Experimental Cocktail Club in Il Palazzo Experimental in Venice's Dorsoduro is the modern cocktail room with Cristina Celestino interiors, Venice's branch of the Paris-born group.
Food program: Bar snacks from Adriatica next door
Tip: Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The signature menu refresh hit June 2025; ask for the seasonal flight. The back garden bar runs in summer.
Address: Dorsoduro 1411, 30123 Venezia VE, Venice
Bar Longhi inside The Gritti Palace on Campo Santa Maria del Giglio is the Murano-lamp bar with the Pietro Longhi 18th-century paintings, the canonical Grand Canal cocktail terrace.
Signature drink: Bellini Longhi, Negroni at the Gritti
Food: Bar snacks, the Gritti's afternoon tea
Tip: The patio with the Grand Canal view runs spring through autumn. Cocktails start around EUR 22; the Longhi Bellini variant is the move.
Al Merca on Campo Bella Vienna near Rialto is the tiny walk-up bar where locals stop for an ombra, the canonical aperitivo standing-room in San Polo.
Signature drink: Spritz al Select, ombra
Food: Mini crostini and panini
Tip: No interior space; the crowd stands on the campo. Closes hard at 20:00. Spritz EUR 3.50, ombra EUR 1.50.
Devil's Forest Pub on Calle Stagneri near Rialto is one of the rare Irish-style late-night rooms in San Marco, open to 01:00 with live sports and pub plates.
Signature drink: Guinness, Irish whisky, pub burgers
Food: Pub burgers, nachos, late-night plates
Tip: One of the city's late closes (01:00 weeknights, later weekends). Walk-in. Useful when the bacari have all shut.
Il Mercante in Venice's San Polo near the Frari basilica is the speakeasy-style cocktail bar with seasonal themed menus, the city's modern cocktail benchmark.
Signature drink: Themed seasonal cocktails (Sea, Tea, Story, Land)
Food: Small plates from Caffe dei Frari
Tip: Bookings via Resy. The seasonal menu refreshes four times a year; the spice-trade-themed pours are the move.
Bacaro Jazz near the Rialto Bridge in San Marco is the late-running jazz bar with cicchetti, bra-collection ceiling and one of the few 02:00 closes in central Venice.
Signature drink: Spritz, prosecco, classic cocktails
Food: Cicchetti, cured meats and tapas
Tip: Walk-in. 02:00 close. Touristy ambience but useful for late drinks; tonight's jazz set is on the chalkboard at the door.
Skyline Rooftop Bar atop Hilton Molino Stucky on Giudecca is the city's rare rooftop bar, with a 360-degree view across the lagoon, San Marco basin and the islands.
Signature drink: Spritz with a Giudecca Canal view
Food: Bar snacks, hotel kitchen menu
Tip: Take the free Hilton shuttle boat from San Marco. Best at sunset (book by 19:30 in summer). Spritz around EUR 18.
