Absolutely BLOWN AWAY by the service, the FOOD (yumm) and the ambience of this establishment! Firstly, my deep appreciation for Jackie Bonnano allowing us to dine here to make it right after a rather awful experience at Russell's Smokehouse. Let's just they they outdid themselves! The place itself is cute and simple, with just the right touch of decor. Jim the General Manager is an absolute delight and such a wealth of knowledge when it comes to wine (a true sommelier). He made sure everything was PERFECT at all times for the guests dining (not just us, but everyone there and at ALL TIMES). David our server was A-Mazing! He was super friendly and attentive, but didn't overly hover (we didn't mind even if he did because we felt like we actually made a friend ). Both the GM and our server continually made sure we had fresh silverware and wine pairings for every course. They even cleaned the table throughout the meal! The meal was spaced just right so we always had room for what was coming next. The food is outta control! I had the New York Strip and it was PERFECTLY cooked and my parents had the Fiscilli (you HAVE to try this pasta dish with truffles.. OH MY GOD!!!) and the braised short ribs. My Dad said it was the best braised ribs he had had... EVER! We had Tiramisu for dessert and I don't suggest leaving without trying some. It's the perfect finishing polish to the meal! Overall, we were HIGHLY impressed and plan on trying their other concepts soon such as Mizuna! Thank you Luca and BRAVO!!! 5 Stars!!! read more

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Horrible wait times. They don't warn you. First time we came it was a table of 4. Slow slow slow service and no explanation. Second time we tried to come, their system kicked us off their wait list. Awful place. read more

Top notch! Love it! Becoming one of our favorite spots because of the outstanding service and great food. Great experience.

Everything from Luca is always amazing. My favs are the burrata, bolognese and wild mushroom pizza!

Celebrated my daughter's 33rd birthday there last evening. They required proof of vaccination upon entering. It made me very safe against Covid. We were provided with complimentary glasses of champagne to begin our celebration! The service was exceptional, & the food was delicious!! All at a reasonable price for the quality of food that we were served. Again, our dessert was complimentary in celebration. We will definitely be back! read more

Our visit to Luca was one of the worst meals I have ever had. The meal was way overpriced, the food was almost inedible, the wait staff was rude, and I even saw a cockroach in the restroom. Wonder if they had rats in the kitchen. So, do yourself a favor and avoid this dog of a restaurant (which really isn't fair to the good dogs out there). ONE-STAR. read more

While the food and service may be stellar, I have tried making a reservation for over a week for a special event. I have filled out the on-line reservation request several times and have left voice messages daily, to no avail. I love this restaurant but I am extremely disappointed that I have not received a follow-up call. I wanted to celebrate by birthday with and have been trying to get a reservation for 10 people on Dec. 28th at 6:30 p.m. I have called during open business hours and have been left on hold until the call is dropped. I have done everything except drive down in person to make a reservation. Fortunately, there are other restaurants in the area that were more than willing to accept my reservation. read more

Literally devastated. I just spent $230 to have the most bland meal of my life. Do not get the swordfish whatever you do; it's all the same beige color and they haven't learned about using salt yet. We had to ask for our wine pairings and utensils with every course and the *chef* pretended not to hear us when we asked for forks for our gross beige swordfish. I'm so sad. I wish I would have done literally anything else with my life tonight. I have never felt so held hostage by a tasting menu. We asked for the check before dessert got there. Of course our wine pairing didn't come out with it but whatever, we were done asking for every component of our meal. read more

I think I've fallen in love??? Came here on a whim and it was spectacular! Every single person was so nice to us! WE MET FRANK!!! Joey and sam were awesome! We got house burrata , zucchini , bucatini pomodoro and the lobster fra diavolo. All delicious my personal favorite was the bucatini!! Also their cocktails are so good! read more

On the same weekend as an abysmal adventure to Milk Bar/Dairy Block, I was invited to and expected to be nice dinner at Luca. Luca has been around for quite a while. My last visit was when it was still Luca De Italia, it was light and airy, now the name has been shortened to just Luca, and the place has gone dark and gotten dark... Luca was for some time the standard for Italian in Denver. It seems that the standards have raised--Bar Dough and Dio Mio--and Luca has stumbled. The decor is dark, eclectic, early last century dungeon comes to mind, flaming wall torches would complete the feel. Drinks were okay, not high-level mixologist level, I had a basil swamp-water looking but tasty thing. My dining mates had similar cocktails that were fine. The food: we ordered meat & cheese plater to share, it was fine, not very unique, a decently stocked fridge could be the same adventure. The dinner entree selection was basic red-sauce joint adventurous, not much too exciting, but then even a 63 degree egg with Carbonara isn't that exotic any longer. The weakest link to Luca, was service. Maybe it's the training, maybe it's labor shortages, our served doubling as barkeep seemed harried, this in a half-full room. When our pastas came out the longer haired food runner/server plopped them unceremoniously on the table; no effort was made to get the monogram at the top, no ground pepper or grated cheese offered. But as a negative to tip and bottom line, we were never offered wine. Granted we ordered cocktails before anything, but it was also brought up that we would have wine with dinner. But no one offered... by this time the bloom was off the rose and we each inferred that eat and go away seemed to be the desire. Dessert be damned, ice cream elsewhere. read more

We stumbled upon this place after a mix up with other reservations. I cannot describe how happy we were with this "accident". From the start, service was impeccable and made us feel welcome - Jessica is the best hostess we've met...and our entire party has been in F&B for years. Brian was our bartender & was superb. Start to finish the experience was lovely, the food was amazing & the libations were perfect. Book a table, go be part of the family! read more

Super disappointed. My parents had been before and were big fans, so made reservations for my moms birthday. Wait staff did not come to our table for 20 min despite empty restaurant. and that continued through evening. Over staffed ( the "salumi" slicer literally did nothing the entire time we were there) and yet no one acknowledged our table. Incredible given the amount of money we spent. please do not spend your well earned money and your few outings on this waste of an excuse for an experience. Not sure what happened to Frank Bonanno but I don't think this is what he designed for a Bonanno experience. (Also when the pony tailed manager has pressured speech, it just make you wonder how they are spending their Happy Staff Tip.) read more

We moved my daughter to Denver last weekend. Heard about this restaurant from a local and decided to try. Food is outstanding. Started with the charcuterie board. 5 stars. Everyone's pasta was also outstanding. Service couldn't have been better. Will be back for sure. read more

Luca - Chef's Meat & Cheese - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

It's been a few years since we ate at Luca. We actually wanted to eat at Fruition but they were on summer break. I remember a rabbit dish "three ways" in the $20's. Their menu has changed. Now all entrees at $34; we ordered the scallops - 3 large ones. It was a saturday night and they were full/busy. The service was great; wish the food was as good. Had a calamari appetizer which was ok; a lot of flavors & spices - too many. Then the house salad which was good. Third dish was wild boar pasta; to much spice and salt - you couldn't tell what it was. The scallops were the best part. Had a cab/merlot @$14 a glass was very good. Two of us shared everything and we were too full to have desert. With 3 glasses of wine the bill came to $136 w tax. read more

After wanting to eat here for awhile my friend Emily and I decided to walk and and try for a girls night and celebrating my birthday. We were seated on the patio which was lovely. Our server Joey was incredible! He made us feel so taken care of with a welcome champagne and take home tiramisu. Thank you Joey! And the food was amazing!! Highly recommend the "tiny pillow" butter nut squash ravioli. read more

I dined in last night (Oct 22nd) with some friends, and was absolutely appalled by the hostess that was working, and her behavior. She was rude, consistently had a nasty look on her face, and her temperament was short. I witnessed her being extremely rude to people who came into the restaurant to pick up food, and I saw her walk out of the restaurant verbally assaulting a woman. The food here is good (I would give the restaurant a 4), but it has major staffing issues. Being rude to people who come into your restaurant for any reason is unacceptable. I will think twice before returning or ordering anything online from Luca. When I saw her run outside my mouth dropped to the floor. My husband told me that I should write a review rather than talk to management. We are both under the impression that that type of behavior form Luca's staff must be encouraged if that young lady felt bold enough to not only be nasty to the customers dining in, but to the people picking up food. There is NO excuse for that type of behavior or customer service...ever. read more

I love this place! The food and cocktails are so legit and the staff are super friendly. The Wild Mushroom Fusilli is probably my favorite thing on the menu, but the spaghetti is also DELICIOUS and I would eat both everyday if I could. I pretty much always get the Banderos cocktail or a Pamplemousse Spritz, so if you're into that sort of thing you gotta try them! read more

Luca - Spaghetti & Pamplemousse Spritz - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Disappointed...we had high hopes for this place after reading all the good reviews. It was pricey ($150 for dinner for two with one glass of wine). We certainly don't mind spending money on good food but this just wasn't that great. For this price point, we expected way more. We tried the grilled octopus, half order of the traditional Bolognese Ragù and Tagliatelle Lobster Fra Diavolo, short ribs, cod and bread pudding. The good: loved both of the pastas, especially the lobster one. Wish I had just ordered a big portion of the lobster pasta. You can order half orders. The portions were tiny but the taste was worth it. The sauce had a nice kick to it and there were big chunks of lobster in the dish. The bread pudding was also delicious. We loved the hostess, she was really friendly and brought my husband a glass of complimentary bubbly since it was his birthday celebration. Then it kind of went downhill. We really didn't like any of the other dishes besides the pastas. The short ribs were dry and the cod seemed almost undercooked. For a $34 dish, I expected a bit more than two small pieces of undercooked fish. The cod at Sushi Den is WAYYY better. The grilled octopus was totally burnt and tasted like it. When we told our server, all he said was "oh". It was also bit irritating that they kind of nickle and dime: they charged for a side of bread. Seriously? You'd think three slices of bread would come with $150 Italian dinner. And they charge extra if you want a different flavored gelato on your dessert. These are small things of course but at this caliber of restaurant, expected better. We will definitely not be back. There are too many other great places in Denver. read more

Luca - This lobster pasta was one of the few things we liked and it was delicious - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

If you want to spend a lot of money for not particularly great food, this is the place for you. The food sounds really good and for the most part, it was decent. However, the portions do not match the price tags. When I go to an italian place, I want some nice bread, not weird hard breadstick things. My fiance and I love a nice meal out, but we just felt like we were missing something here. Everyone else seemed to be loving their meals, but even with server input, I was disappointed. There are certainly better italian restaurants in Denver and if you're going to spend 150+ on dinner, this is not the place to do it. The restaurant needs to up their portion sizes or lower their prices. This is just an okay meal with a trumped up price tag and small plates. read more

Mwah! Delicious classic Italian food with a classy vibe. I somehow missed coming to this Denver staple until this weekend, and boy was I missing out! Luca does amazing cocktails, of course has a fantastic wine list, and the service measures up to what you would expect from a classy Italian spot. Their menu is extensive, but I can honestly say everything we ate I would order again. The red sauces have that savory garlic flavor you crave, and the scallops are cooked to perfection. I wish we had saved room for dessert- they looked amazing! Save this place for a fancy date night- you're sure to impress with the food, service, and atmosphere. read more

First off, I'm in the camp of folks who get frustrated when people poorly review a restaurant based on quantity vs. price. If you want a huge serving of cheap food, please just go to Denny's. Next! My friends and I indulged in the chef's tasting menu, paired with wine. We all agreed that it was one of the best meals of our lives - everything was simply amazing, from the service, to the presentation, to the food. I won't list the items we ate since everything changes so frequently, but my meal at Luca definitely inspired me to get more creative with what I cook at home. Word to the wise: If you're going to get the tasting menu paired with wine, DON'T stop off for a drink before arriving at the restaurant. I could barely finish the last glass of wine, and I hold my liquor quite well. It's a ton of food, and a lot of wine. :) Ah, one other note - if you do the menu paired with wine, the sommelier gives a wonderful description of each and every glass as it comes out. Two of my dining companions are definite oenophiles, so they really enjoyed that experience. The sommelier was kind, informative, and not at all pretentious. So, now for the where everyone gets to laugh at me. I was getting ready to take a picture of the wine station, and this semi-bald dude jumps in the shot and smiles. I pulled back, all "WTF?" (Thankfully I didn't say that out loud.) He gave a friendly laugh, waved, and walked away. The sommelier came over... also laughing... just said, "That was Frank Bonanno." D'OH! read more

Man, do I feel retarded in this sophisticated restaurant. With words like fumet, fagiolo, bechemele, fritta, etc. on the menu, I thought they were using obscene words or something. The entrees are pretty good, although they are nothing special. I've tried the squash blossoms, seafood lasagnette, sea scallops, and seared halibut; all were delicious, but nothing overly wow'ed me. My favorite is probably the seafood lasagnette; I could easily get other entrees elsewhere for less. The ambiance is romantic and refined. Although I had a nice meal here, I probably won't return any time soon. I'm taking my money to places where I can get unique foods (and decode the vernacular better). Wow, vernacular, big word. 1 star off: price 1 star off: I'm way too fritta immature for this place read more

I went to Luca over the weekend for a nice meal and they did not disappoint. I ordered the mozzarella appetizer, Pappardelle Bolognese and my boyfriend ordered the Chicken Parm. All were extremely tasty, fresh and worth the price. They make the ingredients fresh and the staff is very passionate about the freshness of the food. Our server was extremely knowledgeable about the wine menu and he made us feel extremely comfortable because the menu was a bit overwhelming. If you feel you have eaten to much, its a great neighborhood to walk off the meal. Pros: Taste, Service, Ambiance Cons: Parking (ride share if you can) read more

Been to Mizuna. And Osteria Marco. In that order. Luca's been the elusive one, until now. The Space: (And logo) don't quite match up in the quality of the meal. Leaves something to be desired, but with good company and a good meal, those things can be overlooked, unnoticed, or easily forgotten/forgiven. The Food: Exquisite. Loved it all from the amuse bouche to the wine to the pastas, rabbit, and rhubarb tart dessert. I'm partial to butternut squash ravioli, and Luca's was incredible. They also have a great bread selection - a mixture of ones they bake themselves and ones they get fresh daily from a local bakery. The Service: Attentive + helpful with recommendations on wine and menu items. Other Random Tips: Make a reservation. It's just a good rule of thumb at any restaurant with a good rep. And ask for the table with the kitchen view. If you're open to it, heed the recommendation of your server. I had a bad experience with rabbit previously, and was reluctant, but he sold me on it. And I'm glad he did. The Rabbit Three Ways was amazing, to say the least. Lancer Lounge and Gov'r Park are both within a block or two away, if you're looking for pre/post-dinner drinks. read more

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First of all, I like this place. So don't get me wrong. The menu looks great. Super Tuscan 2006 was good and solid. The grilled octopus' preparation was odd. It was way too spicy to my liking and I couldn't taste the flavor of the " octopus ". They charge for a basket of bread and some of the bread was not completely cooked. Pappardelle Bolognese Ragu was tasty. We ordered the entree size and it was very small. I must say friendly staff and classy atmosphere helped a lot. But, service was very slow and we were there for a very long time. They brought my husband the wrong wine after he tasted one. They were very good-natured about it and apologized and took it off the check which is always nice. These things happen and we understand. I will come back to try other menu items. read more

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Look...you've done no bigger disservice to yourself than not coming to Luca. My boyfriend and I have come here many times since the start of 2020 and it is an Italian dream. Carli has been our waiter nearly every time and has been incredible-Every. Single. Time. She remembers our drink and food orders and is a ray of sunshine-can we even ask for anything more? No. Where else will you find that?! Nowhere. The answer is nowhere. Okay okay...so the food though. What's it about? It's all about rocking your world with perfectly blended flavors and textures. The focaccia?!!! I could live the rest of my life eating only this. It is perfection. Wild mushroom fusilli? A. Goddamn. Dream. Hold me to it-I stand by it. Please for the love of all things good, make a reservation and come here. Cocktails? Deconstructed grapefruit. Done! Superb! Old fashioned? Freaking phenomenal. Bless your own life with this experience-don't just take my advice, love it yourself and become an enlightened human being. You'll never be the same after. read more

We started going to Luca last Valentine's Day (2021) and since then it has become our go to celebration/special dinner spot. The food is incredible and very authentic Italian. Probably the most authentic I have found in Denver, and just to give a background, I studied culinary in Italy and am part Italian. The food may be out of this world, but the staff is what makes it even more special. They constantly make you feel special and take care of you. Tonight we experienced possibly our last dinner there before moving and celebrated our anniversary. To say they took care of us is an understatement. Their kindness and genuine care for their customer is something all restaurants should strive for. They made me cry tonight from just pure awe and happiness. We are really going to miss the food and more importantly those who cook and serve it and make the experience so much more. Thank you Luca, but especially thank you Carli and James! read more

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I rarely write bad reviews because it's just something that someone from the industry doesn't do. We just don't return. But this place was terrible. The service was horrendous...the servers were confused and no one seemed to know who was assigned to our table. No one greet us at our table and It took about 15 mins just even order drinks. The food was mediocre. Worst part of it all was that anything that was placed on the grill tasted like gas full of carcinogens. I will keep the rest to myself and just never return. read more

Had a delicious dinner here and want to give a shout out to Colin, the most enthusiastic waiter ever. I have never encountered anyone who seemed so genuinely excited to be at work, waiting tables. The food (hand pulled burrata, papardelle bolognese...) was great, but Colin really made the evening great. Fantastic cocktails too! read more

This was a tough review for me to write as we have had a 3-star experience and a 5-star experience. As such, I split the difference and went with 4-stars. To be fair, our 3-start experience was during Denver restaurant week which can be a hit or miss experience. We had written Lucca off until a few of our friends asked if we would meet them there for dinner. Our second experience was divine and I'm sure we will be back to try it again. The location makes parking a little tough. I believe they valet on the weekends but otherwise you might be hunting for a spot in the surrounding area. The restaurant is very cozy and intimate which makes for a great date night spot or a more intimate dinner with friends. We sat near the meat & cheese guy which was a lot of fun. With regards to food - if you are a fan of a good charcuterie board, please treat yourself and order Luca's. I would recommend going with the chef's choice. We had a little bit of everything and it was delish. The meats had a nice salty flavor and the cheeses were fresh and tangy. For mains, I ordered the pasta special (which rotates). My husband went with the chicken parm which was delish. The chicken was stuffed full with mozzarella that just oozed out ensuring you had lots of cheesy goodness in every bite. As I mentioned, we will definitely be back. Hope that its a 5-star rather than the 3-star experience. read more

My BF likes Luca when he's in an Italian mood so I've visited a couple of times. Each visit had been good, service is on point and the food is good. We started off with the tri colore salad which was nice and fresh. I opted for the brick chicken which was a huge portion, lots of chicken all thigh which wasn't that big of a deal but not my favorite. He opted for the swordfish which looked and tasted better. I'm not sure how dressy it is, most guys were in sport coats and each visit I feel like I'm a little underdressed. Oh well, I'll be back. read more

Luca is excellent. The meat and cheese board is generous, so be sure you are sharing with a few friends (or order fewer plates than you originally intended). The charcuterie was great, as were the cheeses. And mascarpone mostarda? A delicious surprise. Butternut squash agnolotti (sp?) was flavorful and delicious, with a brown butter sauce that made it tempting to eat it with a spoon. Cauliflower fritto was perfect--not undercooked, not mushy or greasy. And the brick chicken was everything that is great about roasted chicken. Simple and delicious. As with any Bonnano restaurant, service was excellent. Like a fine-dining establishment, servers were attentive but not overbearing, and they were always when we needed them. Our server also gained extra points when I asked her to bring me whatever wine she recommended with my food. She brought me a wine so delicious I had to write it down so I can ask for it again next time. I can't wait to go back. Oh, and a tip: make a reservation--they get busy. read more

I'll start with the good: The food was GREAT. We could taste the fresh ingredients and see the thoughtful menu planning. My boyfriend and I got the 4 course meal + a bottle of wine for $50. Which was an incredible deal for the price and the amount of food we got. I am not sure how long this is running but get in there ASAP to take advantage of it. Choice of red or white wine, a cheese plate, a salad, choice of pasta and choice of pizza. We did house red wine, the lobster pasta and the margarita pizza. Lots of real lobster chunks in the pasta, perfectly cooked pizza and the freshest salad and cheese. Ok, now on to the bad/ ugly: The service. I know the European dining style is slower which America has ruined due to fast food BUT this wasn't a style of service thing, this was just poor service. It was extremely slow which would have been fine but there was no communication from our server. He would just avoid us. Then if you are going to be slow, at least offer more alcohol. Guaranteed item to make guest happy. My glass/ bottle had been empty for maybe 20 minutes and it wasn't until we were polishing off the last of our pizza that I was offered another glass. The check could have been $100 more for him if he kept coming around! The place isn't even that big (maybe 15 tables?) . I will definitely go back and give this place another try because the food was so good and hope the service redeems itself. read more

Sadly we spent New Years Eve here. The restaurant was so cold, that many people kept their coats on the entire meal. I literally couldn't feel my feet by the time we left. I witnessed the hostess bringing out a space heater to turn on in the other side of the room. For a $200.00 meal, the food was just "ok" and my lobster dish was so spicy I could not even eat it. The wait staff didn't even ask why it was going back without being finished. We love this chain of restaurants, however we won't be back to Luca. Sadly Luca this was a cold hard fail..... read more

LUCA is completely OVERRATED...too expensive for average Italian food. The waitron recommended the 'house red'...it was $18/glass...WTF? Disregard all of the 5 star reviews...I'm telling you the truth...the place is ridiculous. read more

We also went to Luca for Denver Restaurant Week - our second visit here. (Our first was so amazing, we've raved about it -- but it was 1.5 years ago or so and I guess things change.) I will say everything was fine. But. When we first looked at the menu (which was different from when I reserved for restaurant week -- a disappointment although understandable with the "seasonal/housemade" emphasis of this spot), I could tell right away everything was designed to be made ahead. That was OK, because we had limited time that night, and told our waiter we would need to be out in about an hour. Our waiter was either new or just not good. He asked immediately when we sat down, "So, do you know what you want to drink?" We said we needed to look at the menu, and he vanished. When he came back 10 minutes later, we ordered food & drink to accommodate our time frame. Eventually, our appetizers came, with no drinks in sight until we were halfway through the apps. The sage cavatelli was good. The salad was extremely peppery (and I'm not a fan) and otherwise very bland, with the exception of a piece of stinky cheese and a slice of tasty sausage. The pork conserva was delicious, although a bit too salty. The breads were fine, the lardo delicious. We ordered coffee and dessert and those arrived as expected. The panna cotta was good, not fantastic, it was what we expected but not something we would have ordered. Then we finished our meal and sat, and sat, and sat, waiting for the check, and then waiting and waiting for the server to return with our credit card slip to sign -- we waited nearly 10 minutes to pay, sitting at an empty table with other customers waiting for our table and our needing to leave (late, as it happened). Overall, it was better than average, but the service was surprising, and unfortunately, I can think of other spots to spend $100+ on a "discount" night that made us feel like the restaurant thought we were a cheap date. read more

Just went to Luca last night to try out their new menu and check out its new younger vibe. The food was probably the best I have had anywhere in Colorado. 5 of us each go something different and shared. The rib eye and the pizza were my favorite. The new vibe is more casual and definitely more inviting to a younger crowd! I'm 26 and somethings on the menu I could not afford but it has a nice range of prices and the service is amazing. I'm a huge fan of their meat and cheese plates, the smoked mozzarella was to die for! If you live in the Cap Hill area you have to check out the new and improved Luca! Nice for a date or to catch up with friends after a long week! Plus, Frank Bonanno is the man, all of his restaurants are incredible! read more

Luca - Sausage Pizza. Incredible! And light! - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Was visiting Denver (from Chicago) with my wife and two boys (Marco and Luca) and decided to stop by for dinner. The food and service were excellent! We had pizza, burrata chicken parmesean and parpadelle bolognese. They offered a 4 course dinner for two special (Thursdays) for $50 which included wine, but we passed since we were in a hurry and had to get the kids back home for bed. We were seated by an open air window which was also great! They offer free valet service (around the corner) so you don't have to worry about where to park. I would highly recommend this place. read more

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Great service. Great food. Loved everything about my experience to Luca. So much better than neighboring Italian restaurants

I tried Luca for the first time since moving to Denver. I live in its neighborhood. Ordered the mushroom fusilli, the shaved brussels salad, and chicken parm. It was immediately evident that every dish is high quality and homemade. The fresh pasta makes all the difference! read more