La Veneta
102 N Water Ave, Gallatin
(615) 206-8448
Recent Reviews
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Good morning. I am writing you this Saturday morning because my parents came to your restaurant yesterday evening for Valentine’s Day. Your website looks amazing. The dishes look delicious. I was so excited for them. They just moved here and we love to support small businesses. Their experience was awful. When they first walked in, they were taken through the dining room to a “back room”. They said there was no tablecloths, nothing romantic or even anything to incline it was Valentine’s Day. The lack of ambience can be over looked if the food experience is going to be great. My mom ordered chicken thighs and she said there was literally 2 chicken thighs stacked on top of each other on a six inch plate with nothing else. No garnish, no sauce. She said they were dry and there just was nothing with them. They had their water in red plastic Coke Cola cups. Their appetizer plates were coffee saucers. Your photos and videos make my mouth water. I was so happy for them to try your place. Your location is great, right down town in the quaint little historic area of Gallatin. They said it was one of the worst dinner experiences they have had. I am not writing this to bash you at all. Just to be informative, maybe you all had an off day and maybe you were not aware. I do wish you the best and hope this evening was a fluke and diners can have a wonderful experience that your social media portrays.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
They are new so I hate leaving bad reviews for a start but I feel like they need to know. We had pear and fennel salad for a start which was 18 dollars without protein, pretty expensive in my opinion. The salad was as simple as you can get, they make everything with 5 ingredients or less and they absolutely did. I though maybe pears will be prepped in a special way but they were just sliced super thin. Arugula was yellow and I can't imagine any respectable chef letting it out like this. For main I got mushroom ravioli and my girlfriend gnocchi with casio e peperoni sauce. My ravioli was ok, undercooked and hard on the edges though. Gnocchi were absolutely bland with literally no flavor. All you could taste was flour. Also they charged for 3 slices of bread. Sorry but that was not a good experience. Even if everything is imported from Italy it was just not good
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 4
Food was amazing... off the charts delicious.
Service was embarrassingly the exact opposite. Maybe we just drew the short straw, but wow. So unprofessional. Sitting ungreeted, unaknowledged for almost 5 minutes. Server seemed like a super nice guy. He's not a professional server, or has never been professionally trained on what expectations and steps of service should be.
Preset app plates when your guest orders an app. The time to bring them is not after you set down the hot fresh app and say - ummm be right back with plates
Check back AFTER dropping off food. 2 bites or 2 minutes. How is everything? Can I get you anything else right now? When you finally return to the table to find empty plates, it's too late to ask how "IS" everything, we're in "was" territory, and let's face it, by then... it's too late anyways.
Also - PREBUS... if we have stacked our plates up in the middle of the table.... you're too late already.
KNOW THE SPECIALS - getting even the slightest of specific details on what the specials were was like pulling teeth. It was a joke. Did he have them written down? He never even attempted to answer our questions. He was clueless.
Host and floor chart / sections seemed like chaos. She took us to 1 table then said hold on lemme check then offered our choice of 2 other tables, then before we could answer brought us to the other room for short straw section....
Food was amazing. Be hard to recommend or return with the front of house experience we had. Total shame, cause the food... oh the food... was soo good.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 2
Recommended dishes: Chicken Cacciatore, Gnocchi Bolognese, Arancini
It's great to have an authentic Italian restaurant nearby!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My husband and I ate here a little over a week ago. We were sat a minute or two after we walked in. We were sat on the side with the coffee bar. It took a little while for our server to get to us but we just figured that they could be short staffed. We weren’t in a hurry so it wasn’t a problem. I ordered the fettuccine and added the chicken for an extra charge of $14. I had the burrata appetizer so by the time my entree came, I wasn’t as hungry so I decided to package the rest up and take it home. Today I brought it to work for my lunch. Half way through eating my grilled chicken breast, I bite into it and it is spongy. I take a closer look and it’s raw in the middle. So now I’m immediately scared I’m going to get sick. I’ve taken a bite of chicken that this restaurant did not fully cook and has also been in my refrigerator for a couple days. I am so upset that I didn’t catch this health hazard at the restaurant. I would have asked for my money back. I do intend to alert the health department. A mistake like this puts people’s lives at risk. If you are going to undercook anything, don’t let it be the chicken!!! See attached photos and video. If you eat there be sure to thoroughly inspect your food. I will not be dining there again. Best of luck to those of you who want to take your chances here.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 3
Don’t waste your time. We went there for lunch during a less busy time. Our waitress was lovely, but the rest of the experience was quite disappointing. Our food did not arrive at the same time, which was curious as we ordered the same protein. Once we finally had our food, it was inedible. The chicken seemed to have been prepared in old oil leaving a potent rancid taste. The champagne vinaigrette that dressed the side salad had no flavor at all. We were offered the option to order something different, but we weren’t interested in eating anything else.
stars.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 4
La Veneta Italian Restaurant in Gallatin, TN and its cozy coffee shop, The Guilty Grind, offer a truly exceptional dining experience, lovingly crafted by owner Laura Braga. Her homemade chocolate cake is a slice of heaven—rich, decadent, and perfectly complemented by a freshly brewed cappuccino. The service is impeccable, and the warmth of the staff makes you feel instantly at home, embodying the essence of Italian hospitality. Laura’s commitment to authentic flavors shines through in every dish and dessert, leaving a lasting impression.
The experience wouldn't be complete without sampling Laura’s homemade croissants, which come in a delightful variety of flavors. We tried the chocolate croissant, and it was an absolute standout—light, flaky, and generously filled with rich chocolate inside and out. Barista Wanda adds to the charm with her welcoming demeanor and exceptional cappuccino artistry, presenting each cup with elegance and care. Together, Laura and Wanda create a wholesome, family-oriented atmosphere where every visit feels special and memorable.
It is well-worth the trip to Gallatin if you're not local to there. We have traveled from AZ to TN and so glad we came across Laura's fine establishments....You will not be disappointed!! Both places are truly magical and will surely satisfy your heart's desires and please all palates.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My fiancé and I went for the first time today, and it definitely won't be our last! La Veneta deserves a 4.9-5 stars all day. Those that reviewed them at 1 to 3 stars are too used to American Italian food and probably would give Olive Garden 5 stars. Absolutely ridiculous! Ya'll should be ashamed of yourselves! The guy that said he spent $60 a person must be delusional, because we had 2 entrees and an appetizer and it was $47 total before tax and tip. Very reasonable for an authentic Italian meal made from scratch.
You leave feeling full, but not bloaty like you would at an American Italian restaurant. It leaves you feeling like you had an authentic, fresh, homemade meal that was excellent in every way.
The food, service, and atmosphere were amazing! It shows in all aspects that Chef Laura is passionate about her cooking and is striving to provide an authentic Italian experience. She nailed it!
We tried the arancini appetizer and it is a must have for all of our next visits. We also had the gnocchi with bolognese sauce and the fettuccine with the cacio e pepe sauce and both were flavorful and delicious!
We loved the open kitchen where you can watch the food being prepared.
We are from Lebanon, TN and we're in Gallatin to pick up a piece of furniture, but will definitely be making the drive in the future just to eat at La Veneta. Do your taste buds a favor and go try out La Veneta for yourself!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gnocchi Bolognese, Arancini
La Veneta is undoubtedly the new best kept secret in our sweet little #downtowngallatin #sumnercountytn #nashville Treat yourself to fine Italian dining with a side of compassion, humor, charm, intelligence, and culture. Chef Laura is a fascinating & creative young woman, with the work ethic to make it happen. They've assembled a strong team, and will treat you right. You could Doordash. But this is definitely worth leaving the house for.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Charcuterie, Gnocchi Bolognese, Tiramisu, Italian Cake, Arancini, Risotto, Rossana Hazelnut Cream Filled Candy 1kg
I know we were there on a bad night but we will be back, it was that GOOD. We were warned by the Hostess they had a scheduling conflict and were struggling to serve table. Plus I think we wet at the table that was forgotten because no one came over until they pulled a sweet girl from the kitchen to wait on us, which was excellent! The food was AMAZING! My girlfriend had the mushroom ravioli and it was cooked perfectly Al dente’ and delicious! I had the Risotti with homemade sausage and even though it was very plain to look at, it was so delicious! We had the best bread on our Bruschetta Veneta (which was amazing as well), I asked for some bread with it and it was just right! So ask for the bread! It was all delicious and a very charming place. Highly recommend! I will update when I go back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Baguette, Charcuterie, Polenta, Tiramisu, Risotto, Tomato Bruschetta, Fettuccine
Restaurantji Recommends
Very tasty food, friendly staff.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
I agree with the previous review. Average food, subpar ambiance. Service wasn’t great.
Ambiance: Agree that the lighting in here is BRIGHT for an Italian restaurant. Not knowing we could sit on the coffee shop side, we were sat in the restaurant. The coffee shop side is much better if you’re wanting a dim lit, evening dinner. Wish we sat elsewhere, it could have helped the experience.
Service: First and foremost, I understand busy. But that being said. After being seated, it took 8 minutes to even be greeted. Waters eventually came to the table by another server. Solomon was our given server, but def seemed frazzled. We were never asked if we wanted other beverages, tea, beer etc. He encouraged us not to spend a lot of money and watch how we ordered, because it is a lot of food. I strongly disagree. The food portions are average, which was perfectly fine, just by his comment I was expecting family style. Tip, order what you want, it is not overwhelming. Drink refills were a constant issue and after even asking three different servers for more water, we got our food down without. Upon paying out, we had to walk up to the register because he never returned, the server stated that, “I wish people weren’t in here so I could talk to y’all more,” which I thought was really strange given lost places would want to be busy. I just think this establishment may be a little too much for him.
Food: My husband’s bolognese was good, he said it wasn’t great. Definitely was a little bland. I had the cavatappi pesto, which the flavor was good, but the pasta was hard. Not Al Dente, HARD. Half of my shells were inedible, which was disappointing.
All in all, I feel like it is a once and done for us. A lot of issues that seem to be sorted out, especially in service. Best wishes to this place though and hope some things get sorted out. I love local eating, just not this one.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 2
Went for lunch had the gnocchi and green beans Wow!!!! Delicious the gnocchi had a light fluffy texture the green beans just yummy. If u want fresh hand made authentic Italian I highly recommend La Veneta. I will definitely go back
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food here is truly exceptional. I have tried about a half dozen different appetizers / meals / desserts and everything was amazing. Will definitely be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
UPDATE: just had lunch here. The lunch menu and dinner menu are slightly different. The lunch menu has paninis while the dinner has risotto. So, I'm uploading that menu as well. We had the bruschetta Veneta to share and I could have eaten 3 orders of it, it was so good. For my lunch I had gnocchi with bolognese. The gnocchi appears to be hands rolled and not just shaped. I'm not sure if people realize it, but hand rolling gnocchi is tiring and time consuming. If it's not hand rolled, it's a pretty convincing imitation. The sauce was savory with no added sweetness. It's a pet peeve of mine when people add sugar to sauce. It's not supposed to be *that* sweet. It was good. We also had the mortadella panini. Delicious. Finished off with the tiramisu which was top notch. Getting the chocolate cake to go.
Will be back for dinner.
Original review:
We just had Sunday brunch here and it was delicious. My only comment is that the prices are Boston prices. Not as high as NYC prices, but definitely higher than this area is used to. I usually take off stars for this because I weigh the cost vs the value/quality I received. I am NOT going to take off stars in this case, though, because the food was honestly exceptional. It was worth the price. Food wise, my only gripe is that the hollandaise sauce was a touch too salty.
We got:
1 adult: the brioche French toast. The maple creme fraiche was AWESOME. You could drink it. I kind of wish they would sell it in a bottle. The fruit was extra fresh. The brioche texture was perfect
1 adult: the St. Benetto. Basically their take on eggs Benedict. Very good with the exception of the sauce being a touch salty. Served with lightly dressed mixed greens which were also very tasty. Faint hint of capers, maybe?
1 adult: lox croissant. I didn't taste this as I'm not a fan of lox, but the person that ate it could not stop raving about it. Also served with the mixed greens.
2 kids: they split the French toast and LOVED it, plus a side of bacon.
The bill was just under $100, including a 20% tip. We all had water, no alcohol.
Usually, I would think $100 is a lot for breakfast/ lunch and take that into consideration for my review. But the food was just SO delicious and fresh that I feel the price was warranted.
I can't wait to try the full evening Italian menu.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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