We had the opportunity to try out HelloFresh for a week and I was hopeful a meal kit service could be the solution to reduce some of my weekday meal time anxiety.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Hello Fresh. All ideas and opinions expressed are wholly mine.

The Basics

HelloFresh is a meal kit delivery service based in Germany that entered the Canadian market in 2016. Customers can choose between receiving 3 or 4 recipes per week for 2 or 4 people starting at $11.49 per serving. There are 22 recipes to choose from each week. When picking your recipes, the preparation time, calories, difficulty level, allergens, included ingredients, not included ingredients (ie. oil, salt, pepper) are all clearly listed on a pop out window. There was a good mix of proteins within the recipe choices and a handful of vegetarian options.

What I liked

All three recipes I chose from HelloFresh were simple with a handful of quality ingredients and steps to prepare. This was great and exactly what I was looking for. I really liked the sauces in both recipes and how recreatable they were. Why wasn’t I making a dill sauce with every meal? The produce was fresh and kept in our fridge for over 5 days. Packaging was minimal and only when really necessary like with creams, sauces and spice packets. Portion sizes were generous. We ordered the 4 people plan and my mom was staying with us that week so it was great timing. There was easily enough leftovers to pack for my lunch the next day but one of our 4 people was a toddler.

Another plus was the wide variety of recipes to choose from. There were options for all the traditional proteins, plus seafood and vegetarian recipes. For me, being able to quickly identify low-carb options would’ve been a plus.

Other things to consider

The week I placed my order, most of the recipes that caught my eye had an additional charge per plate. This makes sense with the high quality cuts of protein (often steak or multiple proteins/plate), but it was a bit disappointing. Each week only 3 out of the 22 recipes had an additional charge per serving, which isn’t unreasonable, and the pricing was clearly indicated.

With generous portion sizes, the calories per serving on the majority of recipes was >700cals. For my size and current health goals, this is a lot. However, the recipes were easy to adjust with reducing sides/sauces to accommodate my preferences or even saving leftovers for lunch the next day. This was really not a bad problem to have.

In Conclusion

Overall as a meal kit, I found Hello Fresh hit the mark on all the key points. The recipes were easy, quick and appetizing. All the ingredients were fresh, good quality and lasted over 5 days in our fridge. A+ for convenience during a busy week and Alivia approved.

After 12 hours of sleep I felt more human like and up for sightseeing. We took the day slowly with lots of stops and water. I was determined to recover in time to enjoy our Bistecca alla Florentina.

Places to See

Our first stop was the Florence Cathedral with its stunning exterior. We walked the entire perimeter, making sure not to miss the building from any angle. Inside, the interiors were simple and unadorned, save for the painted dome ceiling. Free tours were available in English that were quite informative. In between munching on sandwiches, I loved checking out the street vendors selling leather goods near Central Market. There was a black leather backpack that I fell in love with. While Stephen and I tried to figure out if I had the luggage room to bring the bag home, the seller took my indecisiveness for haggling and kept lowering his price. Alas, I ended up walking away, but I still think about that bag with a touch of regret!

We ended our afternoon walking along the Arno river and taking in the scenery. We walked across the covered Ponte Vecchio and then back across the neighbouring Ponte Santa Trinita to view it.

Sandwiches to Eat

I Due Fratellini – A literal hole-in-the wall spot, famous for their Tuscan bread, fresh ingredients and wine. With 30 sandwiches to choose from making a decision was hard. There was a small counter to place orders and the wall behind was filed with shelves of wine. The shop was easy to spot with a line outside and a crowd of people munching on sandwiches and sipping red wine. We stuck to a basic prosciutto filling, which was exquisite, salty and savoury, exactly what I needed.

L’Antico Trippaio – Lampredotto, cow tripe, is a famous Florentine dish and a must eat. For us, tripe isn’t exactly a unique or odd ingredient (actually one of my favourite foods to hotpot or at dim sum) but for many it could be considered exotic. Slow-cooked and seasoned, the Florentine version of tripe was tender and flavourful. The sandwich we tried at this sandwich stand was also super spicy.

Mercato Centrale Firenze – By the time we made our way to Florence Central Market, a full meal was out of the question (especially since we still had dinner in a few hours). Open from 10am to midnight, the two storey, covered market was a delight to window shop and a great rest spot. I was blown away by the selection of vendors, from fresh seafood and sushi to hamburgers and of course all the tuscany specialties. We snacked on a plate of prosciutto with a glass of wine before heading home for our afternoon nap. If we had more time in Florence, I would’ve loved to spend more time wandering the market.

Last week I had the pleasure of attending the unveiling of Canada’s Best New Restaurant presented by Air Canada. Every year, I love reading the list in EnRoute magazine and adding them to my travel wishlists. At this year’s event, the top 10 of 30 contenders were present serving up their signature dishes, which ranged from snails to wedge salad. Two Toronto restaurants represented. One of my favourite spots in the city Aloette, and Giulietta, the new restaurant from Chef Rob Rossi of Bestellen. Tasting bites from the other 8 restaurants seriously made me want to visit cities I’d never thought of before, like Edmonton and Picton.

Disclaimer: Thank you Air Canada for inviting me to attend this event. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

My favourite bites of the evening were from Avenue (Regina, SK), Aloette, Sand and Pearl (Picton, ON) and Bündok (Edmonton, AB). Avenue’s dish was a delicious combination of tuna and pork belly while Aloette’s classic wedge salad was a perfect balance of textures, creamy dressing and crunchy pumpkin seeds. Sand and Pearl’s booth was constantly swarmed for their braised back ribs topped with crab and freshly shucked oysters. I admit, I took a few return trips for both the oysters and crab. Bündok’s offer was two slices of lightly cured sea bream topped with a citrus chili oil that packed a lot of heat and acidity. I loved the balance of the fish and oil, this was another booth where I went back for seconds.

The restaurant that took top honours was The Restaurant at Pearl Morissette (Jordan Station, ON), who served up BBQ sea snails, skewered with a branch on real shells. Their presentation was creative and the dish itself unique. I enjoyed the chewy texture of the snails, which were excellently seasoned. Located in the Niagara region in a modern farmhouse, The Restaurant at Pearl Morissette is quickly becoming a destination in of themselves. There is only a set menu offered (5+ courses) that changes daily centered around locally sourced ingredients. I expect their reservations to quickly fill up despite the non central location.

This year’s event also highlighted Canada’s Best New Bars. Unfortunately I had to duck out early (to get home for Alivia’s bedtime) and missed out on that part of the evening. Even more places to add to my ever growing list of places to visit.

To learn more about all the restaurants and how they were ranked, visit https://canadasbestnewrestaurants.com/en/.

The Hike: Monterosso to Vernazza

A few parts of the trail were narrow and others overlooked a steep mountain side (those with a fear of heights might have trouble) but overall the terrain was easy to manage, even in my Converse sneakers. The path weaved up, down and around the mountain through lemon orchards, dense greenery and open air with stunning views of the ocean.

Tip: Wear layers! Since we prepared to be out for the full day, we had to dress for it. While the morning and evening were cool, after a few hours of hiking in the sun, I was sweating. A few of the villages also had beautiful beaches and water access so a bathing suit layer may come in handy.

For me the hardest part of the trail was the start, leaving Monterosso to climb up and up the mountain was a lot of stairs. Our first stop was at a lemonade stand run by a family who owned one of the lemon orchards. The fresh lemons were wonderfully fragrant and the drink so refreshing in the heat. Another great restspot was a nook for stray cats set up with little houses and food.

The trail was busy in both directions with a wide variety of hikers. Some were decked out in full gear while others were dressed for a park stroll. I would recommend at the minimum wearing closed toe sneakers and bringing some water. There were two great photo spots once Vernazza came into sight. Catching a glimpse of the colourful city, I felt a sense of accomplishment (and a bit of relief).

The Train

After grabbing lunch in Vernazza we decided to take the train to the next 3 cities. Hiker, I am not. Train passes were available that allow unlimited travel with options of 1 day, multi day and family pricing. We had to be a bit more mindful of our time in each city but it was still a leisurely afternoon.

Tip: The train station at Corniglia was at sea level while the village itself was on the cliffs, 382 stairs up. There is a frequent shuttle bus between the village and train station if stairs are not your thing. The ride takes about 5 minutes and costs €1.50.

After climbing the stairs to Corniglia, I rewarded myself with a gelato before we moved on. Both Manarola and Riomaggiore had direct water access. At Manarola, tourists clambered on the rocks for the perfect shot. We were no exception but I wasn’t as daring to climb too high on the wet, slippery cliffs. Since many tourists were also running on a train schedule, the best time for photos was just as a train arrived to carry a group away before the next wave arrived.

In Riomaggiore, we ended our day with a fried seafood cone. The main street was lined with shops all hawking the local specialty with similar prices. We followed the crowd to the longest line and wasn’t disappointed.

Overall, the day was busy and I loved getting to explore each of the charming cities. If we had one more day, I would’ve loved to hike a few more of the trails.

Since moving to Richmond Hill, Alivia and I have spent lots of time at Hillcrest shopping, walking and napping. The mall is currently going under a $90M renovation that includes a cosmetic face lift to the interior, updated modern entrances and a slew of new stores. Hillcrest’s transformation began in 2015 with the expansion of The Bay and the opening of Sporting Life and H&M. Today, the mall is already home to some of my favourite stores like Aritzia and Miniso. Tomorrow, there will be even more to love and I am seriously worried about my shopping budget.

Disclaimer: Behind the scenes tour of Hillcrest was organized by Matte PR. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

At the beginning of September, I had the opportunity to tour the new north wing, which will house HomeSense, Marshalls, Old Navy and Indigo. HomeSense and Marshalls opened on Sept 18 with Old Navy to follow in October and Indigo in November. Being a true pillar of the community, Hillcrest will be hosting a donation drive collecting housewares, toiletries, clothing and toys for Sandgate Women’s Shelter in support of domestic abuse survivors. Donations will be accepted from September 22nd to October 5th at the centre court display setup in partnership with HomeSense.

Another newly opened store I love is Westcoast Kids, which carries the cutest and some of my favourite baby brands like Uppababy, Louloulollipop and Babybjorn. They also host great events for parents like sleep clinics, product launches and CPR classes.

Also, Uncle Tetsu just opened!

Our tour ended with a visit to the Hillcrest honey bees, who live on the mall’s rooftop. The two hives produce honey flavoured by the neighbourhood and changes every year. We had the chance to get up close with the bees and taste the fresh honey.

Hillcrest’s transformation ensures that they remain the shopping destination in Richmond Hill and even beyond. I’m excited to see how the space continues to grow and what else is in store.

(Photos by @kaileemandel)

M O M M Y

Mind: Some days I feel like I could be a stay at home parent and love it. Other days I just want to hide in my room, alone. I don’t miss work and being quite the introvert I don’t miss the daily adult interaction either. I do miss feeling of being productive and accomplished. Oddly enough, the days I feel most balanced are the ones when it’s just Alivia and I. On those days I’m more focused, more task oriented and more mindful of my time. On days when I have help I feel listless and unmotivated, like I should be doing more than I am.

Body: The scale is moving so very slowly. I was worried that lowering my calorie intake too much would affect my milk supply. I think I’ve found a happy spot, now if only I could stay under it after months of bad habits. I’ve also upped my exercise more, which to be honest I should have done a few months ago. It is disheartening to see other moms in such great shape while I’m still 15 lbs over my pre-Alivia weight and 25 lbs away from where I’d like to be.

Balance: Going into my maternity leave, I had planned to devote the first 6 months 100% to Alivia and incorporate more self-care the second half. Now that I’m here, prioritizing myself more feels overdue. I don’t feel like I’ve lost my own identity, but I don’t feel like myself yet either.

A L I V I A

Milestones: Alivia’s mastered sitting up all by herself and hasn’t toppled over in days. She’s doing her best to crawl and have figured out her leg movements but not her arms. There were a few weeks where she did the most adorable butt wiggling. Then scooting backwards, which resulted in lots of frustration as she got further away from her targets. Lately, she’s been perfecting her downward dog pose. I’m not ready yet for a fully mobile Alivia.

We’ve started solids at 5 months! So far, Alivia’s showing a odd preference for green foods (avocado, zucchini, peas) and not so much the orange ones (carrot, sweet potato). She’s tried apple and peach as well and seems to be loving fruit. Also, a total carnivore. I just introduced proteins this week and it was the first time I saw her smile with a new food. She’s also showing much more interest in feeding herself the past week and working on her finger dexterity to pick up foods. Now at 6 months, I’m hoping to transition away from purees and into table foods.

There’s so much learning and new vocabulary to being a new parent.

Sleeping: Both Alivia’s naps and overnight sleep has gotten much better. I feel like we’re making progress to better sleep for all of us, but it’s slow going. I haven’t felt the need to sleep train yet and I’m still bed sharing while Stephen has his space in the guest bedroom.

Win, we’ve managed to establish a consistent bedtime routine that does not include nursing to sleep! We’re attempting pick up/put down and Alivia’s getting better at self soothing. This week, she’s getting better and better at falling asleep by herself. Only one night of sleeping through though. But now I know she can.

Not Win, 99% of the time, she’s still waking up 3-4 times a night. I’m trying to limit overnight feedings to maximum 2 times. The plan is to move her to her crib after our trip in September.

Naps have become more consistent and longer, but I still nurse her to sleep. I am now usually able to sneak away.

Play: I have a hard time with playtime when it comes toys and I’m always wondering if she’s bored with her toys and what kind of toys to get her. Alivia loves her shakers now and to interact with her toys, mainly to chew on them and bang them around. She loves being read to, being swung, checking out her reflection in the mirror and watching bubbles.

Alivia’s all signed up for swimming lessons and we have our first trip booked for September! Stephen has a work trip to Seattle and I’ll be tagging along to visit friends. It’ll be an adventure for sure. I’ll also have a few solo days with Alivia in the city, any and all tips welcome!

I am not a morning person. Regardless of when I went to sleep the previous night, 8pm, 2am, my natural waking time is 9:00am and I often don’t feel awake until 10am. This, of course, isn’t functional for most of day-to-day life, which is why my cup of morning coffee is a necessity. When I went to work, I would alternate between splurging at coffee shops and using the kitchen coffee machine. At home, I’ve gone through a handful of coffee making methods from drip to single-use pods to instant. Now with Alivia in the mix, and often less than optimal sleep, my coffee ritual has become even more sacred.

Our newest appliance is the Melitta Heritage Series Pour-Over™ Coffeemaker in pastel pink, which comes with a porcelain Pour-Over™ Coffeemaker and a 20oz carafe. Stephen and I have been using the set on weekends for a while now and it brews the perfect amount for two.

Although I’ve been making coffee at home for years, I never knew the importance the filter played in the process. Since inventing coffee filters in 1908, Melitta has only improved over time. Their filters are made from a bamboo pulp that absorbs the bitter oils and acids during the brewing process resulting in a smoother, richer cup of coffee. The cone filters also have micro-perforations that help extract more flavour and are guaranteed never to burst with double crimped edges. Brewing with the Pour-Over method and Melitta filters will help any brand of coffee taste better.

I loved how quick and easy the Pour-Over™ method was to use, great in my current sleep-deprived state, and with minimal cleanup, amazing when Alivia’s calling for attention. Just put in a filter, add fresh coffee grinds, and pour hot water. I’m sure Stephen and I still have a ways to go before we perfect our pour, but even with our amateur technique, the result is a solid cup of joe. The design of the carafe spout also helps prevent dribbles and the pastel pink colour is so pretty.

Melitta has been in Canada since 1960 and has just launched their new online shop, which contains all the #MelittaPourOver equipment and beans needed to brew a perfect cup of coffee at home. The new website has more information about the Pour-Over method, tips on how to brew a better cup of coffee at home, and even coupons. There is also a subscription program that allows subscribers to save up to 7.5% on Melitta coffee products and delivered right to their doorstep.

Visit https://shop.melitta.ca/ today and use promo code Xiao15% to save 15% on your purchase! #pouroverisbetter

I started this post on Alivia’s 100 day celebration and hopefully it only takes a few attempts to complete. It’s impossible to write an entire blog post in one sitting these days, but now that Alivia’s hit the 3 month mark and finished her growth spurt (*fingers crossed*), I have a bit more time in between her meals. It’s been a nice change.

M O M M Y

Mind: Win, I feel like I know what Alivia wants most of the time. We’ve been very lucky to have had help from my mom and mother in law since Alivia’s birth but I’m feeling more and more confident in my own mommy skills every day. There may be some dirty dishes in the sink and dinner might be takeout pizza, but I’m not worried about taking care of Alivia by myself.

Not win, nursing still feels like a chore. Alivia nurses so much faster, but still frequently, especially during growth spurts. By the end of the day if she’s fussy with her bottle and bedtime, I get incredibly irritable at losing the little alone time I have after she falls asleep.

I’m still struggling to come to terms with the fact that being a mom isn’t a 9-5 role, but 24/7. I naively thought I’d be more productive on my mat leave. Ha.

Body: The past month, I’ve started focusing more on my food intake now that my milk supply seems to have settled. I’m loosely calorie counting and the scale’s started to budge! 5 pounds down, 25 to go. I’ve also started Mommy and Baby yoga and am dutifully taking Alivia on her daily walks. Every body part still jiggles quite a bit, but I see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Balance: Win, finally got a haircut. Not Win, I grabbed dinner with a girlfriend just blocks away and Alivia had a bit of a meltdown. I haven’t missed a bedtime yet but have several events planned next week without her including a dinner downtown. *Fingers Crossed* I won’t cancel last minute from mom guilt.

A L I V I A

Milestones: I’m amazed by how much she’s changing and learning everyday. It seems like every time I look away and look back, she’s picked up a new skill. Right now, she’s trying her best to roll over and I often find her on her side. Her two hands are her favourite chew toys, with a distinct preference for her left fist. She hasn’t found her thumbs just yet.

I’m trying not to track milestones too closely and just enjoy her development without pushing. The tiger mom claws are starting to come out already, I’m trying my best to keep them filed down.

Social: Since she’s learned to smile, Alivia loves to show off her gums. She’s laughed out loud a few times, but it’s not consistent yet. She’s just learned to squeak and squeal last week and between the two sounds, her raptor impression is impressive.

Sleeping: We’ve still had no luck introducing her to a pacifier, which means I end up nursing her to sleep a lot. On one hand, it’s easy. On the other, only I can do it and some days I feel pretty touched out. Although I’ve been able to read more books in the past 3 months than I have in the past few years.

Play: Her favourite play activity is to be swung back and forth or up and down, a great workout for my arms.

With the summer warming up, I can’t wait to take her on her first cottage trip and her first trip to the pool.

My pregnancy was what some call a “unicorn” one. My morning sickness was brief, I had few food aversions (cilantro was off limits for a month, the same month I craved tomato and egg noodle soup for every meal) and generally my energy levels were good, although Stephen may disagree. I swelled, but mostly as expected in the third trimester. And although I had the best intentions of gaining only the minimum amount of weight (ha.), the scale climbed by a pound or two weekly seemingly regardless of my diet.

My pregnant belly measured average at each OB appointment and I had no reason to think labour and delivery would be anything but textbook.

I’ve always been cavalier about my health because I’ve been extremely lucky. I often joke with Stephen that my iron stomach and average immune system are my best selling points. So although the possibility of giving birth before 40 weeks went through my mind, I didn’t think the probability high. An unplanned C Section didn’t even cross my mind.

I left lots of life to-dos to weeks 38 and 39 of my pregnancy, crossing my fingers that Alivia would be paitient.

Friday was my last day of work. Saturday and Sunday were spent packing the condo for our move on Monday, the morning of which I promptly fell ill. I proceeded to pass out on various pieces of furniture as they travelled across the city. Stephen handled everything and I slept for almost 24 hours. 

I woke up feeling healthy on Tuesday and we headed to a growth ultrasound. My OB was worried Alivia was tracking big for my small frame to deliver, but she was away that week so I had an appointment with another doctor on Thursday to review the results. The ultrasound showed Alivia was actually on the small side, under the 21st percentile, but I was told there was nothing to worry about since I had a small frame. After our appointment it was Stephen’s turn to be sick. I spent that week trying my best to keep him hydrated while he rested in our unfinished house, a challenging task without a working kitchen at 39 weeks pregnant. To isolate him, I stayed in the living room.

Going in for my week 39 check up 2 days before my due date, we found out the ultrasound showed Alivia had asymmetrical IUGR. My placenta was failing and she was eating into the fat stores in her liver. I had a hard time processing the news. Maybe the ultrasound was wrong? Maybe it showed her stomach measuring small because I spent Monday sleeping and didn’t eat anything. Maybe it was because I was sick.

I was going to be induced that weekend. I was still in disbelief.

We arrived at the hospital on Sunday morning with over packed hospital bags and two pillows. The hospital was on lock down, the reason for which we would find out 3 days later was much more serious than we assumed. What it meant at that moment though was that I would only have one support person and my mom needed to leave immediately. A hiccup I wasn’t prepared for, but we didn’t have a choice and it was procedure.

11am, I was hooked up to the fetal heart rate monitor and started on Picotin to induce labour. I didn’t realize that from this point on I was bedridden, that I wouldn’t be able to flip sides without the help of a nurse to re-position the monitors and would have to wheel my IV stand into the washroom with me. The hospital bed was not comfortable. By that evening, I had dilated 3cm with the help of a foley balloon and contractions were still mild. I slept.

3am, I was at 4–5cm and my OB said it was time to break my water. The contractions intensified instantly and became back to back. I was lucky. The anetheologist was already on the floor and I could get my epidural within 20 minutes.

5am, I’d made it to 8cm dilated but Alivia’s heartbeat kept dropping. I was losing more blood than the nurses expected. My urine bag was a muddy red. It seemed like Alivia’s head was tilted, not in a position for delivery. I was turned to my left side and a peanut shaped exercise ball was placed between my knees in an effort to help her turn. I had even less mobility.

6am, I couldn’t sleep, the urge to push and the pressure inside cut through the epidural. The nurses gave me a button to up the pain medication. It helped.

9am, there was a shift change and my OB was no longer on call. The new doctor came to introduce herself and checked my cervix. To her, I was only at 6cm. I didn’t know you could go backwards.

10am, we were told a C Section was recommended as my labour was failing to progress and it would be best for Alivia to stop trying for a vaginal delivery. At most, I could give my body another hour but she didn’t recomment it.

I was devastated.

I had been prepared for a lengthy labour and a lot of pain. I was prepared to grit my teeth, scream, tear and poop. I was not prepared to stop before the pushing even began.

How Alivia joined us was as unplanned as her conception was. For those that know me, that know about my life plan Excel sheet, know how much added stress the unexpected nature of her delivery was to my recovery. Not because it was a C section, but because I felt utterly out of control. Quite suddenly, my by the book pregnancy had been taken out of my hands.

I felt like I was failing motherhood from the get go.

In her last week residing within me, Alivia should have gained 1 lb. At birth, she was only 2oz heavier than the estimate at my week 38 ultrasound. Of course those estimates can be off by a mile, but my emotions did not care for logic at the time.

Did I not exercise enough during my pregnancy? Was it because I skipped my iron supplement too many times? The mom guilt was real and would take quite a few tears and lots of reassurance from Stephen to overcome.

All this and we hadn’t even started breastfeeding yet.

Ultimately, Alivia arrived at 2pm after 26 hours of labour and an unplanned C section. In that moment it didn’t matter how I felt, I would reconcile those emotions in weeks to come, what mattered was that she arrived healthy, pink, bloody, screaming and peed through 7 blankets as the nurses weighed her.

Venice was one city where I wasn’t too concerned about food since our plan for the day was to wander. I had researched a few spots but for the most part was content to wing it as I didn’t know where our wandering would take us by dinner time. The one meal I had planned was lunch at Dal Moro’s, which didn’t even work out because they were closed that day. Oops.

Lunch ended up being near St. Mark’s square, which wasn’t terrible, but wasn’t very good either. It was a 3 course set menu at one of the many restaurants with an English menu outside, which should’ve been our first sign to keep walking, but we were hungry. I tried the seafood pasta while Stephen opted for some fried seafood. Neither was memorable enough for me to even make note of the restaurant name. In the same neighbourhood, many of the restaurants had displays of fresh seafood to entice diners.

Around mid-afternoon we found a grocery store and picked up fresh buns and prosciutto for under €5, making two very filling sandwiches. We ended the night at a cozy restaurant near our Airbnb that had a great beer selection.

Dal Moro’s: The famed pasta in a cup restaurant, recently opened in Toronto. Pick a fresh pasta and sauce, served in a convenient to go container for €5-€7.

Bigoi: The pasta in a cup restaurant we went to because Dal Moro’s was closed. We both enjoyed the al dente pasta and rich sauces. Each bowl was topped with a generous spoonful of parmesan. The sauces were helpfully labeled in English and with pictures (pig, cow, duck, etc.). Great price and pretty tasty. Their specialty is the cuttlefish in Black Venetian sauce. There was no seating but a small standing counter.

Stickhouse Venezia: Gelato on a stick and gourmet popsicles with multiple locations in Venice. Also offered a variety of lactose free desserts with soy gelatos and sorbets. Once you pick your popsicle, you can have it dipped in chocolate and coated with crushed nuts.

Acqua e Mais: Deep fried seafood in a cone, made fresh to order with a good variety. My cone had shrimp, fish and calamari for around €5. There is also a cone of just squid. The seafood was fresh and the batter very light.