How to Cicchetti in Venice
Cicchetti.Cicheti? Chicketti? Chich-etti?? We're never sure we've got it right, but we do know that it means small morsels of tasty goodness. Venice is scattered with Bacaro - small Venetian bars serving little plates of food known as Cicchetti. Often, cicchetti is unique to each Bacaro, and we found that rather than eating in restaurants, this was a much more fun way of fuelling our legs as we paced up and down the hot, tangled veins of Venice old town. Here's our advice on how to get stuck in.
Upon arriving in Venice City, dump your bags, ditch your phone, travel guide and map. Go and get lost; don’t be afraid, remember you are on an island - there is only so far you can go before you hit water! Find your own Venice, but if you're not quite ready to go unleashed, we've listed our top 5 eats in Venice which is a great place to start.
Top 5 Eats
Al Squero– A lovely spot in Dorsoduro, order a plate of assorted Cicchetti and sit on the wall by the canal. We sat for a while in the sun, looking at the Gondola building and repair yard opposite, a rare behind the scenes snapshot of Venice. We tried an assortment of crostini with marinated anchovies served on fresh bread and sweet cured Italian hams.
All’ Arco– I enjoyed baby squid head on toast, which was sweet and tender, I described the flavour to be like a 'Pâté of the sea'. If your one of those people who appreciates sucking the brains out of prawn heads, seek this one out. Where else can you eat that without being stared at? Only short walk from the Rialto market; we visited them both together one morning.
Cantina Do Mori– Escape the heat and stop for here, a great place to sample wines by the Ombra. They serve a traditional selcetion of Cicchetti including tramezzini- thin Italian sandwiches, baby octopus and Italian charcuterie.
Al Timon– Great Cicchetti served with care, get there early evening for a seat on the boat out the front, failing that sit on the wall. We enjoyed the 'Baccala Mantecato' salt cod, which was light and mousse- like in texture after being whipped with olive oil.
Paradiso Perduto– An informal restaurant with an eye catching display, we tried their Fritto misto plate served simply on paper with lemon and salt whilst enjoying a few beers and live music by the canal.
Our own experience of Venice
We sometimes take a scrap of paper with a hit list of places we like the sound of, and try and find them. In this case a long list of Bacaro. It brings a good feeling of back-to-basics and sense of achievement when finding a gem in a maze of small walkways, bridges and canals without the use of a smartphone.
The beauty of Venice is you really only have the choice of walking, unless you choose one of the extortionate water taxis, boats or gondolas. We really enjoyed hopping from bar to bar, from North to South, East to West, turn a corner and you often stumble across a hidden haunt. I recall stopping for a strong coffee as a pick-me-up, a glass of Spritz and a couple of Cicchetti later we were ready to hit the streets and heat again.
More than Cicchetti
Venice has a bit of reputation with young couples getting engaged. I think my mum was especially disappointment to hear that I hadn’t planned to propose to Louise during our stay. Instead, we chose to stay in a top floor apartment, by a canal in the old Jewish Ghetto District, Cannareggio. On paper it doesn’t sound romantic, but after exploring the area you will be eating your words. Live music can often be found in the evenings, as the sun sets and the temperature drops; we found ourselves sitting on the canal walls lit with tea lights, sipping on Venetian wine and snacking on ‘Fritto misto’. If thats not for you, I don’t know what to say to you.
For those who do want to sit at a table for 2 on the Grand Canal, with a candlelit dinner, champagne and ring in the pocket, I’m sure its great for that. Venice does have a lot more to offer though, dig deep and get amongst the streets. One of our favourite canals was the Fondamenta Ormensini in Cannaregio, especially late into the night. It had a young, laid back feel – a far cry from the Venetian cliché you’ve experienced so many times in books and films. Here, groups of friends sit in rows on the edge of the canal enjoying their drinks, or crowd crossed legged onto the deck of a moored wooden boat.
Watch the locals, see where they go and at what times of day. Explore the Rialto market, especially on Saturdays it comes alive with vendors selling fresh fish. A great place to take some action shots of locals. Head down to Dorsoduro, a neighbourhood in the south which has some authentic bars, cafes and a relaxed atmosphere. The Campo Santa Margerita is a nice place to relax on a bench and people watch.
Capiche? A few handy phrases we picked up along the way, and worthy of learning even for a long weekend trip:
Ombra – A small glass of Venetian local wine, often cheaper in price than other wines
Cicchetti or cicheti – Small bites, Cicheti meaning a singular bite (which was rare for us)
Baccala mantecato – A light, whipped salt cod pate served usually on bread or crostini. Mantecato means creamed in english, however this is usually just creamy in texture rather than containing cream. A must try!
Polpette – Meatballs, very popular in Venice and one of few meat options when it comes to Cicchetti
Sarde in Saor – A classic Venetian sweet and sour Sardine dish, served with onions, vineger, raisins and pine nuts.
Spritz – A refreshing white wine or Prosecco spritzer, mixed with soda or sparking water, and Aperol for a sweetness or Campari for a bitter edge. Usually served over Ice.
