Last updated on June 22nd, 2024
Looking for a little night out on the town in Venice? Who isn’t?
Finding the best bars in Venice isn’t easy, especially with all the overpriced tourist traps at your fingertips. I am here to help!
I have been living in Italy for 10+ years and have traveled to Venice as a student, newlywed, with friends, and as a parent, each time with a new perspective and insight. No matter the stage in my life, I always made time for a little nightlife in Venice.
And so should you! The magical city lights up and with my recommendations for the best bars in Venice to spend your evenings in.
In this comprehensive guide to drinking after hours in Venice, I will share with you my favorite bars organized by location to try after dinner including:
- Where to eat beforehand that is close by
- What each bar is best for
- What I like to order
- When they close
So get some good shut eye the night before and get ready for a night on the town!
Keep In Mind: In this article, I am sharing with you my favorite bars within particular squares and piazzas in Venice. If you can’t get a table, it’s too crowded, or it’s closed, just pick another bar next door and don’t get hung up on the exact bar. Part of what makes the best nightlife in Venice is the location, not the bar itself!
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Map Of Best Bars For After Dinner Drinks In Venice
Quick Guide – Best Bars In Venice For After Dinner Drinks
| Best Bars In Venice | Neighborhood | Best For | Where To Eat Beforehand |
| Osteria Bancogiro | San Polo (Rialto Bridge) | Authentic experience in central location | Here |
| Ozio | Castello | Early nights | Osteria di Santa Marina or Luna Sentada |
| Al Timon | Cannaregio | Young crowds & Students | Osteria L’Orto dei Mori or Vini da Gigio |
| Vino Vero | Cannaregio | Wine Lovers | Osteria L’Orto dei Mori or Vini da Gigio |
| Basego | Castello | Cocktails | Al Covo |
| Caffe Rosso | Dorsoduro | Late nights | Osteria Alla Bifora |
| Osteria Al Portego | San Marco | Early nights & Students | Here or Osteria di Santa Marina |
Piazza Erberia
Piazza Erberia is a small square literally on the Grand Canal just off the Rialto Bridge with ample seating area for post-dinner drinks on the water. Depending on the season, the water level may rise up and cover much of the square, making it for quite the experience.
Best for anyone, including students, adults and old timers!
Fit In: Learn How to Toast in Italian!
Osteria Bancogiro
Where To Eat Dinner Beforehand: I recommend you eat here
Open: Until 12:00 am
Osteria Bancogiro is one of the best bacari with an extensive wine list in an amazing location right close to the Rialto Market, with a fun and lively after dinner scene.
The osteria is a restaurant, bar, ideal aperitivo spot (good choice for gluten-free travelers too), as well as one of my top picks for post-dinner drinks in Venice.
What I love most about Osteria Bancogiro is the authentic vibe and its amazing back door seating area (hidden away from the general tourists) spilling out onto the Grand Canal, making it one of the best bars in Venice.
While the osteria caters to all sorts of clients throughout the day including local fishermen, business men, families for meals and some tourists, the after dinner scene is really quite reserved to locals still. Those who know of Osteria Bancogiro know it for its cicchetti but little did they know that it’s open late as well!
Campo Santa Maria Formosa
Campo Santa Maria Formosa is one of my favorite squares for after dinner drinks in Venice if you want to get off the beaten path. You won’t find hordes of tourists but rather, students and locals.
Ozio
Where To Eat Dinner Beforehand: Osteria di Santa Marina or Luna Sentada (one of the best places to eat on the water in Venice)
Open: until 11:30 pm
Ozio is one of my favorite bars in Venice to check out if you have dinner on the earlier side and not stay out too late. Ozio is only open until 11:30 so don’t expect to find wild late night crowds.
Instead, you can expect to run into all kinds of locals hanging out with friends over a glass of wine in one of the nicest squares in the area.
Ozio is open all day, serving coffee in the morning, sandwiches for lunch and cicchetti and drinks throughout, making it one of the ‘go-to’ spots for locals in the area.
I am not particularly fond of the inside of Ozio but find its outdoor seating quite lovely with lots of tables flowing out onto the square, making for some of the best people watching and casual drinking spots in Venice.
Good To Know: Ozio is one of my top picks for coffee in Venice.
Fondamenta dei Ormesini
Where To Eat Dinner Beforehand: Osteria L’Orto dei Mori or Vini da Gigio
A great canal off the beaten track in the Cannaregio neighborhood, full of students, young crowds and locals. Below are my two favorite bars but anyone will do, it’s all about the canal here, not the actual bar!
Al Timon
Open: until 1:00 am
Al Timon is the classic bacaro or bar to come to if you want to enjoy your cocktail, spritz, or wine canal side. You can choose to sit indoors but what really makes this location lively is your chance to hang out with the locals sitting on the canal’s edge or hanging out on one of the foot bridges.
If you want to come here before dinner, this is a great option for a casual aperitivo and cicchetti.
Al timon fills up as the night goes on. There is a peak before dinner at aperitivo hour and then another rush after dinner. Come at these times as this is where all the fun is!
Vino Vero
Open: Until 12:00 am
Just further up from Al Timon is Vino Vero, another one of the best bars in Venice for a post-dinner drink, particularly for wine lovers. Although not quite as lively as Al Timon, Vino Vero can still pull in a rowdy crowd after dinner because of its rustic atmosphere, friendly staff and hipster location.
At Vino Vero, meaning “real wine”, they specialize in natural wines from the surrounding area. Again, it’s the canal you want to hang out on, not necessarily in the bar here.
Good To Know: Some of the best coffee and gelato in Venice is located on the Fondamenta dei Orsemini as well.
Campo San Toma
Basegó
Where To Eat Dinner Beforehand: Al Covo
Open: Until 11:00 pm
Basegó is a bacaro serving up classic Venetian cicchetti in a modern setting catering to a wide selection of guests including tourists and locals alike. They have a good wine list yet also have several beers on tap, making it a good choice for everyone, no matter what you like to drink.
I would consider Basegó first a bacaro by nature and secondly, an after-dinner bar. It’s most popular hour is before dinner for aperitivo but it does play host to many post-dinner drinkers as well looking to get their night started.
Campo Santa Margherita
Where To Eat Dinner Beforehand: Osteria Alla Bifora
One of the largest off the beaten path squares to enjoy in the hip Dorsoduro neighborhood in Venice lined with various restaurants, bacari, bars and gelaterias!
Caffè Rosso
Open: Until 1:00 am Monday-Saturday and 10:00 pm on Sunday
Caffè Rosso is not only one of the best and most authentic bars in Venice for after hour drinks but also one of my top picks for coffee and to sit down for a traditional Italian breakfast in Venice.
Caffè Rosso doesn’t close during the day, making it a great stop anytime but it’s particularly fun at night. Dorsoduro is one of the coolest neighborhoods in Venice and in Campo Santa Margherita, the coolest accumulates.
The square is lined with various bars, bacari, restaurants, gelaterias and more, bringing out all crowds. At night, the whole piazza lights up and starts to really take off.
If you want to have your drink in the square instead of sitting down, ask for a plastic cup and you can take it to sit on one of the benches in the square or by the fountain.
Osteria Al Portego
Where To Eat Dinner Beforehand: Osteria Santa Marina
Open: Until 10:30 pm
Osteria Al Portego should be one of the first stops on your list because they close early. This spot doubles as a cicchetti bar, take-out spot and casual eatery in Venice but caters primarily to students for both aperitivo and drinks throughout the evening.
It’s located in a small calle not far from the Rialto Bridge, just on the edge of the Castello sestiere or neighborhood.
Osteria Al Portego is the only one of my best bars in Venice that is not defined by its location within a piazza or on a larger canal. Rather, this small place is a top stop for students on a dime looking to stay central but get away from the tourists.
Venice bound? Get prepared with all of our Venice posts:
20+ Must-Try Foods And Drinks In Venice – And My Favorite Places To Eat Them
What Are Cicchetti? + Where To Eat Them In Venice
What Is A Bacaro? + A Local’s Self Guided Bacaro Tour Itinerary
My Favorite Cicchetti In Venice – The 10 Best Bacari To Try
Best Restaurants in Venice + Nearest Cicchetti Stops
Best Gelato In Venice – My Italian Family’s 10 Favorite Gelaterie
7 Food Markets In Venice Worth Your Time
Where To Get Coffee In Venice
Where To Eat Breakfast In Venice – A Local’s Favorite Breakfast Nooks
10 Amazing Bakeries In Venice – Where to Get Your Pastry On
Best Spots In Venice For Aperitivo – My Top Bars & Squares for Pre-Dinner Drinks
Dinner On The Water In Venice – My Top 7 Restaurants
Best Pizza In Venice – My ‘Don’t Miss’ List
My Favorite After Dinner Drink Spots In Venice
Shopping at the Rialto Market in Venice – Tips + Printable
5 Street Foods To Try In Venice & Where Eat Them
Best Places To Get Takeout In Venice – My Top Picks
Where To Eat Before Catching Your Train At The Venice Santa Lucia Train Station
My Favorite Food Chains To Try In Venice
Eating Gluten-Free In Venice – Restaurants, Cicchetti & Gelato
Gluten-Free Cicchetti In Venice – What To Order (& Avoid) and How to Order
Eating Vegetarian In Venice – My Top Five Vegetarian Friendly Restaurants + Tips
Eating Vegan In Venice, Italy – My Top Five Vegan Friendly Restaurants
Eating in Venice While Pregnant
8+ Kid Friendly Restaurants In Venice
Best Squares To Eat And Drink With Kids In Venice
24 Hour Food Guide For Venice – A Self Guided Tour For Foodies in Venice
Eating Around Venice in 48 hours – 2 Day Venice Itinerary For Foodies
10 Best Food Souvenirs From Venice, Italy + Where I Buy Them
