Top 8 foods to try in Venice

Venice is a city like no other, with shimmering canals, hidden alleyways and a food culture shaped by the sea. From cicchetti – the Venetian take on tapas – to hearty regional classics, the city is brimming with dishes that celebrate its history and setting. Whether you’re hopping between cosy bars for small plates or sitting down to a fresh seafood feast, Venice serves up plenty to tempt every kind of traveller.

Explore more foodie travel inspiration and discover our top eats from around the world in our travel hub. Or bring a taste of Italy to your table with our collection of Italian recipes – from timeless pasta and pizza to sweet treats like tiramisu.

8 foods to try in Venice

1. Frittelle

A recent take on these little doughnuts includes Nutella, but the traditional Venetian version involves pine nuts, citrus peel and raisins or sultanas. Try them at Rosa Salva (a Venetian chain) – and have a napkin handy!

2. Veneziana

If you want one of these panettone-esque treats straight off the train, turn left out of Santa Lucia railway station, walk down Rio Terà Lista di Spagna and step into a little slice of Italian life in Pasticceria Dal Mas.

3. Fritto misto

A good place to try fritto misto is Osteria Ai Promessi Sposi, a Cannaregio neighbourhood institution, but ensure that you book ahead. Order a carafe of cold prosecco and the crispy fried seafood dish for an unforgettable meal.

4. Sarde in saor

Fresh fish is marinated with vinegary onion, raisins and pine nuts, here, all of which lend a sweet tang. Light and fresh, this is the perfect dish for a hot summer’s day, especially when paired with a glass of crisp white wine.

5. Fegato alla veneziana

The intense sweetness of slow-cooked onion balances the delicate flavour of the calf’s liver in this dish, a legacy of Venice’s maritime past, when perishable offal was discarded before voyages. It’s still popular today.

6. Cicchetti

Local delicacies in bitesized form, cicchetti are often eaten as bar snacks. Try white salt cod (baccalà mantecato), a juicy prawn in oniony saor, greens and creamy stracciatella cheese, or polpette (small meatballs).

7. Risotto al nero di seppia

Purple in colour, deeply savoury, utterly Venetian, the musky flavour of this squid ink risotto is the essence of the lagoon. The ink which gives this moreish dish its colour has a distinctive umami taste.

8. Moeche

The ultimate seasonal dish, moeche (softshell crabs) are only available for a few weeks when the lagoon crabs have shed their hard shells. Simply covered in flour and fried, they won’t be cheap, but they’ll certainly be delicious.

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