Venetian Traditional Carnival Food

Where to taste and how to cook them

Are you coming to Venice during Carnival? Then you cannot visit the city during the long celebrations of Carnival and don't try the traditional Venetian Carnival food and may you even want to make these pastries at your own place once you’re back.

The Venetian must-to-eat sweets are: the so-called "frittella", a couple of "castagnole" and some "galani".

Don’t feel guilty if you can’t stop eating frittelle once in Venice, is part of the trip in this period of the year!

Here a small list of our favourite places where you can taste these sweets:

1. Nonno Colussi

Since 1956 Nonno Colussi has been making his desserts (including the famous "fugassa", the Venetian focaccia which is a sort of Pandoro thousand times more genuine and good, soft like a feather pillow), exclusively in the open laboratory in his shop. The sweets of the "grandfather" Colussi are very popular and, according to the Venetians, this is one of the best pastry shops in Venice.

Calle Lunga San Barnaba, Dorsoduro 2867A

2. Pasticceria Tonolo

Since 1886 one of the most famous and renowned pastry shops in the city. Frequented by Venetians, and of course tourists (recommended by locals), is always assaulted not only for the delicacy of pastries and brioche but also for the low price and for the generous portions of desserts.

Crosera San Pantalon, Dorsoduro 3764.

3. Laboratorio Castelli

One of the last real pastry laboratories still existing in Venice. For over 30 years, clients have been delighted with: Venetian bars, pastry shops, restaurants and hotels. Bake daily brioche, frolle, pies, muffins, cakes, pizzas, pretzels and much more. Mythical (and almost unobtainable in the Venetian bars where nowadays many use to buy frozen ones) its brioches with custard and chantilly cream as well as its Venetian pancakes, prepared both classic and with zabaglione, and / or with delicate chantilly cream.

San Marco 3994

4. Rosa Salva

A name, a guarantee. The legendary Ermenegildo Rosa Salva produced the fritoe in the old way, with the buso (with hole), baked daily are then distributed in the various Rosa Salva stores in Venice and Mestre. The classic version, with raisins and pine nuts, supports the production of those with custard and zabaione.

San Marco 950. Calle Fubera.

5. Pasticceria Marchini

The activity of the Vio Family has been present in Venice for over 40 years. Since 1974 he has been producing and selling his collection of high quality traditional sweets: the "Antichi Golosessi Venexiani". Wide selection of desserts and savories for aperitifs and lunch breaks.

RECIPES

Here you can find the basic recepies for cooking at home these 3 tipycal sweets of Carnival. Enjoy and let us know how good you made them!

FRITTELLE

If you’ve been to Venice before during Carnival, you’ll probably have already tasted the frittelle, in all their variations, in fact, there are cream frittelle, frittelle with raisin, frittelle with zabaglione or chocolate but we are sure you don’t know the recipe yet.

250gr flour

30gr sugar

1 glass of milk

30gr pine nuts

Yeast

1 egg

30 gr raisin

Lemon peel

Peanut seed oil for frying

In a large bowl mix the yeast with a glass of warm milk and 50gr of flour, then let it rest for a while, at least until the mixture has doubled its volume.

In the main time, allow the raisins to soak in warm water for a full 30 minutes.

Take the mixture you’ve prepared earlier, and add the rest of the flour, an egg, 30gr of sugar, then the raisins, the lemon peel, and the pine nuts.

Work the mixture adding a pinch of salt, then use a spoon to make small balls you’ll fry in a pan full of hot oil. Before serving, sprinkle a bit of icing sugar, above the frittelle.

GALANI, A TYPICAL VENETIAN CARNIVAL PASTRY

Venice is not the only city in Italy where you can taste galani, but they probably have a different name. The galani recipe seems to date back to the Roman Empire, which means that they were born before the Venetian frittelle. Let’ see the recipe.

500gr flour

100gr sugar

40gr butter

2 eggs

Lemon peel

1 spoon of rum

A pinch of salt

Some icing sugar to decorate

Making galani it’s easy. First of all, mix all the ingredients into a bowl and let them rest for a couple of hours, then stretch it until it becomes very thin. Now it’s time to give the galani their typical shape, using a cutting wheel.

Fry them all making a small cut on the top of each galano, then serve them with some icing sugar.

CASTAGNOLE

Castagnole are a very typical Venetian Carnival food and the recipe is really easy. Let’s start with the ingredients you’ll need.

400g flour

50g sugar

80g butter

2 eggs

A pinch of salt

Baking powder with added vanilla flavoring

Lemon peel

Oil for frying

Icing sugar

Soften the butter and put it in a bowl with the two eggs and the 50gr of sugar. Stir everything and add the flour, the lemon peel, the yeast and a pinch of salt. Then make some small balls from the mixture, helping yourself with a spoon, and put them in a pan full of hot oil.

Let them fry and then serve them with some icing sugar.

Coffee in Venice?

Our list of favourite coffee places in Venice

IL CAFFE DEL DOGE

venezia, rialto, calle dei cinque, san polo 609

Founded in 1952 in Venice, a stone's throw from the Rialto Bridge, the small artisan roasting machine Il caffè del doge is a reference point for lovers of fresh roasted coffee, to be enjoyed at home.

Half a century of history and jealously guarded secrets: even today, despite following a cutting-edge roasting system, it maintains the characteristics of the traditional method of processing: the "Venetian Classical Method".

So many coffees can be savored: from 100% Arabica, to the Rialto espresso coffee, from the goumert, to the coffee of the seasons.

TORREFAZIONE CANNAREGIO

venezia, Fondamenta dei Ormesini, Cannaregio 2804

Founded in 1930, the Torrefazione Cannaregio for almost 90 years continues every day with the same passion to devote himself to coffee, attentive to roasting methods and raw materials that come from the best coffee areas in the world.

Leading product is the Café Remer, a combination of eight different qualities of arabica: which guarantees a low concentration of caffeine.

But at Torrefazione Cannaregio there is not only coffee: also "pasta cafè", a durum wheat semolina pasta at the Café Remèr; "Cocoa paste", a durum wheat semolina with cocoa selection Brazil; "Gondola bases", fine pastry with a touch of Café Remer to enhance its delicate taste; "Dragee", roasted coffee beans covered with dark chocolate.

CAFFE ROSSO

venezia, CAMPO SANTA MARGHERITA, DORSODURO 2963

Local Venetian historian, its birth dates back to the late nineteenth century, the Red Coffee is an important point of passage for Venetians, artists, students and tourists: currently the historic coffee machine in copper and brass is the oldest employee of Caffè Rosso .

In 2002, Caffè Rosso started selling merchandising and donating profits for charity operations.

CAFFE POGGI

venezia, calle nuova sant’agnese, dorsoduro 855

For those who want to stay away from mass tourism and rediscover the truest Venice, the "Caffè Poggi since 1919" is what you need: here you can enjoy an excellent espresso in a typical Venetian restaurant, where you can also find biscuits and other local treats as souvenirs. If you are passing through the Accademia area, before or after visiting the Gallerie dell'Accademia, the Guggenheim Collection or the Cini Collection, do not miss it.

GRAN CAFFE QUADRI

venezia, piazza san marco, san marco 121

A class stop in one of the best known and loved venetian historical premises, the "Gran Caffè Quadri", open since 1638, where you can taste the famous coffee by Gianni Frasi, sitting in Piazza San Marco, one of the most evocative scenes in the world .

The espresso is prepared with the varieties selected for Grancaffè by Gianni Frasi, from the Torrefazione Giamaica of Verona, and roasted directly on open flame with a machine that still works manually; the baristas, who use manual Faema machines, have been personally instructed by the Frasi himself, in order to obtain a perfect espresso.

Vegan and Vegetarian restaurants in Venice

Our list of Vegan and Vegetarian restaurants in Venice

La Tecia Vegana

Calle dei Sechi Dorsoduro 2104, Venice

Vegan restaurant

La Tecia Vegana, literally “The Vegan Pot”, is a small and comfortable restaurant in the heart of the city of Venice, and the only organic vegan restaurant. The restaurant is managed by husband-and-wife team, that in the kitchen create delectable dishes such as ravioli with seitan and porcini mushrooms, and offer many gluten-free dishes.

La Cocaeta

Fondamenta San Giobbe 548 B, 30121 Venice

Vegan Crepes

Cocaeta (meaning “little tern” in Venetian dialect) is a super tiny creperie in Venice, located about 10 minutes walking distance from Venice train station. The mixture of all crêpes is vegan, and you can chose from many vegan ingredients. It is perfect for a quick lunch or a snack in the afternoon.

Gastrosofia Le Spighe

Castello 1341, 30122 Venice

Vegan dishes

It is a small gastronomy in the venetian district of Castello, that offers vegetarian and vegan dishes. Very good for a quick lunch or a take away in one of the less known district of Venice.

Bella & Brava

Cannaregio 4383, Venice

Vegan pizza

A small local where you can eat a vegetarian or vegan pizza, very rare to find in the city of Venice. You can sit down in one of the table, or take your vegan pizza and eat it where you prefer.

Orient Experience

Cannaregio 1847/b e Campo Santa Margherita, Venice

Vegan restaurant

It is a journey through spicy oriental flavors, in one of the less crowded and more inspiring district of Venice, Cannaregio. You can compose your own plate with 3 or 4 dishes of your choice. The local is tiny and intimate, very good for a romantic dinner.

Pizzeria L’Angelo

Calle Della Mandola 3711, 30124 Venice

Vegan take away

It is a take away pizzeria, located between St. Marc square and Rialto bridge, in the heart of the city of Venice. The menu offers a fair number of vegan pizzas, and sandwiches and other vegan snacks that are prepared in advance and put in plain sight.

Fiumefreddo Bio

Cannaregio 4467, Venezia

Vegan Restaurant

Fiumefreddo is a small place in a strategic position close to Rialto bridge. It is a gastronomy with few seats and a small outdoor area with vegan proposals from breakfast to dinner, passing for lunch and aperitif.

Da Mario alla Fava

Venezia, Calle dei Stagneri 5242, Venice

Vegan Restaurant

Is one of the historic restaurants in Venice, from 1960, that has decided to fully welcome the progress of vegan cuisine. To try for those who want to get a taste of authentic Venice, discarding fish and meat.

La Zucca

Santa Croce, 1762, Venice

Vegan restaurant

La Zucca is one of the best restaurants that offers vegetarian food. You can start your meal with a Tagliatelle with tomatoes and eggplant from its ever changing menu and finish with mouthwatering strawberries and cream topped with chocolate sauce. If your companion isn't a vegetarian and would love a fix of meat, there is also the choice of a juicy duck thigh with apples. The restaurant is located near a nice small canal, in the Santa Croce district, in the middle of Venice.

Purem

Cannaregio 2085 – Rio Terà de la Maddalena, 30123 Venezia

Vegan smoothies

Purem is a smoothie paradise. The good news for vegans is that each of the many versions indicated on the blackboard can be made with vegetable milk: soy, rice, coconut and almond. The same is for dark hot chocolate. All the fruit is organic and the combinations are many, imaginative and inviting.

Ethnic Restaurants in Venice

This is the list of Simone favourite ethnic restaurants in Venice.

Buddha Soul Restò

Gran Viale S. M. Elisabetta 28, Venice Lido

The Buddha Soul Restò is a typical Indian cuisine restaurant located in Venice Lido. Lights, colours and flavours of India in the new restaurant on Grand Avenue. Not only rice, spices, curry and chutney, Under a sky of stars (even in the small dining room), you can taste typical dishes especially the Indian, “Thali”, main dish consists of several portions, variants that you prefer. In addition, take-away point, a small Indian grill, and home dinners and catering service.

Los Murales

Giudecca 70, Fondamenta Della Croce, Venice

Mexican food in Venice? No problem, just choose the restaurant mural in Le Zitelle Fondamenta, La Giudecca. The strong flavours and tastes spicy Central American cuisine with a blend of beautiful scenery and interesting streets and squares. 

Mirai

Cannaregio 225, Rio Terà Lista De Spagna, Venice

The restaurant Mirai comes from the philosophy of the classic Japanese sushi and observes the precepts of preparation. The creative sushi is a new and old to assemble ingredients belonging to different traditions, but whose common element is the rice. The Mirai favors the use of fish (and the best quality and freshness); Closed on Mondays and other days it is open from 19 to 23.30.

Frary's 

San Polo 2559, Fondamenta dei Frari, Venice

Frary’s Bar is a charming restaurant in the San Polo 2559, with a view across the Frari: a few tables, prepared in a simple way but tastefully . A candle light, you can immerse yourself in the tastes and smells of the Middle Eastern cuisine: the couscous with vegetables and tzatziki sauce gyros at mutton, rice Jordanian Musaka the Greek by Greek almond biscuits and walnut pudding with Arabic mint and pistachio. And then the Arab bread served warm. The Greek wines are imported, carefully selected thanks to the Hellenic Owner.

Orient Experience

Rio Terà Farsetti, 1847/b, Venice

The ideal place to try a fusion cuisine, with influences from Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kurdistan, perfectly fell within the lagoon culinary tradition. The dishes served are mainly based on rice, vegetables, meat and spices. Many spices. The quality of the food is very high, the variety of alternatives to choose from so wide that you almost feel embarrassed about making choices.

Il Giardino di Giada

Calle dei Boteri, 1659, Venice

Typical Chinese cuisine, with some markedly Mediterranean influence. A well-groomed environment where you can enjoy a wide variety of valuable dishes. Excellent appetizers, delicious first courses of rice and spaghetti, delicious main courses, especially those with prawns and beef. The ideal would be to try a little of everything, but to do it you need to come back several times.

Ghimel Garden

Sestiere Cannaregio, 2873, Venice

Jewish restaurant with furnishings and decorations intimate garden which also offers Italian foods, gluten-free and vegan.

Africa Experience

Calle Lunga San Barnaba, 2722, Venice

An African restaurant staffed by refugees and immigrants from all over Africa. 

Luna Sentada

Fondamenta S. Severo, 5018, Venice

Mediterranean menu and Venetian and Asian specialties including wood and exposed stone in a rustic-chic location.

Ganesh Ji

Calle del Scaleter, 2426, Venice

Typical Indian curry served in a simple and relaxed venue, carpeted with oriental artwork.

Our Favorite Restaurants in Venice (Nov.2018)

Which one are our favourite restaurants in Venice?? Where do we go for formal lunch?? Or for a romantic dinner? It is now time to tel.

Do leave your feedback and post below or tell us YOUR favourite venues!!

La Zucca

Vegetarian restaurants are hard to find in Venice, once you've eliminated pizza from your list of menu choices. And while Osteria La Zucca isn't a vegetarian restaurant, (No fish and a little bit of meat, lot of vegetables) it's a great place for anyone who likes vegetables--if only because Zucca's chefs turn common garden-variety ingredients like carrots and eggplant into works of culinary art. Zucca is a small restaurant with just two rooms and a total seating capacity of 30 to 35 customers. In summer outdoor tables add space for a few more guests. The atmosphere is modern with slatted wood tables and walls. Wine racks add to the cozy ambience, and an attractive display case in the front room lets you see what dishes are being served.

La Zucca is owned by three partners who take turns cooking. The chefs and of course the menus vary from one day to the next, so it's hard to recommend any one specialty.

Osteria La Zucca

San Giacomo dell'Orio

Santa Croce 1762 - Venezia

Italy

Tel. 041-52 41 570

Paradiso Perduto

The quiet district of Cannaregio is home to one of Venice’s unique restaurants. Don’t expect white tablecloths and candles at this more hip and cool place with a very local feel. A seat at the long table inside or at one of the tables outside along the canal is highly coveted and reservations are recommended. The food comes mainly from the sea.

Don’t be surprised to find the chef/owner Maurizio sitting next to you at the table; he’s known to mingle with the guests, giving generously of his time. He looks like a cross between Santa and the Swedish chef from the Muppets and the way he plays host at his restaurant helps to make it a genuine experience. He speaks several languages, but refuses to speak English.

Paradiso Perduto is one of the few restaurants in Venice where you can also enjoy live music three Sundays a month, mostly jazz or salsa.

Paradiso Perduto

Fondamenta de la Misericordia, 2640

Antica Adelaide

This restaurant Osteria is of the most ancient in Cannaregio District in Venice, opened since the 18th century! Its chief, Alvise Ceccato, Venetian and proud to be, has decided to only offer typical Venetian dishes.

Food and especially fish is fresh from the market. You will eat here for about 35€ per person plus beverages for a full meal antipasti + Primi Patti + Secondi Piatti + Desserts.

Restaurant Antica Adelaide

3728, Calle Larga Priuli Racheta

Cannaregio

Venezia

Trattoria alla Madonna

Cuisine and chaos at a old-school trattoria in Venice A veritable seafood mecca since 1954 Situated near the Rialto market, originally an antique Venetian tavern characterised by the presence of an ancient grapevine, which has maintained over the years its style and quality of its traditional dishes with the freshness of the raw materials as its strong point.

Their specialities are based mainly on a fish menu prepared to naturally enhance the typical flavours of each single dish, of the many proposals we recommend sardines in "soar", crab, risotto with seafood or squid ink, grilled and fried fish.

Meat based dishes include Venetian style liver, grilled chops and ox fillets.

The cellar offers a good choice of wines from the Friuli region, the principal Italian regional labels, such as Barolo, Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti Riserva.

The restaurant is often visited by cultural and show business celebrities, who prefer an informal setting with an attentive quick service.

The service here is friendly but occasionally brusque as waiters constantly rush to satisfy diners. You won’t be able to linger over your meals here—so only visit if you’re looking for fast, delicious, traditional food, not a romantic evening out.

Trattoria alla Madonna

Calle della Madonna, San Polo, 594 - 30125 Venezia (VE) - IT

Tel: + 39 041.5223824

Fax: + 39 041.5210167

www.ristoranteallamadonna.com

Al Graspo de ua

Tradition meets the modern world in this brand new restaurant, Graspo de Ua, offering – in the chef’s own words – “Italian and Venetian style food”. The dish to try is bigoli in salsa, whole-wheat spaghetti with sardines and onions, or the fried cod with vegetable flan.

Wine lovers can count on more than 200 labels, and light tasting menus are also available. It’s not the cheapest place in Venice, but the classy atmosphere makes it worth it. And if you’re travelling with kids, keep in mind that under 12s get a 50% discount on their meal.

S. Marco, 5096, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy

+39 041 528 8285

Riviera

If you are looking for one of the most special restaurants in Venice where you can enjoy a meal from a terrace with a view, then Riviera is a great choice, as the view is superb. One of the most distinctive aspects of the menu is that it presents traditional dishes with a modern twist; it includes some seafood dishes, as well as others made from locally sourced meat. Although it might stretch your budget, dishes such as the venison with blueberry sauce and spaghetti with langoustine tails really make a trip here worthwhile.

 Fondamenta Zattere al Ponte Longo 1473,

30123 Venezia, Italy

http://www.ristoranteriviera.it/

Alle Testiere

If you manage to get reservations at this beautiful little restaurant, you can be confident that you’ll get to try some wonderfully prepared simple dishes. The restaurant only has space for twenty-four people (they do two sittings in the evening), which gives it an amazing atmosphere. They also have a great range of local and regional wines. The seafood plays the starring role, and whether you opt for squid in ink, oysters, or whatever else has been caught by the fishermen that day, you can be confident of excellent quality.

Calle del Mondo Novo 5801,

30122 Venezia, Italy

http://www.osterialletestiere.it

Antiche Carampane

This absolutely hidden local favorite is worth finding for its insiders-only, clubby vibe that still somehow maintains an unpretentious air. Standouts from the typically Venetian menu include dishes like fried soft-shell crab with delicious fried eggplant slivers, seasonal vegetables, and daily fish specials. Fish is the thing here, just about the freshest you can imagine. In fact, while I was there recently the owner had to interrupt taking my order to chat with a fisherman who had just arrived. They were discussing what he was likely to catch the following day, and if so, how much Carampane would order. That’s right. They were talking about fish so fresh it was still swimming around in the ocean.

Do feel free to look at the menu, but it’s mostly just for show. (except for the large sign out front that declares: no pizza, no lasagna, no menu turistico. That’s for real) The menu changes daily based on – as I’ve explained – the catch of the day.

Antiche Carampane

Rio Terra delle Carampane

+39.041.524.0165