Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
sandwiches, and slices of pizza for €3. A block away is a small branch of the efficient
and economic
Brek,
a popular self-service cafeteria chain (€5 pastas, €7-9
secondi,
daily
11:30-22:00,headleftasyouleavethestation andwalkabout50yardspastthebridgealong
The keys to eating affordably in Venice are pizza,
döner kebabs,
bars/cafés, cafeterias, and
picnics.
Panini
and
tramezzini
(sandwiches) are sold fast and cheap at bars everywhere and
can stave off midmorning hunger. There's a great “sandwich row” of cheap cafés near St.
icallyVenetianappetizersatnearlyanybar.Forquick,funeating,Ilikesmall,stand-upmini-
mealsat
cicchetti
bars
best(severalarerecommended inthischapter).Thoseonahard-core
budget equip their room with a pantry stocked at the market (fruits and veggies are remark-
ably cheap) or pick up a kebab (or the equivalent), then dine in at picnic prices.
Pizza
Whilenotthehomeofpizza,Veniceisenthusiasticaboutit.Fortourists,agreatwaytoenjoy
a delightful Venetian setting at a painless price is to have a pizza with a beer or carafe of
house wine at a canalside restaurant. Pizza ranges from €4 for takeout to €6 in a cheap res-
taurantto€12inafinestrestaurant. Personally,Iliketogotop-endonpizza:Investtheextra
euros, and enjoy a great setting, classy service, and the best quality.
If you're in the mood for pizza, here are my recommendations (all of these places are
described in more detail earlier):
For fun-loving, youthful places featuring inexpensive and good pizzas, big pizza parlor-
type interiors, and relaxing outdoor seating, try
Pizzeria al Profeta
(with a leafy garden,
near Campo San Barnaba),
Ae Oche Pizzeria
(with casual tables overlooking the Giudecca
Canal),
Antica Birraria la Corte
(on a big, breezy neighborhood square), or
Trattoria
Pizzeria al Nono Risorto
(near the Rialto Bridge with a garden full of tables).
Forsimplepizzafromlittlemorethanabar—withgreattablesontheGrandCanalunder
the Accademia Bridge—check out
Ristorante/Pizzeria Accademia Foscarini.
For top-shelf pizza served in a more formal restaurant setting, consider
Terrazza del
CasindeiNobili
(withelegantseatingoverlookingtheGiudeccaCanal),
RistoranteAntica
Sacrestia
(in a classy restaurant near St. Mark's Square), and
Pizzeria Vesuvio
(with fine
outdoor seating too, near the Jewish Ghetto).
Picnics
The
fruit and vegetable market
that sprawls for a few blocks just past the Rialto Bridge is
a fun place to assemble a picnic (best Mon-Sat 8:00-13:00, closed Sun). The adjacent
fish