Bruschetta. This can be great to order for kids – toasted bread topped with chopped tomatoes or anchovy. If you have a picky kid you can just ask for one with oil and salt (“olio e sale”), even if it’s not on the menu.

Cicchetti. One of the best things about Venice is the Cicchetteria because they are perfect for kids. A Cicchetteria serves small bite-sized dishes (usually eaten with a spritz), and you can usually see them in a display at the bar, which makes it really easy for kids to pick and choose something they like.

Pasta. Restaurants will always offer “pasta pomodoro” (simple pasta with tomato sauce) for kids, even if it’s not on the menu, and most will also serve “pasta ragu” (Bolognese). For kids they usually give them short pasta (“pasta corta”) rather than something long that they might choke on (“pasta lunga”). Regardless of the sauce you can order whatever length of pasta that you want, unless it is clams, which is always served with spaghetti.

If you have an adventurous kid, order them “spaghetti vongole” (clams), because most children absolutely love the taste of clams, and it is fun to eat! But ask the waiter to have it without chili (“senza pepperoncini”) if your kids don’t like spicy stuff. For picky kids a simple “pasta al burro” should go down well, as it’s just pasta with melted butter. Waiters will always bring parmesan to the table in a separate pot for you to serve yourself, unless you are eating seafood or fish pasta, which is never eaten with cheese.

Pizza. There are many pizzeria in Venice. Pizza can be served in a sit-down setting or alternatively you can get ready to eat individual slices “pizza al taglio” from various outlets. In Venice, due to the fire risks, there are very few pizzeria with wood ovens. Usually in Italy, the pizza toppings are quite conservative (no ham and pineapple here!) with often just one topping at a time. If you have travelled in other regions of Italy you will notice that certain pizza names means something different in each place, so do check the list before you order. Most Italians order fried appetizers before the pizza, either fried mozzarella balls “mozzeralline fritte”, onion rings, chips or “olive ascolana” olives filled with meat and deep fried.

Fish. In our experience most kids love a “fritto misto” which is a mix of fried seafood and fish like calamari and prawns.

Fruit. Every restaurant has fruit on the menu, usually seasonal. Pineapple is usually served in most restaurants all year round whereas strawberries will only be available in summer.

Ice cream. You can get “gelato” on every street and corner of Venice to eat in a cone or paper cup. Every gelataria (ice cream shop) will do large take away portions, which can be great if you are self-catering and want to eat ice-cream at home after dinner. Ask to “portare via” and they will put the ice cream in polystyrene containers to keep cool while you take it home. 

Meat and vegetables. If you are looking for more simple meat dishes, look for the “secondo” dishes, which are usually quite plainly served meat such as chicken or steak. They don’t normally come with sauces, instead you dress them with oil and lemon. If you also want vegetables, salad, or potatoes you need to order from the “Contorni” section, which will usually change according to the season. “Polpette” (meatballs), “cotolleta” (breaded veal cutlet), and “salsicce” (sausages) are good options for kids. In fact “polpette”  are a typical Venetian dish -they come in various forms including fish, aubergine, or meat.

Sandwiches. Most cafes serve freshly made “tramezzini” sandwiches, with fillings like mozzarella and tomato, ham and egg, tuna, or prawns. They are often all the same price. If you get them to take out “portare via” they will pop them on a cardboard tray and wrap them in paper for you – great for picnics!