What is in season in Venice. and what to order when the market changes.
Spring
- Moeche (soft-shell crab): The lagoon's male shore crabs caught during their April-May molt. Best dredged in flour, deep-fried whole and eaten at All'Arco or Antiche Carampane. Window is roughly 6 weeks.
- Castraure (Sant'Erasmo artichokes): The prized purple artichoke hearts from Sant'Erasmo island, harvested from late April through mid-May. Eaten raw with olive oil and lemon, or sliced into risotto. The Sant'Erasmo festival runs the second Sunday of May.
- White asparagus from Bassano: The DOP white asparagus from Bassano del Grappa, in season late April through May. Eaten with melted butter and Parmigiano, or with hard-boiled eggs in the traditional Veneto preparation.
Summer
- Schie (lagoon shrimp): Tiny grey lagoon shrimp, in season June through September. Served fried whole with polenta bianca, the canonical Venetian summer counter cicchetto at Cantina Do Mori and All'Arco.
- Pomodorini di Sant'Erasmo: Cherry tomatoes from Sant'Erasmo island, peak in July-August. The lagoon-water cultivation gives them concentrated sweetness; sold at Rialto Mercato through summer.
- Branzino al sale: Lagoon and Adriatic sea bass baked in salt crust, a summer dinner classic at Corte Sconta and Alle Testiere. Best with the Sant'Erasmo pomodorini on the side.
Autumn
- Radicchio di Treviso IGP: The bitter red chicory from Treviso, in season November through January. Grilled, in risotto, or wrapped in pancetta. The Treviso December festival is worth a day trip from Venice.
- Funghi porcini and chiodini: Boletus and honey mushrooms from the Dolomites and Cadore, in season September through November. The Rialto market vendors stock them through autumn; tagliatelle ai porcini at Vini da Gigio is the move.
- Fegato alla veneziana: Calf liver sliced thin and slow-cooked with onions in butter and white wine. The canonical Venetian autumn classic at Vini da Gigio, Antiche Carampane and Trattoria alla Madonna.
Winter
- Baccala mantecato: Whipped salt cod with olive oil and parsley, served on polenta crostini. The canonical Venetian winter cicchetto; on every bacaro counter from November through Easter.
- Risi e bisi (rice and peas): The historic Venetian risotto-soup hybrid served to the Doge on St Mark's Day (25 April), prepared with the first spring peas; the classic Venetian winter-to-spring dish.
- Frittelle and galani (Carnival pastries): The Carnevale doughnuts (frittelle) and crispy fried strips (galani) appear at every patisserie from mid-January through Shrove Tuesday. Tonolo and Rosa Salva are the benchmark counters.