Osteria All'Arco near Rialto in San Polo serves cicchetti at EUR 1.50 to EUR 4 each, the canonical bacari budget meal with francobolli sandwiches and lagoon-fish bites.
Tip: Six cicchetti plus two ombre runs roughly EUR 20 to 25 for a full meal. Closes after lunch.
Address: Calle Arco 436, San Polo, 30125 Venezia VE, Venice
Al Merca on Campo Bella Vienna near Rialto is the tiny walk-up bar where the mini panini cost EUR 1.50 and the spritz EUR 3.50, the canonical campo aperitivo for under EUR 5.
Try: Spritz and mini panino
Tip: Closes 20:00. No interior space; the crowd stands on the campo. Cash and card accepted.
Trattoria Bar Pontini in Venice's Cannaregio is the neighbourhood lunchroom locals fill at noon, with a EUR 14 weekday set lunch (primo, secondo, acqua) the canonical budget pick.
Try: Set lunch (primo, secondo, acqua)
Tip: Walk-in only. Set lunch weekdays only. Arrive 12:30 for the best seating.
Panificio Volpe Giovanni in Venice's Jewish Ghetto sells kosher pizza al taglio at EUR 2 to 4 per slice plus breads and biscuits, the canonical cheap Cannaregio lunch.
Try: Kosher pizza al taglio, breads
Tip: Cash only. Closed Saturday. The kosher rules limit the cheese options, so toppings are mostly tomato-and-vegetable.
Vecio Fritolin in Santa Croce runs a cartoccio window at EUR 12 for a paper cone of mixed fried lagoon fish, the canonical 19th-century fritolin takeaway tradition.
Try: Paper cone of fried lagoon fish
Tip: Walk-up window for the cartoccio takeaway. Lunch hours only. Cone is enough for two with a glass of Soave.
Majer on Campo Santa Margherita in Venice's Dorsoduro is the bakery-cafe with pizzetta veneziana at EUR 3 and large panini at EUR 7, the campo's cheap lunch counter.
Try: Pizzetta veneziana and panini
Tip: Walk-in. Open daily 06:30 to 21:00. Outdoor benches on the campo for free seating.
Trattoria alla Madonna near Rialto in San Polo is the 1954 lunchroom with two-course Venetian set meals at EUR 18, the canonical mid-budget classic fish trattoria.
Try: Bigoli in salsa with fritto misto
Tip: Walk-in only. Arrive 12:00 for lunch or 19:30 for dinner. Closed Wednesdays.
