Bacaro Osteria Ae Spezie
Bacaro Osteria Ae Spezie is a traditional Venetian wine bar in Venice, offering the classic combination of ombre (small glasses of local wine) and cicchetti — the bite-sized snacks that define the bacaro culture of the Serenissima. Set within the historic sestieri of Venice, it continues a centuries-old social ritual that connects the city’s residents and visitors over simple, honest food and wine.
At a glance
- Type
- Bacaro (traditional Venetian osteria / wine bar)
- Period
- Contemporary establishment in a historic urban context
- Style
- Venetian cicchetti bar
- Location
- Venice, Veneto, Italy · 45.4344° N, 12.3487° E
Overview
Bacaro Osteria Ae Spezie (“The Spices”) takes its name from the rich spice-trading heritage of Venice, once the gateway through which Eastern spices entered Europe. Like all authentic bacari, it operates as a neighbourhood gathering place where standing at the bar is as common as sitting down. The menu centres on cicchetti: small preparations of marinated sardines, baccalà mantecato, crostini with various toppings, and seasonal vegetables in saor (sweet-and-sour agrodolce).
History
The bacaro tradition in Venice dates to at least the 15th century, when wine taverns clustered around the Rialto market supplied labourers, merchants, and gondoliers with affordable ombre and snacks between working hours. The name “bacaro” is thought to derive from Bacco (Bacchus), the Roman god of wine, reflecting the establishment’s central role in Venetian daily life. Ae Spezie — “The Spices” — evokes the memory of Venice’s spice trade, through which the Republic controlled the flow of nutmeg, pepper, cinnamon, and cloves from Asia into Europe from the 13th century onward. Today bacari like this one preserve that convivial, unhurried social culture.
What you see
The interior is typically compact and simply furnished in Venetian bacaro style — a wooden counter displaying the day’s cicchetti under glass, mismatched stools, and walls bearing wine lists written in chalk or marker. The menu rotates daily based on market availability, with staples such as baccalà mantecato (whipped salt cod on polenta), sarde in saor (sweet-and-sour sardines with onion and raisins), and folpetti (baby octopus). Wines lean heavily on the Veneto DOC and Friuli appellations, served by the ombra — the traditional quarter-litre pour.
Cultural significance
The bacaro circuit is as integral to Venetian identity as the gondola or the Rialto bridge. The ritual of the giro de ombre — a social bar crawl moving between bacari, drinking small glasses and tasting cicchetti — is listed among the intangible cultural traditions of the Veneto and continues to draw both locals and culturally curious visitors seeking an authentic alternative to tourist-facing restaurants. Establishments like Ae Spezie serve as living archives of Venetian culinary tradition, preserving recipes that date back to the Republic of Venice.
Practical information
- Address
- Venice, Veneto, Italy (check Google Maps for precise address)
- Hours
- Check official website or local listings — hours vary seasonally
- Admission
- No admission fee; cicchetti priced individually (typically €1–3 each)
Getting there
Venice is car-free. Reach the area by vaporetto (water bus) on ACTV lines — the nearest stops depend on the precise location within the sestiere. From Piazzale Roma or Santa Lucia railway station, vaporetti lines 1 and 2 serve the Grand Canal stops. Water taxis and gondolas are available for shorter crossings. Walking is the primary mode of movement within Venice’s historic centre.