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$$ | San Marco |
Florian is not only Italy's first café (1720), but also one of its most beautiful, with glittering, neo-Baroque decor and 19th-century wall panels depicting Venetian heroes. The coffee, drinks, and snacks are good, but most people—including Venetians from time to time—come for the atmosphere and history: this was the only café to serve women during the 18th century (hence Casanova's patronage); it was frequented by artistic notables like Wagner, Goethe, Goldoni, Lord Byron, Marcel Proust, and Charles Dickens; and it was the birthplace of the international art exhibition that became the Venice Biennale. There's a surcharge for music; those in the know opt for the comfortable back bar.
Piazza San Marco 57, Venice, Veneto, 30124, Italy
Known For
- Prime location on St. Mark's Square
- Beautiful, historic interior
- Hot chocolate, coffee, and quick nibbles
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed early Jan.
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$ | Cannaregio |
Filled brioche, exquisite chocolates and pastries, such as kranz (a braided pastry filled with almond paste and raisins) and strudel from the Friuli region, and bar service make Dal Mas a great choice for breakfast. It's been a local favorite since 1906.
Cannaregio 150/A, Venice, Veneto, 30121, Italy
Known For
- Savory snacks and drinks
- Handy pit-stop near the station
- Delicious pastries like Pastine di Riso
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues.
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On the Lido, strategically located on the main drag between the vaporetto stop and the most central beaches, Titta is one of the oldest gelaterie (gelato shops) in Venice. Get your receipt at the cassa (register) for a cone to go, or enjoy one of the special combinations while lolling in a swinging chair under the trees that line the Gran Viale.
Gran Viale Santa Maria Elisabetta 61, Lido, Veneto, 30126, Italy
Known For
- Ice caffè and ice cioccolato
- Gianduiotto (chocolate and hazelnut) gelato, topped with cream and hazelnuts
- Many types of bruschette
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Nov.–early Mar.
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$$ | San Marco |
Come for breakfast, a predinner aperitivo, or anything in between at this always lively historic coffeehouse—opened in 1775 and taken over by the famous culinary Alajmo family in 2011—in the center of the action on Piazza San Marco. Choose from a wide selection of pastries at breakfast (though the cappuccino and brioche combo is always a classic), pizzas at lunch, and tramezzini all day long, including one with lobster.
Piazza San Marco 121, Venice, Veneto, 30124, Italy
Known For
- Extensive (though pricey) aperitivo
- Celebrity owners
- Prime people-watching
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Set by the Palanca waterside with lagoon views and clean, contemporary interiors, Majer is a reliable, quality bet at any time of day. Start as early as 7 am for breakfast cappuccino and pastries or arrive later for brunch bites, leisurely pasta lunches, picnic bakes, aperitvo (aperitif) with vino, or dinner dates until 10 pm.
Fondamenta Sant'Eufemia 461, Giudecca, Veneto, Italy
Known For
- All-day snacks
- Sbrisòlona (a traditional crumbly almond cake), biscotti, cakes, and semifreddi (dessert with a texture between ice cream and mousse)
- Grilled seafood and wagyu steak for dinner
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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This popular breakfast spot close to the Rialto attracts a mix of locals and tourists. Enjoy your pastry and coffee inside the old-time pastry shop or, if you’re lucky, snag a seat outside.
San Marco 4589, Venice, Veneto, 30124, Italy
Known For
- Tasty espresso
- Traditional Venetian pastries
- Friendly, helpful staff
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$ | San Marco |
This 19th-century chocolate shop serves up delicious (what else?) chocolate ice creams, along with refreshing sorbets. For the ultimate experience, add seasonal sprinkles, such as Piedmont hazelnuts, to your sweet treat.
San Marco 989, Venice, Veneto, 30124, Italy
Known For
- Rich dark-chocolate gelato
- Green pistachio from Sicily
- Cones topped with chocolate
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$ | Santa Croce |
This shop whips up delicious gelato completely from scratch, and is endlessly experimenting with imaginative flavors. Combine a tried-and-true favorite with, say, asparagus, fennel, or pistachio.
Santa Croce 1159, Venice, Veneto, 30135, Italy
Known For
- Inventive flavors
- Homemade ice cream
- Creative toppings
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$ | Cannaregio |
Here you'll find the usual array of gelato flavors, which change with the seasons, plus more unusual ones like licorice. You can also enjoy a granita (regular and Sicilian), panna in ghiaccio (a brick of frozen cream between wafers), and some specialties (chocolate covered and otherwise) in front of the counter.
Cannaregio 4273/B, Venice, Veneto, 30121, Italy
Known For
- Cakes and semifreddi
- Fresh fruit sorbets
- Generous scoops
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$ | Dorsoduro |
Founded in 2003 by two men from Torino (one of them named Federico Grom), this modest gelateria (ice cream shop) has expanded across the globe, including to 23 Italian cities and eight international cities. Natural ingredients such as Ecuadorian or Venezuelan chocolate, Sicilian lemon, and Mawardi pistachios add intense flavors, and the selection changes with the seasons. They also make fruit sorbets, popsicles, and other specialty items.
Campo San Barnaba, Venice, Veneto, 30123, Italy
Known For
- International following
- Flavor-packed gelato and sorbet
- Seasonal menu
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$ | Dorsoduro |
This popular takeout gelateria, just off Campo Santa Margherita, offers a wide selection of flavors, from a few low-calorie options, including yogurt and soy, to the extra-rich strabon (Venetian for "more than good," which in this case means made with cocoa, espresso, and chocolate-covered almonds), as well as granitas in summer. It's worth a detour, and it's open late most of the year.
Dorsoduro 3058/A, Venice, Veneto, 30123, Italy
Known For
- Late hours
- Gelato
- Granitas
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Nov.–Feb.
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$ | Dorsoduro |
Enjoy the Zattere's most scrumptious treat—Nico's famous gianduiotto, a slab of chocolate-hazelnut ice cream floating on a cloud of whipped cream—and relax on the big, welcoming deck. Nico's is one of the few places still serving authentic homemade (artigianale) ice cream and has been seducing Venetians since 1935. It's also one of the rare gelaterie where you can sit down; most of them have no seating.
Dorsoduro 922, Venice, Veneto, 30123, Italy
Known For
- Abundant seating
- Divine hazelnut ice cream
- Waterfront location
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$ | San Marco |
The morning sun draws crowds of all ages and nationalities to take a seat on busy Campo Santo Stefano and enjoy a little cup at this favorite café-gelateria. A scoop of limone (lemon) gelato is particularly refreshing on a hot summer day.
Campo Santo Stefano 2962, Venice, Veneto, 30124, Italy
Known For
- Good aperitivo
- Gianduia (hazelnut and chocolate) gelato
- Lively terrace
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$ | San Marco |
Try this fun shop for gelato that’s out of the ordinary: think walnut cream with caramelized fig, or vanilla with rum raisins and Malaga wine. Sorbets and milkshakes are also on offer.
San Marco 5453, Venice, Veneto, 30124, Italy
Known For
- Unusual flavors
- Vegan ice cream options
- Convenient location on way to Rialto Bridge
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With tables offering a spectacular view of the Zattere outside and an elegant room inside, Harry's (of Cipriani fame) makes for a very indulgent pit stop. While you can linger for lunch or dinner, you can also order or fill your bag to go with light bites, sandwiches, and sweet goodies, such as cake and gelato.
Giudecca 773, Giudecca, Veneto, 30133, Italy
Known For
- Location and fame that come with a price tag
- Salads
- Cakes and pastries
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.
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$ | San Marco |
On Campo Santo Stefano across from Paolin, Le Café has see-and-be-seen tables outside year-round. It also has bar service, light lunches, and a variety of hot chocolate drinks and desserts.
San Marco 2797, Venice, Veneto, 30124, Italy
Known For
- Tasty hot chocolate
- Appealing breakfast options
- Sandwiches and pizza
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$$ | Dorsoduro |
If you're hungry but don't know what you want, head to this bar, café, restaurant, and pizzeria for a bite. Here you can sample all types of southern Italian specialties from the Salento area of Puglia, the "heel" of the Italian "boot." Divided into two locations across the street from each other on Calle San Pantalon, the café has some tables inside, while the bakery focuses on takeout. Discover the puccia (POOCH-a), a delicious cross between a pizza and a sandwich that you order by ticking the options on a list of ingredients, or try the homemade pasta dishes, especially the orecchiette ("little ears"), the most famous pasta from the Puglia region. Skip the usual croissant with your cappuccino and try the pasticciotto pastry filled with lemon custard. "Mamafe'" refers to Mamma Federica.
Dorsoduro 3743 and 3755, Venice, Veneto, 30123, Italy
Known For
- Cappuccino
- Puccia (cross between a sandwich and pizza)
- Takeout snacks and pastries
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$ | Dorsoduro |
With an enviable terrace on the Zattere, Nico is the city's gelateria with a view. The house specialty is the gianduiotto, a brick of dark chocolate ice cream flung into a tall glass filled with freshly whipped cream. There's the more economic bar service if you'd prefer to saunter down the sunny promenade.
Dorsoduro 922, Venice, Veneto, 30123, Italy
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Thurs. and Dec. 21–Jan. 8
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$$ | Santa Croce |
This friendly neighborhood restaurant named for the old well nearby offers a wide selection of favorite Italian dishes. The pizza is made with locally milled flour that is left to mature for two days, and the pasta is handmade every day. Recipes use seasonal ingredients; this could be your only chance to try a pizza with pumpkin cream or with truffles in the fall. There are lots of meat and vegetarian dishes, and very little fish.
Santa Croce 656, Venice, Veneto, 30135, Italy
Known For
- Seasonal pizza toppings like truffle and pumpkin
- Outdoor dining
- Local favorite
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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$$ | Dorsoduro |
This small eatery hides a historic secret: indoors are the visible underground remains of three medieval brick vats that were used for dying cloth, discovered during renovation work years ago. A menu for the whole family varies from cicheti (appetizers) to pasta to dessert. It's a fine place for a coffee or spritz under the umbrellas outside.
Dorsoduro 3426, Venice, Veneto, 30123, Italy
Known For
- Historic past
- Fine setting for a coffee or spritz
- Umbrella-covered outdoor seating