Venice Good Food Guide
Venice is built on an archipelago of 117 islands formed by 177 canals in a shallow lagoon. With its rich maritime history, it’s no surprise that much of the food in Venice centres around seafood. Wild water fowl is also common on menus and many vegetables these days are cultivated on the islands of the lagoon.
Our good food guide focusses on these foods actually from Venice or its surroundings and tell you what to look for in each season.
Fish is a Key Part of the Venetian Menu
Food Category Italian name Season
Seafood
Gilt head bream Orata July-Sept
Striped bream Mormora Apr-Sept
Turbot Rombo Oct
Eel Bisato Aug-Nov
Grey mullet Boseche otregani Sept-Oct
Red mullet Triglie barboni Sept-Nov
Cuttlefish Seppie Mar-Apr
Italian flounder Passarini Sept-Nov
Baby squid Calamaretti Sept-Oct
Grey shrimps Schie Nov-Dec
Baby bay shrimps Gamberetti Nov-Feb
Mantis shrimps Canoce Sept-Nov
Murex snails Garusoli June-Sept
Sea scallops Cappesante Oct-Nov
Lagoon clams Capparossoli All year
Shore crab Masenete Oct-Nov
Sea bass Branzino July-Dec
Sole Sogliolo Aug-Oct
John Dory San Pietro (a.k.a Hugo!) All year
Corb Corbo or corvina Apr-Sept
Black goby Go or ghiozzo Oct-Mar
Piper fish Lucerne Sept-Nov
Baby cuttlefish Seppioline July-Aug
Baby octopus Moscardini Oct-Nov
Sardines Sarde June-Oct
Anchovies Sardoni June-Oct
Imperial shrimps Mazzancolle Sept-Nov
Mussels Cozze or peoci June-Sept
Razor shell clams Cappelunghe Autumn
Venetian scallops Canestrelli Autumn
Sea clams Bevarasse All year
Soft shell crab Moleche, mo’eche or granseole Mar/Apr and Oct/Nov
Lagoon vegetables
Artichokes Carciofi June
Baby artichokes Castraure Apr-May
Courgettes Zucchine May-Sept
String beans Tegoline July-Sept
Selines Carletti Mar-May
Hop sprouts Bruscandoli Apr
Artichokes Fondi June
Courgette flowers Fiori di zucca May-Sept
Peas Bisi June-July
Beans Borlottini July-Sept
Asparagus Sparese May-June
Beef-heart tomatoes Cuore di bue Aug-Sept
Wild water fowl
Mallards Anare or masorini Oct-Nov
Teals Salsegne or alzavole Oct-Nov
Widgeons Ciossi or fischioni Oct-Nov
Bald coot Folaghe Oct-Nov
Use this guide to choose fish, fowl or vegetables that are in season. All seasons are approximate as they depend on sea and air temperatures.
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