Bacaro – Liverpool
Bacaro on Hanover Street does the Venetian wine bar format properly - small plates, aperitivo hour, and Italian wine chosen with actual knowledge.
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Venetian Wine Bar in Liverpool
The bacaro is the Venetian equivalent of the tapas bar – a wine bar serving cicchetti, the small snacks that anchor the aperitivo tradition, alongside properly curated Italian wine. The Liverpool version on Hanover Street understands the format at a level of detail that most Italian-influenced bars in Britain don’t bother with: the cicchetti selection changes regularly, the wine is sourced with knowledge of the regions rather than just the varietals, and the whole operation has the relaxed confidence of something that knows what it is.
The Cicchetti
Small plates built on Italian foundations – cured meats from proper Italian suppliers, marinated vegetables, seafood preparations that reflect the Venetian source material, good bread. The cicchetti counter operates in the bacaro tradition of putting good things in front of you and letting you decide how much to eat. The suppli (Roman rice croquettes), when they appear, disappear quickly.
The Wine
The wine list focuses on northern Italian regions – Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Trentino-Alto Adige, Veneto, and Lombardy – alongside the more broadly known southern and central Italian selections. The orange wines from Friuli are worth the conversation; the sparkling section covers proper Franciacorta alongside the prosecco that aperitivo hour calls for. Spritz aperitivo is made with Campari and Aperol from the bottle rather than from a pre-mix, which matters more than it sounds. Hanover Street, L1.