Last updated on January 16th, 2025
One of the top things you should be doing in Venice is eating and drinking. Perhaps in no other city in Italy is it socially acceptable to eat and drink throughout the entire day – from your morning coffee to pre-dinner cicchetti to your after dinner digestivo – and everything in between.
Most travelers come to Venice for its unique structure – it’s a gorgeous city built on water and connected by footbridges and canals. But what you should really be thinking about is the food and drink in Venice!
If you are planning your trip to Venice, take some time to learn all about Venice’s most important foods and drinks to try on your trip, being sure to carve out enough time in your busy schedule to stop in at wine bars or bacari for small snacks and glasses of wine between touring.
In this guide, I will go over the must try foods and drinks in Venice including my personal recommendations on where to eat them and how to pronounce each food.
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But First – What Is Venetian Cuisine?
Venetian cuisine has a long history rooted in its complex relationships with foreign nations as an important port city. Venice has always been a central hub for cultural exchange and business between Italy and the rest of the world, which is directly reflected in its unique culinary traditions and foods like sarde in saor.
Not unlike other port cities, Venetians had access to foreign spices and flavors such as ginger, cloves and saffron, all of which were important elements in creating some of the most iconic dishes and foods of Venice that we know and love today.
Venetian cuisine is also defined by its unmistakable location on the Adriatic Sea bringing a bountiful catch of fish, seafood and marine delicacies. Food in Venice is also defined and bound to the local season’s harvest such as asparagus in the spring, artichokes in the winter and an abundance of radicchio.
Meal structure in Venice is not unlike a typical Italian meal starting with an appetizer and finishing with a dessert with a first and second course sandwiched in the middle. It seems like a lot but unless it’s a holiday or large celebrations, Venetians today tend to eat either a first or a second course but not both in one sitting.
Worth noting is also the ever present 24 hours a day drinking culture in Venice. Because Venice is so cold and damp (with only a couple of blazing hot weeks in the summer), the only way to warm yourself to the bone is with an ombra or small glass of wine.
This led to the cicchetti culture, a small sip of wine with a small nibble, more similar to a grazing culture, which defies all aspects of typical Italian food traditions and meal structure.
This grazing culture gave rise to some of the most beloved and tasty street food in all of Venice, which can be enjoyed from sunup to sundown.
So if you are traveling to Venice, keep in mind you should be doing a lot of drinking and a lot of snacking without any feelings of judgment or guilt. Anzi, rather, you will fit right in!
Spritz
(Pronounced spreetz in Italian)
The spritz, also called the Spritz Veneziano in Venice is a prosecco based cocktail made with Aperol, a popular digestive bitter, and a splash of soda water. In Venice, the traditional recipe calls for Select instead of Aperol.
Try It: To learn more about what spritz are, spritz culture in Italy and how to make one at home read Italian Spritz – The Easy 1-2-3 Recipe For Aperol Spritz. Or try a non-alcoholic version, like the Aperol Spritz mocktail or Crodino spritz.
Tip: Bottles of Campari or Aperol (spritz ingredients) make great food souvenirs to bring home from the Veneto!
Where To Drink It: Al Mercà (Rialto Market area)
Bellini
(Pronounced behl-lee-nee in Italian)
A bellini is an Italian cocktail made with 2 parts prosecco and 1 part white peach purée or more commonly, regular peaches.
The cocktail originated in Venice at Giuseppe Cipriani’s restaurant, Harry’s Bar in the 1930’s.
Where To Drink It: Restaurant Terrazza Danieli (one of the best places to eat on the water in Venice) or Harry’s Bar
Ombra
An ombra in Venice refers to a small glass of wine enjoyed with cicchetti. This can be any kind of wine.
Where To Drink It: Drink a ombra at any bacaro or cicchetti bar such as Cantina Do Spade or Osteria Al Portego
Prosecco
(Pronunced proh-sehk-koh in Italian)
Prosecco is essentially Italy’s version of Champagne and lucky for Venetians, prosecco country is just outside the city, making great prosecco accessible and affordable.
Order prosecco as an aperitivo in Venice.
Where To Drink It: Osteria Bancogiro or Terrazza Danieli
Cicchetti
(Pronounced cheek-keht-tee in Italian)
Sometimes seen written as cichetti or cicheti in the local Venetian dialect, cicchetti are small snacks or bites that are typically served in bacari in Venice along with a small glass of wine or a small spritz.
Gluten-Free Travelers: It’s not hard to eat gluten-free cicchetti in Venice with my hand guide to Gluten-Free Cicchetti in Venice.
Common examples include crostini with fish salads, cod fish spread, a slice of smoked salmon and cheese, whipped cheeses with local ingredients like radicchio, slices of polenta topped similarly, seafood skewers, raw seafood bites and savory baby quiches.
Where To Eat Them: Bacarando Corte dell’Orso
Tramezzino
(Pronounced trah-mehz-zee-noh in Italian)
A tramezzino is one of the most authentic grab-and-go lunches in Venice. It’s a crustless sandwich made from white bread stuffed with various creamy fillings such as tuna salad, egg salad, fish salad, ham and cheese, mozzarella and tomato or arugula and shrimp.
The defining ingredient in all of these varieties? A TON of mayonnaise!
Where To Eat It: Rosticceria Gilson, one of my top picks for eating with kids in Venice.
Polenta E Schie
(Pronounced poh-lehn-tah eh shee-eh in Italian)
Originally a dish created by fishermen to feed hungry mouths with very little, polenta e schie has come a long way and is now a very chic dish made from small seasonal shrimp fished in the Venetian lagoon and served on a creamy bed of polenta.
Where To Eat It: Trattoria al Gatto Nero (only available seasonally)
Carpaccio
(Pronounced kahr-pahch-choh in Italian.)
Paper-thin slices of raw fish or, more famously, beef, are plated with a drizzle of olive oil, a shaving of cheese with beef and a squeeze of lemon.
Carpaccio is said to have been first invented in 1950 by the Venetian Giuseppe Cipriani, the owner of Harry’s Bar, one of Venice’s most famous restaurants.
Story goes that the dish was named after one of Cipriani’s favorite artists, Vittore Carpaccio, whose bold colors resembled the color of the bright red raw meat.
Where To Eat It: Al Covo (for fish carpaccio)
Scartosso De Pesse Fritto
(Pronounced scahr-tohs-soh deh pehs-seh freet-toh in Italian)
Scartosso de pesse fritto is a favorite street food in Venice made from a variety of local fried fish served in a large, paper cone and eaten standing on the side of a canal.
Where To Eat It: Fried land. For a comprehensive guide on where to eat fried fish and Venice and other street food read Where to Try Street Food in Venice.
Moeche Fritte
(Pronounce moh-eh-keh freet-teh in Italian)
Moeche fritte are one of the most famous and beloved foods in Venice because they only are ‘in season’ for a couple weeks in the spring and fall.
These small soft shell crabs are battered and deep fried, served piping hot. They are not only one of the most interesting and unique foods in Venice but also the most expensive!
Where To Eat It: Trattoria Al Gatto Nero
Mozzarella In Carrozza
(Pronounced mohtz-zah-rehl-lah een cahr-rohtz-tzah
Mozzarella in carrozza, although originally from Campania, is now a popular snack or quick lunch made by deep frying a white bread mozzarella sandwich, oftentimes with a couple anchovy slices.
Where To Eat It: Rosticceria Gilson
Baccalà Mantecato
(Pronounced bahk-kah-lah mahn-teh-cah-toh in Italian)
A creamy whipped puree of salt cod is served on small rounds of toasted bread or crispy pieces of polenta. This is one of the most famous foods in Venice to try either as a cicchetti or as an appetizer. The best baccalà mantecato I had was at Osteria Bancogiro on a square of polenta flavored with nero di seppia (cuttlefish ink).
Where To Eat It: Osteria Bancogiro
Scampi in Busara
(Pronounce scahm-pee een boo-sah-rah in Italian)
Scampi in Busara is a first course made from spaghetti dressed in a tomato sauce and served with fresh scampi.
Busara is the type of pot that was originally used to cook the spaghetti in on fishing boats. Nowadays, fishermen don’t really do these but there are many cooking lessons and food tours to take part in that may show how to use them.
Where To Eat It: Cà D’Oro alla Vedova
Risi E Bisi
(Pronounced ree-see eh bee-see in Italian)
Risi e bisi is a very soft and creamy risotto, similar to a soup made with fresh peas in the spring. Although you can find this year-round in Venice, DO NOT order it unless fresh peas are in season. Serving this out of season is the surest sign of a tourist trap.
Tip: If you are a vegan, vegetarian or gluten-free, rice is usually a good place to start. Confirm with your waiter that it suits your diet first!
Where To Eat It: SEPA (check weekly menu posted on their “risotto board” listing all the weekly risotto specials)
More Veg Please: Check out my list of Vegetarian Dishes to Try in Italy.
Sarde In Saor
(Pronounced sahrd een sah-ohr)
Saor means “flavor” in the local Venetian dialect, referring to the unique method of preparing foods with white onions, pine nuts , raisins, vinegar, and white wine, which can be used to amp up flavor profiles of various foods.
In this case, we are talking about local sardines but this flavor combination can be used on any other fish or vegan or vegetarian option such as eggplant in saor or shrimp in saor.
Where To Eat It: Trattoria alla Madddalena
Bigoli In Salsa
(Pronounced bee-goh-lee in sahl-sah in Italian)
Bigoli in salsa is one of the most famous first courses that you can try in Venice made from the regional spaghetti like pasta made from buckwheat flour dressed in a rich sauce made from anchovies and lots of white onion.
Where To Eat It: Cantina Do Spade
Fegato Alla Veneziana
(Pronounced feh-gah-toh ahl-lah vehn-eh-zee-ah-nah in Italian)
Fegato alla Veneziana is the most iconic second course food in Venice made from thinly sliced calf liver sauteed with lots of caramelized onions, vinegar, white wine or lemon juice, perfectly balancing the hearty, earthy liver with the sweet onion.
Usually it comes with some kind of polenta, grilled or served creamy as a mashed potato.
I have been to Venice countless times and I am sorry to say I am still not brave enough to try fegato alla Veneziana!
Where To Eat It: Vini Da Gigio
Spaghetti Al Nero Di Seppia
(Pronounced spah-geht-tee ahl neh-roh dee sehp-pee-eh in Italian)
Spaghetti al nero di seppia is one of the most iconic dishes you can eat while in Venice, made from a rich cuttlefish ink sauce, turning the spaghetti black!
Gluten-Free Travelers: For gluten-free folks, ask for risotto al nero di seppia, which is also very good and typically gluten-free.
Be forewarned, however, that the black ink does stain your clothes so be careful when you dig in!
Where To Eat It: Ai Promessi Sposi
Carciofo Violetto di Sant’Erasmo
(Pronounced car-choh-foh vee-oh-leht-toh dee sant-ehr-az-moh in Italian)
Carciofi violetto di Sant’Erasmo are a variety of artichokes that grow only on the island of St. Erasmus just off the Venice mainland. They are characterized by their dark purple color and rich flavor. Look for them in risotto, pasta, salads and fried as appetizers in the winter and early spring.
Where To Eat It: Vini Da Gigio
Buranelli
(Pronounced boo-rahn-ehl-lee in Italian)
Also known as bussolà or more recently nicknamed essi cookies, buranelli are small butter cookies most famously made on the small island of Burano, about an hour from the mainland in Venice.
They are typically shaped into the letter “S” or into an “O”. You will find them everywhere and make for a great food souvenir to bring back from Venice.
Where To Eat It: Palmisano Carmelina is the most famous bakery in Venice for these cookies and other traditional Venetian pastry such as bricole, fragolini, limoncini, zaeti veneti, dogi, caorline, sbreghette, cocchini, peverini, and moretti.
Focaccia Veneta
(Pronounced foh-kahch-chah veh-neh-tah in Italian)
Focaccia Veneta, sometimes called fugassa or fugassin in the local dialect, is a sweet bread similar to brioche traditionally made for the Easter holidays in Veneto (usually in April) and is particularly popular in Venice!
Where To Eat it: Colussi Il Fornaio
Frìttelle
(Pronounced free-toh-leh in Italian)
Frìttelle, also known as fritolè, is one of Venice’s most famous foods to try in Venice if you happen to be in the magical city during the Carnival celebration.
Small balls of dough flavored with things like orange peel, lemon or candied fruit are deep fried and might be filled with ricotta, pastry cream, chocolate cream or hazelnut cream.
You will notice them in every bakery in Venice in the New Year but be sure to check out the best bakeries in Venice to get the best ones in town.
Where To Eat It: Tonolo or Rosa Salva, famous for coffee in Venice as well.
Gelato
(Pronounced geh-lah-toh in Italian)
While gelato might not be a food specific to Venice, it’s still one of the best desserts or snacks that you can have along the canals. Venice is known for cooking within the seasons and the gelato flavors on display are no different. Look for strawberry in the spring, peach in the summer and pear in the winter.
Where To Eat It: Gelateria di Natura or Suso are my two favorite gelaterias in Venice. For a comprehensive list of my other favorites read Where to Find the Best Gelato in Venice.
Food Itineraries in Venice
As a traveler in Venice, you could really plan a whole trip around eating and drinking in Venice, sampling some of the lagoons most famous and beloved dishes.
After traveling to Venice for years and being in Italy for almost 15, I have created a 24 Hour Food Guide for Venice, providing you with the absolute best foodie itinerary in the floating city.
For travelers with a bit more time, consider my Two Day Venice Itinerary For Foodies with even more suggestions for trying the best food and drink in Venice.
Alternatively, you might consider looking into a food tour in Venice, guided by a local. Check out the following for a full immersion foodie experience in Venice, Italy.
| Venice Food Tour Name | Departs From | Length | Food Tour Focus |
| Venice: Street Food Tour with a Local Guide and Tastings | Campo San Bartolomio | 2.5 hours | Tasting tour of some of the city’s eateries while visiting historical monuments along the way including samples of cicchetti, cookies and bread with a visit to the Rialto Market and various bacari. |
| Rialto Market Food and Wine Lunchtime Tour of Venice | Church of San Giacomo di Rialto, Campo San Giacomo, 1 | 4 hours | Visit Venice’s most iconic sites and tourist attractions sandwiched between traditional Venetian food, wine on a 4-hour walking tour with tastings (6 food stops) |
| Venice: Food Tasting Tour with Cicchetti Dishes and Wine | Depends on if you are booking a private tour or small group tour | 2.5 hours | Discover Venice’s renowned culinary culture on a guided walking tour of local neighborhoods and wine bars including 7 different cicchetti, 1 dessert, 5 glasses of wine and a traditional Venetian spritz |
| Venice: Rialto Market Tour, Hands-On Cooking Class & Lunch | Al Mercà wine shop, at the Rialto Market (morning tour) or Isola della Giudecca 158 (afternoon tour) | 4 hours | Rialto Market tour in AM tour with a local chef to select local ingredients to learn to cook an authentic meal. Learn to make a fresh first course and a dessert all the while sampling some of the best wine on the Lagoon. |
| Venice: Jewish Ghetto and Cannaregio Food and Wine Tour | Gam Gam Kosher Restaurant: Cannaregio, 1122 | 4 hours | Take a walking tour of Venice’s undiscovered Cannaregio district, the Jewish Ghetto, including stops at the most famous churches, bridges, and other famous landmarks. Tour includes 6 different stops at traditional Venetian eateries to sample the best food and wine in Venice. |
Venice bound? Get prepared with all of my Venice recommendations:
Must-Try Foods And Drinks In Venice
What Are Cicchetti? + Where To Eat Them
What Is A Bacaro? + My Bacaro Tour Itinerary
My Favorite Cicchetti In Venice
Best Restaurants in Venice + Nearest Cicchetti Stops
Best Gelato In Venice
Best Dairy-Free Gelato in Venice
7 Food Markets In Venice Worth Your Time
Where To Get Coffee In Venice
Where To Eat Breakfast In Venice
10 Amazing Bakeries In Venice
Best Spots In Venice For Aperitivo
Dinner On The Water In Venice – My Top Restaurants
Best Pizza In Venice
My Favorite After-Dinner Drink Spots In Venice
Shopping at the Rialto Market in Venice – Tips + Printable
Street Foods To Try In Venice
Best Places To Get Takeout In Venice
Where To Eat Before Catching Your Train in Venice
My Favorite Food Chains In Venice
Eating Gluten-Free In Venice – Restaurants, Cicchetti & Gelato
Gluten-Free Cicchetti In Venice
Eating Vegetarian In Venice
Eating Vegan In Venice
Eating in Venice While Pregnant
Kid-Friendly Restaurants In Venice
Best Squares To Eat And Drink With Kids In Venice
1-Day Venice Itinerary for Foodies
2-Day Venice Itinerary For Foodies
Best Food Souvenirs From Venice + Where I Buy Them
Venice Carnival Foods to Try
