Bar all'Arco

Bar all'Arco is a tiny, celebrated cicchetteria in the heart of Venice's Rialto market area in the San Polo district, a few steps from the produce and fish stalls. Despite its minute size and modest appearance, it has earned a reputation well beyond the neighbourhood for some of the most creative and carefully made cicchetti in the city, attracting chefs, food writers and discerning travellers alongside market workers and locals. The kitchen, long associated with the Pinto family, builds its bite-sized crostini to order rather than leaving them sitting on the counter, topping crisp bread or polenta with combinations such as tuna with pickled vegetables, raw shrimp, lardo, soft cheeses and seasonal fish, mostly priced from around a euro-and-a-half to three euros each. The classic baccalà mantecato is a staple, but the inventive seasonal toppings are what set it apart. As a bacaro it is a stand-up affair, with a short counter and a few stools; visitors order an ombra of Veneto wine or a spritz to accompany the food and eat where they can find space. The atmosphere is busy, friendly and unpretentious, peaking around the market's morning trade and the lunchtime rush. Crucially, the bar keeps daytime hours, opening in the morning and closing in mid-afternoon, and it is shut on Sundays, so it suits an early lunch rather than an evening meal — and the best, freshest pieces can sell out before closing. Prices are very reasonable for the quality. For travellers wanting to experience Venice's cicchetti culture at its most creative, Bar all'Arco is an essential stop on any giro di ombre around the Rialto.