Restaurant
Glam Enrico Bartolini
Two-Michelin-star restaurant in Palazzo Venart on the Grand Canal, where chef Donato Ascani cooks lagoon produce and grilled dishes for Enrico Bartolini's group.
All’Arco
A tiny family-run bacaro by the Rialto Market, run by the Pinto family, serving classic and inventive cicchetti and wine by the glass from morning to early afternoon.
At a glance
- Type
- Cicchetti bacaro
- Area
- San Polo, Venice, Italy
- Price
- $ · Budget
Good to know
- Standing room
- Cicchetti
- Wine by the glass
Why we recommend it
All'Arco is a classic Venetian bacaro, a tiny bar where locals and market traders stop for a glass of wine and a few cicchetti, and it is one of the most respected in the city. It is tucked into a side street near the Rialto Market, at the foot of the Rialto Bridge for anyone coming from San Marco, and has been run for years by the Pinto family, Francesco and his son Matteo.
Cicchetti are the Venetian answer to tapas: small bites, usually on slices of bread or polenta, eaten standing at the counter with an ombra, a small glass of wine. All'Arco's counter mixes the classics with more inventive combinations made with ingredients from the market next door, such as crostini topped with courgette flowers. Expect seafood, cured meats, vegetables and cheeses, assembled to order and changing through the day. The idea is to point at what looks good, order a glass of wine, and come back for more.
The bacaro is very small, so most people stand at the bar or in the lane outside. It opens early in the morning, when it serves traders from the market, and closes in the early afternoon; check times locally, as it is not open for dinner. Late morning and lunchtime are the busiest periods, and a queue often forms, but turnover is quick. Payment is per piece and per glass, which keeps it one of the best-value ways to eat well in Venice.
All'Arco suits solo travellers, couples and food lovers who enjoy casual eating. It is a good stop before or after the Rialto Market, and it works as a light lunch. It is less suited to large groups or anyone wanting a seated meal. Allow 30 minutes to an hour. Etiquette is simple: order at the counter, keep track of what you have eaten, and pay before you leave. Going slightly before or after the lunchtime peak makes it easier to get served and to see the full spread of cicchetti on the counter.
The nearest vaporetto stops are Rialto Mercato and San Silvestro on Line 1. The Rialto Market and the Rialto Bridge are a couple of minutes away, and the surrounding lanes are full of other bacari if you want to make a crawl of it.
All’Arco FAQs
What is a bacaro?
A traditional Venetian wine bar serving cicchetti, small bites eaten with a glass of wine.
When is All'Arco open?
It opens in the morning and closes in the early afternoon; it is not a dinner venue, so check times locally.
Can I sit down?
Space is very limited, so most people stand at the counter or in the lane.
What should I order?
A selection of the day's cicchetti and a glass of local wine.
Is it expensive?
No. You pay per piece and per glass, which makes it good value.
Who runs All'Arco?
The Pinto family, Francesco and his son Matteo.
Where is it?
In Calle dell'Occhialer, San Polo 436, near the Rialto Market and the foot of the Rialto Bridge.