Cantina Do Spade

Instead of pandering to tourists with menu deals and internationally friendly dishes, bacari often serve up Venetian specialties so recognisable to regular clients that they don’t need labelling. This means, of course, that ordering can be a bit tricky if you’re not a local – but haphazardly pointing at tempting-looking dishes on the counter often results in discovering a whole new world of mysterious culinary delights. At Cantina Do Spade, which the Roman Guy describes as another of the “few old-style bacari” in the city, try putting your food and drink choices in the hands of the bartenders.

There’s a sit-down restaurant here, but we like the crowded cicchetti bar, where you order your small bites at the counter and then join a shared table or juggle your drink and plate in the narrow alleyway outside. There’s lots of bad cicchetti in Venice, and none is here.

Cantina Do Spade: after Sottoportego De Le Do Spade, a side calle of Calle de l’Anzolo, not far from Rialto Bridge (a little hard to find). It is 600 years old bacaro and restaurant, one of the oldest in Venice. Very nice atmosphere, and tasty, traditional, fresh food.

Overview: Just a stone's throw away from the bustling Rialto Market, Cantina Do Spade is one of Venice's oldest and most historic bacari, tradition and history seeping from its walls. This venerable old bar, established in the 15th century, has been a Venetian institution for foodies for centuries. Its warm, rustic interior, replete with wooden beams and antique furnishings, feels like a step back in time and has earned itself a reputation as a locals' and tourists' favorite.

For this particular analysis, data was obtained via Google Business for February 17, 2023. Based on this data, Adagio topped the rankings as the best bar in Venice with a perfect 5.0-star rating and about 718 reviews. No wonder this has become the prime wine tasting destination in Venice and shows up at the top on Trip Advisor when you look up ‘Things to do in Venice.’ This is followed by Bacareto da Lele and Arcicchetti Bakaro with 4.8-star ratings.

Located in the San Polo neighborhood, this Cantina lies incognito on a narrow alleyway on the way to the Rialto Market. You can enjoy delicious variety of cichetti like Polpetto in Umido ( Meatballs in a tomato sauce, €1.50) or Calamari Fritti ( €2) or Zucchini flowers fried in a light batter (€1.80) Accompanied with a glass of Aperol Spritz ( €1.50) this is a great place for a bite, morning, lunch or night.

Cantina Do Spade has been around since 1488 and was one of Casanova’s old haunts – in Chapter 17 of his erotic memoir, “A Story of My Life,” he tells the tale of how he and seven of his friends seduced a young married woman in a back room of Do Spade during the Carnival of 1745. You can join the revelers out in the calle for meatballs or grilled squid, or sit down for a meal at the wooden tables inside.

On to Cantina Do Spade (San Polo, 859), a mere shuffle down the narrow alleyway, where I discovered a particularly spectacular selection of fried delights. Order a spritz and point at any of the items in the counter that take your fancy. My favourites were the skewer of four crunchy battered prawns and the deep-fried zucchini flower stuffed with molten mozzarella and a tiny salty nugget of anchovy.

This venerable little cicchetti bar was first documented in 1415 and named "two swords" after a long-forgotten duel between noblemen on a nearby bridge. Yes, there's also now a full menu, but also cheap cicchetti (and a back room where Casanova once wined and dined his romantic conquests—it has a back door so that the famed lothario could slip out should any husbands show up)...

It has a dual soul, a trattoria with a seasonal and typical menu (try the moeche between March and April or between October and November) and a bacaro for a pit stop on the fly with wine and cicheti (sarde in saòr, baccalà, liver and onions, polpette in tomato sauce, calamari or prawns). It's elbow to elbow but that's OK. Among the few to stay open until late in the evening.

Where To Eat Cicchetti Beforehand: Eat cicchetti standing at the bar, at one of the three indoor tables or outside on the benches before sitting down to your table. Cantina Do Spade is the place to come if you want to sit down and enjoy some of the best Venetian dishes with the locals. It’s so popular you are absolutely required to pre book a table (online).

If walls could whisper, Do Spade would spill centuries of gossip and wine-soaked secrets. Hidden in a narrow alley near the Rialto Market, this standout bar has reportedly been operating since the Middle Ages—and you get the sense it hasn’t changed much. What to try: Grilled squid skewers and the classic sarde in saor (Venetian sweet-and-sour sardines).

Venice is one of those magical places where you want to get up early to take advantage of the true local life or what's left there of. Venice at sunrise overlooking the Grand Canal is one the most beautiful moments that I've ever experienced. Simply wandering the alleyways of Venice (and getting lost) is something that you definitely need to do.

Cantina do Spade on Calle Do Spade is one of the oldest bars in Venice (the second oldest as our guide pointed out). This stop had a bit of history behind it in that it is said Casanova frequented this spot after one of his many love affairs with the local women. If the ultimate of all lovers liked the place, well, there had to be a reason.

One of the city’s oldest osterie (wine bars), this gem is just moments from the Rialto Bridge. So, it’s perfect for a pitstop to keep you going during a busy morning sightseeing. Serving chicchetti and wine to locals since 1448, its small plates are authentic and delicious, using the freshest ingredients from the Rialto market.

Something that is very common in Venice is instead of stopping for lunch (sitting down) you stand up at the bar and eat a few 'Cicchetti' - the early evening alternative is going from bar to bar drinking an 'ombra' (a small glass of red wine) and eating a 'cicchetti' then moving on. Whatever you do, do not miss this bar!

Cantina Do Spade is a historic cicchetteria established in 1448. If you’re looking to try Venice’s famous cicchetti (small plates or finger food, often seafood), this place comes highly recommended. Enjoy a variety of traditional small dishes washed down with an ombra (glass of red wine) for a true Venetian experience.

Cantina do Spade is a historic restaurant located near the Rialto Bridge. They offer a variety of traditional Venetian dishes, such as polenta with squid and fried mozzarella, as well as a selection of pizzas. The restaurant has a rustic, traditional atmosphere, with a small outdoor courtyard for al fresco dining.

It’s a wonderful traditional cicchetti (small snacks or side dishes). We happened to stumble upon it after seeing Rialto Market. We actually went a second time expecting a similar experience, but after mentioning that one of our party was vegetarian, it was like some switch went off in the person’s brain.

This popular bar for both Venetians and Tourists is just a few minutes walk from Rialto Bridge, at the very centre of the main island of Venice. This is both a bar and a restaurant, with great wines and local food. The queue is typically 10-15 minutes, but it’s time worth waiting for.

If you want to try Venetian food, Cantina do Spade is the place to do it. It’s been in business since 1448, so it’s safe to say their recipes have stood the test of time. Conveniently close to Rialto Bridge, the Osteria is surprisingly well-priced and the menu is incredibly seasonal.

It’s tough to find something so authentic and local this close to the Rialto Bridge these days, but Do Spade has been around since 1415. Most locals come here for the cicchetti (you can sit on benches outside if it’s too crowded indoors), typical Venetian small plates such as fried…

Cantina do Spade is also located near the Rialto Fish Market. The best thing that you must try at this bar is bacaro‘s signature polpetta that’s served with smoked scamorza and spicy sausage. Most of the time, the tables at Cantina do Spade are occupied by people who have reserved.

Cantina do Spade – One of the oldest restaurants in Venice (568 years!!), this great little spot was right around the corner from our B&B. We stopped in for lunch on our first day there. Don’t miss the cuttlefish pasta (OMG) and amazing fried calamari (you do like squid, I hope?)

This is one of the historical osterie in Venice, which supposedly dates back to the 1400s. I happened to pop into this place not too long ago and have to admit that I had a great time!. It’s very popular with locals and tourists alike, so you might not find a seat right away.

Near the Rialto Market, I especially like Cantina Do Spade; it can get quite crowded during the late afternoon, early evening. They keep bringing new platters of food from the kitchen throughout the early evening. You choose your food, ask for your drinks, and pay at the bar.

They have large variety of options, both hot and cold, and a lot of polpette (fried meatball) to choose from. Their baccala (creamed cod) is delicious and their wine is cheap. While they do offer a sit-down menu, I recommend skipping the full meal and sticking to cicchetti.

Walk about 1 minute and you will find stop number two on our Cicchetti in Venice food tour. Cantina Do Spade is famous for their fried cicchetti, so of course we got everything fried!. This cozy spot has tables, but they are reserved for lunch or dinner.

Do Mori serves all the classics, but if you’re looking for something more inventive, nearby Bancogiro offers avant garde takes on the usual seafood preparations and polenta square toppings and Cantina do Spade offers a wider variety of plates.

Among the most popular, Cantina do Spade in the San Polo district offers cicheti contemporaries, while the Cannaregio is packed with vendors offering innovative variations on typical dishes, such as baccalà mantecato.

Loved by tourists and locals alike, Cantina Do Spade (San Polo, 859) is a great place for your cicchetti in Venice. Try the mozzarella in carrozza or any of the other delicious bites they have on offer.

Also in the area, by St Matteo di Rialto church, there’s been a restaurant on the site of Cantina do Spade since the 15th century; the present, charming, incarnation also concentrates on seafood.

Another bàcaro dating back to the 15th century, Do Spade (Calle delle Do Spade, 19 S. Polo 860) has lots of seafood on offer, as well as a variety of vegetable and cheese spreads.

We like Ostaria Dai Zemei, Cantina Do Spade and Cantina Do Mori in San Polo. For fresh pasta we enjoyed 6342 a le Tole in Sestiere Castello – try the spaghetti vongole!

Cantina Do Spade * – Only a short walk from Rialto, Cantina do Spade offers fish based recipes from the traditional Veneto cuisine, often made with creative flair.

For a more casual experience, head to Cantina Do Spade, where you can enjoy small plates and local wines in a lively atmosphere.

Apologies, I do not remember the exact name of this, it is in Cannaregio, between Campo de’ Mori and Bacaro del Gelato.