What to Eat in Padua: Bigoli, Baccalà, and Veneto Wine Bar Culture

Padua (Padova) is a university city with a food culture that is genuinely excellent and largely unknown to international visitors. The Veneto kitchen here is more serious and less touristed than Venice — better prices, more authentic preparation, and a wine bar tradition (the bacaro) that rivals anything in the lagoon city.

What to Eat

Bigoli in salsa — thick, extruded whole-wheat pasta with an anchovy and onion sauce. A Venetian and Paduan Friday dish, originally eaten as a meat-free meal. The sauce is slow-cooked until the anchovies dissolve into an umami-rich base that is sweeter than it sounds.

Baccalà alla vicentina — salt cod braised slowly in milk with onions, anchovies, and olive oil until it becomes almost creamy. Served with polenta. Originally from nearby Vicenza but deeply embedded in the Veneto food tradition throughout Padua and the plains.

Risotto col tastasal — risotto made with luganega sausage (the Veneto’s fresh, coarsely ground pork sausage), cooked as a side during the salami-making season and mixed into the risotto. A cold-weather dish from the Paduan countryside.

Sopa coada — layers of braised pigeon meat and stale bread, slowly baked with broth. One of the most ancient Veneto dishes, now rarely found except in the most traditional Paduan trattorias. Worth seeking out.

Spressa delle Giudicarie — a PDO cheese from the Trentino-Veneto border, semi-cooked and aged. Available in Padua’s markets and cheese shops.

The Bacaro Culture

Padua’s Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza della Frutta (the two main market squares, divided by the Palazzo della Ragione) are surrounded by bacari — Venetian-style wine bars. The tradition here:

• Stand at the bar
• Order an ombra (small glass of house wine) or a spritz (Aperol or Campari, Prosecco, soda)
• Eat cicchetti — small topped bread slices with baccalà, mortadella, cheese, or sardines

This is the best food experience in Padua and costs almost nothing. The market area bars open from morning and are busiest between noon and 2pm.

Wine

Colli Euganei — the DOC of the volcanic hills south of Padua. Reds from Cabernet Franc and Merlot; whites from Garganega and Pinot Bianco. The whites are underrated and pair well with the local seafood.

Prosecco — widely available from local producers. The best Prosecco comes from Conegliano and Valdobbiadene (an hour north) — the local wine lists often feature these over the mass-market versions.

Where to Eat

The area around Piazza delle Erbe and Via dei Soncin (the main bacaro street) is the best starting point. The university district behind the Bo palace has trattorias pitched at students — excellent value. Avoid the restaurants closest to the Scrovegni Chapel — tourist pricing.