27/11/2025: Osteria della Rivetta is just 500 meters from Venice's most important, yet less-visited, attractions: the Basilica of Santa Maria dei Frari and the Scuola Grande di San Rocco. So, you might as well stop there for a drink and a bite to eat and find yourself in what must be the closest thing to a tapas bar in Venice during the 20th century, since it opened. The place is run by a mother and son who, if you're lucky enough to walk in during a shift change when they're both there, will see them bickering like something out of an Italian soap opera, almost like a parodic ritual. The place is packed with young people from all over the world who have come to study art or whatever else is being studied in Venice, local workers, and tourists and travelers—because, ultimately, it's impossible not to find them in Venice. But the place is good, nice, cheap, and if you greet them in Italian, as is proper in Italy, they'll at least treat you with respect. So learn to say Ciao at least, have a few glasses of very decent demijohn wine with some cicchetti, and be happy. Autumn 2025
19/11/2025: This is a very specific local spot — and depending on what you’re looking for, you might absolutely love it… or you might completely hate it. But if you want to see the real, old-school Venice and have a truly unique experience, this is the place to go.
It’s authentic, a bit eccentric, and wonderfully traditional. And a fair warning: from 12:00 to 15:00 mobile phones are strictly forbidden — if you dare take yours out, the owner will happily threaten to toss it into the canal 😍
If you’re looking for something genuine, quirky, and full of character, you’ll appreciate this place. A true slice of Venice.