Al Gatto Verde

Al Gatto Verde is a quiet knockout in the Emilian countryside, part of Massimo Bottura and Lara Gilmore’s Casa Maria Luigia estate. With a Michelin star and Green Star, it delivers a tasting experience built around fire, smoke, and seasonality. Chef Jessica Rosval leads with clarity and confidence. Her cooking is precise but soulful, rooted in local ingredients and shaped by bold contrasts. Fire is the main character, from the smoker at the entrance to dishes that balance depth, restraint, and surprise. The space is calm and elegant, service is warm and genuine, and the experience feels thoughtful from start to finish. A restaurant that truly earns its star and stays with you long after the last bite.

Great place, great food. Only reason for 4 star on service, it took too long for the whole dinner. The food could be served a little faster. I think the gaps between courses was too long.

Throughout the meal, hints of restrained elegance and control repeated themselves - somebody who has worked through a lot of dish possibilities, who knows when to edit, when to stop - keep it simple but refine to finesse. Green bemused amuses amused... The caviar cannolo stood out particularly for me because we had the ill conceived attempt of same the night before. This one was perfectly light & crisp shell with a tender filling. Eel fog was a bit lost on me, probably my fault. The impossibly thin shattering crust on the boule was delicious, especially with green butter implanted with herbs on top. The four types of lemon starter with anchovy sauce requires you to close your eyes after each bite and dissect the different ways it hits you. Bouillabaisse with candied orange was excellent, though I wish that crab head stayed on the table, as the portion size of the broth was just too tiny. The carabinero segments were amazing, and were not Italian military police. Porcini ricotta hand roll with flowered white & black truffles? A perfect way to wrap up our week & bid adieu for now to the floral fungi. Cinghiale belly wrapped loin was evidence that we had never really captured the fresh game elegance of this favorite Italian meat and the accompanying smoked shank fricassee - together this was just perfectly executed! (And had only been on the menu 2 days). The boar & chocolate mezzelune were unfortunately just too sweet of a filling at this point in the meal, darker chocolate called for. Plum incorporation was unique (dissolve from spoon), deep in flavor & stunning in autumnal colors. Grapefruit sorbet with marigold yet again a throwback to the failed attempt elsewhere the previous night. These pink frozen pearls were a refreshing delight, and immediately reminded us of Marja/Paloma. Chiaroscuro passion fruit dessert a tasty combination with a unique carbon caramel & black pepper topping, but mostly one (tangy) note. Mignardises reminding you of green & wood fired were pretty, but pickily not quite small or memorable enough, though certainly solidly done. More, please... we did leave still hungry, but what we had was tender & amazing. Thanks to all the cats! Anything can happen when the cat turns green. We put ourselves in Massimo Bottura's confident Canadian chef Jessica Rosval's hands at Al Gatto Verde at Casa Maria Luigia outside of Modena. Giving a pass to the overemphasis on the color green, Al Gatto Verde nails the lighting: soft, supple, and present but varied throughout. Bright enough to read the menu, but not noticable at any dynamic ends of the range. Beautiful wooden tables without a table linen, walls adorned in textiles exploring the green theme. Simply by walking into the dining room, you feel that this restaurant has a practiced intent, that you are being led into a sensory experience. We are in the land of Ferrari, and our table is just a few feet from one, which you'll see in the next post, along with the Maserati. When everyone speaks the same language, the poet has no more words. The kitchen here focuses on wood-fired/wood oven cooking, but not in an intrusive way. Smokiness is subtle in many dishes, very prominent in a few. Wine selection extensive, awesome, and not for the faint of pocketbook. Urging restraint, we were able to negotiate an understanding with the sommelier and Coravin also helped. Service slightly slow and inattentive - difficult to get the attention of staff.

We had a mixed experience at Al Gatto Verde. The food was creative and flavorful, with the Chef showcasing inventive techniques and combinations, though not all were to our taste. Service didn’t match the restaurant’s level: our tasting menu for four took nearly five hours, and dietary accommodations were poorly handled. The pescatarian guest wasn’t served one of the dishes at all and was simply told that “the main doesn’t come with a second part,” leaving three of us eating while one person sat without a course. Yet the full tasting menu price was still charged, which felt inappropriate given the incomplete experience. Similarly, the pescatarian dessert was served without a key ingredient that balanced the dish, resulting in a dessert that simply didn’t taste good. This was puzzling because the lactose-free guest received a delicious alternative. The interior felt confusing: the dining space was quite enclosed and cramped, right next to a large area filled with cars and workout machines, which could have been better adapted to enhance the atmosphere. The acetaia tour was interesting, and the vinegars are lovely but overpriced. The cocktail bar serves innovative drinks, albeit at very high prices. Overall, despite the Bottura association, the experience felt inconsistent and overpriced with brilliant food at times, but let down by service, space, and menu execution.

Chef Jessica- you rock! We had the best evening and left wanting to come back to try the a la carte dishes! This is a great restaurant with some really creative dishes. If you are near Modena then this should be on your list. The dishes were a great mix of fusion and freshness.