A risotto-soup hybrid of rice and fresh spring peas, traditionally served to the Doge on St Mark's Day (25 April). Loose, soupy, never stiff.
Risi e bisi is the canonical Venetian Republic dish, traditionally served to the Doge in the Doge's Palace on the Feast of St Mark (25 April) using the first peas of spring. The texture is risotto-but-looser, somewhere between a soup and a risotto, made with the pea pods reduced to a broth (the canonical version uses both pods and peas). It is on the menu at every spring carte from Vini da Gigio to Anice Stellato, and the proverbial Venetian saying goes that it should be ne troppo brodoso ne troppo asciutto (neither too soupy nor too dry).
5 editor picks for Risi e bisi in Venice, ranked by editorial score. All Venice signature dishes · Risi e bisi across every city.
Osteria alle Testiere ★ 4.7
castello · Calle del Mondo Novo 5801, 30122 Venezia VE
Osteria alle Testiere in Venice's Castello is the 22-seat room with two seatings, run by Bruno Gavagnin and Luca di Vita on Calle del Mondo Novo since 1993.
Vini da Gigio ★ 4.5
cannaregio · Calle Stua Cannaregio 3628A, 30121 Venezia VE
Vini da Gigio in Venice's Cannaregio is the Lazzari family's canal-side trattoria, a Slow Food-listed family room running the canonical Venetian carte since 1981.
Osteria Anice Stellato ★ 4.4
cannaregio · Fondamenta de la Sensa, Cannaregio 3272, 30121 Venezia VE
Osteria Anice Stellato in Venice's Cannaregio is the canal-side modern Venetian seafood room on Fondamenta de la Sensa, with outdoor tables along the rio in summer.
Trattoria alla Madonna ★ 4.2
san-polo · Calle della Madonna 594, 30125 San Polo, Venezia VE
Trattoria alla Madonna in Venice near the Rialto is the 1954-founded room with a turnover that fills 200 seats twice a day, the canonical Venetian fish lunchroom.
Bistrot de Venise ★ 4.2
san-marco · Calle dei Fabbri, San Marco 4685, 30124 Venezia VE
Bistrot de Venise near San Marco is the 1993 room that cooks from manuscripts of the Anonimo Veneziano and Renaissance Venetian cookbooks, the only such kitchen in the lagoon.