Food in Venice

It used to often be said that ‘you don’t eat well in Venice’. This is no longer the case at all with a wide choice of International and traditional restaurants and foodstuffs available. Venice has long and glorious culinary traditions based on fresh seafood, game and vegetables, backed up by northern Italy’s three main carbohydrate fixes: pasta, risotto rice and polenta.

It is however very important to know where to eat in Venice. This is simply due to the fact that the city is a very popular destination so has more than its share of people willing to rip off unsuspecting tourists. In most smaller, quaint eateries, menus are often recited out loud. Most waiters, though, can deliver an approximate English translation of most of the dishes on the menu, so don’t be afraid to ask if you need to. In restaurants where fish is served prices are often quoted by weight, rather than by dish - generally per 100 gramme. Always ask for a written conto (bill) at the end of the meal, as it is, in theory, illegal to leave the restaurant without one.

Remember as in the rest of Italy there are two timescales for eating in Venice. Lunch is served from around 1pm to 3pm and dinner from 7.30pm until at least 10pm. But bacari and neighbourhood trattorie tend to follow Venetian workers’ rhythms, with lunch running from midday to 2pm and dinner from 6.30pm to 9pm.

Enjoy your meals!