Venice can be a bit overwhelming sometimes. Both from an cultural perspective (can a city really be that beautiful or have that much art?) and from a tourist standpoint (can there really be that many tourists in one place?).
When visiting Venice I tend to at least keep my distance from the main tourist traffic jams. So Piazza San Marco, and the surrounding streets, are usually off limits for me. Yes, during the cold winter months, when things quite down, I regularly head to Florian. But in the summer, when the normal crowds are joined by Biennale visitors, I try to stay as far away as possible.
Still, if I do find myself in the shadow of St. Mark’s lions, I know there is one extremely dependable place I can sit down and enjoy two of life’s greatest pleasures: a spritz and an anchovy pizza.
OK. I bet you didn’t see that coming. A spritz maybe. But an anchovy pizza? But this is what Aciugheta is known for. Most cicchetti bars have one or two things they are known for, in terms of snacking, but Aciugheta takes the fame of their small anchovy pizzas so seriously that their restaurant is named after it.
This last summer, after a long long long day of looking at art at the Biennale Emma and I were very happy to stop by here for a pair of Spritz’s and one very perfect little pizza. If you’re feeling very Venetian you can ask for your Spritz to be made with the local bitter Select, but I’m a Campari girl through and through (and never really even consider Aperol). But whatever you drink (and Aciugheta has a fabulous selection of wines by the glass) do have a pizza. Or two. It’s the perfect antidote to too much art and/or too many tourists and just filling enough to provide ballast for the Spritz but light enough not to interfere with dinner plans.
Sometimes life can be very simple.
Aciughetta
Campo SS. Filippo e Giacomo
Castello 4357
+39.041.523.4222
Although I usually stop here for a pizza and spritz, they also have a very good, simple restaurant. They are also owners of Il Ridotto, a michelin starred restaurant on the same small piazza.
For more information on dining in Venice and Italy download my app, EAT ITALY. EAT ITALY is a free app, and contains guides to Venice, Milan, Rome, Florence and Umbria (and an ever expanding list of regions and cities) available as in-app purchases for both iPhone and iPad
I’ve eaten there many times, but not for the last 3-4 years. So glad it is still good! And glad you are doing a Venice app. I have had some wonderful meals in Venice, but a lot of disappointing ones as well — often on the recommendation of other writers/bloggers/residents.
A girl after my own heart, I have introduced more friends to Campari and the anchovy pizza sounds luscious. I started my honeymoon in Venice and then we traveled the countryside. Bliss
Hi Elizabeth, I get an error that your app is not available in my area, New Jersey, will I need to wait to I arrive in Italy?
Thanks,
Elaine
I retired the app 2 years ago. Sorry!