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