Don’t know what to do or where to go out at night in Venice?
Whether you like bars, pubs, concerts or any other lively place, what better way to feel the atmosphere of a neighborhood than to go out in Venice?
Here is our selection of the best places to spend a good evening.
NeighborhoodSan Marco
Caffè Florian
This establishment, located in Piazza San Marco, was founded in 1720 and is now a living museum of Venetian coffee culture, with a jewel box interior dating back to the mid 19th century. During the Austrian occupation, Venetian patriots (among them Lord Byron) prepared their insurrection by tasting the coffee and cakes of the establishment.
Nowadays, many people opt for the terrace on the square. But beware! Table service will add to the already steep price if a band is playing. Instead, head to the counter at the back and sit on one of the velvet-upholstered stools to avoid a surcharge. From this vantage point you’ll have a perfect view of the skillful waiters and their art of preparing bellini (a sparkling wine cocktail).
Contact: 00 39 041 520 5641; caffeflorian.
comOpening hours
: Monday to Thursday: 10 am to 9 pm; closes at 11 pm on Friday and Saturday.
Prices: €€€
The Ombra del Leone Cafe
This café-restaurant, located on the first floor of the Ca’Giustinian, is one of the best kept secrets in Venice. The late Gothic palace is the headquarters of the institution in charge of organizing the Venice Film Festival La Mostra and the Art and Architecture Biennials.
The interior, with its high ceilings and contemporary style, has an inimitable atmosphere after dark, when the various video installations project their images through the walls. If you want to sit on the terrace, you’ll have to play a game of musical chairs because the panoramic view of the Grand Canal is so coveted.
You can enjoy traditional Italian drinks and aperitifs, as well as salads, paninis and sandwiches at lunchtime.
Contact: 00 39 041 241 3519; labiennale.
orgOpening hours
: April to October: daily from 9 am to midnight; closing at 9 pm from November to March.
Prices: €€
The Rosa Salva
The Rosa Salva business empire in Venice, which began in 1870, now has three large cafés and several bar-restaurants near the Palazzo Grassi, as well as in other parts of the city. Among them, two establishments clearly stand out.
The first, listed here, is a popular café, where locals flock for their morning cappuccino, buns and pastries filled with ricotta, salads or panini for lunch, a tea or hot chocolate in the afternoon, a spritz when it’s time for an aperitif.
Campo Santo Giovanni e Paolo has a beautiful antique café decor and ample seating to relax. If you’re looking for a delicious gelato, their artisanal ice creams are among the best in the city.
Contact: 00 39 041 521 0544; rosasalva.
itOpening hours
: Monday to Saturday: 7:30 am to 8 am; Saturday: 8:30 am to 8 pm.
Prices: €
Marchini Time
Strategically located at the end of the main pedestrian street, which connects the Rialto and Accademia bridges, this modern and bright pastry shop is open from breakfast to aperitif. Their cakes, brioches, croissants, are fresh and delicious. It’s also the perfect place to buy your sandwiches, panini or pizzette (mini-pizzas) to go. The establishment is usually crowded, and does not offer seating, but it is not so popular without reason.
A second shop is also located on the first floor of the new cinema, the Multisala Rossini, nearby, which regularly offers screenings in English (with Italian subtitles, of course!).
Contact: 00 39 041 241
3087Opening hours
: Monday to Saturday: 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Sunday: 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Prices: €
Castello district
The EnoitecaMascareta
This true Venetian institution has been masterfully transformed from a small neighborhood tavern into a large restaurant, but the locals still consider it a wine bar. If you want to avoid the dinnertime rush, from 8 to 11 pm, the affable owner, Mauro Larenzon, will always find a corner of the counter for a drink, accompanied by an oyster or two. The wines, served by the glass, are almost all from northeastern Italy, and are mostly organic.
Trust Mauro’s expertise, and surrender to his recommendations. Before you know it, he’ll have already cracked open a bottle of prosecco!
Contact: 00 39 041 523 0744; ostemaurolorenzon.
itOpening hours
: daily from 7 pm to 2 amPrices
: €€€Good
to know: reservations recommended
Da Bonifacio
This cafe hidden just behind the Doge’s Palace is one of the best places in Venice to enjoy a spritz. It has a tiny, elegant interior with a beautiful floor made of a crazy assemblage of colored marble, terrazzogrossolano. It is run by authentic Venetian women, who effortlessly switch from local dialect to Italian, including of course English, which they practice when needed.
If you’re craving carbohydrates, their pizzette (mini-pizzas) will come in handy, as will their delicious cakes, and thin slices of marzipan.
To find the entrance to the discreet Calle Degli Albanesi, take a look at the Hotel Danieli.
Contact: 00 39 041 522
7507Opening hours
: Monday to Wednesday and Friday: 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday: 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; closed on Thursday.
Prices: €
El Refolo
If you’re visiting the nearby Biennales d’Art et d’Architecture, this wine and cocktail bar on the main pedestrian thoroughfare of Via Garibaldi is an excellent starting point for a cultural trip. Great wine, delicious draught beer, good spritz, quality cicchetti and reasonable prices for the area, all these qualities make El Refolo a very popular place.
The narrow, brick-clad interior is charming, but unless a heavy rainstorm hits the city, most regulars opt for the tables on the terrace, where you can have a drink or a meal at no extra charge. The menu consists of traditional charcuterie boards and cheeses from small local producers, as well as exquisite panini, garnished with quality products such as bresaola and truffles.
Opening hours: from Tuesday to Saturday: from noon to 12:30 a.m.; opening at 5 p.m. on Monday.
Prices: €€
The Vincent Bar
In Venice, as elsewhere, there is often a lack of small neighborhood bars where you can sit down with a cappuccino, write your postcards, watch the crowds go by. The Vincent Bar is typically this kind of establishment.
In the leafy neighborhood of Sant’Elena, this quality café offers traditional Italian drinks, pastries, sandwiches and toast, as well as artisanal gelato and a range of salads and pasta recipes with ease. If you’re traveling with children, it’s a godsend: the park in front of the bar has swings, slides and climbing walls, where they can expend their energy while you sip a delicious spritz.
Contact: 00 39 041 520
4493Opening hours
: Thursday to Saturday: 7:00 am to 10:00 amFee
: €
Cannaregio neighborhood
El Sbarlefo
In this area, which is not very well served by evening restaurants, El Sbarlefo offers its customers cicchetti such as baccalàmantecato (salted cod) on hot polenta, polpette (breaded dish) with meat, cheese or tuna, which are a wonderful accompaniment to the wide range of wines on the menu (including a delicious Pinot Noir from Trentino)
Although the prices are reasonable, you should expect to pay a small supplement for table service. The musical atmosphere is mainly jazz, and the establishment occasionally hosts a few concerts.
A second restaurant – aptly named Sbarlefo 2 – is located on the Grand Canal.
Contact: 00 39 041 523 3084; elsbarlefo.
itOpening hours
: Daily, from 10 am to 11 pmPrices
: €€
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