The Rough Guide to Venice and the Veneto

Eating and drinking Bars and snacks
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concept, offering a comprehensive range of
wines and a neat menu of snacks and simple
meals. Daily 8am–9pm.
Marcà Campo Cesare Battisti 213. This
minuscule stand-up Rialto bar is perfect
for a quick panino and prosecco on the
run. Mon–Sat 7am–3pm & 6–9.30pm.
Ruga Rialto Ruga Vecchia S. Giovanni 692.
Spartan bar near Rialto, popular with young
Venetians and students. Good cicheti at
the bar, and fuller meals are served in the
back rooms, near the fruit machines. Daily
11am–midnight.
Vivaldi Calle della Madonetta 1457. Busy parish
bar just to the north of Campo San Polo;
far more authentic than you’d think from the
name and decor, it serves excellent snacks
in the front part, and inexpensive full meals
at the tables in the back. 10am–2pm &
6pm–midnight; closed Tues.
Cannaregio
See map on p.140.
Al Mariner Fondamenta degli Ormesini 2679. A
no-frills canalside bar, with a tasty array of
snacks or basic meals. Mon–Sat 9am–1pm
& 4–8pm.
Al Parlamento Fondamenta San Giobbe 511. A
small and busy bar beside the Cannaregio
canal, with DJs on Thurs nights. Daily
8am–2am.
Al Ponte Calle Larga G. Gallina 6378. Brilliant
osteria between the Miracoli and Santi
Giovanni e Paolo: one of the best in the
area for a glass of wine and a light meal or
snack. Open till 8.30pm. Closed Sun.
Cantina Vecia Carbonera Rio Terrà della Maddalena
2329. Old-style bácaro atmosphere
and a chilled-out playlist attracts a young,
stylish clientele. Good wine, excellent
snacks and plenty of space to sit down.
Open till 11pm most nights. Closed Mon.
Fiddler’s Elbow Corte dei Pali 3847. One of a
chain of Italian self-styled “Irish pubs”; usually
has a few Venetian lads trying to act
rowdily, and a smattering of Brits showing
them how it’s really done, but most of
the kids are content with sipping a small
glass of Guinness for an hour. Gets a big
crowd on football nights, thanks to the big
TV screen. This is also pretty well the only
place in Venice where there’s no surcharge
for drinking at a table rather than at the bar.
Daily 5pm–12.30am.
Iguana Fondamenta della Misericordia 2517.
This cross between a bácaro and a
Mexican cantina serves reasonably priced
Mexican fare to a young crowd. Live music
(Latin, rock and jazz) Tues 9–11pm and
some weekends. Open Tues–Sun till 2am;
happy hour 6–8pm.
La Cantina Strada Nova 3689. Welcoming
enoteca with a good range of wines, excellent
snacks and very ingenious corkscrews
(which are for sale). Closed Sun.
Leon d’Oro Rio Terrà della Maddalena 2345. A
pleasant family-run place, offering a good
range of sandwiches, with osteria food
at the back. Open until 12.30am. Closed
Wed.
Osteria ai Ormesini da Aldo Fondamenta degli
Ormesini 2710. One of a number of bars
beside this long canal, and a particularly
pleasant spot for a lunchtime snack in the
sun. Mon–Sat till 2am.
Paradiso Perduto Fondamenta della
Misericordia 2540. Though it serves
food (not inexpensive and often not good)
at its refectory-like tables, Paradiso Perduto
is essentially Venice’s leading boho
bar, run by the indefatigable trumpet-playing
Maurizio. Live music – blues, jazz or
whatever – usually on Sun, sometimes
Mon, until 11pm. Open daily 7pm–1am,
plus Fri–Sun 11am–3pm.
Central Castello
See map on p.159.
Al Portego Calle Malvasia 6015. In
the middle of the day this bar is
crammed with customers eating cicheti
and in the evening there’s often a queue
for a place at one of the tiny tables, where
some well-prepared basics (pasta, risotto
etc) are served. No reservations are taken,
and the kitchen closes at 9.30pm. Closed
Sun.
Al Vecio Penasa Calle delle Rasse 4587. The
decor is uncharismatic, but this place
– which caters mainly to local shopworkers
and gondoliers – offers a huge array of
delicious sandwiches and panini, making
it a good choice for a reviving snack after
a tour of the Piazza – but eat at the bar
rather than at the tables, as the mark-up
is even higher than usual. Closed Wed.
Enoteca Mascareta Calle Lunga Santa Maria
Formosa 5183. Always busy wine bar with
delicious snacks. Mon–Sat 6pm–1am.
Inishark Calle del Mondo Novo 5787. Yet