Caffè Rosso Bar / Café

Dorsoduro, Venice –

It’s hard to miss the little storefront with the tomato-red trim in Campo Santa Margherita, but if there’s any confusion, one need only look for the hand-painted Caffè sign that indicates that this is indeed the beloved Caffè Rosso, the quintessential no-frills bar of Venice.

The tiny indoor space may be cramped, but the vast selection of cocktails and sandwiches lures a jovial alternative crowd both day and night to create a buoyant bohemian environment.

Given the limited space, patrons will have to vie with the loyal clientele for the snug, well-worn tables inside in the winter, or for the little red chairs and marble-topped tables outside in the summer.

The bar, which offers no entertainment of its own, is nevertheless a perfect spot to kick back and watch the activity in the square or to mingle with the outgoing crowd.

By night, the tables fill up with university students engaged in deep conversation about the day’s lessons, as well as various creative types content to chat and watch the parade of people.

Caffè Rosso is also somewhat of a leader among the bars in Santa Margherita, as it was the first to sell its own t-shirts and bags, which many hip Venetians proudly wear.