristoteca Oniga

@wheresemmanow

Great seafood options! Reasonable prices and in one of my favorite neighborhoods, Dosoduro.

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La Bitta

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Need a break from seafood? Head to La Bitta - they only have land animal proteins! This place serves Venetian recipes passed down for generations. It’s really good!

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Taverna al Remer

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Good food, but the real charm is sitting outside in view of the grand canal!

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Al Covo

@wheresemmanow

Fine dining spot, mostly seafood. Order whatever the daily specials are - they’re based on what was the best catch that morning. They source sustainable ingredients. Lives up to the hype!

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Trattoria Al Gatto Nero

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Michelin starred seafood spot and my number one recommendation for lunch on Burano!

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Cicchetti Bars

Bar All'Arco

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Cichetti spot - one of the best in the city! Only a block away from the Rialto bridge. Featured on Stanley Tucci’s Searching for Italy.

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Un Mondo Divino

@wheresemmanow

Great cicchetti place! Eat whatever the staff recommends. Great place to try the local wines.

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Gelateria

Gelatoteca Suso

@wheresemmanow

Well known gelateria in central Venice, not too far from the Rialto bridge. Great spot to stop!

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One of the biggest questions I get is for hotels! Here’s a free guide with some of the best ones I’ve found:

Emma | Where's Emma Now

🇮🇹 Great Venice Hotels

Here are some of the best hotels in Venice I've found!

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Want more travel tips? This is just a taste of what I can offer you! Check my bio for all my Italy guides. You can also reach out so I can make you a custom trip list or a daily itinerary! Grab all the details in my bio.