Naples is known for pizza, Sicily is known for cannoli, and Rome is known for carbonara – but what is the famous food in Venice? Instead of being celebrated for one type of dish, this magical part of Italy boasts incredible cicchetti, which are served in dedicated cicchetti bars throughout the city.
Cicchetti is similar to tapas and comes in just as many different varieties. It’s worth knowing that Venetians hate it when you call it “Venetian tapas,” so avoid it when you’re ordering if you want good service!
Take a peek inside the best cicchetti bars in Venice and you’ll spot everything from crostini topped with shrimp and garlic butter to arancini balls stuffed with wild boar ragu and fried polpette meatballs stuffed with mozzarella cheese.
A bar that serves cicchetti in Venice is known as a bàcaro. This well-fitting name comes from “Bacco,” the god of wine, and the phrase “far bàcara,” which means to celebrate. So grab a glass of prosecco, make sure you’re hungry, and get ready to experience one of the most fun and delicious parts of Venetian culture!
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The 10 Best Cicchetti Bars in Venice
1. Al Timon
Al Timon is one of my favorite spots for food in Venice because the atmosphere is consistently lively and dynamic, created by the visitors, who are mostly young people and students. The seating is also really cool here. Instead of regular tables, Al Timon has gondola-style wooden boats docked out front where you can relax and enjoy the atmosphere.
The cicchetti made up of freshly toasted bread topped with Italian goat cheese and a mixed berry jam is amazing here. If you need something a little more filling, order one of the Florentine steaks. They’re big enough for two and come on a huge wooden chopping board surrounded by yummy extras.
2. Cantine del Vino già Schiavi
Not only is Cantine del Vino già Schiavi home to some of the best cicchetti in Venice, but it’s also where you’ll find some of the cheapest prices in the city. Here you can choose from a fantastic range of cicchetti for less than €1.50 each, as well as wine and prosecco for around €1 a cup. The food is served on polystyrene plates and the drinks come in plastic cups, but this bàcaro is still excellent value for money.
Don’t be fooled by the look of the place. When you step inside, you’ll be surrounded by floor-to-ceiling shelves packed with bottles, making it look like a wine shop. Make your way to the counter and you’ll see all the delicious cicchetti just waiting to be devoured.
3. Osteria Al Squero
Osteria Al Squero is the bàcaro that made me fall in love with cicchetti bars in Venice. It’s the first one I ever visited and it has a fantastic location opposite the gondola repair shop in San Trovaso.
I suggest you pop inside, order your food and drinks, then sit on the wall next to the canal and watch the craftsmen repair the wooden boats while you eat. It’s such a unique, relaxing place to be that you’ll never want to leave!
The cheese cicchetti are the best things to order here. Every few hours, Osteria Al Squero rotates their selection. If you ever spot the gorgonzola with strawberry jam or the ricotta with walnuts, you’ve absolutely got to try them! The prosecco here is also fantastic and great value for money.
4. Vino Vero
One of the more modern bàcari, Vino Vero is where you’ll find some of the most delicious and traditional food in Venice. The presentation of cicchetti here is absolutely stunning – so much so that you’ll definitely want to pull your phone out and take some pictures.
The cicchetti topped with fried calamari and lemon juice is my favorite – it’s so fresh and crunchy! The vegetarian cheese-stuffed zucchini flowers are also heavenly and even more photogenic.
As you’d expect from the name, this hidden hotspot also serves amazing wine. There’s a huge selection available by the glass and the staff will even recommend different types to pair with the food that you order.
5. Bacarando
Bacarando is a fantastic place to hang out because it’s like three individual places in one. There’s a bar where you can relax with an Aperol Spritz, a cicchetti counter where you can fill up on appetizers, and a separate dining room where you can enjoy a romantic meal. Whatever type of evening you’re planning, Bacarando is the perfect setting!
Here you’ll find some of the best vegetarian food in Venice. The vegetable polpette meatballs and garlic bread topped with truffle oil are superb. If you’re looking for something a little more protein-rich, there are plenty of meat and fish options, too. The deep-fried mozzarella with prosciutto is remarkable!
6. Basegò
Looking for modern, creative cicchetti in Venice? Then stop by Basegò. This ultra-chic bàcaro stands out from the others, thanks to its sleek, nature-inspired appearance.
Inside you’ll find a blonde wood counter, contemporary bare brick walls, and ivy-like plants hanging from the ceiling. You may think you’ve just walked into a coffee shop. But you’ve actually just stepped into the home of innovative cicchetti.
As well as the usual pieces of toasted bread topped with all kinds of yumminess, Basegò breaks out of the mold with small bowls of vegetable curry served with homemade bread and hand-size pieces of deep-fried fish topped with the smoothest aioli you’ll ever taste in your life. There’s also a great selection of wines available by the glass and cocktails displayed on a chalkboard.
7. Osteria Cà D’Oro Alla Vedova
When it comes to what to eat in Venice, you can’t pass up polpette, bite-sized Venetian meatballs that are often found in cicchetti bars. They’re made with beef or veal and have the most wonderful texture – beautifully crisp and crunchy on the outside while being light-as-air on the inside.
Although Osteria Cà D’ Oro Alla Vedova is more of a restaurant than a bàcari, it’s where you’ll find the best polpette in Venice. They appear on the appetizer menu and are served with a generous portion of creamy polenta and a wonderfully sweet and garlicky tomato sauce. They taste so good that I suggest ordering two and having the dish as an entrée!
8. Il Santo Bevitore
You wouldn’t expect to find the best cicchetti in Venice in a pub, but after you’ve tried the baccalà mantecato (crostini topped with a rich and creamy cod fish spread) from Il Santo Bevitore, you’ll be having second thoughts. This one-of-a-kind place serves a great selection of crostini and polpette meatballs, as well as some of the best craft beer you’ll find in the city.
At any one time, there are around 20 different beers on tap, including a handful of options made locally in Venice. The cicchetti change throughout the day, depending on what ingredients are available. But the speck and brie is usually available and tastes amazing – especially when paired with the truffle chips!
9. All’ Arco
If you’re looking for some must-try cicchetti in Venice and you’re visiting the Rialto Bridge, make plans to stop at All’ Arco. This fabulous bàcaro is just a short walk away from the popular attraction, but it’s hidden in a labyrinth of alleyways, so it rarely gets crowded.
Run by a friendly father and son duo, this cicchetti bar dishes up all kinds of gorgeous snacks made with locally-sourced ingredients bought from the Rialto Market each morning.
The wines at All’ Arco are local, too. You’ll find a fantastic selection from Venice and the Friuli region, all of which come with a very reasonable price tag and are available by the glass. The seafood crostini here are superb. I suggest ordering the sarde in saor (crispy sardines marinated in vinegar and cooked with onions, raisins, and pine nuts) whenever it’s available.
10. Cantina Do Mori
Ask a Venetian local where to go for traditional food in Venice, and they’ll almost certainly tell you to head straight for Cantina Do Mori. One of the longest-established bàcari in the city, this hidden gem dates all the way back to 1462 and is just as popular today as it was when it first opened its doors.
Cantina Do Mori specializes in a specific type of cicchetti known as francobollo. This is a tiny square sandwich made with super-soft bread stuffed with dried meat, shrimp, or crab.
It sounds really simple but it tastes divine. Don’t waste your time browsing the wine options – the house wine is superb. Grab yourself a glass, sit at the counter, and work your way through some of the best cicchetti in Venice until you can’t handle any more!
