Top 14 Culinary Specialties of Venice

What to eat in Venice? Our selection of 14 Venetian specialties

Venetian gastronomy lives in the shadow of its cultural heritage. However, its culinary richness deserves as much attention as its monuments! A few days on site will be enough to taste a wide sweet and savory sample of this Italian cuisine. And especially, to taste fresh seafood straight from the lagoon and bought immediately at the morning fish market! Indeed, the local cuisine owes its reputation to the way chefs sublimate products from Venice's waters.

1. Cicchetti

In a country where aperitivo is King, it's impossible not to mention Cicchetti as Venice specialties. These miniature snacks are a bit like Venice's tapas. There are all kinds and you'll have the opportunity to eat them at any time of day (moeche crustaceans garnished with potato puree, Baccalà mantecato made with cod...) However, we recommend tasting them late in the day. Accompany your cicchetti with a glass of Spritz or Prosecco, obviously, to wait pleasantly until dinner.

2. Sarde in saor

This is a simple but delicious preparation of fried sardines. The fish are previously marinated in a mixture of wine, vinegar, onions, pine nuts, and dried fruits. Then, they will plunge "head first" into a bath of burning oil. Often served as an appetizer, some restaurateurs don't hesitate to make it the main course, as its gourmet and fruity flavors are universally loved.

3. Frito misto

Here's a seafood specialty street food style! This hot dish served in a cone is as typical as it is gourmet. It's simply made with a mixture of seafood cooked in a fryer. Often served in a cone, this nomadic dish is sometimes accompanied by a few fish balls, pieces of squid and fresh plump shrimp. Occasionally, vegetables join your portion to balance the flavors.

4. Moleche fritte

This Venice specialty is a pure delight! Moleche are small crabs from the Venice lagoon. When spring and autumn arrive, the crustaceans shed their shells and leave their tender flesh exposed. It's at this same period that they arrive on Venice's plates! In other words, it's a dish to discover very occasionally. The crabs are fried within hours of being caught and served with a salad.

5. Acqua Gioco

By traveling to Venice in autumn, you won't just enjoy more reasonable crowds. Indeed, the milder climate announces the return of a seasonal specialty. This poultry-based dish is highly appreciated by Venetians. It's young waterfowl, similar to ducks, that locals roast and enjoy crispy with family. You'll find this dish in local cuisine restaurants throughout the autumn period.

6. Baccala mantecato

Taste this dried cod dish with its more than surprising texture! This mousse-like texture, full of voluptuousness, is obtained through slow cooking at low temperature. After cooking, the fish is simply seasoned: salt, pepper, olive oil and occasionally garlic. You'll spread the baccala mantecato on polenta bread to whet your appetite or as an aperitif.

7. Bigoli in salsa

Discover this delicious typically Venetian pasta dish, made with onion sauce and small fish. Most often, it's anchovies or sardines. Originally, this specialty was prepared during year-end holidays or for annual religious celebrations. Today, in Venice, it's enjoyed year-round in the city's many restaurants and cafes. Small tip before digging in: don't hesitate to ask for this dish in a smaller portion, as an appetizer. This way you can vary the gustatory pleasures throughout your meal.

8. Risotto al nero di seppia

Yet another new specialty not to miss in Venice: cuttlefish ink risotto is a dish that's both gourmet and unusual. During cooking, cuttlefish ink is added to the rice so it absorbs its flavor and takes on its recognizable black color. The rice can be served alone or accompanied by some seafood or sometimes a piece of white fish. Its more or less pronounced black color can be surprising at first glance. Nevertheless, the intense flavor and comforting texture of the rice make it an emblematic specialty inseparable from Venetian cuisine.

9. Fegato alla veneziana

Set aside fish and crustaceans for this specialty made with thin slices of cooked veal liver and caramelized onions. The meat is then accompanied by a little polenta. This is an old, traditional dish mixing sweet and salty flavors. This dish is known for reconciling those reluctant to eat offal, all accompanied by a small glass of red wine. If that's your case, you'll tell us all about it...

10. Granseola Alla Veneziana

Taste this Venetian dish that elevates an impressive seafood: the giant spider crab. The latter is caught near the city, then literally prepared with loving care. It's therefore a "raw" specialty where the tender flesh and pronounced flavor of the seafood are an end in themselves. Be careful, gourmets and seafood lovers might well succumb to it accompanied by a small glass of white wine!

11. Risotto di gò

A risotto here, then a risotto there... This one is prepared with a somewhat special broth, which gives the dish its name: gò broth. It's a small fish found in abundance in the waters of the Venetian lagoon. In other words, this deliciously gourmet risotto is a dish more local than ever. Not to be confused with Risi e bisi, another Venice specialty made with rice and peas that is not a risotto.

12. Fritelle alla veneziana

Bite into these donuts omnipresent as Easter and Venice's famous carnival approach! Though, with their great popularity, they can now be found in bakeries and pastry shops throughout the year. These small ball-shaped donuts are generously filled with simple or fluffy pastry cream and sometimes garnished with raisins. The plump donuts are then dusted with sugar and fruits. Some even contain a little alcohol, to the great delight of more refined palates.

13. Buranelli

Taste these crispy biscuits, quintessentially traditional in Venice. Buranelli, originally from the neighboring island of Burano, are the typical snacks to munch at any time of day. Traditionally, these dry cookies take the shape of a ring or an "S". The dry texture makes them the ideal cookie to dip in a hot drink during a break. Some bistros give them to accompany coffee or hot wine. A bit like in France, with the chocolate square or speculoos cookie, really. A nice sweet something to get under your teeth.

14. Negroni

Many cocktails and wines are to be tasted in Venice. We recommend this cocktail characterized by a touch of bitterness. In Italy, the Negroni is a classic among classics. Its pretty amber brown color, often garnished with citrus peels, should pique your curiosity. You'll also appreciate its perfectly balanced mixture of sweetness, bitterness and herbaceous notes.

Ah Venice, Venice, beautiful Venice has so much to offer from a culinary point of view, it would be a shame to deprive yourself of all these wonderful recipes from Saint Mark's Square to the small alleys of the Venetian capital.