The Best Cafés and Coffee Shops in Venice, Italy

Caffe
Caffe | ©lesphotodejerome/Flickr
Ione Wang

The café or bar in Italy is an essential part of community life. The first stop of the morning is a coffee at the bar, accompanied by a sweet pastry or croissant. People will stop into these cafes throughout the day for a pick-me-up and chat. If you’re wondering where to stop to have a snack and coffee in Venice, we’ve curated the best spots in the city to inspire you.

1. Caffe Rosso

Bar, Cafe, Italian, Wine, Beer, Cocktails, Pub Grub

This iconic bohemian café in Campo Santa Margherita is one of the best places to have your morning cup, or to watch the afternoon go by in the sun. Towards evening, you’ll find yourself in the middle of a rowdy party that spreads over the entire square, with Caffe Rosso at its center.

2. Pasticceria Da Chiusso

Cafe, Patisserie, Bakery, Bar, Pastry Shop, Italian, Fast Food, Vegetarian

Italian Pastries
© averain/Flickr

This family-run shop not only serves great coffee, but also a wide selection of freshly made pastries that are insanely delicious. Stop by for a perfect cappuccino or a light drink, and do yourself the favor of eating one of those pastries while you’re there. The couple behind the counter are friendly and full of dry humor, and they make everything themselves right on the premises. Try the baba, a spongy, sweet cake soaked with rum.

3. Tonolo

Cafe, Patisserie, Bakery, Dessert Shop, Pastry Shop, Italian, Dessert, Pastries

Tonolo is an institution, and in the mornings it’ll be packed elbow-to-elbow at the counter. They have wonderful croissants that are flaky and yielding, as well as buttery cookies, tiny fruit tarts, and cannoli filled with mascarpone cream.

4. Osteria Ai Do Pozzi

Bar, Cafe, Sandwich Shop, Italian, Wine, Beer, Cocktails, Fast Food

Hidden behind many twists and turns in a totally obscure part of Castello, this place is a secret gem. Its distance from the busy flow of foot traffic is part of its charm. You can have a lazy lunch out front, or sit in the back garden sipping a cocktail. There are delicious fried rice balls and toasted sandwiches, but the true star of the show is the lasagna, made by the grandmothers in the campo. What could be more delicious?

5. Caffe Florian

Cafe, Bar, Cocktail Bar, Restaurant, Italian, Wine, Beer, Cocktails, Snacks, Fast Food

Florian
©S.A.C.R.L/Flickr

This gorgeous Neo-Baroque coffee house in the center of Piazza San Marco dates back from 1720, making it perhaps the oldest café in the world. It often hosts contemporary artists in conjunction with the Biennial, making for a truly lavish interior. You may have to pay 10 euros for a cappuccino, but you’ll feel like an aristocrat doing it.

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