Welcome to Venice Travel Tips and this introduction to my Venice food guide!
All my readers know I love Venice and its cuisine. I’ve been travelling back and forth to Venice for 15+ years and I can tell you the ins and outs of the Venetian cuisine.
Yes, there are many tourist traps and also restaurants serving really bad food. I personally know how to spot a tourist trap or a restaurant not serving traditional Venetian food, but it’s definitely not so straightforward, or at least not all the time!
Being a native and from the region, I also spend a lot of time researching the best foodie spots in town and of course, testing them, the food they serve and the service.
Let me tell you a secret: the most invaluable part of my research process is asking Venetian people what to eat and where (and you can also start do the same!).
Traditional Venetian food
In order to help you navigate Venice’s food scene, avoid tourist traps, immerse yourself in the real authentic Venetian cuisine all without spending hours researching what to eat and where, I’ve created the Venice food handbook for you to download.
Who is this food handbook for?
Let’s face it, Venice is a maze of tourist traps, language barriers, and eye-watering prices. Having a positive dining experiences is an important part of any trip, right?
But does it have to be so difficult? The answer is no!
For this reason I want you to avoid having a bad food experience and risk negatively affecting your experience in Venice because it happens to thousands of people daily.
Instead, why not skip the tourist traps and eat in Venice (where locals go), without overspending. Then leave the city with fond memories of your Venetian meals!
Let’s say you are currently planning a trip to Venice but are feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the city’s complex food scene and all the bad reviews online.
My Venice food handbook is for you if:
- You don’t know what to eat in Venice;
- You know what the Venetian cuisine offers but no clue on where to eat;
- Fear ending up in a tourist trap and spend a whole lot for a bad meal;
- Have a medium low budget for food;
- Want to experience the most authentic Venetian food culture.
Three reasons why Venetian Food is worth discovering
If you were to ask me, “why is it worth trying Venetian food in the first place? Should I not play it safe and simply have a pizza or some pasta alla bolognese?”
This is what I would say…
Firstly – dishes such as pizza and lasagne don’t originate in Venice!
Secondly – Italian cuisine is diverse and every single region offers typical dishes and produce that it’s basically the best if you taste it there!
While in Venice, you’ll want try Venetian food for these 3 reasons:
- Reason 1: Venetian cuisine offers a distinctive blend of flavours influenced by its rich history and maritime heritage. While in Venice, try fresh seafood from the lagoon, as well as pasta and risotto dishes with black squid ink. Try the delicate polenta to accompany dishes with strong and bold flavours like the fegato alla veneziana or stewed musky octopus with tomato sauce. Find comfort in a classic plate of mixed fried fish and seafood from the lagoon.
- Reason 2: Eating in Venice is more than just having a restaurant meal, but a proper cultural immersion. Think about eating the cicchetti at the bacaro: the experience gives an authentic taste of Venetian life and social customs.
- Reason 3: Venice used to be an important trading hub back in the Serenissima days and this had an impact on its cuisine. Venetian cuisine is influenced by Eastern spices and Mediterranean flavours, carefully blended with locally sourced produce. I talk more about this in the ebook!
Who am I?
My name is Maddy and I’m the face (and hand) behind Venice Travel Tips, a travel blog all about travelling to Venice and the Veneto region in Northern Italy.
If you’ve read my about page you’ll know that Venice holds a special place in my heart. I’ve been lucky enough to visit Venice countless times since I was a little girl.
My hometown, Castelfranco Veneto, is only 45 minutes by train away from Venice and over the years I would keep travelling back and forth, getting to know the city.
My goal was always to learn more about the city on a deeper level by hanging out in neighbourhoods and places frequented mostly by locals (and locals only).
Even though I live abroad now, I travel to Venice on a regular basis because I’m still in love with the city, its people and of course the exquisite Venetian cuisine as well!
What are some of the things I will personally never get tired of in Venice?
- Exploring new corners of the city;
- Trying new restaurants;
- A nice plate of cicchetti at the bacaro;
- Ordering a glass of Venetian Spritz!
Why did I decide to create this Venice food guide?
There are too many travellers complaining about the food they had in Venice, the sky high prices they find in St. Mark’s Square or near Rialto and hidden costs in the menu.
I want to clarify that in Venice you can:
- Have amazing food and memorable dining experiences;
- Eat out and spend little money;
- Avoid tourist traps following a few simple measures!
With this comprehensive Venice food ebook, my main goal is to help thousands of visitors (on any budget) to confidently explore the Venice food scene and have exquisite meals all around the city and on the islands of the Venetian lagoon too.
What’s inside my guide/eBook?
In order to give you a flavour of what to expect from my Venice food guide, I will share a list of topics that the book covers below so you know exactly what to expect.
Here’s a sneak peek of what you’ll find inside the Venice food guide:
- Venice food history
- The most famous dish in Venice
- Venetian meal structure
- Traditional Venetian foods
- Venetian cicchetti
- Eating in Venice on a budget
- The bacaro
- Venetian Spritz
- Street food in Venice
- Markets in Venice
- Maddy’s Local Food Tips
Venice Food eBook – Bonus content
Interactive (walking) maps with legend that you can add to your personal Google Maps or download to view offline when you’re here in Venice, before, and after.
- 1. Best traditional Venetian restaurants map;
- 2. My favourite bacari map;
- 3. Best street vendors in Venice.
You’ll also have exclusive access to the Food Resources Page (a password protected private page) with the maps, TripAdvisor links to each restaurant, bacaro and street food vendor listed in the ebook, so you can read the reviews and even book a table.
I’ve also added some recommendations on the best food tours you can join in Venice.
Download my Venice food guide
Were you recently trawling through all those negative restaurant reviews seen on the lights of Tripadvisor and Google from your phone? Now is time to forget about them!
The Venice food handbook is here to rescue you and transform your culinary journey through the city of canals and bridges so you can learn to feast just like a local!
Say goodbye to overpriced meals (that don’t live up to their expectation) and missed opportunities and yes to authentic, affordable and tasty Venice cuisine.
Download my Venice food handbook eBook now and start your unforgettable culinary journey through the streets of the city of canal and bridges today!
I wish you a wonderful time in Venice!