Budget pizza in Venice: Pizza Al Volo

See a real pizza Venice

One of the most popular Italian foods is of course pizza, so it would be rude not to order at least one on a trip to Italy. Venice has a number of spots to find delicious pizza but it can also be terribly expensive…but, Venice has a university and with that comes cheap eats so here’s a slightly hidden one, where the locals actually go. Is it the best pizza in Venice? We don’t know but it was a popular spot and if you head off the beaten track here you’ll also be rewarded with amazingly cheap gelato too!

Step away from the crowds and turn to the back streets, away from St Marks and the Rialto bridge.

Not only will you find the real Venice, but the places where the locals hang out away from the hordes of tourists and overpriced eateries. The square to aim for is Santa Margherita.

Huddled around the entrance to this takeaway was a bundle of Venetians, all eager to get a slice of pizza. There are around 37 different pizza combinations here, or maybe more since our visit! It’s takeaway only but there are some public benches on the square that do not belong to any nearby restaurants.

Toppings include brie, asparagus, mushroom and French fries! Being Glaswegians, we had to get the Patate pizza. At €11 for a family size or €5.50 for the regular, we thought it was an excellent price. We have since visited Naples and discovered that the Italians actually do love chips on their pizza and that’s in the home of pizza so no wonder so many Italians moved to Scotland – love of the potato!

After the pizza you can also find cheap gelato nearby. We visited Gelateria il Doge, which was great but have since discovered that it’s closed down. 🙁 Not to worry, try nearby Fontego delle Dolcezze instead, which is located just off the north end of the square.