Discover The Delicious Foods of Lucca: A Culinary Journey in Tuscany
Lucca, a food lover’s paradise, offers a delightful culinary experience. Locals and tourists alike can indulge in delectable dishes and refreshing drinks at sidewalk tables scattered throughout the city’s cafes and restaurants.
To curate our list of the most enticing flavors, eateries, and food experiences in Lucca, we consulted friends, fellow travelers, and The Fork, a popular European restaurant platform.
With the city’s pedestrian-friendly nature, we also relied on our intuition to discover hidden culinary gems.
3 Essential Restaurants for Savoring The Foods of Lucca
Lucca is a city in the province of the same name, in the Tuscany region of Italy (credit: Jerome Levine)
Whether you are in town for a day or a weekend, there are countless restaurants to try in Lucca.
However, since a tourist’s time is generally limited, we strongly recommend these three not-to-be-missed eateries that offer foods that are characteristic of the city and its cuisine: Buca Di Sant’Antonio, Sotto Sotto, and Trattoria da Giulio in Pelleria.
Each eatery is located in the historic center of Lucca, inside the walls.
1) Buca Di Sant’Antonio
Via della Cervia, 3
Buca Di Sant’Antonio never disappoints us: Over several visits, we have always been impressed with the quality of the food, its lovely atmosphere, and the friendly yet professional service.
Located just a stone’s throw from the Basilica Church of San Michele, the restaurant opened in 1782 and has remained in the same family’s hands.
Chef Juliano Pacini rules the kitchen but steps into the dining room from time to time to ensure that his guests are pleased with their meals. He told us he was born upstairs when the first floor of the historic building was filled with animals.
The rustic decor, with copper pots hanging from the ceiling and white plaster, always feels fresh and welcoming. It’s the kind of ambiance that U.S. restaurants try to emulate in upscale Italian eateries. Like most restaurants in Lucca, it has a patio area for al fresco dining.
Buca Di Sant’Antonio is known for its traditional menu, which includes incredibly delicious homemade pasta dishes. Before dinner, we were offered a complimentary glass of Spumante and a plate of fried meatballs and fried polenta squares.
People either love or hate liver. We fall into the former group, so we ordered the Pasticcio di Fegato alla Toscana con Pan Tostada (chicken liver pate on toast) as a primo (first course). It was sinfully rich, so we were happy to share the plate.
While we are usually partial to white truffles (which, unfortunately, weren’t in season during our last visit in May), the Tagliolini Al Tartufo Scorzone (homemade tagliolini pasta with melted butter and shaved black truffles) was a winning dish. We may even convert. Everything was cooked to perfection, and portions were generous.
A dessert of strawberry mille feuille topped off a perfect meal. Our meal for two with wine cost about $125 and was a good value.
2) Sotto Sotto
#1 Piazza dell’Anfiteatro
There is nothing like snagging a front-row seat for a special theater performance, and a meal at Sotto Sotto offers a similar experience.
At this intimate but less formal eatery, there are only nine tables, each one facing the center of Lucca’s lively Amphitheater (Piazza dell’Anfiteatro). The elliptical-shaped piazza is a hub of activity from morning to night with events, entertainers, markets, and a constant flow of visitors.
Every visitor to Lucca stops at the piazza to take a photo, have a meal, or sit down for a drink. Although restored with repurposed materials, this iconic “square” sits on the footprint of the original Roman theater, which was built in the 2nd century AD. Most apartments above ground have been converted to BnBs.
Sotto Sotto is a relative newcomer because it only opened in 2021, after the pandemic. The restaurant offers traditional, well-prepared, local dishes made from Pietro Nardi’s recipes, a chef/restaurateur who previously worked at Vigne Ilaria in Lucca.
At lunch, the very affable, multilingual young manager Eugenio served us. Soon after we sat down, he brought two glasses of Prosecco, crusty bread, and olive oil to the table. He explained the QR menu, which was marked with regional and local specialties.
We ordered an Insalata Caprese with flavorful tomatoes, the Lucca Tordelli (ravioli with meat sauce), and the Varnelli Pork Neck with roasted vegetables and caramelized onions. Eugenio explained that the tender pork had been slow-cooked for five hours.
All the dishes were tasty, and the serving sizes were more than ample.
Varnelli Pork Neck with roasted vegetables and caramelized onions at Sotto Sotto (credit: Jerome Levine)For dessert, we shared a slice of the decadent homemade tiramisu.
Restaurants in high-traffic tourist areas are often overpriced and disappointing. This was hardly the case with Sotto Sotto. Given the setting, quality of the food, and exceptional service, the restaurant is a standout in Lucca.
3) Trattoria da Giulio in Pelleria
Via delle Conce 45
When my husband lived in Tuscany in the 1970s, he would eat at Trattoria Da Giulio in Pelleria whenever he visited Lucca. At that time, he marveled at the food he ordered, which came out of a tiny window.
Open since 1945, the menu of simple, high-quality dishes at Trattoria da Giulio (located at Via delle Conce) is much the same, but the venue has changed over time. Now, people get in line to enjoy the food served in a spacious indoor dining room with additional al fresco seating in a shady area beneath the Renaissance city walls of Lucca.
A blackboard lists the daily specials.
The menu choices are extensive, but some of the most traditional dishes include Tordelli Lucchesi (handmade pasta ravioli with roast meat, in a meat sauce (that calls for fare la scarpetta, mopping the plate clean with bread, a compliment to the chef); Zuppa di Farro (a soup made with this peasant grain); and Farinata, a pancake made of chickpeas.
Under the arches of the wall, we started our meal with an antipasto plate with fried polenta, farinata, liver on toast, marinated eggplant, and salumi (prosciutto, salami toscana, and soppressata). We had the option of ordering either ¼ or ½ bottles of the excellent house wine.
The farm-fresh Insalata Caprese with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil was delicious.
The Pacchieri Ai Frutti di Mare pasta (with mussels and baby shrimp) was divine—tender and perfectly cooked.
When I finished eating my Tordelli Lucchesi, nothing was left on the plate.
With the breeze blowing, our meal was uber-enjoyable. The service was professional and priced at 53 euros for two with wine, it was a bargain.
7 Tips for Eating in Lucca
Here are seven tips for enjoying your meals and discovering the foods of Lucca:
1) Make advance reservations
Despite the number of restaurants in town, they all fill up. So make reservations before your trip. We actually called these three restaurants before we left home. You can also make reservations at many restaurants on The Fork.
2) Arrive early
If you arrive when a restaurant first opens, it will be less busy, service will be less hurried, and you’ll have your choice of where to sit.
3) Try the specialty foods
Italy is known for its regional cooking, which even varies from city to city, based on what’s available and local culinary customs and traditions.
Many restaurant menus in Lucca offer local specialties. If these aren’t marked on the menu, ask your server. These preparations offer a unique opportunity to savor the typical foods and flavors of Lucca and Tuscany.
For example, Chianti Tuna (tonno del Chianti) isn’t tuna and isn’t made with Chianti wine. It’s actually a slow-cooked, shredded pork dish that looks like tinned tuna. It is cooked for many hours in white wine and olive oil, served with beans and red onion.
Find a pastry shop where you can taste Buccellato, the ring-shaped sweet bread made with raisins and anise.
Think seasonal: In the fall, don’t miss the white truffles or polenta with rabbit stew. In winter months, look for Castagnacio, a gluten-free chestnut cake with chestnut flour.
After this article was published, one very thoughtful and knowledgeable reader who spends time in Lucca mentioned other specialty dishes worthy trying:
Budino di Riso
This rice pudding tartlet is made with Arborio rice, eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and usually lemon or orange peel. It’s a classic Lucchese/northwest Tuscany breakfast item (also seen in Firenze and Pisa.) My readers enjoys this as mid-morning coffee break when teaching. It usually costs about 1.5 E, isn’t too sweet, and is very “toothsome.”
Macchiatone
This very unique morning coffee enjoyed in Lucca, is oddly enough, from Venezia. It’s found almost nowhere else in Italy. “I asked for one in Rome once and was severely scolded, LOL,” he said. It has more milk than a macchiato, but less than a cappuccino. Perfect for folk who like some milk in their coffee but don’t want as much as a cappuccino. When you ask for one in a Lucchese caffe’, the waitstaff will smile knowingly as most tourists don’t know what it is.
4) Resist temptation
Because meals can be heavy and portions are generally large, we recommend sticking to one big meal each day. Of course, if you’re hungry, you can always stop for a salad, slice of pizza, or cup of gelato. (Our favorite gelato place was Gelateria Veneta at Via V. Veneto, 74)
5) What kind of bread? Tuscan, of course
Tuscan bread is a type of white bread with a crunchy crust and soft center. It is ubiquitous throughout Lucca, usually thickly sliced and always made without salt. It is served with olive oil rather than butter.
6) Don’t expect too much variety
Like many other Italian cities, after a few days, you’ll likely begin repeating dishes because many of the restaurant menus are quite the same except for special dishes.
7) Never skip breakfast
Breakfast at a bar is always our favorite meal of the day in Lucca. Like other parts of Italy, breakfast is usually a sweet pastry with espresso or cappuccino. Our go-to breakfast place on our last trip was Pasticerria Buralli at Via S. Girolamo 32. (There is another Buralli outside the walls.)
The pastries arrive freshly-baked every morning.
Conclusion: Food enthusiasts won’t be disappointed
Lucca is a foodie’s delight, with delicious cuisine served in a charming ambiance.
Whether you’re indulging in traditional Tuscan dishes at a historic restaurant or savoring a sweet treat with espresso at a local pasticceria, Lucca’s culinary scene is sure to leave a lasting impression.
First published 2024; reviewed and updated 6/25
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