I've been on my deathbed all weekend suffering from a case of post-festival flu so it seemed like a good idea to reminisce on happier times when I was devouring allllll the yummy food without feeling like I'd swallowed razor blades. My intention was to blog about my time in Venice in a similar style to the rest of my #traveldiary series but that plan failed as I kept myself way too busy to ever stop and write. So instead, I want to focus on the cafés and restaurants that I loved in Venice - in particular, the ones that were kind to my very tight budget! It wasn't always easy to find somewhere to eat that wasn't ridiculously expensive as most things are quite overpriced in Venice but a little bit of prior research and some help from Tripadvisor made my mission a little easier. In no particular order...
Dal Moro's Fresh Pasta To Go
Tucked down a very narrow little backstreet in the heart of the island, this was my first meal in Venice. I had been dreaming about a tomato-based seafood pasta ever since I set foot in Italy and I was so glad to discover this little, hidden gem of a place (with thanks to Tripadvisor) to make my dreams come true. I'd recommend using the map function on the Tripadvisor app to find the place as it's definitely very hidden away! You'll know you're getting close when you start to see a lot of people carrying white takeout boxes and there may be a long line of people waiting outside but this is always a good sign in my opinion. The actual 'restaurant' is actually a very basic box room where you place your order, pay and take your food away. There was a little area to stand and eat inside but why stay indoors when you're in such a beautiful city? I walked a couple of minutes around the corner and found a small canal-way with a bridge and stairs so I sat there, along with a lot of other customers, to eat my delish and piping hot Spaghetti ai Frutti di Mare which had tons of squid, prawns and octopus in it. This dish would generally be one of the more expensive options in a sit-down restaurant so I think I made a good choice in coming here to get my seafood fix for just seven euros.
Cocaeta
I will forever remember Cocaeta as the place I fell in love with crêpes and all their wonderful, endless possibilities. I walked for miles to reach this restaurant as it's location in Cannaregio was pretty much on the opposite side of the island to my hotel in Dorsoduro. Again, this place only really facilitated a few people to stand and eat in and your crepe is served on a basic plastic plate so it's another very unpretentious recommendation. I had read fantastic reviews which totally swayed me into venturing out in search of the perfect crêpe. For about five euros I chose one with smoked salmon, cream cheese, rocket leaves and balsamic vinegar and it was just the best. thing. ever. It was so good in fact that I actually made the round-trip on foot later in the evening for another - this time nutella, banana and whipped cream. The shop is on a beautiful stretch of canal right at the very edge of the island and I watched the sunset over the sea just a two minute walk away - a very romantic Venice moment with me and my crêpe. The shop itself, on both occasions that I visited, was only staffed by one guy who ran it all by himself so waiting times were a little slow but the food was freshly made in front of me so I really had no complaints. I was pleasantly surprised by the range of drinks stocked here too - there were plenty of alcoholic choices and an array of juices and non-alcoholic drinks as well as the standard soft drinks. I had hoped to visit again during my time in Venice but unfortunately Coaeta is only open from Fridays to Sundays. No doubt I'll be returning here the next time I'm in Venice!
Osteria Al Squero
I visited here on the eve of a big festival so the entire area was insanely busy and this particular place, a wine bar in Academia, Dorsoduro, not far from where I stayed, was a bit overwhelming. I get the impression from the reviews that it used to be a well-kept secret with the locals but its increased popularity now means that it's always heaving with people. As a young and solo female traveller, I'd made it an unwritten rule to avoid huge groups of drunk people where possible so rather than hanging around the bar, I once again took my plastic plate to a pretty spot and sat in the sunshine to enjoy my meal! Saying that, the bar itself was buzzing and had I been there with friends, I would have loved to stay inside and make the most of the huge selection of drinks. I'm not sure whether they have other food options on offer but the reviews all rave about the 'cicchetti' which is basically an Italian equivalent of tapas and bruschetta. I chose six for less than ten euros and the lady that served me was very patient and helpful suggesting and explaining what each flavour was! I chose a selection with different cheeses, ham, tomato, pesto, peppers and crab.
Suso's Gelatoteca
This was the one and only gelateria that I visited during my four days in Venice and it absolutely lived up to what I expected of real, Italian ice cream. For reference, the shop is about a five minute walk from the Rialto bridge so if you find yourself in that area I suggest you treat yourself to a visit here. There were lots of flavour options including sorbets and they seemed to cater well for vegans and coeliacs too. On my first visit I chose watermelon sorbet (always my favourite) and dark chocolate in a tub for approximately three to four euros. The price of the wafer was included and the tub was edible which was a cute quirk that I absolutely loved! The reviews all rave about it being 'the best gelato' this and the 'one true gelateria' that and although I didn't go anywhere else to make a fair comparison, I can confirm as a self-diagnosed ice cream addict that it was bloody good.
Tips:
- I discovered in Europe that wherever I went, I was likely to find a 'tourist menu' offering a set choice of starter, main course and dessert/drink. Being on a budget I absolutely utilised this. In Venice, there are a stretch of restaurants along the canal leading to Rialto Bridge that I noticed all seemed to have such a menu and I ate at one of them (unfortunately can't remember the name) and had spaghetti in a tomato pomodoro sauce, fried fish and chips and a large glass of wine for ten euros. It was always nice to eat in a restaurant environment knowing that I wasn't breaking the bank to do so.
- If you're visiting Venice with little to spend, you must research in advance before setting off for a meal! Venice has a crazy amount of restaurants but the cheapest places are often the hardest to find and some areas are a lot more expensive than others.
- Don't expect A* service or the luxury of real plates and cutlery. As you can see from the reviews above, I often dined outside and sat on the floor simply because my restaurant choices didn't accommodate people to sit and eat-in. I totally didn't care though because the streets of Venice are too pretty to spend all of your time indoors anyway.
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