History

Fritto misto della laguna is the canonical Venetian fish supper, served as a sit-down platter at trattorias or as a paper cone at street-food counters like Acqua e Mais near Campo San Polo, where the scartosso tradition continues. The mix varies by season and morning catch: schie in summer, moeche in spring, calamari and prawns year-round, plus the occasional whitebait and sole. The fish is dredged in flour only, never breaded, and fried in olive oil to a pale gold. Best served immediately with lemon and a glass of Soave.

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Common allergens: Shellfish, Fish, Gluten

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 30 minTotal 45 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 300g squid (calamari), cut into rings
  • 300g shell-on prawns
  • 200g whitebait or schie (lagoon shrimp)
  • 200g small sole or anchovies
  • Plain flour for dredging
  • 1.5 litres sunflower or peanut oil for frying
  • Sea salt
  • Lemon wedges to serve

Method

  1. Clean and dry all the fish thoroughly on kitchen paper.
  2. Heat the oil to 180C in a deep heavy pan.
  3. Dredge the fish in flour in batches, shake off the excess in a colander.
  4. Fry in small batches (do not crowd the pan) for 2 to 3 minutes per batch until pale gold and crisp.
  5. Drain on paper and salt immediately.
  6. Serve hot in a paper cone or on a platter with lemon wedges.

Tip from the editors. Dry the fish properly before flouring; wet fish makes the oil splatter and steams the coating soggy.

Where to eat fritto misto della laguna

Fritto misto della laguna in Venice

Acqua e Mais ★ 4.3

€ Italian

Acqua e Mais on Campiello dei Meloni near Campo San Polo is the street-food window serving Venetian fritto misto in the traditional scartosso (paper cone).

TryScartosso paper cone of fried lagoon fish

TipOrder the small mixed cone of calamari and shrimp with a slice of grilled polenta. Walk-up window only, stand and eat in the campiello.

Directions

Trattoria alla Madonna ★ 4.1

€ Italian

Trattoria alla Madonna near Rialto in San Polo is the 1954 lunchroom with two-course Venetian set meals at €18, the canonical mid-budget classic fish.

TryBigoli in salsa with fritto misto

TipWalk-in only. Arrive 12:00 for lunch or 19:30 for dinner. Closed Wednesdays.

Directions

Antiche Carampane ★ 4.6

€€€ ItalianSan Polo

Antiche Carampane in Venice's San Polo is the 1983 family-run seafood trattoria the Rialto fishmongers send friends to, the room with the no-tourist-menu.

OrderSpaghetti with vongole, fritto misto della laguna, sarde in saor.

TipBook a fortnight ahead. Closed Sundays and Mondays. The dining room has 10 tables, so flexibility on date is more useful than time.

Directions Book

Trattoria Corte Sconta ★ 4.7

€€€ ItalianCastello

Trattoria Corte Sconta in Venice's Castello is the courtyard seafood room that locals and chefs in town quietly book first, the canonical hidden-courtyard.

OrderAntipasto misto, spaghetti vongole, granseola when in season.

TipBook three weeks ahead. The pergola courtyard is the seat to ask for in summer. Closed Sundays and Mondays.

Directions

Trattoria al Gatto Nero ★ 4.6

€€€ ItalianLagoon Islands

Trattoria al Gatto Nero on Burano is the 1965 Bovo family room now run by Massimiliano Bovo, the canonical lagoon-fish lunch on the colourful fishing island.

OrderRisotto di go, bigoli al nero di seppia, the mixed grilled fish.

TipBook two weeks ahead. Ferry 12 from Fondamente Nove takes 45 minutes. Closed Mondays.

Directions Book

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