A cicchetti menu at Cantina Do Spade bacaro. Cicchetti (proucounced "chee-KET-tee") are Venice's verison of tapas. These are finger foods from bars called bacari traditionally washed down with an ombra (shadow), a small glass of wine. Cichetti run the gamut of, well, pretty much anything you can stick on a toothpick: calamari (in rings, or just tiny whole octopi), fried olives, cheese, sarde in soar (sweet-and-sour sardines), potato croquettes, polpette (meatballs—of beef or tuna), grilled polenta squares, salami... All of the above will cost about €1–€2 if you stand at the bar, or as much as double that if you sit at a table. Venice has countless cafes and neighborhood bars called bacari where you can order a selection of cicchetti—or, if you prefer, a panino (sandwich on a roll) or a toast (grilled ham-and-cheese sandwich). There are loads in the neighborhood around the Rialto Market, (including two recommended below), so you can just wander and seek them out.

Book ahead: Great Venetian restaurants are few and far between—and everybody knows about them. It pays to reserve your table, at least at dinner. I find that a corollary of Murphy's Law seems to apply. If you prudently book ahead, you are likely to show up to a half-empty restaurant and feel a bit like a fool for having worried about finding a table. If, on the other hand, you just show up at the door expecting to find a free table, the place will inevitably be packed and its bookings full for the evening. For restaurants that I am truly eager to try, I go ahead and book. "Pane e coperto" is not a scam: Nearly all Italian restaurants have an unavoidable pane e coperto ("bread and cover" charge) of anything from €1 to €15—though most often €2 to €5—per person that is automatically added onto your bill. This is perfectly normal and perfectly legal (though a few trendy restaurants make a big deal about not charging it). Find out if service (tip) is included: Don't double-tip by accident.

If the menu has a line—usually near the bottom of the front or back—that says "servizio" with either a percentage, an amount, or the word "incluso" after it, that means the tip is automatically included in the price. best wine brand india(If it says "servizio non incluso," tip is, obviously, not included.)best german wine books Even if the menu doesn't say it, ask É incluso il servizio? best wine deals on internet(ay een-CLOU-so eel sair-VEET-zee-yo)—"Is service included?" buy cheap wine racks onlineIf not, tip accordingly (10%–15% is standard).best 40 bottle of wine

Don't be stingy about tipping, though. best wine bars in long beachIf il servizio is, indeed, already included but the service was particularly good, it's customary to round up the bill or leave €1 per person extra—just to show you noticed and that you appreciated the effort.best wine to bring to a party Tourist menus: The concept of a bargain prix-fixe menu is not popular in Italy. wine on tap new yorkSome restaurants do offer a menu turistico ("tourist menu"), which can cost from €8 to €20 and usually entails a choice from among two or three basic first courses (read: different pasta shapes, all in plain tomato sauce), a second course of roast chicken or a veal cutlet, and some water or wine and bread. best wine for easter ham dinner

With very few exceptions, tourist menus tend to live up to their name, appearing only at the sort of tourist-pandering restaurants that the locals wisely steer clear of. However, a menu à prezzo fisso ("fixed-price menu") is often a pretty good deal, usually offering a bit more choice than a tourist menu. Then—especially at nicer (and pricier) restaurants—there is the menu degustazione ("tasting menu"), usually far more expensive (anywhere from €25 to €110) that is a showcase of the chef's best, or of regional specialties, and can make for an excellent way to sample the kitchen's top dishes. Book ahead: For restaurants that I am truly eager to try, I go ahead and book a table—at least at dinner. If, on the other hand, you just show up at the door expecting to find a free table, the place will inevitably be packed and its bookings full for the evening. Small Group Cicchetti & Wine Tasting Cicchetti of Venice Tour Cicchetti of Venice - Small Group Tour

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