The centuries-old restaurant in Venice that began as a simple neighbourhood bar

by Elisa Bologna

One hundred years of history full of changes overlooking the northern lagoon of Venice. For those who do not live in the city, Algiubagiò is a safe address for anyone passing through the lagoon in search of a different kind of dinner. And above all, it is a mine of anecdotes, as recounted by the owner himself, Giulio Antonello.

A small family gathering place

It all began with a small tavern run by Giulio’s relatives around 1922, where Venetians would meet to drink a glass of wine, play cards, and chat with friends when returning from the mainland or when they had to leave the island for errands. We are in the 1940s and Algiubagiò did not yet exist: it was the bar “Da Piero” run by Giulio’s parents, father Piero and mother Emilia. It was still a bar where you could also buy salt and cigarettes by the number, in a part of Venice that was still heavily populated.

Within a few years came the first renovation, in which the venue lost its appearance as a traditional tavern to become “the bar dei buranelli”: it was so nicknamed because those arriving from Burano would meet here and make a brief stop in this Cannaregio area, perhaps before returning home or, conversely, before venturing through calli and callette towards San Marco: the Piazza was still the beating heart of city life while Burano was an island far from the centre, which is why meeting at the bar became a way of seeing friends or simply having a break in front of an ombra de vin.
It was only the 1970s, yet it seems like another era for Venice, a time when the Fondamenta Nove was still the place where Venetians learned to swim.

Between old and new

Another twenty years passed and the look of the place changed once again. It was at this point that Giulio came onto the scene: in 1991, he decided to renovate the bar once more, with a restoration overseen by eclectic Murano architect Davide Barbini. Although 34 years have now passed, it still feels strikingly current.

In 2006, the venue was further expanded by connecting it to the adjoining Palazzo Donà dalle Rose. In the 17th century, this space had been the stables of the Palazzo, later transformed into a lemon house, and then again into a storage place for boats and marble. It was not entirely clear what kind of clientele would arrive, so for a short time this space became a pizzeria, while still maintaining the bar area at the entrance. The new structure is a perfect blend of modern furnishings and preservation of the original building. With the latest renovation, dating back to 2009, the marvellous terrace overlooking the northern lagoon was inaugurated.

The furnishings: a collective story of Venetian friends

All the artworks displayed were created by Giulio’s friends, who decided to collaborate on his project. The chandelier by Gianluca Vecchi and the two by Fabio Fornasier dominate, the paintings are by the artist Pluchino, while the Murano glass sculpture separating the bar area from the restaurant area is by Murano artist Davide Penso: a trail of blown-glass seaweed gently swaying under the soft light of the chandeliers, also in Murano glass.

Some tables, on the other hand, were made by Giulio himself, reusing the wooden wine crates from bottles in the rich cellar. Not merely a renovation, then, but a collective story as all catering should be, and as Giulio himself continues to experience it.

The cuisine of Algiubagiò was completely renewed by chef Daniele Zennaro who, during his years in Venice, deepened his research into and appreciation of the territory, through the use of wild herbs from the lagoon and barena (salt marsh).
The result is a cuisine with strong character yet constantly able to renew itself, while always maintaining maximum attention to seasonality and avoiding waste. Although strongly local preparations are not lacking, such as baccalà mantecato, here served as a wafer between two savoury biscuits, there are certain dishes that have by now helped to shape the restaurant’s identity.

“Venexia xè un pesse”: six tartares paying homage to the seven sestieri of Venice (Santa Croce: scallop with mint peas; Cannaregio: shi drum with burrata and tonka bean; San Polo: langoustine with mango and soya sprouts; Dorsoduro and Giudecca: amberjack with lime gel and yoghurt powder; San Marco: sea bream with sweet-and-sour dill; Castello: prawn with samphire) and the tiramisù inspired by “that time when, during the Biennale, journalists crowded the Fondamenta because Banksy was sitting at one of our tables.”
A surprising place, waiting to be discovered in one of the still lesser-known areas of Venice.

Archive photos by Giulio Antonello
Other photos by Andrea Pattaro