Venezia - Piazza San Marco - Telefono 5285011

Of all the cafes in Venice, without question it's The Grand Caffè Chioggia which offers the finest view. Located in the Piazza San Marco directly across from the Doge's Palace, The Caffè Chioggia resides at the far end of the Piazzetta beneath the ornate arches of the Libreria Sansoviniana; a graceful 16th century work of classical architecture that Andrea Palladio once praised as the finest building since antiquity.

From it's enviable location, customers can sit at their leisure over a perfect cup of espresso and gaze out at the breathtaking view; which extends past the twin columns of San Marco and San Teodoro and the Bacino S Marco to the campanile of San Giorgio Maggiore and the sea beyond. Just to the left of The Doge's Palace sits the glorious 11th century masterpiece the Basilica San Marco, with it's massive domes. And cornering that, the Torre dell'Orologio with it's wonderful clock. In short, no matter where you sit, the view from the Chioggia is truly magnificent!

And yet surprisingly, the Caffè Chioggia is rarely mentioned in travel guide books, which focus instead upon the fame of the Florian's or Quadri's Caffè. However whatever it may lack by way of "notorious" past-patronage, The Caffè Chioggia more than makes up for it by offering something even better; Jazz! From Cole Porter to Duke Ellington, from George Gershwin to Glen Miller to Monk, the music at the caffè is almost exclusively Jazz; classic favorites played by outstanding musicians with a special Venetian twist that makes each song uniquely their own. Such is the poluarlity of their music with customers and fans alike, that a trio from the caffè recently recorded a CD, "Estate" by "Michela Quintavalle in Trio," which is currently available in Venice; featuring the sublime talents of Michela Quintavalle on Clarinet and alto sax, Roberto Veronese on doublebass and Adorian Lakatos on piano.

It's also worth noting that at The Grand Caffè Chioggia, you'll find argueably the nicest waiters in Venice! Known as "cameriere" in Italian, their service, like their pristine white uniforms, is impeccable and delivered with a friendly smile. They also speak excellent English in the event your knowledge of Italian is as limited as mine once was to; "Voglio gelato, per favore." meaning "I want ice cream, please." Which they serve, by the way, along with a variety of tasty dishes! The Caffè Chioggia is open from mid-morning until 1:00 am, seven days a week. Music is played outdoors from April until November, and then brought inside for the winter months.

The location of the cafe

	Clicca sul leone per il versione Italiano

If you have any comments or questions, feel free to e-mail me. The song you hear is "As Time Goes By."