Where to sit, sip and slow down in Venice.
Coffee shops, bakeries with seats and the places Venice lingers in over a cortado.
Caffe Florian on Piazza San Marco is the 1720-founded coffeehouse, the oldest in continuous operation in Italy, with frescoed rooms hosted by string quartets.
DrinkHot chocolate, espresso, Spritz al Florian
TipSitting in the frescoed rooms costs roughly €12 for an espresso; standing at the counter costs €1.50. The music orchestra adds €6 per person.
Grancaffe Quadri in Piazza San Marco has run as a coffee house since 1775 under the Procuratie Vecchie, the historic cafe across the square from Florian.
DrinkEspresso under the Procuratie Vecchie
TipThe ground-floor cafe is the public room; upstairs is the 1-star restaurant. The bar pours espresso for €2 standing, €9 sitting.
Gran Caffe Lavena on Piazza San Marco has operated since 1750 at the foot of the Clock Tower, the cafe where Wagner wrote parts of Parsifal.
DrinkEspresso, cappuccino, tea with pastries
TipStand at the counter to skip the terrace surcharge. The cappuccino at the bar runs €1.80; sit-down on the piazza is €10.
Caffe del Doge on Calle dei Cinque near Rialto in Venice is the city's roastery-cafe with 14 espresso varieties, SCA-trained staff, the rare specialty-coffee.
DrinkSingle-origin espresso, V60 filter
TipOrder Doge Rosso 100% Arabica at the counter or a filter from Ethiopia. Open from 07:00; quiet workspace mornings before tourists arrive.
Torrefazione Cannaregio on Fondamenta degli Ormesini is the 1930 coffee roaster, the only roastery-bar in the historic centre, still using a 1940s.
DrinkCafe Remer house blend
TipThe Miscela del Ghetto blend, created for the Jewish ghetto's 500th anniversary, is the bag to take home. The bar runs espresso €1.20.
Rosa Salva on Calle Fiubera near San Marco is the 150-year-old Venetian patisserie-cafe, the local breakfast bar where the cornetto and the cappuccino still.
DrinkEspresso, frittelle with cream
TipClosed Sundays. The other Rosa Salva on Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo opens Sunday and has more seats.
Pasticceria Marchini Time on Campo San Luca is the patisserie-cafe in the central San Marco crossroads where locals queue for the brioche and the morning.
DrinkEspresso, brioche col cremor
TipOpen Mon to Sat 07:30-20:30. Stand at the marble counter; tables raise the price. Saturday morning is the local crowd at peak.
Pasticceria Dal Mas on Lista di Spagna near Santa Lucia station is the historic Cannaregio cafe-patisserie, the locals' breakfast counter before the early.
DrinkEspresso and cornetto by the station
TipBest for the 06:30-09:00 espresso-and-cornetto crowd. The cioccolateria next door is the late-afternoon move.
Pasticceria Rizzardini on Campiello dei Meloni near Campo San Polo has run since 1742, the tiny pastry-and-coffee counter with acqua alta high-water marks.
DrinkEspresso, krapfen, dogi cookies
TipThe dogi (amaretto) and golosesso (dark chocolate-pecan) cookies are the takeaway. The standing-only counter pours espresso for €1.30.
Pasticceria Tonolo on Calle San Pantalon in Dorsoduro has run since 1886, the Venetian benchmark for the focaccia veneziana with 30-hour leavening.
DrinkEspresso, focaccia veneziana
TipClosed Mondays. During Carnevale, this is the city's best frittelle counter. Espresso at the bar €1.30; pastries €1.50 to €3.
Guided tour · 1.5 hours
Discover Venice as it wakes up on a small-group walking tour. Enjoy a coffee and a pastry, explore hidden streets, and visit St. Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge be...
Guided tour · 2 hours
Discover and dive into Venice’s outstanding coffee scene at the best coffee shops in the city , each its unique history with highlight of Venice main attraction
Visit Hard Rock Cafe in the heart of city of Venice. Take in the city's beautiful surroundings, and experience what has made this iconic restaurant a crowd favorite si...