Ciao and welcome to my guide on street food in Venice.
Venice is known for its centuries-old tradition of gastronomy specialties.
When walking around the streets of the city of water and bridges and feeling particularly hungry, you can not help but let your sense of smell take over.
If you spot a small crowd of people (speaking Italian) in front of a tiny bar, then it is likely you’re in the right place to try the best street food in Venice!
Exploring these local treats is not just about satisfying hunger—it’s a way to connect with the authentic flavours and culture of the city.
Venice street foods
In this guide, I’ll take you on a journey through the best street food in Venice, sharing small mouthwatering dishes like baccalà mantecato, tramezzini, and more.
Whether you’re a foodie on the hunt for local delicacies or a traveler looking for quick, budget-friendly bites, Venice’s street food scene will surprise you.
Venetians love fried fish and seafood as well the small tapas style ‘cicchetti’, so if visiting Venice don’t miss the chance to taste both of them.
7 Street foods from Venice
Let’s now take a closer look at what and where you can eat delicious street food in Venice as well as why these places should be on your foodie map.
1. Scartosso de pesse Frito
The ‘scartosso de pesse frito’ is a must-eat street food in Venice. Today, a few shops and bars in Venice specialize in fried fish and seafood served on a piece of paper which is called ‘scartosso’ in Venetian dialect.
But what’s the origin of this Venetian street food? In the coastal areas of the Veneto region, all the restaurants and food stalls offer mixed fried fish on the menu.
In Venice, ‘scartosso de pesse frito’ (fried fish packet) has been served since the 1600s. Its name comes from the typical cone-shaped paper that contains the fried mix that will tantalize your taste buds.
The most common fried mix is squid and shrimps, very often served with a slice of roasted polenta or with battered vegetables. Sometimes you can find cuttlefish and small fishes from the Venetian lagoon too.
2. Cicchetti
Another unmissable traditional delicacy of Venice are the ‘cicchetti’. These are small pieces of bread with a huge selection of fresh ingredients ontop.
Some of the main Cicchetti ingredients are:
- Seafood
- Cured hams
- Creamy cheeses
- Roasted vegetables
When it comes to ‘cicchetti’ there’s always something for everyone, so this means that if you’re vegetarian or vegan, you’re covered too!
Normally, you will find that the ‘cicchetti’ are served with a glass of red or white wine, Prosecco is also very popular among Venetian people, too.
To get an overview of the food here, check out this top rated food tour to learn everything about Venetian street food guided by a local expert.
The places you stop at to have your snack or aperitivo are called ‘bacari’, usually a family-owned tavern with just a few places to sit or with an outdoor space for eating.
Some of them, don’t have space at all, so that’s when your ‘cicchetti’ turn into real street food to have on the go. Read more about the best cicchetti here for more.
3. Mozzarella in Carrozza
The Mozzarella in carrozza (literally ‘mozzarella in the carriage’) is a classic street food you can find more or less everywhere that you stop for a quick snack in Venice.
It dates back to the 19th century and it’s a traditional Venetian street food.
You can taste the luscious mozzarella in carrozza in the bacari, but you should know that the very first fried mozzarella was invented in Naples to make use of bread and mozzarella leftover.
The dish consists of slices of mozzarella enclosed in two slices of sandwich bread (which act as a ‘carriage’), which are dipped in egg and milk and then fried. Often the stuffed slices are also dipped in flour or breadcrumbs before frying. Instead of loaf bread, it is also possible to use homemade bread.
In Venice, a local variant of mozzarella in carrozza has a rectangular shape and made with half slice of white sandwich bread cut in half vertically, addition of an anchovy or a slice of cooked ham, mozzarella and the other half lice of bread, all dipped in a leavened batter and fried. The mozzarella in carrozza alla veneziana has a golden and puffy appearance, thanks to the use of batter.
4. Pizza al Taglio
Pizza al taglio is one of the most loved street food in Italy. Even in Venice, you can find places where you can get a delicious slice of pizza. The pizza al taglio can be cut in a rectangular or triangular shape and this slice of pizza it’s called ‘trancio’.
The slice of pizza that it’s just perfect to eat on the go whilst walking around the narrow streets and up and down the bridges of Venice. Usually, just before eating it, the pizza maker heats the slice to order.
Pizza al taglio has different toppings. From the classic Margherita, to ham and mushrooms and vegetarian options, the choice depends on the place you decide to get your pizza. I recommend trying Pizza al Volo in Campo Santa Margherita.
5. Focaccia
The classic focaccia is flat bread with soft dough similar to the pizza one, but two or three centimetres thick.
It generally has the honeycomb looking interior and a very thin golden crust, full of indentations that hold the following:
- Oil
- Salt
- Sugar
- Rosemary
And/or whatever other ingredient is added on top. But, it’s important not to confuse focaccia with pizza! Once cooked, focaccia is thicker and softer than pizza.
Focaccia is a great healthy street food to try in Venice. If you’re curious about trying focaccia, I suggest getting a slice from a bakery shop called Farini.
This street food doesn’t specifically come from Venice, but from Genoa. There are many versions of focaccia all around Italy and you’ll find it everywhere you go.
It’s often prepared fresh, every single day in the morning and sold in small bakery shops along with classic bread loaves and pastries.
6. Tramezzini Veneziani
Originally from Turin, the most popular accompaniment to a proper Italian aperitivo is the tramezzino! They say that in the Venetian Lagoon, thanks to the humidity, the taste of the tramezzino is better than in other parts of Italy and the is bread softer.
You will find that the original tramezzino is served cold, but you can easily find the warm version. Inside the two soft and white slices of bread there are many combinations of ingredients that can be added.
Popular combos include: prosciutto e funghi (ham and mushrooms), tonno e cipolline (tuna and pickled onions), pomodoro e mozzarella (fresh tomato and mozzarella) and polpa di granchio e uova sode (crabmeat and boiled eggs). A layer of mayonnaise or soft cheese like Philadelphia or robiola is also added.
But what is the difference between the classic tramezzino and ‘el tramesin’, the Venetian tramezzino? The Venetian tramezzini are always cut into a triangle, but what makes them so unique compared to tramezzini of other cities is the super abundant filling which gives the Venetian tramezzini the typical pot-bellied shape.
Where can you find the best tramezzini in Venice? That’s an easy one! During lunch you can just head over to the Bar Rialto da Lollo near the Rialto Bridge.
7. Pastry and Ice cream
The art of pastry and ice cream making in Venice has a long history. The city is also known to be the cradle of sorbet, the ancestor of ice cream.
As for the traditional desserts, cakes and biscuits of Venice, there’s an immense selection of mouthwatering pastries to eat whilst walking around Venice.
The ‘frittella’ is the classic Venetian dessert that is prepared in all pastry shops during the Carnival days.
There are many types of ‘frittelle’ but which are the traditional ones?
The classic recipe for the ‘frittella’ includes a filling of raisins and pine nuts. These pastries are always soft and fragrant and with an irresistible taste.
Venice Street foods
Now you know a few places where you can try the best street food in Venice.
But as I said, this is just a short list and that’s much more you can find strolling around the streets of the city or by doing a street food tour with a local.
If you see local groups having ‘aperitivo’ in a tavern or bar with ‘cicchetti’, you’re likely in the right place to enjoy some of Venice’s finest foods.
From here I invite you to read my must-eat food in Venice post to get even more culinary inspiration and learn what more you can eat in Venice.
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