Harry's Bar
The legendary Cipriani-founded bar near San Marco, birthplace of the Bellini and carpaccio.
The call
Worth it if you are traveling as a couple and you are traveling solo.
Why
- 01
A small, low-ceilinged room of white-jacketed waiters and a famously steep bill.
Our read - 02
You go for the history and the ritual of a Bellini, not for a bargain or a quiet table.
Our read
Is it a fit?
Go if
You are traveling as a couple
As a couple, Harry's Bar works.
You are traveling solo
Solo, Harry's Bar works.
History and culture matter to you
For history & culture, Harry's Bar delivers.
Think twice if
You are watching the budget
On a budget, skip Harry's Bar — the spend outweighs the payoff.
You are traveling with kids
With kids, give Harry's Bar a miss.
You only have one day
Harry's Bar is a real time commitment — fit it in only if it's a priority.
Food is a reason to travel
For food & drink, Harry's Bar is hit or miss.
The plates that decide it
- A Bellini — invented here — the one unmissable order
- Beef carpaccio — the other house creation, reliably done
- A full multi-course dinner — skip if budget matters — the markup is steepest on the meal
Plan it well
- Cost
- Very expensive — drinks and dishes both premium-priced
- Timing
- Aperitivo hour for a Bellini at the bar
- Booking
- Reservation advised for tables; bar walk-ins possible
- Allow
- 1-2 hours
- Accessibility
- Small, often crowded ground-floor room
Sources and method (2)
- Opened in 1931 by Giuseppe Cipriani; the Bellini cocktail was invented here in 1948 and beef carpaccio in the early 1950s. en.wikipedia.org ↗
- A Hemingway haunt, it was declared a national landmark by Italy's Ministry of Cultural Affairs in 2001. en.wikipedia.org ↗
- cipriani.com ↗