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    Il Mercante

    4.4 (9 reviews)

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    African Dead Calm and Queens Conversion
    Amanda V.

    FyI this review is for the Il Mercante directly across from the Frare Church . We found this place by googling Speakeasy in Venice. It's not really a speakeasy, but has the feel of one. During the day it's called Caffe Frare. Friendly service, fun menu, yummy drinks and pleasant atmosphere. We tried the African Dead Calm which tasted similar to a spritz but without the overly black licorice flavor, and the Queens Conversion which tastes similar to sweet unfiltered sake. Both were unique specialty drinks with their own fun stories, they were tasty and not overly sweet. We also ordered the Terra, which has a peetyness flavor and the San Julian which has a taste similar to an Old Fashion with Black licorice and herbs. All of the drinks were very unique and delicious.

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    2 months ago

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    2 years ago

    Great drinks, service and ambience. Very unique spot! Would definitely come back. High recommend for a cocktail lounge

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    3 years ago

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    Il Mercante - June 20, 2023.

    Il Mercante

    5.0(5 reviews)
    0.1 km

    Situated at the foot of the Ponte dei Frari bridge in a non-touristy, quiet part of Venice, this…read morequaint two-story bar with an inventive cocktail menu is characterized by a mezzanine with black leather booths and beautiful stained glass lamps hanging from the ceiling that opens up to look down on the main room. This is actually a historical Venetian cafe' from 1870's called "Caffe' dei Frari o Toppo"[1], and I remember coming here regularly when I was in college to "study", i.e. to hang out with my friends who would also come here during the day. In fact, this is still a cafe' during the day, but it transforms itself in a cocktail bar at night. The vibe is mellow, relaxed and romantic and this bar prides itself on being one of the few in Venice to serve truly inventive contemporary cocktails. The menu is actually divided by techniques: fermentation, distillation, liquid kitchen, and fat wash. We tried the Cucumber and Fake Rose (fermentation: Fermented cucumber, Andaliman pepper, Lillet, verjus and bubbles) and The Amaz-on Fire (fat wash: Yaguara cachaca, coconut oil, Cynar, dill, house sherry mix and Porcini mushroom; peat perfume). Both were excellent, and were presented in an artful way that doesn't feel pretentious. And if you are hungry, the bar serve their own cichetti (bar snacks). I look forward to coming back next year, and perhaps try one of the food-inspired, liquid kitchen cocktails. ------------------------------- [1] https://www.yelp.com/biz/caffe-dei-frari-o-toppo-venezia

    Finally found my other notes for this place. They did really interesting stuff with their sides…read more Very modern, in portion sizes that are approachable. It brings delight and minimizes food waste if guests don't like it. * Le Corsaire: A gorgeous soft green drink. Sweet but not sugary, with a lil bit of spice at the end. It was paired with a blue cheese mousse and honey caviar - I don't know how they did it, but it was delicious. The blue cheese taste makes the mousse pop. * Steven had a cocktail that came with a side of yogurt covered with a soft shell (that acted like a water balloon). * Hispaniola: The drink was smoky and something about it tasted like temptation. Paired with a beautifully done meringue (nice and airy!) and a keyboard-smashingly gorgeous caviar.

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    Il Mercante - June 20, 2023.

    June 20, 2023.

    Il Mercante - June 20, 2023.

    June 20, 2023.

    Il Mercante - June 20, 2023; Cucumber and Fake Rose (€12).

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    June 20, 2023; Cucumber and Fake Rose (€12).

    Il Mercante - venetian - Updated May 2026

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