Venice is not only about canals, bridges and world-famous attractions. Its food scene is vibrant and surprisingly budget-friendly if you know exactly where to go to eat.
I get asked by many first time visitors if it is possible to eat in Venice on a budget and here I’d like to share you can expect from Venice’s street food scene.
In this city it’s easy to end up in tourist traps, if you don’t know where to go and what to eat. From the classic cicchetti at the bacari to well-stocked supermarkets and small family-owned gastronomes, there are plenty of cheap eats in Venice.
Whether you fancy a taste of some savoury traditional snacks or a sweet treat ‘on the go’, with this guide I share all the best food to try on a budget while in Venice.
Eating in Venice on a budget
Eating in Venice on a budget is not only possible but also a memorable experience.
With this guide, I’ll explain where to find cheap eats in Venice that you can include in your Venice itinerary, the average cost of a meal, the joys of eating cicchetti.
I mention cicchetti a lot on this blog, so below I’ll mention other street foods along the way, as well as affordable food options at supermarkets and local gastronomes.
Last but not least, I’m going to show you a new way to treat yourself with some classic Venetian biscuits and pastries, for every time you need a potent sugar refill!
As someone who likes saving money wherever I can, not to mention, a deep love for Venetian food but also someone who never compromises on taste and seasonal produce, I’ll share my tips on how to eat well within a limited budget in this city.
Let’s set this off with a popular question…
How much is the average meal in Venice?
The average cost of a meal in Venice is at least 30 euros per person. This includes a starter, the first or main course, a bottle of water or glass of wine and coffee.
For insight on what to expect to spend on food in Venice, here’s a breakdown:
- Budget restaurants and bars: some restaurants offer the menu of the day, in Italian ‘menù del giorno’, a fixed price menu that costs around 10-15 euros per person. Unfortunately, many of these restaurants don’t offer high quality, fresh and traditional food. It’s easy to stumble on a tourist trap in Venice. For a high quality fixed price menù you should expect to pay at least 15 to 20 euros.
- Traditional trattorie and osterie: A meal at a mid-range eatery typically costs between 20 to 40 euros per person. Here, you have more choice from the menu featuring local specialities prepared with high quality ingredients.
- Fine dining restaurants: if you want to dine at a top-tier restaurant you can expect to pay no less than 50 euros per person and up to 100 euros (and even more at Michelin starred restaurants).
You can read more about the cost of things in Venice like transportation and accommodation with my comprehensive guide: is Venice expensive?
The bacari are the best places to eat on a budget in Venice. At the bacaro you can order cicchetti (small bite-sized snacks). Each cicchetto usually costs between 1 to 3 euros.
Sometimes a bit more if you are in more touristic areas. If you get 3 cicchetti and a glass of wine or Spritz you can also easily spend less than 10/15 euros per person.
Discovering Venetian cicchetti
If you’re reading about Venetian food for the first time, Cicchetti are small, delicious snacks similar to the Spanish tapas but different! They are unique to Venice and traditionally enjoyed with a glass of wine, called ‘ombra de vin’, at the bacari.
The most popular cicchetto is the slice of bread with various toppings, from cured meats, cheeses, vegetables or even seafood and fish.
When you go from bacaro to bacaro (usually best done on a dedicated bacaro tour) you can sample different types of cicchetti prepared with a whole variety of ingredients and get a great insight into Venetian cuisine on a budget.
You can also join a food tour like this popular street food tour for a guided experience.
Alternatively, you can use my bacari walking maps to self-explore the cicchetti scene.
Then, if you are still curretly planning your trip and want to delve deeper into the cicchetti world before you book anything, I invite you to read my cicchetti guide.
See my food handbook
To help you navigate Venice’s exciting, delicious and ever changing food scene with confidence, I created the Venice food handbook.
In this eBook I put all my knowledge about Venice traditional foods, from what you can find at the bacari to the best trattorie and osterie for a delightful meal.
Whether you’re a foodie or just looking to eat well on a budget, this guide will equip you with everything you need to explore Venetian cuisine. Get your copy today!
What to eat in Venice on a budget
At this point, you should have already understood that exploring Venice does not always have to be expensive, especially when it comes to trying different food.
See my list of places and foods to eat on a budget in Venice below.
I am aware that you might have heard of some of them but there are also some lesser known ways to save on food, that nobody has told you about yet 😉.
1. Supermarkets
Venice’s supermarkets offer a range of affordable food and snacks that can help you stick to your budget. As in any other supermarket around the world, you can find fresh fruits, vegetables, pre-made sandwiches, and local cheeses.
You can head to local supermarket chains like Coop, Conad, or Despar. Getting your fresh food from here is ideal, whether you want to have a quick lunch on the go or bring your shopping to the apartment and cook something.
Notice that most supermarkets in Italy (and in Venice too) have deli sections with reasonably priced freshly made dishes like lasagna, parmigiana and rice salad.
2. Pizza or Focaccia
Pizza al taglio (pizza slice) and focaccia are very popular street food options in Venice. Many local bakeries and take away pizzerias offer delicious slices for just a few euros, making it easy to enjoy a quick and satisfying meal.
For the best pizza slices and focaccia, visit Antico Forno and Farini, the go-to places for a lovely slice of pizza and focaccia with delicious toppings.
You can get your pizza or focaccia, eat inside or while you keep exploring the city. If you are in Campo Santa Margherita I also suggest trying the pizza from the takeaway Pizza al Volo.
3. Scartosso de Pesse Frito
Scartosso de pesse frito, which in Venetian dialect means paper cones filled with fried fish and seafood, is a traditional Venetian street food loved by locals.
The mixed fried fish and seafood dish is an ever-present dish in the best trattorie and osterie of the city, but if you want to spend less or have a quick snack, then go for the scartosso de pesse frito. The selection of fish can change based on what is fresh that day from the market.
The result should always be a well-balanced variety of crispy and tasty small lagoon fishes and seafood. The scartosso is not only prepared with fish and seafood but also with battered vegetables, polenta and meat options so it can please any palate.
A beloved spot for the scartosso de pesse frito, not far from Rialto, it’s the takeaway Acqua e Mais.
4. The gastronomy
In Italy, very often, every family has a trusted gastronomy where they can go to find high-quality, ready-to-eat meals at reasonable prices, every time they don’t want to cook.
At these small delis, you can find a variety of traditional dishes (sometimes with a modern twist) such as pasta and risotto but also marinated vegetables, fish and seafood and meat based dishes to take away.
Gastronomies like Rosticceria Gislon and WEVenice near Rialto are the best places to go for a tasty and affordable lunch or dinner. The best part is that you know you’ll get fresh, homemade food, simply not at the high cost of the restaurant. Bargain!
5. Menu del Giorno
The ‘menu del giorno’, or menu of the day, is a great way to enjoy a variety of dishes at a fixed price in Venice. Many local trattorias and osterias offer these set menus, which typically include a starter, main course, a bottle of water or glass of wine and coffee, all for around 15-20 euros per person.
This option allows you to sample traditional Venetian foods at a reduced price than usual. In the best trattorie and osterie that offer this type of menu, it’s in fact only available for lunch, whereas for dinner all courses are sold at full price.
I recommend the Cicheteria Da Luca e Fred and Trattoria da a Marisa, frequented by locals and known for their excellent daily menus.
Be careful, though, because there are many tourist traps restaurants with a fixed price menu, especially in the most touristy locations like Strada Nova and near Rialto.
4. Pasta on the go
The fresh pasta boxes are a popular street food option, especially within younger generations. They are great cheap eats, because the price for a pasta box starts from 7 euros, you can have them on the go.
The pasta boxes are also one of the most inexpensive romantic things to do in Venice because you can share with your loved one! There are always several pasta options you can order from the menu and they are all quite filling.
Some of the best eateries selling pasta boxes are Dal Moro’s Fresh Pasta To Go and Baci&Pasta in the San Polo neighbourhood. There are always vegetarian, meat based and fish or seafood based sauces, making this street food one of the most loved ones around the city!
5. Food in the markets
Venice’s markets are treasure troves of fresh, affordable snacks. The famous Rialto Market is the perfect place to buy fruits, nuts, and other healthy snacks while you’re exploring the city.
The fruit and vegetable market offers a wide variety of the best seasonal fruits that are great healthy snacks to have along the way.
Exploring the market also gives a great insight into the local culture and what Venetian eat. There are some great food tours you can join like this Rialto Market Food and Wine Lunchtime Tour and be accompanied by a local passionate guide.
During the tour you not only try some delicious street food and drinks but also learn where the raw materials to prepare them come from: the market itself!
6. Venetian biscuits and pastries
After having an affordable lunch, I imagine you’ll have space for a sweet treat. In Venice, indulging in Venetian biscuits and pastries is not only a must but an affordable treat too. You’ll find historic bakeries and pastry shops all over the city.
Some very good biscuits you can try are: bussolai, zaeti, esse, and fritole. You can get a small bag of biscuits and taste fresh pastries for just a couple of euros.
Pasticceria Tonolo and Pasticceria Dal Mas are some of the oldest and most loved pastry shops of the city that you should really try too.
Cheap food places in Venice
All in all, you will be glad to learn that while ever you’re in Venice, it’s possible to eat on a budget without compromising on the freshness of your dish, quality and taste.
There are several budget-friendly foods and places to find cheap eats in Venice such as pizza slices, cicchetti, fresh pasta boxes, and traditional pastries.
By saving money on food, you can use your money for other interests and experiences you wish to do while spending your valuable time in this city.
If you’re still unsure what else to expect from the Venetian food scene but eager to learn more, get my Venice food handbook, packed with useful information and tips.
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