The bacari of Cannaregio: where to eat cicchetti

If one experience captures the real Venice, it's the bacaro crawl. And Cannaregio is perhaps the best neighbourhood to enjoy it: this is where Venetians actually stop, over a glass of wine and a chat, far from the tourist menus. From Cà Letizia, in the Madonna dell'Orto area, you have the most authentic bacari right on your doorstep.

🍷 What bacari, cicchetti and "ombra" are

A bacaro is the typical Venetian tavern: small, informal, often standing at the counter. Cicchetti are small bites — the Venetian equivalent of tapas — to enjoy with a glass of wine, affectionately called an "ombra", or with a spritz. You spend little and eat wonderfully: the idea is to move from bacaro to bacaro, one bite at a time.

🥪 The cicchetti not to miss

• Baccalà mantecato — whipped creamed cod, served on a crostino or on polenta. An absolute classic.
• Sarde in saor — sardines with onion, raisins and pine nuts, sweet and sour: a historic sailors' dish.
• Polpette — meat or fish balls, fried and fragrant.
• Folpetti and moscardini — small boiled octopus, dressed with oil and parsley.
• Assorted crostini — with lardo, sopressa, cheeses, seasonal vegetables.

📍 Where to find them in Cannaregio

The liveliest area for bacari is along the Fondamenta della Misericordia and the Fondamenta degli Ormesini: two banks running along the canals, a few minutes from home, where the tables fill up in the evening and the atmosphere is just right. Along Strada Nuova and around the Ghetto you'll also find historic osterie. The advice is simple: walk, see where the locals are, and go in.

💡 How to do it like a Venetian

• Go early, around aperitivo time (6–8pm): the cicchetti are fresher and the choice is wider.
• Don't stop at the first one: the point is to move around between several bacari.
• Eat standing at the counter like the locals — it's part of the experience.
• Ask what they recommend: it changes every day, according to the market.

To find your way around the neighbourhood and the whole city, take a look at our Venice guide from Cannaregio.

Your aperitivo in Cannaregio

Stay a stone's throw from the most authentic bacari. Send a request for your dates.