Hello all, we will be in Lucca for New Year’s Eve and want to find a place to have dinner. We would really like a place that is not over touristy and has really good home made type of dishes. We know about Pasquale, we are going there on another night.
Any recommendations would be really appreciated!
Posted by
San Diego, California, USA
1769 posts
In Lucca there are many good restaurants - nearly any "famous" restaurant - Osteria dal Manzo, Ristorante Giglio - will require reservations. Piazza dell'Anfiteatro is beautiful and worth wandering through at night but is for tourists not locals. If you want to make that scene Sotto Sotto has the respect of the locals so I'd eat there.
I like Rosticceria Da Nonna Tati on the tiny Via Santa Zita - next to the laundromat in an old bakery location. They are doing new things with Italian food, but not crazy, and it's all really good but unusual given the adherence to "nonna's kitchen" in Tuscany.
Osteria da Pasquale has made a real name for themselves but I haven't been there. For good food and atmosphere there's Trattoria da Giulio in pelleria.
Trattoria Da Ubaldo is crazy the unapologetically cooks grandma's food but only go if you've got real sense of humor and want an experience unlike anything else I've ever seen in Italy. Read the warnings twice - it's not my fault.
There is also an entire list of Michelin star places I have not mentioned - except for Giglio.
For local and Tuscan dishes try zuppa di farro - yes it is wheat soup and it's so good. Another amazing poverty food dish is papa pomodoro which is just day old bread in tomato sauce. Try the Torte coi Becchi - yes it beak cake but don't panic - those are just points along the pie crust. It's like a spice holiday pie - so good with tea or coffee. Sfogliatelle con riso (pastry with rice) is great to grab with your coffee in the morning.
Best sandwich place: Ciacco on P.za Napoleone. Also salads as big as your head - not kidding.
Second best sandwich place - very different sandwiches - Pan di strada - Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi
Both places have excellent Cicchetti as well.
Best gelato; Ele (formally De' Coltelli) and Momo in either location. There are other good places but these are the best - ele for wacky combos and amazing fruit flavors.
Best local pizza experience - Pizzeria da Felice - always packed and spilling into the street outside with little quarter given to tourists. Run the way it always has been with pizza and cecina sold by weight. Try the cecina with the pepper when offered.
Probably better pizza but less of "an experience" is Itaco across town.
Enjoy Lucca,
=Tod
Posted by
San Diego, California, USA
1769 posts
Also there was a recent threat by other people about NYE celebrations in Lucca. So you should search that thread up as well.
=Tod