Are you planning a visit to Venice and wondering what delicious dishes this fantastic city in the north of Italy has to offer? As always, I have all the answers to all of your travel-related questions.
Here you will find a complete list of all local Venetia dishes so you won't wonder anymore "what to eat in Venice?". You will get there already knowing what to look for to make sure to try all the delicacies Venice has to offer.
Venetian food is fantastic!!! Really!
Like every part of Italy, you cannot go to Venice and don't eat the local cuisine.
There are many cheap places where to have a light bite or lunch. To know more about it, read "The Most Complete Guide of Where to Have a light Lunch or an Aperitif in Venice", where you will find only local dishes paired with local wines at a very low price.
There are many local restaurants where to have a more relaxed lunch or dinner, read "5 Best Local Restaurants in Venice" to know more about them. You will find all the local dishes in these places to learn more about this beautiful city through its food.
If you are looking for something more stylish and with a stunning city view, read "5 Best Alfresco Restaurants with Amazing Views in Venice".
Obviously, prices are higher in these places, but the service and the view are worth every penny.
Be prepared to eat a lot in Venice, where everything is too good to don't be tasted.
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Read 15 Delicious Food and Drinks to Try in Venice Below
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1. The Cicchetti:
Those in the picture are the famous cicchetti ("tartine") for the Aperitif or lunch. You can find Cicchetti in many Bar and "Trattorie" or "Cicchetterie".
They are made of a slice of bread with every possible delicious typical food from Venice.
My advice is to eat them for lunch and try as many as possible because they are delicious and very particular.
Ask for one "Ombra" (the way the Venetians call the glass of wine). It can be white or red, it all depends on what are you eating.
Do you want to see everything Venice has to offer and save money at the same time?
Check here all the activities and tours available. You won't regret it!
2. Sardoni marinati or in savor:
These are two typical ways to cook sardine in Venice and in my hometown Trieste. The marinated one is with lemon juice and spices.
The "savour" one is with a sauce made with a stew of onions, vinegar and whine. Some people like to add pinenuts and sultanas to the recipe.
Plan Your Vacation in Venice in the Best Way
Check out all my articles in the "Most Complete Guide of Venice" and get all the information you need to make your next travel a success.
3. Baccala mantecato:
It means creamed cod, and it is a creamy emulsion typical of Venetian cuisine, prepared with salt cod and oil.
This dish is traditionally served on the Bacari, as part of the Cicchetti and also as a starter in Venetian restaurants.
It can be spread on bread or on top of a slice of polenta (a dish of boiled cornmeal that was historically made from other grains. It may be served as a hot porridge, or it may be allowed to cool and solidify into a loaf that can be baked, fried, or grilled).
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4. Bigoli in salsa:
This is a Venetian pasta dish made with whole-wheat bigoli pasta, onion and salt-cured fish.
While today usually anchovy is used, in earlier days, it was often prepared with sardines.
It is considered one of the signature dishes of Venice.
Do you want to see everything Venice has to offer and save money at the same time?
Check here all the activities and tours available. You won't regret it!
5. Pasta e Fagioli:
This is an excellent dish for the winter because it is very nutritious and warms you. It is a very thick pasta and beans soup. Usually vegan, but many love to add bacon or ham during cooking.
Very Important Question: Do you like Wine?
If the answer is Yes! Check out the wine tasting available in Venice here.
6. Risotto al Nero di Seppia:
It is simply a risotto made with cuttlefish and their ink. You can also find this dish made with lasagnette (a type of tagliatelle).
It is one of my favourites so give it a try, I know that this black colour might make you feel unsure about it, but trust me, the taste is wonderful.
Plan Your Vacation in Venice in the Best Way
Check out all my articles in the "Most Complete Guide of Venice" and get all the information you need to make your next travel a success.
7. Polenta e Schie:
"Schie" are small shrimps of grey colour and are slightly different from the classic shrimp. They are always crustaceans but with a unique taste, whose pulp is rich in flavour and can be found only and exclusively in the lagoon area between Venice and Trieste.
They are usually fried and accompanied by a soft portion of white polenta.
Very Important Question: Do you like Wine?
If the answer is Yes! Check out the wine tasting available in Venice here.
8. Spaghetti con le Vongole:
One of my favorite food in Venice. Spaghetti with clams.
The lagoon is full of clams, so you cannot leave Venice without trying them. You can have them with spaghetti or with a mix of different fish and shells like mussels. Don't forget to have them with a good glass of white wine from Veneto.
Tip: you can have spaghetti con le vongole with fresh tomatoes and, if you like, with a bit of chilly. I love it that way! Just ask your waiter and Buon Appetito!
9. Fegato alla Veneziana:
Venetian liver is a typical dish of Venice, prepared with pork or veal liver (the veal one is better in my opinion) cooked in a pan with onions and white wine. It is generally accompanied by white corn polenta.
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10. Le Frittole:
They are a typical sweet that is served on the occasion of Carnival.
Fritole or frittole is a soft dough of flour, eggs and milk to which raisins are added to give further flavour (my mom leaves the raisins inside a liquor for months before using them, it provides such a twist).
They are then deep-fried, and once drained, they are covered with icing sugar.
You can also find them filled with chocolate, vanilla, and pistachio cream.
Tip: If you visit Venice around the Carnival period, you can find Frittole in every bakery and bar. They can be a perfect breakfast with a good Italian cappuccino. (but be aware they are pretty heavy for your stomach, so don't exaggerate).
11. Buranei o Bussolai Cookies:
They are also called bussolà or buranelli because they were created on the famous island of Burano. These traditional biscuits have the shape of a ring or an "S" that can have different sizes. They last a long time and are very substantial. They are prepared with a dough rich in yolks, sugar, butter and flour.
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12. Zaletti o Zaetti:
The bizarre name of these biscuits is due to their yellow colour given by the corn flour used in the dough, which offers, in addition to the particular colour, also a grainy and very friable consistency.
They are biscuits prepared with raisins and are typical of the Venetian culinary tradition.
I learnt how to make them at Chef school, and they are delicious.
You cannot miss trying them while in Venice. You can find the original recipe with raisins and also find them with chocolate.
Do you want to see everything Venice has to offer and save money at the same time?
Check here all the activities and tours available. You won't regret it!
13. Prosecco:
Prosecco is an Italian DOC or DOCG white wine produced in a large area of nine provinces in the Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia regions and named after the village of Prosecco.
It is the perfect drink to start dinner or have an aperitif.
14. Spritz Aperol:
One of the most popular drinks in Veneto is served in a glass full of ice.
The drink combines three parts Prosecco followed by two parts Aperol, topped with a dash of soda water and garnished with a slice of orange. It is commonly served as an aperitif in all the Northeast Italy.
I used to drink it as aperitivo since I started to "do aperitivo" with my friends, and it is my favourite.
Now I can also find it in London (where I live) the only difference is that in Italy one Spritz Aperol costs around 3.50/4.00 euros (it depends on which bar and which city), while in London around 8 £.
15. Ombra:
This is what Venetians call a glass of wine that can be white or red.
In Venice, you will find all the best Italian wine, so if not sure which order, ask your waiter to help you choose the best one to have with your meal.
Tip: In case you are already wondering, the most famous wines to drink in Venice are Amarone della Valpolicella (red), Valpolicella (red), Bardolino (red), Garganega (white), Corvina (red) and Soave (white).
16. Sgroppino:
The Sgroppino is a Sorbetto made with vodka, double cream, sparkling prosecco and lemon sorbet. It has been invented in Venice, so you will probably find it in most restaurants. It is the best way to end your meal.
17. Bellini:
This is one of the most refreshing drinks you will find in Venice. It is made with marinated fresh peaches in wine, peaches liquor, lemon juice and prosecco. Bellini is the most famous drink in Venice.
Created by Giuseppe Cipriani at the famous Harry's Bar in Venice in 1945, a trip to Venice cannot be complete without tasting this fantastic and refreshing cocktail.
18. Rossini:
This is one of my favourite drinks during summertime in Italy. It is another version of the famous Bellini. The Rossini is made with strawberries instead of white peaches. You can find it in most bars and restaurants in Venice and all around Italy.
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