🍷 The Best Cicchetti Bars in Venice — Eat, Drink & Live Like a Local
If you want to experience Venice like a true Venetian, forget the white tablecloth restaurants — head straight to a bacaro. These cozy wine bars are the beating heart of local life, serving cicchetti — small, flavorful bites similar to Spanish tapas — along with glasses of wine known as ombre. It’s casual, social, and delicious — exactly how Venetians have been eating for centuries.
Whether you’re in town for a day or a week, don’t leave without doing a proper giro di bacari (a cicchetti crawl). You’ll taste the best of the lagoon — one bite and one glass at a time. Here’s your ultimate guide to the best cicchetti bars in Venice, from timeless classics to modern favorites.
1️⃣ All’Arco — The Legendary Rialto Stop
Let’s start with a Venetian institution: All’Arco. Just steps away from the Rialto Bridge, this tiny bacaro is where locals, chefs, and hungry travelers line up for a taste of authentic Venice. Father and son Francesco and Matteo have turned simple ingredients into culinary art. Their baccalà mantecato (creamed salt cod) on crostini is legendary — creamy, garlicky, and perfect with a chilled glass of white wine.
Try also the polpette (Venetian meatballs), prosciutto di San Daniele, and crostini with marinated anchovies. There’s no seating, so order at the counter and enjoy your food outside like a true Venetian on the go.
📍 Address: Calle Arco, San Polo 436 | ⏰ Best time: Late morning or lunch hour
2️⃣ Cantina Do Mori — The Oldest Bacaro in Venice
Step back in time at Cantina Do Mori, said to be the oldest bacaro in Venice — it’s been serving wine and cicchetti since 1462! The interior feels straight out of a painting, with copper pots hanging from the ceiling and wooden casks lining the bar.
Their cicchetti menu is a love letter to tradition: polpette (meatballs), crostini with artichoke cream, and marinated anchovies. Pair it with a crisp ombra of Pinot Grigio or a splash of local red from the Veneto hills.
💡 Fun fact: Legend has it Casanova himself used to drink here before heading off on his romantic escapades.
📍 Address: Calle Do Mori, San Polo 429 | ⏰ Best time: Early afternoon for fewer crowds
3️⃣ Al Mercà — Tiny But Mighty
Don’t blink or you’ll miss it — Al Mercà is a hole-in-the-wall bar near the Rialto Market that’s become one of Venice’s most beloved stops for a quick bite. It’s standing room only — no tables, no frills, just great food and lively conversation.
The focus here is on quality ingredients: tiny sandwiches filled with mortadella and truffle cream, prosciutto with ricotta, and marinated tuna. Order a glass of Prosecco, lean against the wall, and watch Venetian life unfold around you.
📍 Address: Campo Bella Vienna, San Polo 213 | ⏰ Best time: Aperitivo hour (5–7 PM)
4️⃣ Bacarando in Corte dell’Orso — Modern, Lively, Delicious
A short walk from Rialto, Bacarando in Corte dell’Orso adds a contemporary twist to the traditional bacaro experience. You’ll find locals enjoying happy hour downstairs, while the upstairs restaurant serves creative Venetian-inspired dishes.
Try the mini burgers, grilled octopus skewers, or bruschette topped with seasonal vegetables. Their wine list is impressive, featuring boutique Veneto producers. It’s the perfect place to start (or end) your giro di bacari.
📍 Address: Calle dell’Orso, San Marco 5495 | ⏰ Best time: Late afternoon or early evening
5️⃣ Osteria al Squero — A Hidden Gem by the Gondola Workshop
In the heart of the Dorsoduro district, just across from the famous squero (gondola workshop), you’ll find Osteria al Squero — a local treasure with one of the best canal views in Venice. This spot combines authentic cicchetti with a relaxed, local vibe.
The crostini here are outstanding: smoked salmon with cream cheese, tuna mousse, gorgonzola and walnuts, and baccalà mantecato that melts in your mouth. Grab a glass of house wine, find a spot on the canal wall, and enjoy a sunset like a Venetian.
📍 Address: Dorsoduro 943/944 | ⏰ Best time: Sunset (around 6:30–8:00 PM)
6️⃣ Ai Promessi Sposi — The Hidden Favorite of Cannaregio
Away from the crowds in Cannaregio, Ai Promessi Sposi is a cozy osteria loved by locals. The menu changes daily depending on what’s fresh from the market, but you’ll usually find polenta with cuttlefish, fried calamari, and grilled sardines. Their house wine is excellent and fairly priced — as are the cicchetti at the counter.
This is the kind of place where locals stop for one glass and end up staying for hours.
📍 Address: Cannaregio 4367 | ⏰ Best time: Dinner hour (7–9 PM)
7️⃣ Bacareto da Lele — A True Venetian Institution
Over near Piazzale Roma, Bacareto da Lele is a tiny corner bar beloved by students, workers, and gondoliers alike. It’s one of Venice’s simplest — and most authentic — bacari, where a glass of red wine costs barely a couple of euros and the sandwiches are small, cheap, and addictive.
Try the panini with porchetta or salami, and watch as Venetians chat, laugh, and stand along the canal before heading home. It’s local life in its purest form — unfiltered and unforgettable.
📍 Address: Campo dei Tolentini, Santa Croce | ⏰ Best time: Early evening
🍴 How to Do a Cicchetti Crawl (Giro di Bacari)
The beauty of Venice’s bacari is that you don’t have to pick just one — in fact, you shouldn’t! Venetians love to move from bar to bar, sampling one or two cicchetti and a glass of wine at each stop. Here’s how to do it like a local:
- 🎯 Start around the Rialto Market — it’s the beating heart of Venetian food culture.
- 🍷 Order an ombra (a small glass of wine) or a Spritz at each stop.
- 🍢 Choose one or two bites — baccalà mantecato, meatballs, or grilled vegetables.
- 🚶 Move on to the next bar after 15–20 minutes — keep it flowing and fun!
- 🗣️ Chat with the bartenders — they’re full of stories, and often the best guides to the next hidden gem.
Want to skip the guesswork? Join our Venice Cicchetti & Wine Tour, where a local expert leads you through hand-picked bacari, sharing stories, flavors, and the true soul of Venetian food culture.
🍤 Bonus Bacari Worth a Stop
- Enoteca Schiavi (Dorsoduro) — A wine lover’s paradise with creative crostini piled high with artichoke cream, seafood, and prosciutto. Go early!
- La Vedova (Cannaregio) — Famous for its perfectly seasoned meatballs and friendly, family-run atmosphere.
- El Refolo (Castello) — A modern, stylish bacaro with great charcuterie boards and lagoon-fresh fish bites.
- Ostaria dai Zemei (San Polo) — Run by twin brothers (hence the name “Zemei”), known for classic Venetian flavors and top-notch wine.
- Vino Vero (Fondamenta della Misericordia) — A hip, natural wine bar perfect for a sunset drink by the canal, with fantastic small plates.
💡 Tips for Eating Cicchetti Like a Venetian
- 💶 Bring cash — many traditional bacari still don’t take cards.
- 🍷 Order wine by the glass — ask for an ombra (literally “shade”).
- 🥖 Don’t sit unless invited — most Venetians stand at the counter or outside.
- 🕔 Go early — between 11:30 AM and 2 PM or 6 PM and 8 PM for the best cicchetti selection.
- 🚫 Avoid ordering cappuccino after 11 AM — it’s the one thing that screams “tourist.”
- 🗺️ Explore beyond San Marco — the best bacari hide in Dorsoduro, Cannaregio, and San Polo.
❤️ Final Thoughts — Cicchetti Is Venice’s True Soul
Eating cicchetti isn’t just about food — it’s about connection, tradition, and savoring life one bite at a time. It’s where gondoliers, students, and travelers meet shoulder-to-shoulder, sharing stories and laughter over a glass of wine.
Whether you start your journey at All’Arco or end it watching the sunset at Al Squero, you’ll leave with more than just a full stomach — you’ll leave with a little piece of Venetian life.
🍷 Ready to taste the real Venice? Join Tour Leader Venice for our Cicchetti & Wine Tour — your insider pass to Venice’s most authentic bars, flavors, and stories.
