Naranzaria

On the market side of the Rialto Bridge, you’ll see a bunch of tables with views of a Gondola station on the Grand Canal. Choose a seat that belongs to the wine bar Naranzaria, whose name comes from when the building was a citrus warehouse (naranze in Venetian dialect translates to citrus). Most cicchetti in the city focus on seafood, and while this place has some terrific fishy options, they really specialize in meat. Order a mix of pistachio-flecked mortadella, translucent slices of prosciutto crudo, and silky strips of guanciale on top of crusty bread, and if you see a pile of meatballs on the counter, get a few of those too. The inside space is pretty narrow, but we love standing at the long bar, drinking a spritz on a winter afternoon, and admiring all the glowing Campari bottle light fixtures.

photo credit: Valeria Necchio