Mensa

University Ca’Foscari students wouldn’t survive in such an expensive city if it weren’t for some secret places where one can get a meal for a song.

“Mensa” is “canteen” in Italian. There are three places of the type in Venice. But tourists are only allowed to the one situated near the railway station. It’s very easy to find. If you face the railway station building and turn left, there will be a cast-iron grating behind the trees. That is mensa.

In Mensa they serve the same food as in all Venice’s eating places (macaroni), but the prices – they are just intriguing. Upon producing a student’s card you can get the first course (pasta or soup), a portion of salad and a bottle of water, all for 2.5 Euros. A full meal made of the first, the second course (meat with siding), water and dessert will cost 6 Euros for a student. Mere mortals may also come here but if you don’t have the trump card, your full meal comes to 8 Euros. But this is still incredibly cheap to Venice’s measure.

Mensa starts work in the morning and is open to 14.30, and then there’s an interval till 18.30 when it opens again.