Venetian Cicchetti (Part 1) – An intro, a love letter, advice

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Venetian cicchetti…. delectable nibbles savored with local Veneto wines either as a snack or part of an aperitivo. Anyone that has done culinary research while planning a trip to Venice will have heard of them. For those of you that aren’t familiar, they are often described as Venetian tapas, which is the quickest and easiest way to give someone the gist of what they are. However, that description doesn’t speak of Venice, its culture, or history, nor does it illustrate the flavors one might see. Today, I’m going to discuss Venetian cicchetti and provide some background and context. In my next post, I’m going to share a recipe plus give ideas as to how to create your own Venetian cicchetti evening or party. Seeing as we can’t quite travel at the moment, I want to help bring a little of Venice to your table!

I have wanted to discuss Venetian cicchetti for a very long time. It’s rather a long and daunting topic though, and I found myself continually procrastinating. For me, tackling the subject would mean sifting through literally thousands of photos from all of my trips. Recently, I received the nudge I needed. Terri Salminen, a blogger and Instagrammer that I really admire, contacted me to collaborate. We decided to discuss Venetian cicchetti, a subject near and dear to our hearts for different reasons.

Two foodies in love with Venice and the Veneto

Terri (her wonderful blog Beautiful Food Stories is full of lovely writing and stunning photography) is another American ex-pat living in Europe. Although she currently lives in the Netherlands, she grew up in Vicenza, a town in the Veneto where they have their own cicchetti traditions. As a teenager, she used to go to Venice on weekends and therefore has a lot of experience in both cities with cicchetti and the rituals surrounding them. After many discussions with her, I can tell that the subject is a powerful one for her, full of memories.

In this collaboration, I will discuss my experiences with cicchetti in Venice, and Terri will speak about hers in Vicenza. One thing that I’ve learned already from our working together is that although many think and state with confidence that cicchetti are only found in Venice, according to Terri, this is mistaken! I have books on cicchetti that claim this but, in her experience, you will find cicchetti in many cities in the Veneto, including Treviso, Verona, and Vicenza where she grew up. I look forward to hearing what she has to say!

Venetian tales…

Even though I live in Bologna, I have my own Venetian story. It’s the first city I ever visited in Italy in 2003. It started the Italian journey that led to my living here. Incredibly, I now find myself in the fortunate position of having a brother-in-law that lives in Venice. He has loved living there since 2017. Even though we visited the city plenty of times before, we now have a free place to stay whenever we wish. (At least before Covid…) Unbelievable. Over the years, Venice has become a real part of my family’s lives. It’s no longer a tourist destination but a place that we know well and have family in. People recognize us, we know their dogs, and we have our favorite eateries, pastry shops, and neighborhoods. It’s an incredible position to be in and a true privilege.

What is a big focus of our time there? Um, Venetian cicchetti thank you very much! Why do you ask? Well, meandering around the city, enjoying the architecture, taking in a sight or two, people watching, staring at gondolas, and eating and drinking delicious things along the way is my idea of a perfect time. This isn’t just a matter of gluttony. Eating cicchetti is a wonderful way to get to know the city and taste the local cuisine in an informal and fun manner. It’s a path to be near locals, to meet new people and chat, to hear Venetian accents, and to understand this unique spot in the world a bit better.

Venetian Cicchetti – some background

Let me give you some background before we go further. The word cichetti, according to some sources, derives from the Latin word ciccus meaning small quantity. Others think that the word comes from the Piemontese word cicchetto which means a little glass of liquor. Cicchetti, also called cicheti or cichéti in the Venetian dialect, supposedly got their start as little snacks or bites to accompany local red or white wine sold by wine merchants that came to the city. (Just to clarify – cicchetto is the singular form of the word and cicchetti is plural.)

One origin story sets the scene under the shade of the bell tower of the Piazza di San Marco. Wine vendors would sell their wares from barrels in the piazza and people would have a little glass of wine and some cicchetti to soak up some of the alcohol. Another story places this phenomenon near the Rialto Market where people would seal business deals with a glass of wine.

However they came about, cicchetti are meant to be little bites, usually eaten with your hands. This is informal and reasonable finger food, Venetian style! Cicchetti are something to be eaten and enjoyed as you go about your day. One might even call it fast food but, goodness knows, it’s better than anything we know as fast food!

The ombra

In order for the vendors in the piazza to keep their wine fresh, they would move their barrels from one spot to the next as the sun moved, to keep the wine protected in the shade. Thus, this small glass of wine has become known as an ombra (which means shade). To this day you can go into a Venetian bar and ask for an ombra. It’s so cool!

FYI, when you ask for an ombra, in some places that will mean that you get a small-sized glass of wine. That’s what I prefer as a lightweight. In others, you will get a regular glass of wine. Either way, the wine from the Veneto region is excellent. You will have so many kinds of wine to choose from by the glass. It’s rather glorious. Did I mention that they are reasonably priced?

I Bàcari – Venetian treasures to explore

Eventually, the vendors wanted more permanent locations to sell their wine and moved from the squares into small, rustic places called bàcari (BAHK-ah-ree). Bàcari were and are informal spots, generally without seating where you can stop quickly for a snack and an ombra. Perhaps there will be a barrel or two to eat on, or maybe a counter. The term bàcaro supposedly comes from the ancient Venetian far bàcara which means to be festive like the god Baccus. There are of course other theories on the origins but I’ll leave it at that.

Bàcari are places where you can chat, have business dealings, catch up on the latest gossip, or enjoy a mid-morning or evening bite to eat. You will see all social classes and age groups. (I personally love it when I see gondoliers in there!) Some locations have been around since the 1400s! It’s pretty amazing to visit these places. In many of them, you will still see old wine barrels and can partake in the process of having an ombra and a couple of cicchetti on a wine barrel. Life continues…

Some culinary advice…

Venice has a reputation for bad food. I can understand this as many people are there for a very short time and do not get very far away from St. Mark’s Square. Please visit St. Mark’s as it is totally worth it and utterly stunning. (Mind-blowing actually.) However, you need to get away from that area to find these bàcari and to avoid horrific tourist food. It can be really bad, folks. Don’t bother with the sandwich wraps made with pathetic, industrial white flatbreads that completely surround the square area. Try to restrain yourself from eating pizza. Most of the pizza in the city is not great (I’m being kind), and why eat mediocre Neapolitan food when you can eat scrumptious local dishes? Venetian cicchetti are your entryway into eating proper Venetian cuisine which is so damned good.

Keep in mind as you travel Italy as a whole that the best food you eat will be the local dishes which are highly diverse and regional. You will eat better and have a truer experience. Please read my detailed article with dining tips here.

If you want to get away from the crowds (which can be overwhelming) in Venice, it’s actually very easy to do. You don’t need to walk far away from either the Rialto Bridge or the Piazza di San Marco to escape the masses. It’s worth it. As you explore the hidden streets, you will be greeted with a haunting silence and hear nothing but boats going by. It’s magical, it’s beautiful, it’s Venice. There is no place like it in the world.

Exploring hidden Venice the delicious way…

OK. Enough back story! Let’s get to the modern-day. As I mentioned earlier, seeking out places that serve cicchetti is a phenomenal way of getting to know the city and also to do some proper culinary research. Nowadays you will see cicchetti not only in old-fashioned bàcari but also many trattorias have an area towards the front where you can stand and have a quick nosh and glass of wine on the go. You can taste so many iconic Venetian dishes and local ingredients if you do and it’s so fun.  You get some exercise as you sightsee and can meander around the whole city stopping when you feel like it. What could be better?

I urge anyone going to Venice to set aside some proper time to be able to do this. Yes, there are lots of sites to see but the city itself is a sight to see. Venice is full of stunning architecture and so many fun things transpire as you get lost and try to find your way around. (Believe me, you will get lost. Google does not understand Venice. At. All.) You will see the ambulance boat roaring by in the water or the FedEx boat dropping off packages. It’s truly surreal.

As you wander in these back alleyways you will find the true bàcari. You may see a delivery guy enjoying a quick glass of wine and a crostino or two in the midst of his morning deliveries. Next to him might be a cop or a businessman. Invariably you will see old men hanging out having wine or a nice grappa. This is the fun part of travel, to peek into another world and observe these rituals so different from your own.

The joy of cicchettizing…

At this point, enjoying the cicchetti throughout the city has become our ritual. So much so that we often choose to eat Venetian cicchetti as our whole meal. Often, you will hear us say, “Are we going out for dinner tonight or cicchettizing?” It’s a thing. It’s our thing. (I think we invented the word but my husband insists that other people probably say it…) It enables us to have an earlier bite rather than a late Italian dinner which comes in handy with a child.

So what kind of food will you see in these places? Well, it varies. Some eateries have the full spectrum of cicchetti offerings such as fried items, crostini, things on skewers, simple noshes on toothpicks, vegetable dishes, little sandwiches, or traditional Venetian seafood preparations. Others specialize in maybe one of those things. For example, one bàcaro might mainly have fried items while another keeps things simple and only has crostini. These crostini aren’t even fancy little toasts of baguette but simply sliced baguette with something on it. Venetian cicchetti are usually very simple and unassuming. This isn’t precious food. Just delicious and tasty.

Nowadays you do see younger, passionate people who are making more elegant and creative cicchetti using the best ingredients out there and theirs are often places that serve cicchetti and are restaurants as well. I personally love them all!

When it comes to the bàcari, some have expanded over time and have seating and tables. Thankfully, some are still teeny hole-in-the-wall joints where you are happily crammed in with others, eating and drinking. How I love these old-fashioned bàcari. I long to be crammed into one of these places again post Covid… Fingers crossed that this is soon.

What to expect in Venetian Cicchetti Part 2

I am going to stop blabbing now. In my next post, I am not only going to discuss what dishes you might see in Venice but give a whole breakdown of common ingredients that I see used regularly. My goal is to offer menu ideas, using easily accessible ingredients so that you can have a Venetian food fest of your own. Spritzes will enter the conversation as well! (Ah spritzes…) Also, I will recreate a cicchetti recipe that I really like from an old-school Venetian bar. Stay tuned!

Make sure that you read Terri’s first post to hear all about her cicchetti adventures. You can also find her on Instagram here. If you love gorgeous food photography, you are going to want to follow her!

For those of you interested in other stories and recipes from Venice, please check out my two posts about the iconic dish Risi e Bisi. You will find Part 1 here and Part 2 here. Also, seafood lovers will want to check out my delicious recipe for Seppie al Nero alla Veneziana (Venetian-Style Cuttlefish in Ink). Until next time!