From Venice To Tokyo And Back Again

Some 9,000 kilometres from Venice, a typical Venetian bacaro, El Portego, has found an unexpected home in Koenji—Tokyo’s capital of punk and underground culture. Here, they dish out , Venetian appetizers so authentic that they’re a rarity even in the lagoon city itself. 

Once a haunt for sailors and merchants, bacari are Venice’s quintessential bars, serving spritzes and small pours of wine known as ombre—all at unpretentious prices. On the food front, it’s a fast-moving affair: glass cabinets packed with rows of cicchetti and golden-fried mozzarella in carrozza fly from the counter, locals consuming them as quickly as they’re served. Dotted across Venice’s labyrinthine streets, these no-frills taverns are the heartbeat of the city’s social life.

Best mates Takahiro Miura and Norihiko Kaneko were so bewitched by the convivial atmosphere of bacari that, after a trip to the lagoon city 15 years ago, they returned to Japan with a mission—one that turned them into business partners. Their vision? To bring the soul of the Venetian watering hole to Tokyo’s effortlessly cool Koenji district. The result—El Portego. While this bacaro is enveloped by izakaya joints and vintage clothing stores, one glance at its frontage, stamped with a bold, black-framed street sign, and you’d swear you were in a tucked-away calle (Venetian for street). Step inside, and the illusion deepens—wine bottles stretch across the shelves, Venetian trinkets cling to exposed brick walls, and, true to tradition, the daily selection of wines is listed on blackboards.

A Venetian local by the name of Matteo, who worked as a waiter at El Portego, puts it simply, “The atmosphere is so coherent and immediately recognisable.” Having lived in Venice for seven years, he explained that El Portego is one of those places where, the moment you step in, you feel it has captured the essence of a bacaro.

Just like any respected bacaro, the cicchetti at El Portego are fresh, unfussy, and always on the fly—a bite straight out of the city’s seafaring roots. They even serve the “OG cicchetto”, a humble boiled egg crowned with sardines—a far cry from the likes of codfish, gorgonzola, and pumpkin seen on the crostini nowadays (not that we’re complaining about those upgrades).

In a Japanese slant, the chefs at El Portego combine their expertise in Venetian classics with staple Japanese ingredients, creating a fusion that leans more toward hearty mains than traditional bacaro fare. Dishes like Coda di Tonno al Forno, Spaghetti con Salmone e Funghi Maitake, and Crochetta di Calamaro showcase this Venetian-Japanese fusion.

“El Portego has recreated a slice of the Venetian community. It feels authentically Venetian without Venetian people or being restricted to classic Venetian food because they’ve understood what is at the core of a genuine bacaro experience. It’s also a touchstone for Italians abroad, evoking a sense of belonging and home,” Matteo said.

The team behind El Portego later launched another Venetian gem in Tokyo, Il Doge—a bacaro and osteria that takes a daring, experimental spin on their first venture. Here, classic dishes are reimagined with a modern twist, as seen in dishes like bream and chestnut carpaccio or paccheri with sardines and mussels—two examples of Venetian flavours with a contemporary edge.

Around a decade later, Takahiro and Norihiko returned the favour, bringing the flavours of Koenji to Venice with a Japanese osteria and bacaro called Koenji. With El Portego and Il Doge well established in the Koenji-Minami district, naming their Venice restaurant after the neighbourhood that inspired it felt natural. 

Locating Koenji is much like trying to locate anything in the labyrinth of Venice—particularly when Google Maps suggests walking (or wading) across the water. Tucked away in one of the wider calle of the San Polo district, a few steps from Basilica dei Frari, its inconspicuous exposed brick frontage lends little indication of its interior. But stepping inside feels much like entering the izakayas of Japan.

With a knack for interior design, Takahiro designed the space with textile art from small businesses in both Venice and Japan. The dark blue walls are adorned with prints, fabrics, Japanese photographs and hand-crafted marbled paper, complemented by floral arrangements suspended overhead. The counter, doubling as the bacaro, is where Japanese-inspired cicchetti take centre stage—think crispy chicken karaage, all sorts of onigiri, and miso-glazed eggplant, paired with ombre or sake.

Traditional Japanese dining begins with the oshibori—warm hand towels presented upon seating and used to cleanse hands before eating. Their commitment to an authentic      Japanese experience extends to enlisting both local and international students studying Japanese at Ca Foscari as waiters. In the kitchen, the chefs, hailing from Japan, bring their own regional expertise, pouring their knowledge and passion into every dish. And when they return to Japan, it’s more than just a break—they’re exploring new sakes and dishes, constantly gathering inspiration that finds its way onto Koenji’s menu.

Breaking away from Italy’s traditional antipasto, primo, secondo structure, Koenji brings its own flair with a Japanese share-style approach. With that in mind, the menu revolves around piatto unico—a main meal—allowing guests to savour a variety of flavours before diving into the main event. 

Many of Koenji’s offerings reimagine traditional Venetian dishes through a Japanese lens. Take the yuzu-scented baccalà mantecato, for example—whipped salted cod served atop sesame polenta, a marriage of Venice’s most popular fish with Japan’s delicate citrus notes. For mains, there’s Bigoli in salsa, a classic Venetian pasta featuring anchovies and onions, revamped with ichiya-boshi—a Japanese technique where sardines are air-dried overnight—paired with tangy pickled onions soaked in rice vinegar.

Despite its Japanese influence, Koenji abides by bacari essentials—something Venetians, deeply rooted in tradition, know instinctively, says Ramona Collovini, Koenji’s manager and long-time friend of Takahiro. Measuring alcohol when making a spritz, for example, is enough to send them out the door. “[Venetians] know the measurements, even blindfolded,” she said.     

Koenji’s sake menu is as extensive as it is intriguing, backed by a team well-versed in Japan’s signature brew. “Sake pairs well with everything, always—but not every sake is right for everyone,” says Ramona. That’s why they take the time to chat with the guests, gauging whether they’re after something aromatic, fruity, floral, or more dry and rounded.

The Japanese twists on Venetian classics extend to the cocktail menu as well—including the Bellini. Swapping in local prosecco and Kodakara peach liqueur, they have crafted a fresh, fruit-forward variation using Kawanajima-hakuto peaches and Satounishiki cherries.

With a zero-kilometre ethos, the team has built a tight network of local suppliers to ensure only the freshest of ingredients make it to the table. The same applies to their wine selection—each bottle is personally sourced from wineries they’ve visited. As for the sake? That comes straight from home in Japan.