Arriving at Pietrasanta you can see it immediately, whether you come from the station, from the Via Aurelia or from the center: la Gatto Nero restaurant it is an institution, always frequented by Pietrasantini and tourists. It is housed inside the Rocca Arrighina, next to Porta a Pisa, the ancient entrance to this town known for its marble workshops, foundries and art galleries.
The management has recently changed, but the environment and the homemade dishes they remained the same. Here we find traditional Versilian cuisine, such as the appetizer based on bruschetta, meatballs and spelled, tordelli al ragù (a stuffed pasta), trofie alla trabaccolara (fresh pasta with a fish sauce), stewed ossobuco with vegetables. All accompanied by house wines, served in bottles with the Trattoria label. Finally, typical homemade desserts, such as cocoa cake, raisins and pine nuts or fruit tarts.
In the summer you can sit at the tables outside, sheltered by tents and plants under the Rocchetta, or otherwise in the rustic rooms inside, and it is not uncommon to find yourself sitting near one of the artists who work in Pietrasanta, including the sculptor Botero. The environment is simple, in Tuscan style, the home-made dishes with large portions, the prices are typical of a trattoria, and certainly lower than the other restaurants in the center (appetizer, first course, dessert, wine and coffee about € 30 per person).
On weekends the Gatto Nero bar becomes a meeting place for young people, at the time of the aperitif or after dinner. Then just pass the arch of the Porta in Pisa and we find ourselves in the center, in the Piazza del Duomo, which constantly hosts works of art like an open-air museum, and is bordered by bars, clubs and art galleries.
