Advice on where to eat kosher in the Jewish ghetto of Venice, one of the most famous ghettos in the world which is located in Italy. Discover here the dishes but also the names of the places most frequented by those who live in Venice and decide where your next break in Venice will be in kosher food fashion.
Il Jewish Ghetto of Venezia, the first in European history born at the beginning of the 500th century, is in my opinion one of the most interesting places in the city: a quiet area but always full of life, which tells a different Venice from the more typical one characterized by the splendor and wealth of the nobility that overlooks the Grand Canal.
One of the first things to do, even before understanding where the Jewish Ghetto of Venice is located, is to understand how to get around by vaporetto in Venice. In addition, you may also be interested in seeing Venice in 5 of its unusual corners. Venice is one of the most touristic cities in the world, knowing and visiting it thanks to some alternative itineraries can only be a good thing. One of these is certainly there Acqua Alta bookshop in Venice, the name is already a whole program!
This area is located in the Cannaregio district, between the Ponte delle Guglie and Fondamenta degli Ormesini. One of the most important elements of Jewish culture is the kitchen, closely linked to religion, to holidays and also defined by particular and different characteristics depending on the place where the community is located. The Venetian Jews therefore cook and eat dishes and foods that over the centuries have been strongly influenced by the culinary traditions of the lagoon city. The best way to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the Ghetto is therefore to try some of these kosher specialties, a word that means “suitable”, and therefore conforms to the rules of the Torah.
If you pass by here and want to taste something quick you can stop by Gam Gam Goodies or the Forneria Volpe: here you will find in particular sweets, especially biscuits, handmade and respecting ancient recipes. My favorites are called "le recie de Aman" or "Aman's ears”, Pastry rolls filled with jam, almonds, poppy seeds or chocolate, which are the sweets of the Purìm festival (but which can still be found every day on the counters of the two Venetian bakeries!).
In addition to these there are also many other delicacies to munch on, perhaps sitting on the benches in Campo del Ghetto Nuovo: impà de stuffed with almonds, boli with raisins, sweet unleavened bread, bìse and many other good things, sweet and salty. The products of the Forneria in particular, in addition to being kosher ("certified" by the Chief Rabbi of Venice) are also suitable for those who food intolerances, in fact, they do not contain milk, eggs and yeast.
Those who prefer to sit at a table for an aperitif or a full meal, there is the GAM GAM, a restaurant whose fame has also reached overseas but which despite everything has maintained affordable prices to anyone. The advice I can give you is to start with theIsraeli appetizer, perfect for two people and that allows you to taste many specialties of different kinds: from falafel to spiced baby carrots, passing through sauces, hummus, vegetables and much more. The rest of the menu is a contamination of Italian and Jewish cuisine: I tasted a very good and generous couscous with fish, with tomato and salmon.
If you vegetarians or vegans this place is also suitable for you, for sure on the menu you will find dishes that will satisfy your preferences. To make sure you have a table, it is best to book in advance: the place is not large and is always full.
The last possibility, which I have not yet tried personally, is to stop at cafeteria of the Jewish Museum, perhaps after having visited it or having done the tour of the Synagogues, here are served dishes of various kinds and sandwiches.
If you liked the directions in this article, so much so that you are thinking of scheduling a weekend in Venice, I suggest you explore the Venice guide to have 48 hours of fun, discovery and relaxation in the Venetian lagoon. Another thing you might like is to see the Venetian islands, not just Murano and Burano, but all of them 5 unusual islands of Venice. At this point I just have to wish you bete 'avòn (enjoy your meal!).
