Venice is famous for its delicate and tasty cuisine, which is mostly (but not only) based on fish dishes.

Throughout the centuries, Venice and the Venetian Republic fine tuned delicious recipes that we still savour to this day. Fish is usually the first choice for our cooks, as the Venetian Lagoon is filled with quality wild fish such as: seabass, sea bream, squids, crabs and much more.

This is our top 3 picks for the dishes you should definitely try next time you visit Venice:

1. Baccala Mantecato
Baccala Mantecato is a typical delicate and refined recipe: the cod is cooked and blended to make a fish spread with plenty of oil, garlic and it is usually served with white polenta. Baccala is made with stockfish, which is Norwegian cod preserved and dried with cold air. This dish, which is often sold as a whole, requires prolonged soaking in cold, running water before it can be cooked and eaten. Baccala can be served as an appetizer if it’s spread on toasted bread, or it can be served as a main dish when it’s served with polenta.

2. Seppie in Nero
Seppie in Nero (or Cuttlefish in Black) is a very tasty and typical second course dish of the Venetian cuisine. The flavour of this recipe is naturally enhanced by the black ink of the cuttlefish, which is used during the whole cooking process. Do not be fooled by the unusual appearance, Seppie in Nero is a truly delicious and tasty dish, especially for true fish lovers!

3.Fegato Alla Veneziana
Among various typical Venetian dishes, Fegato Alla Veneziana (Or Venetian Liver) is certainly one of the best known for its unmistakable and particular flavour that combines liver with onion.The origins of this dish, date back to the Roman Empire (who founded Venice around 400 AD). The Romans used to cook liver with figs in order to cover its strong smell. Over time the Venetians replaced figs with onions and made this recipe one of the most popular from the island.

Visit Vidal Venice Tours for learning more insightas about the Venetian cuisine 😉