Gran Canal Caffe - Pittsburgh

They are back!! Fabio Bonaventura has reimagined his family's restaurant, Gran Canal Caffe! We were recently invited to a soft opening where we were warmly greeted by the entire family, whom we have come to know and love from previous visits. Gran Canal had been closed since the COVID pandemic, but now Fabio has taken over as the head chef and is introducing a new and exciting pizza menu. The crust is made with a special process that involves a 72-hour rise, resulting in a delicious flavor and texture. The dining room has also been updated with an open kitchen where guests can watch their food being prepared. The menu offers seven different topping combinations, all of which sound delicious. We particularly enjoyed the vegetable combo, but every choice was a hit with our family. For now, Gran Canal is offering weekend takeout, but we are eagerly awaiting their full-time opening. We will definitely be regulars at this fantastic restaurant. Best wishes to Fabio and the rest of the family! Lee R.

This restaurant definitely deserves 5 stars. We noticed that they were only open on certain days, so we called ahead and made a reservation. From beginning to end, our experience was incredible. The food was delicious and the service was exceptional! It was myself, my sister, and her 4-year-old son dining together. We each ordered different dishes and thoroughly enjoyed our meals. The complimentary salads and bread were a nice touch. We also indulged in some dessert, which was also fantastic. Next time, we plan to try out their appetizers. This place is definitely a hidden gem and worth a visit!

We had a wonderful experience at this restaurant with very friendly staff. We particularly enjoyed the artichokes alla romana and chef Fabio's specialty escargot, which was not chewy at all. The lemoncella salad with fresh parmigiano topping was great, as were the pollo piccata and baked ricotta gnocchi. The mascarpone cheese cake and raspberry crostata made by Chef Michael were delicious and felt like a taste of heaven. We ended our meal with espresso or cappuccino and amaro, of course. We will definitely be returning!

I mean... Wow. Ok, long story short, I booked tickets unwittingly for a beer fest Valentine's day weekend (oops). So Friday night (V-day) we've just arrived after a 4 hour drive to Pittsburgh, we're hungry and curious. We are graciously seated without a reservation, and from there our experience was wonderful. The only gripe I had was it was a looooong dinner. But the food and service was PHENOMENAL. This place is family owned, I believe, and the atmosphere is very friendly and inviting. Couldn't recommend more. It is expensive, but it's absolutely worth it.

Looking for a new Italian place to try out and this place was great. Warm atmosphere with even warmer staff. Everyone entering the restaurant was greeted with hug and it showed how the staff connects with there patrons. The food was wonderful. We had the creamy tomato soup special and french onion soup to start. Both were excellent! We had the Italian platter with different meats and warm bread and oil was brought out. The pacing was great to really enjoy each course. I had scallop with pasta and they were amazing (re-heated the next day just as good). Would highly recommend and will be back soon! Walking distance to Dancing Gnome too!