In the historic centre of Grado, close to the sea, La Ciacolada brings together two traditions that often remain apart: Neapolitan pizza and Adriatic seafood cooking. The name means "the chat" or "the conversation" in the Grado dialect, a fitting title for a family-run restaurant built around hospitality.
The restaurant stands at Via G. Caprin 35 in Grado, in the province of Gorizia. The Grado tourism portal lists it as a historic-centre restaurant serving Neapolitan pizza and fresh fish, with 160 seats.
From Torre Annunziata to Grado
La Ciacolada is the story of Luigi Buondonno, who came from Torre Annunziata in Campania and developed the restaurant over approximately two decades after arriving in Friuli Venezia Giulia.
The project connects Campanian ingredients and pizza traditions with fish and local products from Grado, the Gulf of Trieste and the lagoon. The restaurant's official website presents the business as a project of Laura and Luigi and describes it as a family tradition.
Pizzeria with a kitchen
La Ciacolada operates as an integrated pizzeria and kitchen rather than treating the two offerings as separate identities. Guests can choose from the pizza menu or from traditional cooked dishes, both presented as part of the same restaurant.
Luigi studied pizza-making techniques and introduced both ruota di carro and contemporary-style pizza. The pizza menu contains approximately thirty interpretations, according to the account of the restaurant's development.
On the kitchen side, the menu includes fresh fish dishes alongside Neapolitan pizza, drawing on the catch and products of the surrounding waters and lagoon.
What to expect
The official website lists pizza, traditional cuisine, bistro service, coffee, seasonal menus and wine among its offerings.
For readers planning a visit, two details help make sense of the format:
First, decide between pizza and kitchen, or combine them. The pizza side reflects Campanian technique, including large ruota di carro formats and contemporary styles. The kitchen side focuses on seafood and traditional cooking with local fish.
Second, use location and seasonality as your guide. The restaurant is positioned near the sea in Grado's historic centre, and its stated emphasis on seasonal menus means the offering reflects what is available from Grado, the Gulf of Trieste and the lagoon at the time of the visit.
Published opening hours differ across sources, so visitors should check the official website for current times before going.