The first in my series of "My Favorite Things In Italy" comes from my friend Monica Cesarato who lives in Venice, runs a B&B and is co-owner of Cook In Venice where you will learn the secrets of Venetian cooking. When I asked Monica to fill in the blanks, "My favorite ____ in Italy is ____," she replied with:
My Favorite Osteria In Venice
Here in Venice, we have a special thing we love to do in our free time: a Bacaro tour (tour of the best inns the city offers), eating cicchetti (typical Venetian small snacks) and drinking ombre (small shots of wine). Well, my favorite Osteria during these culinary marathons is Cantina Vecia Carbonera, situated in Strada Nova near Campo Santa Maddalena in the sestriere of Cannaregio.
I love to stop here because they have one of the best and largest choice of cicchetti in the area and their toppings are always different. Sometimes, you can eat gorgonzola and leak bruschettas, or delicious small buns filled with flavorful slices of Veneto Salame or Soppressa (a type of cold meat typical of Veneto). In Fall, they have sweet and scrumptious pumpkin and cream cheese toppings or creamy and soft baccala (salt cod) with polenta. All of this comes at a very cheap price, too. Ciccheto costs around €1 - 1.5 and an ombra is only €1. And best of all, you can grab your food and drinks, sit at the back of the Osteria and stay there forever watching the boats pass by in the canal underneath the window while dreaming of times gone by!
Thank you Monical for sharing one of your favorite things in Italy! Do you have a favorite Osteria in Venice? I'd love to hear about it!
