Venice has its own way of drinking: simple, social, and deeply tied to everyday lagoon life.
If you’re looking for authentic Venetian drinks in Venice, these are the real traditions locals still follow — from historic spritz variations to old-school wine mixes you won’t find in tourist menus.
⭐ Venetian drinks in Venice – Local Traditions
🍷 L’Ombra de Vin
A small glass of house wine served “in the shade”.
The most iconic and everyday way to drink in Venice — quick, cheap, and shared at a bacaro counter.
🟣 Select Spritz
The original Venetian spritz, created in Venice in 1920.
Bitter but smoother than Aperol, served with a green olive.
🟩 Cynar Spritz
Made with Cynar, the artichoke-based bitter Venetians love.
More intense, more local, and very common in neighbourhood bars.
🟠 Aperol Spritz (Tourist Classic, Still Local)
Loved by visitors, lighter and sweeter.
Not the most “authentic”, but part of today’s drinking culture.
⚪ Mezzo e Mezzo
Half white wine, half sparkling wine (bianchin + frizzante).
A simple, old-school mix found in many historic bars.
🍑 Cocktails Invented in Venice
🥂 Bellini
Peach purée + Prosecco. Born at Harry’s Bar.
🍊 Puccini
Mandarin juice + Prosecco.
🍓 Rossini
Strawberry + Prosecco.
🍇 Lagoon Wines & Local Choices
🍷 Raboso
Rustic, intense Venetian red, once the everyday wine of the lagoon.
🍾 Prosecco
Produced in the Veneto region; the base of most Venetian cocktails.
🟡 Verduzzo & Local Whites
Soft, easy-drinking wines common in bacari.
🧊 Old-School Venetian Bar Mixes
🧃 Mezo Litro e na Gasosa
A half-liter of red house wine (mezo litro de rosso sfuso)
+
a small bottle of gassosa (sweet lemon soda).
Venetians used to mix them on hot days to create a refreshing, low-cost summer drink — sweet, fizzy, and deeply tied to local working-class traditions.
You won’t see it on menus today, but older Venetians still remember it well.
Explore the full food guide → 🍽️ Traditional Venetian Food Guide: What to Eat in Venice (Local Insights)
More Venetian Food Guides:
- Traditional Dishes → ⭐ Traditional Venetian Dishes – The Real Food of Venice
- Seafood & Lagoon Specialties → 🦐 Venetian Seafood & Lagoon Specialties
- Cicchetti & Bacari → 🍢 Cicchetti & Bacari – The Real Venetian Tapas Culture
- Desserts & Sweets → 🧁 Venetian Desserts & Lagoon Sweets
Learn more about the Venetian spritz → https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spritz_veneziano