Al Gatto Nero was the perfect meal to kick off our island hopping day around Venice. We bought a one day Vaporetto pass and it was well worth it. Burano is a bit of a distance off of the main island of Venice but is not to be missed. Many hear of the glass making claim to fame of Murano. I go to Burano for the beauty of the island. All of the houses are so colorful and the strolls you will be taking around the canals and neighborhood are so relaxing. It will take your breath away as the whole place looks surreal as if you were in a painting or photograph. Hands down, it is my favorite experience in Venice. Al Gatto Nero is a short walk from the boat dock. If you are lucky, you can get a table without a reservation. I highly recommend reservations as every table around us had one. We went during off season and early in the day. They gave us a table outside and told us if we could eat in an hour and a half before the next reservation, the table was ours. Upon being seated, I was immediately impressed. Their plates and glassware are so unique and beautiful. The glasses had indents in them to give you a good grip. They were also a pretty shade of amber. The plates were hand painted with a special design of the colorful houses of Burano. I wish I could take a set home. We started with the pappardelle with scampi and smoked ricotta for two. It was awesome. The noodles were definitely made in house and the pasta was so flavorful. It wasn't rich but it was perfectly balanced with bites of cheese, plenty of scampi meat, tomatoes, and a whole scampi on top! After the pasta, we shared the mixed fish grill. It came with fish, scampi, and squid. It was perfect and so simple, beautifully garnished, and adorned with a lemon wedge which we squeezed on to the seafood to bring out even more flavor. This was a great meal and just reinforces how good the food and seafood is in Italy. There are other restaurants which are on the main strip but Al Gatto Nero is worth detouring for as it is off the beaten path. Such a cute little spot! read more

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We're incredibly happy with the food & service at Gatto Nero. Reasonable prices for the food quality & service. I was disappointed with all the restaurants around San Marco and found that it's more than worth a trip to Burano to have lunch or dinner here. I'm so glad that I made a reservation ahead of time because Al Gatto Nero was completely booked for lunch. Request a reservation on their website & you should receive an email confirmation afterwards. We got a table outside with a beautiful view of the canal & Burano's colorful houses. ~ Gatto Nero starter - scallops & razor clams - so fresh & delicious ~ risotto Burano style - I've never been a risotto fan until eating the risotto at Gatto Nero ~ grilled cuttlefish - very good - in hindsight, we should've ordered the grilled sea bass as well because it looked wonderful ~ tiramisu - so full but we pretty much licked the plate clean... so yeah definitely get the tiramisu Ask questions if you're not sure about something. Everyone we encountered at Gatto Nero was so sweet & helpful. Highly recommended! read more

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This place came recommended to us by the salesperson at Marco Polo glass in murano. It was an expensive day for us that day but highly worth it. We arrived just as they were finishing the lunch crowd but they stayed open for us and another family. Thank goodness. This place was awesome. We ordered the pappardelle with scampi and smoked ricotta, Spaghetti bolognese, the Mixed grilled fish with sole, sea bream. The bream was a little dry. The sole was excellent. The Mixed fried fish -- shrimp, calamari, sardines, dory They had the fattest, plumpest shrimp ever. This was a pricey place but definitely worth it. The fried seafood came highly recommended. read more

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Woah, this place was really good. It was the only reason we went to Burano, and it was well worth the journey. Like most people, we saw Al Gatto Nero on one of Anthony Bourdain's shows and went specifically for the risotto. We waited two hours for a table and were lucky enough to sit right out front on the canal. The place is pricey, but everything was so delicious. I don't like seafood but the mixed grilled seafood plate was one of the most amazing things I have ever put in my mouth. And the risotto. It was like a spiritual experience. So delicious and flavorful, yet incredibly simple. The wait staff was really lovely, they have a great wine list that is sorted by the regions of Italy and they give you a free basket of various breads to nibble on while you wait. I would highly recommend this restaurant and look forward to returning myself! read more

Al Gatto Nero - Italian Near Me - Burano, VE

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We made the trip burano just to come here and we're so happy we did. We ended up coming for a late lunch and left stuffed. Fabulous service they welcomed us with prosecco and brought us right to the table. All of the food coming out looked so fresh. They give each table of basket of bread and breadsticks. The breadsticks are great. We had spaghetti with clams, grilled branzino and calamari. All were by far the best we've had. Make sure to make reservations for lunch and dinner. read more

Al Gatto Nero - Italian Near Me - Burano, VE

Best meal in Venice! Definitely on the pricey side but the seafood was so fresh and deliciously sweet and salty. We shared the mixed shellfish appetizer and I had the spaghetti with clams. The razor clams were my absolute fave - Super moist and sweet. The place was packed, but there weren't many restaurants to choose from in Burano so that wasn't anything out of the ordinary. Still a very delicious meal that should not be missed! read more

Al Gatto Nero - Italian Near Me - Burano, VE

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This is probably the best restaurant in Venice. The spaghetti Vongole was the best I have ever eaten. It had a very intense flavour and was even a bit spicy. Also the risotto was fabulous. However, since the British TV cook Jamie Oliver fine-tuned his risotto here, the popularity and the prices went up (Vongole 17 EUR, risotto 17 EUR, coperto 4 EUR). They have a comprehensive wine list but the wines are very expensive. Our bottle Le Creete, one of the cheapest wines on the list, costed 30 EUR (which is 3 times the cost price and such a price difference is rare in Italy). They also have house wine but it is not listed on the menu or in the wine list. You need to ask it explicitely. I would definitely give them a five star rating if they would treat all their customers equally. I give 2 examples. First, 3 people who had not reserved a table and had to wait for 5 minutes but intended to leave, got a complementary Prosecco. We reserved a table 1 day in advance and also had to wait 5 minutes for the preparation of our table, but without Prosecco... Secondly, the table next to us housed 2 young girls that got a free Limoncello at the end. We did not get this either, although we spent a lot more on the food and wine than the happy girls. A final remark, when I asked the bill, I got an handwritten bill on a unidentifiable piece of paper in stead of an official printed receipt, what convinced me to pay the bill by Visa. read more

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Excellent, but we waaaaay overate!! First of all, you HAVE to make reservations here if you're coming during high season. There were so many people who sat down assuming the tables were open and the waiters had to tell them to leave. Perhaps they should put a "reserved" sign on the tables to curb the confusion. We specifically came for the seafood risotto. It was delicious, but then we also ordered the seabass for 2 and that was a mistake. The risotto had made us so full, we forced ourselves to eat the seabass. Really all you need is an appetizer with meat, salad and the shared risotto. Having a main dish was just way too much. Otherwise the food was good. The service was a bit snooty, but hey...that's Italy!!! read more

This is just unbelievable! Food and service 100% worth of standing in line or even coming to Burano just to have lunch here read more

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This is a Veneto region must-try. Carlo the manager and the staff are top notch, but not stuffy. They set high standards for the restaurant and meet them. They are a larger operation than you may think and quite a well oiled machine. This is in my opinion a Michelin Star worthy dining experience and I suggest approaching the entire affair that way. This is the best Italian seafood I have ever had. I am not an amateur to northern Italian cooking and Gatto Nero was frankly spectacular. We reserved about two weeks in advance for lunch at opening on a Saturday. They are located on Burano, a small island part of the Venezia chain that I only knew of for its lace making history (not instagram fame). Their specialty is seafood. It is abundant in the Veneto region and they are masters. The menu is seasonal and abundant with options. The prices are high for this region but if you trust me I think you will find it well worth it. Given the lunch time table we did not plan to do a full series of courses. We opened with the antipasto gatto nero and received a delightful selection of raw, smoked, and cooked fish and shellfish. It was an excellent size to split for two but would not be enough for more to savor the different samplings. My favorites were the smoked filet, marinated octopus, and scallop in sauce served on a shell. The next course was spaghetti with bay clams. They were small in size but abundant in the dish. The pasta was perfectly cooked and superbly seasoned itself, not to mention the best tasting clam sauce and Italian seafood gusto I have ever had. It had the richness and complexity of an well made wine sauce but with the succulent notes of tomato and the clam and olive oil can make in synergy. The portion was large for a clam pasta but welcome. We ended with dessert. They serve a rotating and seasonal cakes menu. That day was Venetian tiramisu. It was a very classic presentation and flavor... but just better than any other I've had. Reservations are highly highly recommended and do not hold it against them if they turn you away on a Friday or Saturday. Many reviewers have stated they can get in same day but I would not recommend. They turned away over a dozen groups from open to when we finished lunch. Indoor and outdoor seating is available. Large groups are able to be done. Management seems more than happy to keep guests experience top notch. I was more than happy to dine at such a special yet accessible place and wish future diners well. read more

First off...if you come to Venice, you must come to Burano. And if you come to Burano, you must come to this restaurant!! Beautiful atmosphere..the staff is very accommodating and friendly in any language. And the food is even better than the amazing views! You cannot go wrong. Truly lovely experience on a gorgeous island. Ask Masi and Max. read more

Visited based in a tour guide recommendation. It was an amazing lunch. First service was very professional. The owner treated us wonderfully. Helped us select an amazing wine that I'm going to buy and ship home. Two amazing seafood dish. Also had a amuse-Bouche of succulent fried eel and baby soft shell crab. Burano is lovely and this restaurant was the perfect ending to our short visit read more

Al Gatto Nero - Yummy first course - Italian Near Me - Burano, VE

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A fine dining eatery establishment located in the colorful city of Burano. We booked a reservation a month prior to coming here. A very popular place in the morning but for dinner it's nice and calming. I had risotto which is unique here because of the fish broth they make it with and the grilled cuttlefish which was delectably chewy and crunchy. The service here was amazing, our waiter messed up one of our orders and gave us a bottle of free prosecco and another for fun. Great people , great food ! read more

Al Gatto Nero - The Risotto with fish broth - Italian Near Me - Burano, VE

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Gatto Nero was recommended to us by our hotel and taxi driver if we were to go to Burano. It was lunch time and found the small place, it was quite busy and we did not have reservations but they found a table for us. Our server Max made the experience the best we had on our trip to Italy. The food and wine recommendations were perfect, sardines, seafood risotto, mixed grilled fish and bread with the best balsamic vinegar we ever had. This is a Michelin Star restaurant. read more

Al Gatto Nero - Italian Near Me - Burano, VE

We made reservations several months in advance and took the trip out to Burano today just to eat at this restaurant. We were seated outside although right next to the door. They gave us a glass of prosecco and we ordered wine, grilled razor clams and scallops, pasta with spider crab, and John Dory. While everything was okay, it was not spectacular, which was what we were expecting considering the reviews and the reputation of the restaurant. The razor clams and the scallops were a bit gritty (we've had better), the spider crab nice but nothing to write home about and the pasta had cooled off way too much by the time we got it. The John Dory was cooked well, but for 28 euros, we expected more than 2 small fillets. We've had better - and cheaper - meals in Venice proper. But it was an interesting journey to get there and back. I just wish it had been a more rewarding food experience. read more

Clam pasta, fresh scallops and langositne pasta had us all smiles at this very popular seafood staple in Burano. It is a bit of a trek to get here from Venice but we were curious about this colorful little town home to Philippe Starck. Keep in mind it is incredibly hot outside in Burano in August and their interior does not really have air conditioning and the outside is like sitting in an oven. They help to cool you off by offering a complimentary glass of prosecco. We shared several things including the seafood mixed plate with razor clams, clams and one other special from the area. We also got the crab pasta and the clam spaghetti. The highlight of the meal was the spaghetti with clams (spaghetti vongole). The seafood they are getting is very special. I would not come to Burano just to eat here but if you find yourself in Burano, this is the place to eat. read more

This review is based upon the service. There were two open tables outside when we arrived and one couple leaving. We asked politely if we could sit and got the run-around telling us to ask someone else. We waited as people working there walked by. No one was willing to help us. Finally we had the attention of the head waiter and indicated we may not have a big meal because it was mid-afternoon. He condescendingly told us to go elsewhere down the road, like he had no time for us. I started laughing because he was so rude it was unbelievable! I think their good reviews have gone to their heads and they feel that tourists will visit no matter what since it's such a small island. This place has become a complete tourist trap. Seems like they are literally trying to get rid of customers. Their attitudes mirrored the smell of the dirty canals here -- they stunk! read more

We walked up here on a whim from the previous day and were lucky enough to get seated for a rather late lunch. It was raining quite uncomfortably at the time (let's just say, sufficient wind to blow a pram into the river if you're not watching...) so we were very grateful to be invited into the warm and decorated interior. Following the chef's beliefs about pairing alcohol with dishes, we received a complimentary glass of prosecco even before the bread basket arrived. I'm usually picky about alcohol but this one went down easily. We ordered the Al Gatto Nero starter, as well as grilled sea bream. The starter was delicious and nicely arranged - I wish we'd gotten the Al Gatto Nero "experience" instead, which I imagine would have been an even more impressive version of what we got. The dish is comprised of an array of various seafoods, such as sliced fish, oyster, scallop, prawn, etc. The sea bream came as a beautifully and evenly grilled whole fish - perhaps just slightly on the blander side, but certainly very enjoyable and in any case we picked it clean to the bone. I might recommend a more generous splash of the lemon wedge it comes with. I know the place is better known for its risotto, but I was more curious about its other dishes at the time, having already had risotto recently. No regrets! For dessert, we ordered the tiramisu - which may appear unassuming, but let's just say I was tempted to lick the bowl clean. The staff are happy and friendly with one another, and you'll hear them chatting and joking with one another in the bar area or together with patrons (in the off-season, anyway). We were served by at least three different waiters at different times, each one professional and pleasant. Though one of them was particularly personable and teased me heavily about my flush reaction to the prosecco! Ah, if only I could handle alcohol better, I would have gladly ordered a glass of wine to go with the fish. 5/5 would get teased for flushing just from a small glass of sparkling wine again. read more

Amazing meal!! We made reservations well in advance (which is definitely necessary!) and were able to get lunch here on our day trip to Burano. The meal was amazing! We had the caprese, spaghetti with tomato sauce, and the desert of the day which was some type of strawberry and cream cake. All of the food was delicious! We enjoyed being greeted with a glass of prosecco and ordered a bottle of a local white wine which was refreshing. The service was great, and very relaxed without feeling rushed at all despite how busy they were. The seating right on the canal is nice for people watching. Towards the end of our meal there was even a local musician who started to play some pop hits as well as some Italian hits that had all of the locals singing along :) Would highly recommend this place! It's worth the hype for sure! read more

We saw some positive reviews on Yelp and decided to try this place for a light lunch/light nibbles since it was 2pm. Unfortunately, we weren't invited to sit down because the owner snootily turned us away. I had walked up with my wife and asked if we could sit down and enjoy some 'drinks and snacks'. I'm not entirely certain why I chose the word 'snacks', I think I was going to say 'appetizers' but then I couldn't remember the Italian word for it and then I could only remember the French word for lunch. I thought approaching him and grumbling 'food' would have been a little primitive. In any case I spontaneously used the word 'snacks'. He gestured down the road, said we should leave and try another place. Very disrespectful and pretentious people running this place. You've been warned. read more

Was recommended this place by a foodie and wasn't the least bit disappointed. My wife and I shared what we both agreed was the best pasta we've ever had in our lives (seafood pasta).Everything about this little joint was quaint and perfect. Make sure your trip to Venice is complete by making it out Al Gatto Nero. The boat ride out to Burano was worth it for this alone! read more

Easily my best meal in Italy. Burano is indeed the fisherman town. Reservation recommended as the place does get busy. I went during the low season so I was lucky to get a 12:30PM lunch reservation when I called at 10AM on the same day but all outdoor tables have been taken. No matter, the restaurant is tastefully decorated. Our server is very helpful and we couldn't have made better decision without him. The pappardelle is to die for! Make sure you also save room for their tiramisu. read more

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I found these pictures on my phone. Wanted to share my experience here. We were in Venice pre cruise last October. We came to Burano just for this restaurant. It was worth the trip. Make sure that you have reservations. It can be a bit of a wait if you don't. Seafood is fresh and abundant. We ordered the spider crab pasta, which is the specialty of the area. It was rich and the flavour tasted of the sea. Our server spoke little English, but we got along fine with some finger pointing. The best part was that the chef came out and greeted us, and I was able to compliment him on the dishes. read more

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Closed July 2 to July 8. 2019 It was highly recommended and we made a special trip for lu ch. best time I guess! read more

This place is perfect for sitting on the terrace- the view is perfect. However, the food was so overpriced. We paid €34 for risotto for two. It was described as "risotto di Burano" so we assumed it had seafood, especially for the price. Turns out it was just cooked with seafood broth. What a ripoff! I will say that the calamari fritti was awesome. They also give customers a small glass of prosecco for free if you have a long wait for a table. read more

Excellent food and service! Nice quite location on a canal but off the mainstream area. The service was friendly and the owner was very nice, even the chef came out to say hi. Can't say anything bad and highly recommend eating here read more

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The complimentary prosecco was a nice touch and the place is quaint with okay food. But 25 euro for a small plate of pasta with a miniscule amount of crab (and several crab shell pieces) is a bit much. And the 16 euro bread bowl was just outrageous...so many better places to dine, don't waste your time. read more

Al Gatto Nero - 25 euro....can you see the crab? - Italian Near Me - Burano, VE

This restaurant is in a very remote location. Took a lot of effort to get there, but well worth it. Be aware that it is a very HEAVY seafood menu. Not much else but seafood. They do a fantastic job with it. Totally worth the trip. The food if very fresh. My in-laws come here every few years. It was my first trip but I'd go back if I was in Venice again. read more

Amazing meal, owner was so gracious, squeezed me in as a solo despite not having a reservation with a teeny bit of a wait. Staff super nice. Couldn't be happier. Had shellfish and scallops, all done well. read more

Al Gatto Nero - Scallops, little neck clams and razor clams. - Italian Near Me - Burano, VE

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An incredible place. My wife and I had reservations for May 10th. It's on Burano off of Venice and is supposed to be well known for their seafood. I can see why! We started with fish risotto (risotto Burano style) that was absolutely fantastic. Even my seafood-averse wife enjoyed it. The main course was recommended by Massimiliano - grilled sea bass. We had the entire fish come out to us, where a waiter plucked the bones off and gave us the fish. WOW. It's tremendous. It was cooked to perfection and was paired with its herbs and vegetables wonderfully. I also want to extend a big thanks to Massimiliano, who found us an excellent wine to pair with our dinner and was a gracious and wonderful waiter the entire night. We finished our wine bottle a little bit before dinner, so I still had a few bites left -- he said I needed wine for the last few bites so got another glass of wine on the house. It's on the expensive side -- the sea bass is what really jacked the price up -- but unlike the other places in Italy on my vacation where the price spiraled past 100 euros, I had no doubt that that price was well deserved and well earned. read more

This place is spectacular! The owner is such a gentleman and had conversation with us and explained both the culture and each food in detail. I would highly recommend this place to everyone who gets a chance to visit Burano! read more

Eat here last November, a year ago. I still remember the meal like it was yesterday. I returned to Venice so I can eat here again.

Had one of the great fresh wine and seafood dining experiences of my life at Al Gatto Nero on a recent vacation. Silvio our waiter was knowledgable about both all the seafood selections and the wine that goes with them. Sole and monkfish were cooked perfectly. read more

This review is based entirely on the rude unprofessional service. I did not even want to try the food. You're in Venice for crying out loud, there are lots of fresh seafood elsewhere. We arrived with a reservation 5 minutes before opening and I saw the owner scream and almost quite literally shove people out of their restaurant saying that they were not open. He literally slammed the door and threw a big table in front of the door. Now, you're located on some insignificantly small island in Venice. The reason you're living right now is because of us, tourists. Being the top seafood restaurant in Burano is nothing to be so proud of when you only have 5 other competing restaurants. Mind you, the fish all come from the same place anyway so skip this restaurant. This restaurant should know their place and learn how to serve their customers. read more

I wasn't too crazy about the service but this is unmistakably some of the best, freshest seafood I've had- period. I had the gatto nero experience which is a "catch of the day" appetizer and grilled fish second plate. it was so succulent and fresh you can still taste the sea (not in a nasty scummy way) and the olive oil really complimented the sweetness of the fish well. It was so simple yet flavorful I will always think of this meal again. I actually dislike Venice- I thought my stay here was a sham until I got to burano (I don't like tourist destinations with gimmicks and too many children especially when hot sweaty and tired). The appetizer that day featured two species of shrimp, a scallop with tomato and olive oil on a half shell, an octopus, a carpaccio of sorts of some type of fresh white fish (forgot to ask! Shame on me) and this seafood salad I've spotted elsewhere in the city (the name escapes me). The grilled plate featured a cuttlefish, branzino, sea bass, and langostino and the server preps your fish for you after presenting you with the fish and carefully spoons the tender flesh onto your plate, careful to remove any bones. Now for the service- the server never gave me the wine list despite me asking and when there were only three tables in the dining room all the severs were huddling around in the dining room over a phone watching a video with some sort of Pokemon sound I kid you not. Not even in the back of the kitchen, but in the main dining room. They're not jerks like French servers but wow, couldn't even imagine that happening in a Chinese restaurant nevertheless a restaurant of this caliber! read more

My husband and I stopped here for lunch on our honeymoon. They recommend making a reservation, but I had forgotten (Oops!). Nevertheless, they seated us outside by the canal just 20 minutes after we arrived. I had read great reviews about Al Gatto Nero, but we were not even remotely prepared for the level of service and deliciousness we received. We ordered the house white wine, which turned out to be my favorite wine EVER. When our seafood platter arrived, we practically ended our marriage over the last scallop. The risotto was to die for, so creamy, rich, and perfectly cooked. And when our main courses of grilled eel and monkfish arrived, they were so buttery and flaky that I thought I had died and gone to heaven. We even received a free tiramisu because the server made a mistake (which he immediately fixed). All told we spent 2 1/2 hours there on the patio eating lunch. It was the best meal of our honeymoon, and worth every penny. read more

The manager said only take reservations. That's so bad. We came from California and have no chance to dine in this restaurant. So disappointed! No more next time! read more

I love how noobs think they can give a legit "review" when they haven't eaten the food. One star because you planned poorly and didn't make reservations or show up ahead of the lunch rush to squeeze yourself at a global culinary institution that's the size of a walk-in closet and has shoved so many tables outside that diners almost fall into the canal? Boo fricking hoo. Do not show up here without a reservation and expect them to seat you like it's TGIF on a Monday night. I did not make reservations because I was that noob. However, we did put our names on the list and wait 2.5 of the hangriest hours of my life for a table outside for two. Once you eventually get seated, service is decent, and food here is amazing. Fish, shellfish, lobster, prawns, homemade pasta, etc all had lovely texture... sauces so flavorful that you want to inject it into yourself intravenously. So good that we literally wrote home about it. Yes, it's a tourist trap. But if they walk the walk, I'll gladly set myself up for that trap again, although next time, I'm definitely making a reservation far in advance. read more

Perfect service, perfect apetizers main dishes, vines. This was the top food experience of my life. Do not skip Al Gatto Nero if you are in Burano. And dont forget to make reservation before you go , bellisima.... read more

DO NOT MISS THIS PLACE. Burano is incredibly beautiful on its own, but this restaurant is definitely the highlight of the journey. I suggest ordering everything on the menu, but if that cannot be done definitely get the fried calamari (I've had about 1000 orders of this in my lifetime, but my favorite was the version at this trattoria - the batter was light, flakey, and adhered to the squid perfectly!). We also died for the mixed grilled shellfish app, the fried John dory, monk fish and the parpadelle scampi with smoked ricotta. Do not waste any stomach space on the vegetables or the sides. Not cheap, and a reservation is a must (even though there were empty tables inside, we noticed the staff turn several groups away that did not have a reservation). read more