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Recommended Reviews - Baralla
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Every region in Italy has its own unique regional dishes, and we chose Baralla specifically for the farro bean soup, which is well known in Lucca and throughout Tuscany. As it turns out, the traditional bean soup was beyond excellent, and so was everything else. Here's what we enjoyed: ***Mortadella Di Prato*** The very thick slices of mortadella weren't something we see often. This isn't the inexpensive kind of mortadella that you commonly see in sandwiches or in the deli case at your local Italian-American deli. You could noticeably taste the good quality of the meat! The pairing of the pecorino made it even better. But the winning trifecta was the addition of the figs, which took this platter to another level. These figs were amazing!!! They were so ripe, and so easy to eat because they were practically pre-peeled and ready to go. Everything about the platter was so beautifully presented and tasted even better than it looked. Excellent! ***Zuppa di farro Lucchese*** This is what we came here specifically to have, and it exceeded our expectations. We love faro, and we love beans, so this sounded like a great concoction. It's a soup well known in Lucca, which started out as a poor person's soup, because of its simple and inexpensive ingredients. Since then, it has been made by moms and nonnas forever. And now I got to try it IN Lucca. I just wish I grew up with an Italian nonna. The soup had a perfectly creamy consistency. Not a bit too watery or overly thick. I mean perfect! The beans and farro were also prepared just perfectly, with the faro requiring a tad of a chew to them, giving a nice contrast to the creaminess of the soup. ***Trippe alla Fiorentina*** I always get tripe in Italian restaurants when I see it on a menu. Actually, I love all versions of tripe, including tripe in menudo soup, tripe in Chinese black bean sauce, and definitley Italian-style prepared tripe. This was a stewed-like dish of tripe. It was very tasty and tender, but not swimming in tomato sauce, which some versions of Italian-style tripe dishes can be. It also wasn't overly salted at all. However, you really should love tripe, should you decide to order this, as it is served in a gigantic portion, which was enough for two. However, I enjoyed it so much that I polished off the entire entree myself. Easily the best Italian version of tripe I've ever had, and I've had lots of tripe in my life! ***Tiramisu*** Very rich, creamy and decadent with a strong coffee flavor. If you like tiramisu, get this here. It was a nice sweet ending to a fabulous meal. The contemporary casual atmosphere was intimate and cozy, with high arched brick ceilings. Service was efficient and pleasant. Tip: If you're planning a visit, do yourself a favor and make reservations in advance. Not only does the restaurant fill up quickly, but they take reservations seriously. When we arrived, they had a place card with our name on a very nice situated table that they had reserved for us. I really appreciated that. Excellent all the way around!
This was our first dinner here in Lucca, and my grandma's first authentic Italian dinner. We were recommended this restaurant and so far nothing else has been able to live up to it! The food was excellent and reasonably priced and the overall ambiance was comfortable yet sophisticated. The interior had a truly authentic feel. As for the food we had an antipasti of prosciutto and fresh cheese, a primi of shrimp and artichoke pasta, and several exceptional desserts. We opted for 1/4 liter of the White House wine and it was the perfect amount for two people to share. The staff was all very friendly and welcoming. We plan to return here one more time before our stay in Lucca is over!
When I think of savory Tuscan cooking, I think of Osteria Baralla. This is probably the tastiest rabbit I've ever eaten. For antipasti, don't miss the house-made liver pâté. Finish it all up with a fruit tiramisu --- no coffee or booze, just ladyfingers, cream, and good fruit. Just outside the Amphiteatro area with its patchwork walls (a little Roman here, a little 1800s there, some Middle Ages over on the side), Baralla is tucked on a quiet side street. Decor inside is brick arches and overall pretty mellow --- the focus here is on the food. We ran into a 25-person tour group; they were loud but not obnoxious. Baralla would be even more picturesque on a quieter evening. Did I mention the rabbit?
Osteria Baralla serves traditional Tuscan food in a beautiful location right outside the gate of the Piazza Anfiteatro. Reservations are a must. If you're in the area (and you will be to see the Piazza Anfiteatro), stop by in the afternoon and make a reservation for dinner. When we arrived at 9:30 pm the place was absolutely packed except for our small table for 2. Eating here was a fun experience. It was incredibly loud, boisterious and the service seemed to be on the edge of total collapse. But it never did. In fact, the service was great. Everything arrived quickly and our waitress was efficient and friendly. Well, ok, she did cut me off as I tried to say the name of my dish, but I didn't mind. It was chaotically busy and she didn't have time to listen to my suave attempt at sounding like a local while ridiculously butchering the language. They have a good selection of wines and an interesting choice of local artisan beers. I had a chestnut beer from nearby Garfagnana. It was a welcome change from the weak, watery concoctions Italians like to call beer. My starter was Tordelli lucchesi al ragù, a local speciality of ravioli-like stuffed pasta in a meat sauce. It was delicious and reasonably priced at EUR8. My second course, Agnello nostrale arrosto or roast lamb, was the best lamb I've ever had in my life, hands down. It was also probably the cheapest and biggest serving of lamb I've ever had. For EUR15, you're presented with 3 huge, juicy pieces of leg. It was mind-bogglingly amazing. Due to the noise levels and bustling atmosphere, this restaurant might not be for everyone. If you're hoping to have a quiet, romantic candlelit dinner, this is not the place. Well, at least not at 9:30 pm on a Saturday night. A chilly, mid-week winter evening could be quite different. All in all, we had an overwhelmingly positive experience. Highly recommended.
Everything about this restaurant I loved. The atmosphere, the service, the ambiance, the history. But especially the PESTO which is homemade and hands down the BEST pesto I've ever tasted. I can't even describe the intense richness of the pesto. The first bite my eyes rolled back into my head and my tastebuds were in heaven. The official restaurant name is Osteria Baralla was established in 1860 and is located in the Mid-evil District of Lucca,. read more
8 months ago
July 20/2022: Great dinner in the middle of Lucca, Italy. Here's the blow by blow...Service was excellent. My food was the Asiago W Mushrooms. Right up my alley. Delicious. My main was a typical Tuscan dish of stewed beef with black pepper, herbs & tomato sauce with polenta. Indescribable delicious. Moist, tender, and scrumptious. I'm thinking this is the best meal I've had in Italy! Lost a star cause my dining partners ravioli was salty & al-dente & neither are the way she likes it. I'd do this over again for sure. read more
Every region in Italy has its own unique regional dishes, and we chose Baralla specifically for the farro bean soup, which is well known in Lucca and throughout Tuscany. As it turns out, the traditional bean soup was beyond excellent, and so was everything else. Here's what we enjoyed: ***Mortadella Di Prato*** The very thick slices of mortadella weren't something we see often. This isn't the inexpensive kind of mortadella that you commonly see in sandwiches or in the deli case at your local Italian-American deli. You could noticeably taste the good quality of the meat! The pairing of the pecorino made it even better. But the winning trifecta was the addition of the figs, which took this platter to another level. These figs were amazing!!! They were so ripe, and so easy to eat because they were practically pre-peeled and ready to go. Everything about the platter was so beautifully presented and tasted even better than it looked. Excellent! ***Zuppa di farro Lucchese*** This is what we came here specifically to have, and it exceeded our expectations. We love faro, and we love beans, so this sounded like a great concoction. It's a soup well known in Lucca, which started out as a poor person's soup, because of its simple and inexpensive ingredients. Since then, it has been made by moms and nonnas forever. And now I got to try it IN Lucca. I just wish I grew up with an Italian nonna. The soup had a perfectly creamy consistency. Not a bit too watery or overly thick. I mean perfect! The beans and farro were also prepared just perfectly, with the faro requiring a tad of a chew to them, giving a nice contrast to the creaminess of the soup. ***Trippe alla Fiorentina*** I always get tripe in Italian restaurants when I see it on a menu. Actually, I love all versions of tripe, including tripe in menudo soup, tripe in Chinese black bean sauce, and definitley Italian-style prepared tripe. This was a stewed-like dish of tripe. It was very tasty and tender, but not swimming in tomato sauce, which some versions of Italian-style tripe dishes can be. It also wasn't overly salted at all. However, you really should love tripe, should you decide to order this, as it is served in a gigantic portion, which was enough for two. However, I enjoyed it so much that I polished off the entire entree myself. Easily the best Italian version of tripe I've ever had, and I've had lots of tripe in my life! ***Tiramisu*** Very rich, creamy and decadent with a strong coffee flavor. If you like tiramisu, get this here. It was a nice sweet ending to a fabulous meal. The contemporary casual atmosphere was intimate and cozy, with high arched brick ceilings. Service was efficient and pleasant. Tip: If you're planning a visit, do yourself a favor and make reservations in advance. Not only does the restaurant fill up quickly, but they take reservations seriously. When we arrived, they had a place card with our name on a very nice situated table that they had reserved for us. I really appreciated that. Excellent all the way around! read more
4 years ago
It's always good to trust a recommendation from a local. That was exactly what I did when I bumped into this man on Fillungo who recommended Osteria Baralla. The wine and pasta were delicious and were a perfect lunch meal for a perfect day in Lucca. read more
8 years ago
This was our first dinner here in Lucca, and my grandma's first authentic Italian dinner. We were recommended this restaurant and so far nothing else has been able to live up to it! The food was excellent and reasonably priced and the overall ambiance was comfortable yet sophisticated. The interior had a truly authentic feel. As for the food we had an antipasti of prosciutto and fresh cheese, a primi of shrimp and artichoke pasta, and several exceptional desserts. We opted for 1/4 liter of the White House wine and it was the perfect amount for two people to share. The staff was all very friendly and welcoming. We plan to return here one more time before our stay in Lucca is over! read more
When I think of savory Tuscan cooking, I think of Osteria Baralla. This is probably the tastiest rabbit I've ever eaten. For antipasti, don't miss the house-made liver pâté. Finish it all up with a fruit tiramisu --- no coffee or booze, just ladyfingers, cream, and good fruit. Just outside the Amphiteatro area with its patchwork walls (a little Roman here, a little 1800s there, some Middle Ages over on the side), Baralla is tucked on a quiet side street. Decor inside is brick arches and overall pretty mellow --- the focus here is on the food. We ran into a 25-person tour group; they were loud but not obnoxious. Baralla would be even more picturesque on a quieter evening. Did I mention the rabbit? read more
7 years ago
Ate here twice while in Lucca. It was better for lunch than for dinner, although it was fantastic both times. read more
18 years ago
Osteria Baralla serves traditional Tuscan food in a beautiful location right outside the gate of the Piazza Anfiteatro. Reservations are a must. If you're in the area (and you will be to see the Piazza Anfiteatro), stop by in the afternoon and make a reservation for dinner. When we arrived at 9:30 pm the place was absolutely packed except for our small table for 2. Eating here was a fun experience. It was incredibly loud, boisterious and the service seemed to be on the edge of total collapse. But it never did. In fact, the service was great. Everything arrived quickly and our waitress was efficient and friendly. Well, ok, she did cut me off as I tried to say the name of my dish, but I didn't mind. It was chaotically busy and she didn't have time to listen to my suave attempt at sounding like a local while ridiculously butchering the language. They have a good selection of wines and an interesting choice of local artisan beers. I had a chestnut beer from nearby Garfagnana. It was a welcome change from the weak, watery concoctions Italians like to call beer. My starter was Tordelli lucchesi al ragù, a local speciality of ravioli-like stuffed pasta in a meat sauce. It was delicious and reasonably priced at EUR8. My second course, Agnello nostrale arrosto or roast lamb, was the best lamb I've ever had in my life, hands down. It was also probably the cheapest and biggest serving of lamb I've ever had. For EUR15, you're presented with 3 huge, juicy pieces of leg. It was mind-bogglingly amazing. Due to the noise levels and bustling atmosphere, this restaurant might not be for everyone. If you're hoping to have a quiet, romantic candlelit dinner, this is not the place. Well, at least not at 9:30 pm on a Saturday night. A chilly, mid-week winter evening could be quite different. All in all, we had an overwhelmingly positive experience. Highly recommended. read more
9 years ago
Came on a Wednesday night, was seated right away. Nice ambiance, especially the rustic brick walls. Had the Ravioli and it was delicious! Never had authentic ravioli so I'm thinking this was it. The red wine was a great supplement to the dish. read more
9 years ago
Best food we ate all week in Italy. Fantastic homemade pastas, amazing Lamb dish and to die for antipastis. Can't recommend it enough. read more
13 years ago
7 years ago
12 years ago
Yes. It's done right. Luccans, Tuscans, Italians, Europeans, Aliens can all enjoy. Fantastico!!!! read more
13 years ago
11 years ago
