Venice Evening Food Tour: Cicchetti, Wine & Sit-Down Dinner

Four stops through Cannaregio: how Venice actually eats at night

You taste cicchetti and wine at four local bacari in Cannaregio, sit down for a full Venetian dinner with your choice of three dishes, and finish with artisanal gelato. An English-speaking guide leads a small group through the neighborhood's hidden streets, sharing how locals actually eat in Venice. The fixed itinerary and all tastings are included, so you don't arrange stops or worry about what to order.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Cannaregio10m
2. Rialto Bridge5m

Evening food tour in Cannaregio

• Meet near Teatro Italia
• Visit first Bacaro for cicchetti and Spritz
• Walk through Cannaregio to second stop
• Taste fish cicchetti and drink ombra wine
• Stroll along Strada Nuova street
• Enjoy sit-down meal with pasta or codfish
• Sample artisanal gelato with two scoops
• Tour ends near Rialto Bridge with tips

The experience

Your guide is already waiting near Teatro Italia, checking the time, ready to move. You don't know yet that the next few hours will feel less like a tour and more like being let into the rhythm of how locals actually spend an evening in Venice. The Cannaregio district isn't the postcard version. It's where Venetians live, where the bars are small and the wine pours in small glasses called ombra, and where cicchetti (those thumb-sized bites of fish, meat, cheese, bread) are the reason people stop by at all. You'll hit four of these bacari in sequence, tasting your way through nine different preparations, each one paired with something to drink. The first stop brings you meat-based cicchetti and a Venetian Spritz. That's the one with Aperol, prosecco, and a splash of soda, the color of a sunset. Your guide will explain what you're tasting and why it matters, but mostly you'll just eat and listen to the sound of the bar around you.

After a short walk through the narrow streets, the second bacaro appears, and you're ordering ombra, a small glass of local wine, alongside more cicchetti, this time built around fish. The guide shares stories about Venetian traditions while you're standing at the bar, the way locals do. Then comes Strada Nuova, the main pedestrian street that cuts through Cannaregio, lined with shops and older buildings. It's busy but not touristy in the way the Piazza San Marco is. You're moving through it with purpose, heading to the sit-down meal, which is the anchor of the evening. Here you choose: squid ink pasta, baccalà with polenta, or parmigiana. It's a real plate, not a tasting portion, eaten at a table in a quiet square. This is where the evening slows down, where you're not moving between stops anymore.

The last thing is gelato from a family-owned shop. Two scoops, and the guide will tell you what makes it different from ice cream (less air, more density, served warmer). By the time you're walking back toward the Rialto Bridge, where the tour ends, you've had wine, cocktails, and prosecco across the stops, and the guide will hand you a few names of other places to try if you come back. The group stays small: semi-private, which means you're not herded through with thirty other people. It's the kind of evening that doesn't feel rushed, even though it's only four hours.

What’s included

• Nine tastings across four bacari in Cannaregio, including meat and fish cicchetti.
• a glass of ombra (traditional Venetian wine).
• a Venetian Spritz.
• prosecco.
• a sit-down dinner with your choice of squid ink pasta, baccalà with polenta, or parmigiana.
• two scoops of gelato from a family-owned gelateria.
• a short walking tour through Strada Nuova.
• and an expert English-speaking guide who shares insider tips on local eating traditions and other places to visit in Venice.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 16:30, 17:00, 17:30 and 18:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Youth (7 to 17 years) · Child (under 7)

GroupUp to 12

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by The Tour Guy

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to eat the way Venetians actually do in the evening (moving between small wine bars, tasting real cicchetti, and sitting down for a proper meal) without having to find the places yourself or figure out what to order. The semi-private group and fixed itinerary mean you're not navigating alone or waiting in line.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (7 to 17 years); Child (under 7).

What time does the tour start and how long does it take?

The tour meets near Teatro Italia in the evening and runs for approximately 4 hours. Exact start time varies by date. Check your booking confirmation.

Is the group really small?

Yes, it's semi-private, meaning the group is kept intentionally small for a more personal experience, not a large group tour.

What if I don't drink alcohol?

Soft drink alternatives are available at each stop. You'll still taste the food and experience the bacari the same way.

Can you accommodate food allergies?

Yes, but you must contact the operator before the tour. They work with local vendors to plan ahead, though some allergies cannot always be accommodated.

Do I need to pay the Venice access fee?

If you're visiting Venice for the day from outside the city, you may be required to pay a €5 access fee on certain dates. Check your booking details.

What's included in the price?

All 9 tastings, prosecco, wine, cocktails, the sit-down dinner, gelato, and the guided walk. You don't pay separately for food or drinks at the stops.

Is this tour suitable for vegetarians?

The tour includes meat and fish cicchetti, and the sit-down meal options include parmigiana (vegetarian). Contact the operator in advance if you have dietary restrictions.

What should I bring?

Comfortable walking shoes and a government-issued ID if you plan to drink alcohol. The tour involves walking through narrow streets and standing at bars.