Adriatico Mar in Venice: a tiny but cozy organic wine bar

The name is that of the sea, which washes the shore of Venice: the Adriatic Sea. In Italian it sounds a bit odd as a name, because the two terms are inverted. In fact we normally call it Mare Adriatico, and not Adriatico Mar. I reckon it sounds more poetic.

A Malvasìa

The full name is Malvasìa dell’Adriatico Mar. Malvasie were once the historical shops that sold imported wines. But above all, the most precious wine of that time, the Malvasia di Candia (ancient name of Crete). Those wines came by sea, clearly. The landlord, Francesco Molinari Corner, opened this place with a specific idea: offer organic delicatessen from the different Adriatic seashores.

Adriatico Mar

Adriatico Mar is a tiny bacaro close to the Frari Basilica, with a lovely, small wooden jetty for boats docking or… to take a look at the canal, the so called Rio de San Pantalon. Rio is another name for canal, as you can learn in my Venice Glossary article.

I went there for a quick lunch some time ago, during a beautiful, sunny day. I could appreciate the cozy atmosphere (lovely music btw), the delicious panini, with peculiar and refined pairings and the reading corner, where you can find books about Venice. But above all, I appreciated the kindness of the staff.

Anecdote

At some point, a young man arrived and asked if they accepted meal vouchers. The answer was no. And then the guy said he wanted to have lunch all the same, but he couldn’t spend more than 10 euros. Nevertheless, he wanted something nourishing and also a glass of wine. I can testify how nice and polite the owner was in trying to please this client. Without absolutely treat him as second best because he had not much money to spend. I was really impressed because sometimes some owners or managers treat you like you are nothing, only because you do not spend enough or you dress too casual.

What you can find here

The cicchetti were not traditional. I only saw sandwiches and cold cuts or cheese platters. Plus salads and a couple of other dishes, written on the chalkboard. It is, in fact, more a wine bar than a food spot.

The majority of wines come from small producers, personally known by the owner. If you don’t drink alcohol, never mind. They also serve organic soft drinks. It is not that cheap, but I find the price right for the quality of food and drinks.

In the photo below (right), notice the lady who moved to allow me to take a picture of the chalkboard. 🙂