Among the biggest misconceptions in the culinary world is that pizza and pasta, in general, define Italian cuisine. While they have undoubtedly taken the world’s fancy, food in Italy differs in ingredients, cooking style, and preparation from region to region. Thus, when wondering what to eat in Venice, food lovers ought to skip the usual fare and savor the local recipes. Featuring an array of seafood, bite-sized snacks, vegetarian mains, and sweet delights, these must-have dishes in Venice celebrate textures and flavors in every bite.
Cicchetti
Due to its touristic individuality, Venice can be an expensive destination. Therefore, those looking to save money while on vacation should indulge in local pocket-friendly culinary treats.
Cicchetti is unquestionably the most popular snack when wondering what to eat in Venice for less. These tapas-like bites include a range of dishes, from olives and fried meatballs to half-boiled eggs and crostini – open-faced sandwiches.
Cicchetti is classic finger food you can have any time of the day. They can be baked, pickled, or fried and pair well with wine and other beverages. The name comes from the Latin word “ciccus,” meaning “little.” Moreover, bars that specialize in serving cicchetti are known as Bacaro.
Risi e Bisi
The pleasingly rhyming risi e bisi is precisely what its name suggests, rice and peas. Still, the authentic version of this must-have vegetarian dish in Venice is not as humble as it sounds.
For starters, the best time to eat risi e bisi is when the peas are fresh from harvest. Thus, you will find it on menus, particularly at the start of Spring and Winter. Then, the texture of the dish is unique. It’s thinner than a risotto but not soupy, either.
The stock for cooking risi e bisi can be meat or vegetable-based. If going with the non-vegetarian variety, you might find pieces of pancetta as a typical garnish.
It’s possible to trace back the origins of risi e bisi to the 15th century. At the time, it started as a royal recipe that is, to this day, specially prepared on St. Mark’s Day.
Granseola alla Veneziana
One of the things not to do in Venice is miss out on its regional cuisine. And the Venetian-style spider crab is the quintessential dish for seafood lovers. The regional recipe first includes boiling the crab. The tender meat is then removed and seasoned with salt, olive oil, lemon juice, pepper, and parsley.
Pretty straightforward to cook, a granseola can replace a salad at the start of a meal. Its primary uniqueness, though, lies in its presentation. Served in an upside-down hollowed-out crab shell, granseola is quite a sight when it first arrives on the table.
Baccalà Mantecato
Seafood and locally found fish are an integral part of Venetian cuisine. You’ll find them as part of both appetizers and mains. Baccalà mantecato is a creamy paste made by blending stockfish, typically dried cod, with milk, olive oil, pepper, garlic, lemon juice, and salt.
When wondering what to eat in Venice for a quick snack with a refreshing drink, baccalà mantecato is ideal. It’s standard on most menus and, when served with toast or polenta, can be quite filling.
Sarde in Saor
As far as authentic Venetian dishes go, sarde in saor is unbelievably unpretentious and thus an idyllic comfort food. At its heart, the recipe includes deep-frying sardines and then marinating them for 24-48 hours with caramelized onions and balsamic vinegar.
The trick to making excellent sarde in saor is using fresh sardines and white onions from Chioggia, which have a sweet aromatic taste. Furthermore, locals add pine nuts and raisins on top to lessen the fishy taste, giving the preparation some sweetness.
The serving suggestion for sarde in saor is to present it at room temperature. You can expect the sardines to have a nice crunch and a sweet and acidic flavor because of the onions.
Bigoli in Salsa
One doesn’t have to go completely pasta-free in Venice. The city has its exclusive pasta dishes with distinct flavor profiles.
Bigoli in salsa is a common sight on most traditional menus across restaurants in Venice. Bigoli, typically made using whole wheat flour, is a spaghetti-like pasta, only thicker. The salsa sauce is primarily onions and cured anchovies. Although, if you want to go truly original, find a taverna that serves it with sardines, as prepared in the past.
Bigoli in salsa has a fishy and oniony taste. It will require that you pop in an after-mint upon finishing your meal. Nevertheless, it pairs exceptionally well with a glass of the house red.
Scampi alla Busara
Scampi alla busara is a signature fisherman’s dish that is simple to cook and promises a robust and somewhat spicy taste. In its most basic element, the preparation of this seafood favorite comprises spaghetti and scampi.
Locals then add tomato sauce to the mix and season it with red pepper, chilies, and fresh herbs to give the recipe more complexity. The secret to a finger-licking scampi alla busara is cooking the crustacean with sauce and olive oil so that the flavors merge beautifully.
It’s one must-have dish in Venice that residents have loved for centuries. In the early days, fresh scampi would come from nearby Croatia. At the same time, busara is a clay pot used by fishermen to cook on boats.
Lasagnette al Nero di Seppia
It’s easy to confuse lasagnette al nero di seppia for a typical lasagne dish going by its name. In reality, what comes on the table is a long, thin, flat pasta that resembles tagliatelle. However, even the non-touristy restaurants in Venice often make this popular Venetian dish with spaghetti.
What eventually makes lasagnette al nero di sepia special is the use of squid or cuttlefish ink. The black sauce not only gives the dish a dramatic look but also intense umami and salty sea taste.
Fegato alla Veneziana
Fegato alla Veneziana is a must-have dish in Venice for the adventurous eater. The local specialty consists of calf’s liver slices with onions and herbs cooked to perfection in wine, butter, and vinegar. A Roman version of this preparation also exists where figs replace the onions.
The calf’s liver has a strong and acquired taste. Nevertheless, the meal is usually well-balanced, thanks to a side of creamy polenta. If searching for the best calf’s liver with onions in Venice, most people agree that the legendary Harry’s Bar is the place to go.
Tiramisu
Tiramisu, surprisingly, is a relatively “new” dessert. The earliest mention of this delightful concoction dates back to the 1970s. It was at the restaurant Le Beccherie in Treviso, a town about 40 minutes from Venice, that tiramisu first enchanted diners.
Nowadays, if you enquire from any local about what to eat in Venice, tiramisu is one of the most common answers. The combination of a crunchy ladyfinger-shaped biscuit, coffee, creamy mascarpone cheese, and cocoa is an unmissable treat.
Buranelli
A wonderful day trip from Venice is a boat ride to the neighboring island of Burano. While famous for its lacework, the island dips its toes in the region’s gastronomical scene through its locally made butter biscuits.
Sweet, with a slight crunch, buranelli is an excellent accompaniment to a hot cup of Venetian coffee. The biscuits come in a characteristic S or O shape. They have long been a favorite of local fishers who love to take buranelli out in the sea for light snacking.
The city has a long-standing maritime heritage reflected in the local traditional food. However, you too can further experience it by planning a trip to Venice via boat.
Although the town has good connections from different ports along the Adriatic Sea, the voyage to Venice from Patras, Igoumenitsa, or Corfu is particularly scenic. Ferryscanner can help you book these ferry tickets through their easy-to-use online reservation platform.
Frittelle Veneziane
A sweet and fun-to-eat delicacy, frittelle also has its origins nearby the city. These fried dough balls made using milk, sugar, and eggs are available only around carnival time, making them one of the must-try dishes in Venice.
Locals typically prepare frittelle with or without a filling. For the latter, they mix pine nuts and raisins in the dough. As for the stuffed version, you can find frittelle with pastry cream, apples, oranges, and cream liquor. Finally, just before serving, Venetians sprinkle powdered sugar over the frittelle to give it an extra hint of sweetness.