Ah, Veneto! For those of you who love Italy then you probably hold a special place in your heart for this northern Italian region.
Veneto has some of the best and most rich drinking and aperitivo culture in all of Italy. It is, after all, where the famous Spritz was born! And to go alongside, you can be sure there is plenty of famous food to enjoy.
Veneto is a region in Italy I look forward to visiting every year whether I am in Venice, Padua, Vicenza or Verona.
Let’s look at my favorite food souvenirs and gifts to bring back from Veneto. I’ve also noted some favorite places to buy some of them.
All of these items are food souvenirs and gifts I have purchased before and continue to buy time and again as gifts for friends and family every time I return from a trip to the region.
Even if you are not a verified foodie, I guarantee there is something for you on this list for you!
Learn More: To read about what you should be eating here, check out Traditional Food of Veneto and Must-Try Foods And Drinks In Venice.
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Where To Buy Food Souvenirs In Veneto
Shopping for food souvenirs and gifts in Veneto is quite easy. You will come across small mom and pop food shops without even trying as they are located on every other street corner.
For the absolute best quality, check out the following specialized shops listed below but never underestimate the power of a well stocked grocery store either:
- Enoteca – wine shop
- Torrefazione – sweets/coffee store
- Mercato – open air markets
- Pizzicheria – deli
- Caseificio or negozio di formaggio – where cheese is produced but often sold as well/cheese shop
- Alimentari – small mom and pop grocers
15 Food Souvenirs From Veneto
No matter where you are in Veneto, it’s easy to find the following food souvenirs. Some, which I will indicate, are from Venice, in which case you should try and get them there.
Venice Travelers: Be sure to read
Food Markets In Venice Worth Your Time
Best Food Souvenirs From Venice
Best Spots In Venice For Aperitivo
Campari
Campari is a darker and more bitter version of Aperol used to make similar drinks such as the Campari Spritz or Negroni. I prefer it to Aperol as it’s not as sweet and can be used to make many different kinds of alcoholic drinks.
Non-Alcoholic Alternatives: For those who don’t drink alcohol, consider Crodino, a non-alcoholic Italian beverage which can be used to make many Italian mocktails such as the Crodino Spritz.
Select
Select is another type of Italian bitter used to make cocktails from Veneto. It’s what the Venetians ask for when they order a Spritz. I recently did a side by side in Venice and although it looks like Campari, it’s not quite as bitter yet not as sweet as Aperol.
Between Campari, Aperol and Select, I always opt for Select because I never find it abroad (and even hard to find in other regions in Italy).
Cheese
Regional cheese is one of the best food souvenirs and gifts you can bring back from Italy in general. Each region prizes itself on their locally made cheese and Veneto is no different. These are my two favorites:
- Morlacco – a cow’s milk cheese with a fresh and delicate flavor. It’s aged anywhere from 20 days up to three months but no matter the age, this cheese pairs well with
- Asiago – a DOP semi-hard cow’s milk cheese is sold in several ways, either fresh known as pressato or aged. Pick up the aged variety and avoid the fresh as it snot permitted into many countries. Asiago melts super well, making it ideal for cooking.
Bigoli Pasta
Where To Buy It: Giacomo Rizzo in Venice
Bigoli is similar to spaghetti but thicker and with a rough surface. Originally made with buckwheat flour, today it’s most commonly made with whole wheat flour, butter, water, and eggs. While visiting Veneto, be sure to try it freshly made but to bring home, you must pick out a dried variety.
Cooking Guide: And be sure you are cooking pasta correctly, meaning al dente!
Aperol
Aperol was first invented in Padua and has become Italy’s most famous digestivo. Made from bitter and sweet oranges, rhubarb and various herbs this amaro is fruity with floral notes. Today, it’s used to make the famous Aperol Spritz and many other Italian cocktails.
Nero Di Seppia
Nero di seppia is extracted squid ink sold in small packets that can be kept in the fridge for several months to make regional specialties such as risotto al nero di seppia and spaghetti al nero di seppia.
Risotto Rice
Risotto rice is a specific kind of rice grown in Veneto. Sometimes Arborio is used but other times it’s Carnaroli rice, a robust, short grain rice with a higher starch content. Even more prized is the Vialone Nano Veronese Rice, a PGI protected medium-sized grain rice.
Fagioli di Lamon
Where To Buy Them: At markets in Italy
Fagioli di Lamon are an IGP protected borlotto bean cultivated outside of Venice. It grows in four varieties: Spanish (most common), Calonega, Canalino and Spagnolit. Buy them dried in bags and use them in various bean dishes or in soups.
Buranelli
Where To Buy Them: At the best bakeries in Venice or even breakfast spots sell them.
Buranelli cookies (sometimes called bussolai or essi) are little butter cookies originally from the small island in the Venetian Lagoon, Burano. They are either shaped into the letter “S” or in a circle and have a very long shelf life, making them an excellent food souvenir from Veneto.
Focaccia Veneta
Focaccia Veneta (sometimes sold as fugassa or fugassin in the local dialect) is a sweet brioche-like bread traditionally made for the Easter holidays (usually in April) in Veneto. You are most likely to see it in bakeries in the Spring but I have also seen it around Christmas as well.
Lady Fingers
We don’t exactly know for sure where tiramisù comes from but many believe it originated in Veneto. Pick up some Italian lady fingers and make this traditional Italian dessert at home with mascarpone cream. The quality is so much better than the ones you get abroad.
Make It: Tiramisù is easy to make with step-by-step instructions in my Authentic Italian Tiramisù Recipe.
Pandoro
Where To Buy It: Pasticceria Perbellini (Bovolone) and Pasticceria Biasetto (Padova)
Pandoro means “bread of gold” referring to its golden color from all the egg yolks used to make this rich vanilla flavored brioche-like dough. Pandoro is a classic Christmas food so look for it in December in Veneto.
Learn More: Learn all about how it differs from panettone in Pandoro Vs Panettone and make sure you are cutting it correctly!
Cicchetti Fixings
Where To Buy It: You will find small jars of pate, spreads and sauces in almost any small specialty store but SEPA in Venice is my favorite.
Although you can’t bring already made cicchetti home with you, you can pick up jars of pre-prepared condiments and spreads to re-create your cicchetti experience upon your return home.
Recreating an evening of Venetian food and wine is easy and fun if you love entertaining. Making a wide selection of cicchetti isn’t hard but why not make things easier with the help of these preserved goods?
Prosecco
Where To Buy It: Millevini in Venice for tasting and buying wines
Veneto is prosecco country and it’s one of my most recommended experiences while touring Veneto should you be a real Italian foodie!
Below are some of the most famous Italian prosecchi to choose from:
- Asolo Prosecco – DOCG Prosecco from Treviso made from the Glera grape.
- Prosecco rosé: made from the Glera and Pinot Noir grapes
- Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco: a DOCG Prosecco made primarily from Glera grapes complimented with other varieties such as Bianchetta Trevigiana, Perera, and/or Verdiso.
Artisan Chocolate
Where To Buy It: VizioVirtù for Venetian specialties or Venchi for Italian chocolates (locate throughout all of Veneto)
Northern Italy makes excellent artisan chocolate. Paired with a bottle of prosecco or some regional cookies, this makes an excellent gift for a loved one from Veneto.
Gifts and Souvenirs: Be sure to check out all of my gift guides and souvenir guides!
Curious to learn what else you should bring back from other cities and regions in Italy?
Find the best souvenirs and gifts from Amalfi Coast – Cinque Terre – Emilia-Romagna – Florence – Milan – Naples – Piedmont – Puglia – Rome – Sardinia – Sicily – Tuscany – Umbria – Veneto – Venice.
