Vennicce

Eating cheaply in Venice is not easy, though it's by no means impossible. So plan well and don't rely on the serendipity that may serve you in other cities. If you've qualified for a Rolling Venice card, ask for the discount guide listing dozens of restaurants offering 10% to 30% discounts for cardholders. Bear in mind that, compared with Rome and other points south, Venice is a city of early meals: You should be seated by 7:30 to 8:30pm. Most kitchens close at 10 or 10:30pm, even though the restaurant may stay open till 11:30pm or midnight.

Budget Dining -- Pizza is the fuel of Naples and bruschetta and crostini (small, open-face sandwiches) the rustic soul food of Florence. In Venice it's tramezzini -- small, triangular white-bread half sandwiches filled with everything from thinly sliced meats and tuna salad to cheeses and vegetables; and cicchetti (tapaslike finger foods such as calamari rings, speared fried olives, potato croquettes, or grilled polenta squares), traditionally washed down with a small glass of wine called an ombra (shadow). Venice offers countless neighborhood bars called bacari and cafes where you can stand or sit with a tramezzino, a selection of cicchetti, a panino (sandwich on a roll), or a toast (grilled ham and cheese sandwich). All of the above will cost approximately 1Ð'Ђ to 3Ð'Ђ ($1.15-$3.45) if you stand at the bar, as much as double when seated. Bar food is displayed on the countertop or in glass counters and usually sells out by late afternoon, so don't rely on it for a light dinner, though light lunches are a delight. A concentration of popular, well-stocked bars can be found along the Mercerie shopping strip that connects Piazza San Marco with the Rialto Bridge, the always lively Campo San Luca (look for Bar Torino, Bar Black Jack, or the character-filled Leon Bianco wine bar), and Campo Santa Margherita. Avoid the tired-looking pizza (revitalized only marginally by microwaves) you'll find in most bars; informal sit-down neighborhood pizzerias everywhere offer savory and far fresher renditions for a minimum of 4Ð'Ђ ($4.60), plus your drink and cover charge -- the perfect lunch or light dinner.

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