In the small Campo dei Tolentini, presided over by the haughty neoclassical columns of the eponymous church, a queue straggles from a tiny bar. Arcicchetti Bakaro is a relative newcomer on the Venice drinking scene. It joins dozens of long-established bacari (singular bacaro), which are traditional, small bars typically serving spritz, glasses of local wine (ombre) and bite-sized snacks called cicchetti costing €1-3 ($1.20-3.50).
Venetian Bacari Become Insta-Famous
Some of these bacari have now become TikTok and Instagram-famous, hence the queue. It’s no wonder when you can get reasonably priced food and find some Venetian classics like cod mousse or sweet and sour sardines with onions. A trend has also developed for ‘bacaro tours’, where guides take small groups around three or four bars and introduce them to the aperitivo culture.
But no fear—if you just want a quick pre-dinner drink and snack as the Venetians do, you don’t need to wait in a queue. There are plenty of bacari that have not yet been ‘discovered’ by the social media crowd. When you’re back wandering the calle of Venice, just pop into that dark, unassuming bar doorway where signs are handwritten on brown paper and spritz is served in a tumbler.
Venice’s Bacari Lean Into Luxury
Some bacari, it seems, are also trying to go beyond the traditional image as cheap and cheerful. You can now find bars that rather superiorly state on signs in the window that they do not serve spritz or ombre—and hen and stag parties are expressly forbidden. These establishments might instead serve natural wine and refined cicchetti.
The culmination of this trend is currently the Bacaro Dior at the Hotel Cipriano on the Giudecca, the island that lies directly in front of St Mark’s Square. The pop-up opened in May this year. It has taken over a space on the promenade beside the Giudecca canal with a breathtaking view of Venice that ticks all the iconic landmarks—the Santa Maria della Salute church, the Campanile in St Mark’s Square, and the Doge’s Palace.
As the name suggests, the haute couture bar is designed by Dior, which has upholstered bamboo comfy chairs with a white and dark green toile de Jouy design. The menu is as classy as a vintage dress from the fashion house. The Monsieur Dior is a twist on the Venetian spritz with Select bitter, peach and grapefruit, while the Miss Dior is a deluxe Bellini with Champagne Ruinart and peach purée. Or you can go with a J’Adore: vodka, coffee liqueur and espresso.
The cicchetti are just as elevated and feature Venetian ingredients. Think sea lettuce, oysters, lagoon shrimps and caviar or Venetian-style artichoke. The price, unsurprisingly, is also high-end, with savory cicchetti starting at €20 and cocktails at €36.
Whatever kind of bacari you choose to visit, you’re sure to have a one-of-a-kind experience.