Bacaro Ai Do Draghi
Bacaro Ai Do Draghi — “At the Two Dragons” — is a classic Venetian bacaro situated in the Santa Croce sestiere of Venice, steps from the Grand Canal. One of the historic bacari in the city, it serves the traditional Venetian ritual of ombre and cicchetti in an interior marked by dark wood, wine bottles stacked to the ceiling, and the convivial press of regulars. Its name, referencing two carved dragons, connects it to the medieval guild and merchant symbolism that once decorated many Venetian establishments.
At a glance
- Type
- Bacaro (Venetian wine bar and cicchetteria)
- Period
- Historic establishment; bacaro tradition medieval in origin
- Style
- Traditional Venetian bacaro — standing room, counter cicchetti
- Location
- Santa Croce, Venice, Veneto, Italy · 45.4351° N, 12.3240° E
Overview
A bacaro is a type of Venetian osteria, usually simply furnished and sometimes standing-room only, where wine is served in small glasses called ombre alongside cicchetti — bite-sized snacks displayed on a counter. Ai Do Draghi sits in the Santa Croce district, one of the less tourist-saturated sestieri of Venice, making it a favourite haunt of Venetians on their daily giro d’ombra (circuit of bacari). The name “Two Dragons” likely derives from carved or painted decorations once common on merchant establishments in the Republic of Venice.
History
The bacaro tradition in Venice reaches back to the medieval period, when wine merchants began selling wine by the glass from ground-floor shops called malvasie or taberne. Ai Do Draghi occupies a position in the older commercial fabric of Santa Croce, a sestiere that grew around the church and convent of that name and historically served as a hub for craftsmen and traders. The dragon motif in Venetian heraldry and merchant signage was widespread through the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, suggesting the establishment’s name may preserve a visual memory of earlier decorative programmes on the building.
What you see
The interior of Ai Do Draghi presents the quintessential bacaro aesthetic: a long counter crowded with platters of cicchetti, walls lined with bottles of local Veneto and Friulian wines, and a clientele ranging from dockers to academics. Cicchetti typically include baccalà mantecato (whipped salt cod), polpette al sugo (braised meatballs), creamed artichoke on crostini, and seasonal produce from the Rialto market nearby. The narrow calle outside continues the animated street life of the sestiere.
Cultural significance
Bacari such as Ai Do Draghi are considered irreplaceable elements of Venetian intangible cultural heritage, sustaining food traditions — particularly the production and consumption of cicchetti and local wines — that have persisted for centuries despite the pressures of mass tourism. The establishment’s location in Santa Croce, away from the main tourist corridors, means it retains an authenticity prized by food writers and cultural historians documenting Venice’s living culinary culture.
Practical information
- Address
- Santa Croce, Venice, Veneto, Italy
- Hours
- Check official website or local listings for current opening times
- Admission
- No admission fee; pay per order
Getting there
From Santa Lucia railway station, walk southeast through the Cannaregio and Santa Croce sestieri — approximately ten minutes on foot. Alternatively, take vaporetto line 1 to the Riva de Biasio or San Stae stops. The bacaro is within easy walking distance of the Rialto bridge and the Ca’ Pesaro museum. Use coordinates 45.4351° N, 12.3240° E for precise navigation through Venice’s narrow calli.