Whether you’re longing to go back or dreaming about your first time, here’s some Venice food porn to hold you over until you can visit La Serenissima yourself.
While we’re unable to travel to the places we dream about, we can at least start thinking about what we’re going to eat when we’re finally able to visit them. Venice is a city of dreams for countless reasons. From the art to the architecture to the absence of cars to the mysterious vibes to the echo of footsteps, the city boasts plenty of allure, and its food is no exception. Here are 10 things you must eat in Venice.
1. Cicchetti
These snacks or small bites are sold at Venice’s bàcari, or wine bars. They around one search, and are the perfect accompaniment to the ombra di vino, or shadow of wine, consumed as an aperitivo. Cicchetti tend to consist of a slice of bread topped with meat, vegetables, or fish.
2. Sarde in Saor
Sarde in soar, a popular Venetian appetizer, consists of fried sardines that are then marinated in a sweet-and-sour vinegar sauce alongside onions, raisins, and pine nuts.
3. Baccalà Mantecato
When you hear baccalà, you might think of salted cod. But, contrary to their compatriots, the Venetians refer to (unsalted) stockfish, a dried codfish, as baccalà. The fish is whipped into a mousse of sorts and usually served alongside polenta or even as cicchetti.
4. Bigoli in Salsa
Bigoli are thick, coarse spaghetti typical of Venice, that are often made from whole wheat or buckwheat flour, doused in a sardine and onion sauce, which makes for an exquisite umami-rich dish.
5. Moeche fritte
Moeche is a form of soft-shell crab that lives in the Venice Lagoon. Locals have harvested this delicacy for over 300 years, and they come into season twice a year: early spring and early autumn.
6. Risi e Bisi
Venice’s version of rice and peas is not exactly a risotto, nor is it a soup. Needles to say, the best time to sample this is the spring when green peas beckon from the market stalls. It’s usually prepared with vialone nano rice, and in addition to peas, a broth made from their pods. Pancetta is a popular addition.
7. Polenta e Schie
Schie are a tiny shrimp variety found in the Venetian Lagoon, and they’re often served alongside (usually white) polenta. The dish has humble origins, but today this popular appetizer is considered refined.
8. Fegato alla Veneziana
This Venetian-style liver is a popular main dish. It’s usually cooked in olive oil and served with onions, all atop or alongside a bed of polenta.
9. Baicoli
These sweet biscuits date back to the 18th century and are practically synonymous with the city. They’re named after sea bass as they’re shaped similarly to the fish. Historically, seafarers often kept them for sustenance during long boat rides. Nowadays, they’re quite popular for dipping in zabaglione, a dessert made from egg yolks, sugar, and sweet wine. They’re also lovely alongside tea and coffee.
10. Select Spritz
Aperol and Campari tend to be the bitter of choice for a spritz in most Italian cities. Though not in Venice. The Select Spritz is made with Select Aperitivo, which has been essential to Venetian spritzes since 1920.