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The Lagoon "Gateway to the East"
We are talking about Venice, a maritime republic with a glorious past and a great commercial power that played a fundamental role in the dynamics between East and West. This fruitful cultural and historical exchange is the pillar at the base of Venetian gastronomy, a perfect blend of ingredients from afar seamlessly merging with Mediterranean elements, with raw materials from both land and sea.
A Complete Cuisine
The cuisine of the Lagoon was among the first to be considered a complete world cuisine, offering a full range of appetizers, first courses, second courses, and desserts to be enjoyed at all hours of the day. You can experience a complete meal comfortably seated in one of Venice's traditional restaurants or enjoy an aperitif with cicchetti, delightful bite-sized snacks, paired with a good glass of wine or a Spritz.
Now, let's explore the typical dishes of Venetian cuisine, to be savored in one of the typical alleys after a boat tour through the city's canals.
Appetizers
Sarde in Saor
A must in Venetian cuisine, a classic traditional appetizer that involves marinating sardines in vinegar. They are then cooked with onions, pine nuts, raisins, and spices. Their typical sweet and sour flavor creates a real explosion in the mouth!
Baccalà Mantecato
Another great classic of Venetian cuisine is baccalà mantecato. This dish requires very meticulous preparation: the cod is first boiled and then blended with oil, milk, and garlic until it becomes a velvety cream. It is then spread on bread to be served as a cicchetto.
First Courses
Risi e Bisi
A traditional spring risotto made with fresh peas. The rice is cooked with vegetable broth and white wine, then worked with crispy bacon and grated Parmesan cheese.
Bigoli in Salsa
Traditionally consumed during lean days, such as Christmas Eve, Good Friday, and Ash Wednesday. Made with a very simple but tasty dressing of onions, anchovies, and olive oil, bigoli are a pasta shape reminiscent of thick and porous spaghetti.
Risotto ai Gò
A typical dish from the tradition of Burano, a lagoon island in front of Venice. Gò – diminutive for ghiozzo – are small local fish whose flavor perfectly complements the rice.
Risotto, Bigoli, or Spaghetti al Nero di Seppia
You can't say you've stayed in Venice without trying pasta seasoned with the unmistakable black color produced by cuttlefish ink. This traditional dish, with its unmistakable flavor, is present on all Venetian menus.
Main Courses
Fegato alla Veneziana
Offered in its classic form as a second course and in its reduced version as a cicchetto, its main ingredient is calf's liver, cut into strips and cooked in a pan with onions, balsamic vinegar, and butter. Served piping hot, it has a bold flavor.
Seppie in Nero
Cuttlefish are among the most common and used ingredients in Venetian cuisine. Before being served with polenta, they are cooked with their own ink.
Desserts
Frittelle di Carnevale
A typical sweet for the Carnival period, frittelle is prepared with eggs, milk, flour, and yeast. Some variations include a filling of custard or raisins.
Fugassa
Fugassa is a soft and sweet focaccia made with flour, eggs, sugar, milk, and butter. Enriched with raisins and pine nuts, it can be found and enjoyed especially during religious holidays such as Christmas and Easter.
Unique and Bold Flavors
In Venice, you can experience an unforgettable gastronomic journey, with flavors that tell a story rooted in distant origins. The cuisine has successfully combined local raw materials with ingredients from the oriental perfume over the years. Whether they are small snacks or full meals, don't miss the opportunity to savor authentic Venetian cuisine in the shadow of the Campanile di San Marco.
