From Sant’Anna to the Gatto Nero

Discover the story behind one of Lake Como’s Favourite Celebrity Restaurant

The history of football in Como officially began on 25 May 1907, when a group founded Como Football Club at the famous Taroni bar. At the same time, in the same year, the Fontana family, who had returned to Italy after working in the South American railways, decided to invest his savings in a family business.

He opened a small trattoria, a modest eatery that soon became a regular stop for Como’s laundry workers. These workers, in search of a warm and hearty meal before or after a long day’s toil, found the trattoria to be a welcoming place.

With the passage of time, the trattoria stayed in the family and continued to prosper. When Fausto Fontana, the founder’s grandson, turned 25, he started working in the family restaurant and took it to a new level of success.

Determined to innovate, Fausto undertook a trip to New York, from which he drew the inspiration to radically transform the trattoria. After being closed for six months to completely renovate the restaurant, the Sant’Anna restaurant reopened its doors with a new face and a modern spirit.

This was the beginning of a magnificent tradition that would make the restaurant a landmark for the town and for the most illustrious visitors to Lake Como. ‘One evening Alfredo Ratti arrived with Mogol and Lucio Battisti,’ Fausto recounts in a recent interview, ‘after half an hour, by chance, Claudio Baglioni, who had rented a villa for three, four months, to compose music so every evening more or less came and dined with us.’

This was just the beginning of success for Fausto Fontana, who later founded one of the most famous and coveted restaurants on Lake Como: Il Gatto Nero. ‘I believed in it,’ Fausto Fontana keeps repeating during the interview, the phrase that has accompanied him throughout his successful career. In a short time, in fact, the club became a destination for international celebrities, including Daniel Craig, Neil Armstrong, Robert De Niro, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. George Clooney, one of Lake Como’s regulars, often organised exclusive dinners at the Gatto Nero, inviting guests such as Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Julia Roberts.

Among the many episodes that have marked the history of the Gatto Nero, one of the turning points concerns Richard Branson, the British tycoon and founder of Virgin. Fausto Fontana recounts that one day he received a phone call from the Four Seasons in Milan, where Branson was staying with his family, to arrange a lunch at the Gatto Nero. Even though it was the restaurant’s closing day, Fausto decided to open specially to welcome the famous businessman and his family. This kind of exclusive attention contributed to Gatto Nero’s reputation as one of Italy’s most exclusive restaurants.

Over time, the restaurant has collected twelve albums of dedications left by legendary personalities such as Jamie Lee Curtis and Roger Waters, the latter of whom left a dedication on the restaurant wall inspired by one of his records.

Thanks to his dedication and innovative vision, Fausto Fontana has turned Il Gatto Nero into one of the best-loved and most famous restaurants, attracting an international clientele and consolidating the restaurant as a pillar of Como’s dining scene, combining tradition and high-level hospitality.

The restaurant’s success, however, has not just been limited to celebrities. Fausto has always maintained close ties with the local community, so much so that the trattoria has remained a point of reference for many locals, as well as tourists. Thanks to its ability to adapt to the times without losing touch with its roots, Il Gatto Nero has been able to combine tradition and innovation, offering a culinary experience that respects the history of the area but is at the same time able to satisfy the most sophisticated tastes.

One of the features that has helped make the restaurant so popular is its obsessive attention to detail. From the décor to the menu choices, every aspect of the restaurant has been taken care of to ensure a unique experience, whether it is an intimate dinner or an exclusive event. The quality of the food and impeccable service have made Il Gatto Nero one of the most sought-after restaurants on Lake Como. The restaurant is set to continue its tradition of excellence, welcoming future generations of visitors and continuing to be an icon of Como cuisine.

Thanks to Fausto Fontana’s vision, and so of the new owners who have been carrying on the legacy magnificently for ten years now, Il Gatto Nero will remain a symbol of Italian catering: a jewel set in the hills that contributes to the unique magic of this territory and its Lake.