Venice is, hands down, one of my favourite places to raise a glass. Here, the idea of “the aperitivo” exists on its own terms, ingrained in the daily rhythm rather than confined to a narrow pre-dinner window. By 10am, locals gather shoulder-to-shoulder in and around the bacari, the city’s standing-room-only taverns, with an ombra di vino (a small pour of wine) in hand as they nibble on cicchetti, the bite-sized snacks that turn grazing your way through Venice into one of life’s great indulgences.
The best part? Fitting this ritual into your day several times over. Cloudy prosecco col fondo and a speck-and-gorgonzola sandwich at Al Mercà near Rialto, before settling into Cantina del Vino già Schiavi in Dorsoduro for a cicchetto topped with smoked swordfish and escarole alongside a copper-hued pinot grigio ramato.
If you prefer your drinks bitter and sparkling, the Spritz Veneziano endures as the city’s signature, made with Select, the ruby-red bitter created in Venice in 1920. But local cocktail culture has evolved well beyond the classics, particularly in Venice’s hotels, where bartenders craft inventive tipples inspired by art, the lagoon and flavours from far beyond the city. Yes, you’ll pay a premium, so in these types of locales, skip the classics in favour of the house creations.
From no-frills bacari to natural wine-focused enoteche to hotel lounges plus a craft beer joint for good measure, here are 16 of the best bars in Venice.
Ai Do Leoni
Given its prime Piazza San Marco real estate, you’d be forgiven for assuming Ai Do Leoni is just another overpriced tourist trap. On closer inspection, that assumption quickly falls apart. On any given evening, the crowd spills onto the narrow street outside – you just might find yourself sipping among Venetians. Owner Gianluigi Wahba has transformed the longtime address into one of Venice’s most compelling contemporary bacari. The interior trades traditional Venetian motifs for a playful, almost retro-futurist aesthetic with orb lights aglow in bubble-gum hues and wood accents. The ever-changing, creative cicchetti might include mortadella with buffalo mozzarella and pistachio, or anchovies with seaweed butter layered onto cacao bread. To drink, there’s an intriguing selection of natural wines from the Veneto and craft beers. If cocktails are more your speed, order an Egiziano, a foam-finished riff on the Americano named in honour of Wahba’s Egyptian heritage.
