venice cicchetti tour {monica cesarato}

Italian isn’t a particularly difficult language to learn. You pronounce things how you read them, and the grammar is a whole lot easier to get the gist of than English. But some words, the ones that apply to very specific Italian cultural moments, are harder to translate. Passeggiata for instance, means taking a walk. But as all Italians know, fare la passeggiata means so much more. It’s a chance to see and be seen. And you might be taking a walk to head out for a gelato? Or maybe to walk off that plate of pasta after a long Sunday lunch.

Food related words present even more of a challenge, since they are so intensely regional. For instance, puntarelle in Rome refers to a chicory salad that is only available during the winter months. In Umbria? Order a plate of puntarelle and you end up with a big portion of grilled pork ribs.

One word puzzled me for the longest time: cicchetti. Even the spelling of it (sometimes cicchetti, but  sometimes ciccheti) was confusing. It’s a word that, until very recently, was a very Venetian thing. The closest I could ever come to a definition was that it was a unique form of tapas – little bites – served in the bars of Venice.

I remember the first time I headed out for what I thought would be a pre-dinner cicchetti stroll in Venice. I headed out at 7:30 only to find that cicchetti hour was drawing to a close.  At least that is what I assumed, since some of the places were already shutting down for the day.

I did a bit more research and found out:

• Cicchetti show up in both bars that specialize in them, but also at certain times of the day in some restaurants.
• Cicchetti are chosen from plates laid out on the counter.
• The timing: usually late morning or late afternoon into very early evening.
• Cicchetti are always accompanied by an ‘ombra’ or small glass of local wine.

But the most important thing I learned was that cicchetti are never meant to be eaten alone. The whole ritual sort of defines the Italian approach to food and drinking. It’s all about getting together with friends for a glass of wine. And since you don’t want to drink on an empty stomach, the cicchetti are little nibbles to take care of that.

If there is one thing that I find more confusing than arcane Italian restaurant opening times and customs, it’s the alleyways of Venice. No, you are not the only person who gets lost trying to get from point A to point B, only to end up at a dead end alley at the grand canal where there is no bridge or boat to get you where you want to go. During my latest trip to Venice I decided to have some help not only navigating the food customs, but the calle as well.

My friend Monica Cesarato leads cicchetti tours of Venice. Her 3 hour tour of Venice leads you expertly down hidden canals to visit some of the cicchetti bars that only Venetians visit.

Monica met us by the railway station, and after leading us  quickly past by some of the ugliest, most touristy parts of Venice, we crossed a bridge and turned down a hidden alley which we had virtually to ourselves and were on our way.

Even though I think I know Venice pretty well by this point, Monica chose three completely off the beaten track bacari (that is what the cicchetti places are called) two of which I’d never been to, or even heard of.

Our first stop was at Enoteca da Roberto. I’ll get to the food in a bit. But first I just want to say that the most astounding thing about this place is that there were no other English speakers there. No tourists. At all. Except for us, of course. It’s so rare to find places like this these days, that this was enough to convince me.

Monica immediately ordered us all a glass of Raboso, and a plate full cicchetti. A lot of chichetti these days fall into two groups: cured meats and cheeses atop a small piece of bread, and fried things. We had a bit of both, with my favorite being a cheese stuffed pumpkin fritter that is a speciality of the house. We chatted with the owner a bit, as well as some of Monica’s friends who passed by, stopping for a quick ombra and a nibble.

We soon headed out, back to the by now moonlit canals (it get’s dark early in Venice this time of year) and made out way to our next stop: El Sbarlefo San Pantalon. Much hipper and trendier than the classic Roberto, El Sbarlefo offers more sophisticated cicchetti. We had teeny, tiny little cuttlefish, bathed in a salsa verde and balanced atop a piece of grilled white polenta. Other polenta crostini included sardine in saor and bacala mantecato. And I fell in love with the fresh goat cheese sprinkled with a mix of dried flower petals and hot pepper. To drink: a crisp, dry Turbiana, a variety of trebbiano from Lugana on nearby Lake Garda.

Our next stop was a place I knew well: the chaotic, beautiful mob scene that is Portego. Filled mostly with students, it’s crowded all the time for good reason: great food and low prices. Monica and I worked our way to the front of the crowd and came away with a plastic plate full of delicate meatballs, deep fried white bate and the most incredible sweet and sour pumpkin. The plastic cups of the house white did their job.

By this time the cicchetti hour was coming to a close. We ended our meal at Amarone, which had retired the cicchetti spread they have earlier in the evening, to focus on dinner hour. We shared a couple of plates of carpaccio with, of course, a glass of Amarone.  We ended the night, and our meal with their clever  – and delicious – take on tiramisu. Instead of soaking the biscuits in coffee, they dip them in amarone. I know it sounds weird, but it was actually quite wonderful.

By the time we ended our tour, we were not only full, but completely turned around (I’ll blame it on the wine). Luckily before kissing us all goodbye, Monica pointed in the right direction to get back home. I think I can get used to this being lead around by the hand thing. 

Monica Cesarato leads fun and delicious tours of Venice. I met her through the wonders of social media, and she is a true joy to be with.

Enoteca da Roberto
Rio Tera’ Farsetti, Cannaregio 1846/A
333.345.8811

El Sbarfelo
Salizzada del Pistor (off Campo Santi Apostoli(
Cannaregio 4555/C
041.523.3084

Al Portego
Castello San Lio, 6014
041.522.9038

Vineria Amarone
San Polo 1131
041.523.1184

For more on dining in Venice, download my app, Eat Venice, available on iTunes.