A Cicchetti Tour of Venice

Emilia Delizia Venice food tour. Our company would be delighted to organise a Venice food tour for your group, family, friends or company incentive travel. Our culinary activities are great for those wanting to explore the best Italian food traditions.

Venice food tour highlights.

Imagine that you are exploring the sights of Venice, that magical place that has welcomed travellers and explorers since the Middle Ages. In this city without cars, you can walk for hours, enjoying both the well-known sights such as St. Mark’s Basilica, the Rialto Bridge and  the Piazza San Marco. Naturally, this is bound to leave you hungry and thirsty. What better way to combine exploration with refreshment than participating in the tradition known as the cicchetti crawl? Cicchetti are snacks, rather like Spanish tapas, served in wine bars and taverns. You can easily sample a world of traditional, delicious Venetian cuisine and atmospheric tavernas, for a modest expenditure, over the course of an afternoon or evening.

The delicious food of Venice.

Since Venice is a city dominated by the sea it is no surprise that its food culture is dominated by the sea also: by deliciously fresh and abundant seafood, including cuttlefish, octopus, cod, sardines and shrimp. Meats, both fresh and cured, are also widely used in Venetian dishes, as is pasta and risotto rice. Fresh local vegetables such as artichokes from Sant-Erasmo and, in the spring, white asparagus, when fried or grilled, also become delicious cicchetti.

A culinary tour of Venice’s cicchetti bars will reward you with a world of tastes. To begin your cicchetti adventure, look for places called bacari (wine bars) or osteria, both of which serve these traditional snack foods. Traditional cicchetti are simple: chunks of salami, pieces of cheese, fried olives and fried seafoods. Modern cicchetti include these dishes, but they also can be much more elaborate - dinners in miniature.

Cicchetti are accompanied by small glasses of wine (about the size of a double shot) known as ombra, or shade. These mini glasses of wine were long ago nicknamed ombra, after the wine sellers in the Piazza San Marco, who kept in the shade to keep the wine cool and fresh. Or perhaps you would like to drink an aperitivo - a pre-dinner drink designed to whet your appetite. In Venice, the traditional Spritz is often based on sparkling wine such as Prosecco (a dry white sparkling wine), mixed with sparkling water and flavored with bitters.These amari (bitters) include the ruby red bitters Campari or Select (made of herbs and fruits), bright orange Aperol (with bitter orange, gentian, rhubarb and cinchona), and Cynar (containing artichokes and several herbs). These aperitivo are fairly low in alcohol content, so are the perfect drink to choose while roaming between bacari.

Bacari and osterias in Venice.

Some of the best seafood-based cicchetti can be found in San Polo. Many osteria are near the Rialto Fish Market. At Cantina Mori (San Polo 429), which has been in business since the 15th century, you can try octopus and baccala' (salt cod). Sarde in saor, or sardines fried in olive oil with onions, pine nuts and raisins, is found there also. Baccala' is one of the most popular cicchetti; a creamy salt cod, it is served either on its own or on toast. At Pronto Pesce (319 San Polo), also near the Rialto Fish Market, you can savour swordfish croissant and scallops served in the shell - all served in a buffet style. If you prefer meat, try a hearty plate of polpette (meatballs), often served with an aioli sauce. Polpette, as well as prosciutto, pate and bread rounds topped with truffles, cheese and mushrooms await you at All’Arco (San Polo 436), near the Rialto Bridge.

Tidbits served on toast (crostini) or on squares of savory grilled polenta are also popular cicchetti. Try squid ink toast with or without curried shrimp at Osteria Bancogiro (Campo San Giacometto, San Polo). Risotto and pasta dishes are also delicious  - try the risotto Parmigiana or the ravioli at Osteria Vivaldi (calle della Maddonetta, San Polo). Tramezzini (little triangular sandwiches) may also accompany drinks in traditional bacari. Made from special, soft white bread, they are stuffed with a delectable variety of fillings including ham, olives, cheese or tuna.

Refreshed by cicchetti and an aperitivo or an ombra, you may now continue your explorations. This food tour is a delicious way to relax, recharge, and sample the best of Venice’s cuisine - and in doing so, getting to know Venice and her people, too. We offer cooking classes in Venice and check here for some ideas about eating like a local in Venice.

Where to Eat Cicchetti in Venice, our Bacari Food Tour.

You are likely to be that enthusiastic traveler, who has learned all about cicchetti. These are very nice snacks that you can eat as you sip your glass of wine. Sometimes it is great when you get a guide; who will take you to all the cool cicchetti joints. The case is different if you are the adventurous type. You simply like walking around, and finding out places on your own. With a simple glance at the main page of this site, you will notice that once you book a tour, a guide is assigned to you. You should not get hard on yourself. The Emilia Delizia Venezia Tood Tour cares about your well being, and is ready to show you the best places where you can quickly hop into and get your snack. As they say Venezia is the city without cars, you should be at least ready to know a place or two.

 

Cantina Do Spade Chicchetti Tour.

You should remember by now that the only place where you can eat your cicchetti in Venezia or Italy, is in a bacari and an osteria. Cantina do Spade is one of the oldest Venetial osterie’s. It is located several steps from Rialto. Once you have had your pleasant walking experience in Venezia. You should set the mood of your day to delightful. This place boasts to have served people for 568 years. Your mood will be set once you have sampled the wine tastings offered here. The next step is to try at least two cicchetti dishes. These are:

First is the Bussolai—they are round pieces from heaven.

Next is the mussel soup. If you have never seen it, a simple look at it would make your mouth water.

Tiramisú looks like a glorious cake with chocolate sprinkled on top of it. If you have ever taken the Spanish tapas, you’ll really wish you had discovered Tiramisú earlier.

The Mozzarella in carozza are another special piece. They come with this appealing golden color. They are really something to taste.

If you are a lover of seafood then you are in luck. They have squids in black with polenta; small octopuses; bigoli in salsa; and finally squid ink bigoli.

You should try to reserve a table at this place. If you don’t you will be missing out on excellent cicchetti, and a warm and friendly atmosphere.

 

Un Mondo Di Vino Bacari Tour in Venice.

At the height of your tour; you should also consider visiting the Un Mondo Di Vino wine bar. It is located in Salizada San Canzian 5984/a, 5984 Venezia, Italy. One of the reasons you should be here; even aside from the food offered is because; this wine bar has been rated as 184th restaurant in Venezia. A certificate of excellence is proof of it. If you are that person who moves across places looking for traditional cicchetti at bacaris; this is the right place. You will have saved your self hours of search. Most customers have claimed that you can only find the best Venetian cicchetti here. Once you are here; some of the things that you will experience are:

A wide range of seafood you can select from.

A satisfying environment—the breeze will hold you in comfort.

Also, there are great varieties of wine you can pick from, talk of wonderful wine tastings.

There is one experience here that you will never find anywhere else. The restaurant allows you to either sit or stand while standing, it is pretty much like a tradition. You are also expected to serve yourself.

 

Osteria Ai Storti Venice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Similar to Catina do Spade; Osteria ai Storti is close to Rialto. After you have had your walking experience—which is always peasant at times, sometimes it is good to hop into a wine bar; where you get the best wine, and wonderful cicchetti. This restaurant creates a native feel; the staff are warm and welcoming. This is the best place for those who are interested in sampling the Italian culinary culture. If you are really into having the main course meal of cicchetti then your needs will be well catered for here. Fish is served in both the main and second courses. All the food comes with a fresh touch from the Mediterranean. There is a host here who is present to guide you in wine tasting. There is plenty of wine—red and white. You should remember that cicchetti goes well with a sip of wine. Don’t shy away from this wonderful experience. We are not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but for this Venezian beauty, we make an exception. It is located in frequent tourist visited area. It is worth checking it out.

Most visitors have commented positively on the cicchetti served here. As one claims, “It was unusual seafood, those Venetian tapas were excellent.” As you can see, you will get the best tapas here; you will also get to dine with the locals, who you’ll get to love. Aside from even having a good culinary experience, being here will allow you to develop your social skills, and also help you appreciate the diversity in this place—Venezia is flooded with tourists. Lastly, the price of the food is pocket friendly. If you are a group then you are in luck. Also, the small size of this place is ideal for customized cicchetti meals. If you are a foreigner, don’t be afraid, someone will understand you.

Antico Dolo

Antico Dolo is located just around Ruga Rialto; this place is ideal for you during your tour. This place is located in the vicinity of fruit, vegetable, and fish markets. Everything is guaranteed to be fresh. All the meals have desserts (many varieties) that make sure you end your dinner in style. The cicchetti here is made with fresh products, there is no need for freezing. If you are always shying away from places that serve frozen food; then you should consider coming here. Lastly, there is a huge selection of both foreign and Italian wine.

Osteria Assassini

Osteria Assassini  is no ordinary bacaro it has a fair mix of both the traditional and the modern feel. At lunch time you have an opportunity to get served cicchetti by a host of professionals—who are good at making sure you get the best treatment. A good thing about this place is that the dish menus are changed on a daily basis. This allows you as the visitor to sample the best wines and dishes that go with them. It is open everyday except for Sunday; if you happen to be on tour on this day, then you are out of luck.