VENICE: FOOD SCENE

Venice being located at the crossroads of East and West, has a culinary tradition that reflects centuries of maritime commerce, noble feasts, humble fishermen’s fare, and a cosmopolitan spirit that has shaped its cuisine into one of Italy’s most fascinating and unique gastronomic identities.

Spices, once prized like gold and silver, arrived in Venice’s port—pepper, cinnamon, saffron, cloves—forever transforming the local palate and inspiring dishes that balance sweet, sour, and savory notes with a deft hand.

Venice’s isolation from mainland Italy, coupled with its watery landscape, led to the development of a cuisine deeply rooted in local resources. Fish and seafood abound, while vegetables cultivated on the lush islands of the lagoon play a starring role. The city’s long-standing connections with the terra firma introduce rice, corn, and meats, blending the bounty of land and water into a harmonious whole.

Venetians have perfected the art of snacking with cicchetti, small plates or finger foods enjoyed with a glass of local wine (ombra) or spritz in bustling bacari (wine bars). The city’s twist on Spanish tapas, cicchetti might include polpette (meatballs), marinated anchovies, fried mozzarella, or vegetables in saor. Eating cicchetti is a social ritual—a way to savor many tastes in the company of friends or strangers. We did a cicchetti tour with our guide Elisabetta from ToursByLocals and got to sample some of these small plates with the wines of the region. All were tasty and it was a great way to spend an afternoon.

Veneto is home to some of Italy’s most celebrated wines. From the sparkling Prosecco grown on the hills north of Venice, to the rich reds of Valpolicella and Bardolino, Venetian tables are rarely without a bottle. The city’s signature cocktail—the Spritz—combines sparkling wine, bitter liqueur (Aperol or Select), and soda water, garnished with an orange slice, and is a fixture at every gathering.

Venetian cuisine is a mosaic of the city’s soul.  The beauty of Venetian food lies not just in its flavors, but in its ability to unite people, honor tradition, and reinvent itself with every tide. Two restaurants I would like to highlight were al Covino and al Covo. They are related by families, marriage and attention to detail in the sustainable foods they prepare and the presentation of one plate after another of beautiful food. The dessert at al Covino that I ate was an exquisite ricotta cheese cake; the chef's wife is the pastry chef and this was a recipe from her Neopolitan grandmother. While I could not score the recipe, she did share that she used was aroma millefiori, a flower essence; it was amazing.