Luca has earned all of the stars! Everything from the service to the food to the timing to the atmosphere was perfect. It had been awhile since I had sat down to one of those, "OMG, everything is so amazing" meals where you just keep repeating over and over how good everything is. The menu is almost too good. I couldn't decide what I wanted because I was faced with far too many choices. Fortunately, everyone else was in the same boat, so we decided to just go for it and order everything to share. We started with a meat and cheese plate, the grilled octopus and some spiced mixed nuts. Between the 5 of us, we cleaned every last plate. There wasn't a crumb left, and we all got to experience every delicious option on the cheese and meat board. The octopus was smoky and tender. The nuts were addictive. My friend and I split a pizza, and each ordered a half order of pasta. The others ordered two half orders each, or a full order. The pizza wasn't huge, but it was perfect for sharing. The pesto on it was so flavorful and tasty, and the crust was to die for. When my pasta first came out, I was concerned that it was going to be too small, but after the first bite, I understood. I ordered the cavatelli with shrimp and sausage, and it was so rich, and the pasta was so perfectly cooked. For dessert (yeah, we were hungry), I ordered the almond cake at the suggestion of the waitress. She was dead on. It was one of the best things I've ever eaten. Crispy and crunchy with lots of texture, and the portion was massive. But I finished it...don't judge me. My friends got the pear creme brulee, which I actually loved, and I don't usually care for creme brulee. My boyfriend very much enjoyed his spumoni. I seriously can't wait to go back. Frank Bonnano does not mess around. read more

See all

I miss Luca so much! I think it was my favorite spot in Denver. Used to stop here often for their happy hour. The last time I went they had just switched up their HH menu and had actually removed the mushroom fusilli and I think when the bartender noticed I was about to cry on the spot he was so nice and offered it anyway since it used to be on the HH menu. Just miss their old happy hour menu so much! The fusilli, the calamari, burrata and pizza are incredible food options! Since I love the mushroom fusilli so much and practically dream about it I haven't ventured out too far but I'm sure you couldn't go wrong with anything on the menu. Cons- there's not a ton of parking. Unless you do the valet but sometimes if you go early enough you can catch a spot on the street. Outside of happy hour it can be a little on the pricier side for a random Wednesday night dinner. Pros- a "fancier" happy hour option, a place you can hear who you're with talking, yummy drinks and food, learn about their sister restaurants for places to go next time, friendly people. Good date spot. read more

We had a very nice experience here on the night after Christmas (a Thursday, around 6:15). Got seated within 10 minutes of arrival. Room was lively. I think we lucked into the last of their "Two for Thursday" special menu nights. Two of us ate great for $50, and it included a bottle of wine. Best deal I've lucked into in a long time. Server was terrific and the staff seemed relaxed and happy. The reviews here seem harsh. We really enjoyed ourselves here! read more

We were with our daughter and her boyfriend and were looking for a local italian restaurant. We wanted to go to Olivias but it was booked up. My daughter found Luca online and the reviews looked great so we went. With all due respect I am very surprised by the great reviews. While my chicken parmesan was ok, certainly not great, both my dad who had the same dish and myself got sick shortly after leaving. My daughter ordered the lobster pasta dish which the waiter highly recommended and the lobster was both slimy and undercooked. My daughter asked me not to say anything but simply pushed it aside and ate the pasta. I tried it and agreed it did not taste like properly cooked lobster. What really irked all of us was that for highly priced mediocre food and very average service the waiter came by when he presented the bill and told us there was a service charge because of how hard the staff works. I was amazed when he told us it was 22 percent! Now mind you i always like to tip well but that is my choice to do so. And this charge is not based on service since its added whether the service is good or not. Is it my fault there is runaway inflation in this country? Clearly the food there is priced high enough to account for the costs of the staff. The waiter also said this service charge is the only reason he continues to work at this restaurant. Does this entitled jerk realize that he can be replaced with anyone? All in all this was a real downer after a great evening w family. The food again was merely average at best. They can take their service charge and continue to stick where the sun doesnt shine. We will NEVER frequent that place again and are making sure to tell all of our friends who feel the exact same way. Hopefully enough people stand up for this garbage in our society and do the same thing. read more

This restaurant was one of my favorites in Denver we found this restaurant after going to "do the zoo". The fusili wild mushroom pasta, the Bolognese, and cáprese salad were all amazing. The service was impeccable and the tiramisu was a nice touch. Great ambience and fresh air in the private dining area. read more

Luca - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Had a great Valentine's Day with my girlfriend at Lucas. The Valentine's Day menu was to die for, compliments to the chef and who ever else helped curate such a fantastic menu for the night. The bread and butter first served was one of our favorite butters we ever had we're still talking about it today and that's just the butter, so you can imagine how good everything else was. I'm usually not a salad eater at all but man did I love the pear arugula burrata salad, the burrata was soooo tasty made the salad easy to eat. I had a tasty $5 IPA to enjoy with my meal as well. They brought out a tasty fried cheese type of appetizer and it was very yummy and crispy. It was all spaced out perfectly so we weren't dying for more food nor were we full we were eager for more. Each time they brought out new clean silverware for each dish in a timely manner. Next came out the lobster agnolotti in a pink sauce and I wish it was bigger because it was sooo tasty, who doesn't love lobster! Next game the main entree filet mignon with like their specialty mashed potatoes underneath and white asparagus. Perfect meal for a beautiful valentines dinner out steaks were cooked to perfection and my girlfriend literally said while eating it "it's melting in her mouth" 10/10 steak wasn't too small either good portion. Lastly we had a tasty chocolaty desert that is posted in the picture. Great place great vibe high quality italian food I would definitely recommend this place whenever your craving a high end Italian restaurant. I do not remember our serves name due to no fault of his but we were sitting in the far right corner by the window and the fireplace and we were the first 5 o clock reservation. Please let him know thank you for us ! It was our last Valentine's Day not being parents our baby will be born in 3 weeks ! And my girlfriend said the baby was moving a lot after dinner which means she loved it as well! Thanks again Luca ! read more

Luca - Desert and spritzer - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Outstanding! What else can be said? Food was prepared exactly as it should be, and the service was impeccable. Strongly recommend

Another one of Bonano's empire bites the dust. Dark, blaring '90's pop music, the manager dancing and ignoring customers, one overwhelmed server for eight tables, an over priced, limited menu with over-priced wine. We ordered salumi & cheese and two salads. All were served together to our two-top. Salad had no dressing & no salt. The salumi was served with wet, fried dough-disgusting sensation on the bite. Then we waited and waited for our tagliatelle with l and radiatori with lamb ragu read more

Luca is by far the most refreshing meal, service, and ambience. The cozy warmth of a small dining room, warm conversations, and a bustling kitchen which you can see through glass windows is a familiar yet exciting setting. we chose the chefs tasting new accompanied with the wine pairing. To start, a champagne toast for first timers was graciously accepted, followed by a guidance of the evenings surprises. Red wines that one might not otherwise chose for themselves were placed alongside delightful breads, salumi, and of course the to-die-for burrata. Course after course the stories of the wines to be paired with next courses piqued curiosity. The evening ended with the most delicious dessert paired with an almost-Port wine, reminding us of honeymoon nights. The music, staff, and guests all played a part in the most genuinely magical dinner - the stars of the night being the attentive staff, variety of satisfied guests, and the reminder that Luca will be around to host many more nights like this one. Cheers for the reminder that there are meals that make time stop, laughs never ending, and a good pair to pair it with! Thank you, Luca. read more

Wow. What can I say?! Came here after a recommendation by a fellow Yelper. Everything was absolutely amazing. Ordered: Escargot Grilled Octopus Aged NY Strip Tagliarini Pomegranate and toasted almond gelato. Would highly recommend. Forgot to take photos because everything was way too delicious to wait before diving in. read more

Scallops and chicken parm were amazing. Complimentary anniversary champagne. Highly recommend.

Don't know what happened last night -- short staffed in the kitchen maybe? The service was astounding; the food, not even just okay -- she had the fish, super minimal, really dry and salty. My pizza was so salty, none of the ingredients even mattered. Loved the Prosecco and focaccia extras, but man, the stuff you come for the most -- the food -- didn't show up for the dinner shift. read more

Oh luca! Probably one of the most expensive place I've ever ate at but I had a great time. Parking was only street parking around the area. Atmosphere was very warm and there is an unspoken dress code so fellas make sure you pull out that button up in the back of the closet. We ordered the truffle pasta and the bone marrow pasta and a beef tar tar appetizer. Warning the half sizes are a size of a small appetizer plate. I love the truffle pasta it had a nice earthy. Both pastas had great chew and you can tell it was freshly hand made. Waitress was very nice, she came back and checked in on us multiple times throughout. To Wrap it up we spent a good hundred dollars on tonight on good pasta. Would I come back? Probably not but it's only because I'm not a fancy type of guy but I love trying new things. read more

See all

very delicious food! our server could've checked on us more but the food made up for it. the burrata to start alongside meatballs we got two pasta entries and worked well for the five of us. if you have big stomachs like us maybe one more pasta entree. would 100% come back! read more

The service here is outstanding and the burrata is amazing. I'm not usually a big duck fan, but the duck two ways was awesome. Unfortunately, the waiter said that the duck dish was being taken off the menu when they switch to the summer menu, but I'm sure whatever it is replaced with will be just as good. The restaurant itself is small but cute and homey. I can't wait to go back and try more of their pastas. read more

Went tonight for dinner. Had an amazing experience. We sat outside at a table but the entire restaurant was following Covid guidelines and it felt super safe and clean. Had the table outside and got apps and drinks before entree. Don't remember my servers name because everyone in the restaurant came and helped out deliver food and refill drinks and check in. Even if something was off( which it wasn't) the staff was so attentive and on top of it that it would have been corrected immediately. The menu said the chef is Matt and he is killing it. Every dish was delicious and prepared/ served perfectly. I'm def coming back again soon and I highly recommend this spot to all my friends and anyone reading. Keep up the great work and management please give the staff all the props read more

My new favorite happy hour spot in Denver. Italian food at its finest. Exceptional service. Perfect place for a romantic fine dining evening. read more

See all

The only reason I did not give Luca one star is the amazing marinara sauce on the Chicken Parmesan. For four people at happy hour, dinner was $220. We ordered a bottle of wine ($56 for a mediocre Rose), 3 appetizers, 3 salads, 2 entrees, and 2 pastas. However, we left hungry still.... everything was tiny. Chicken on Chicken Parmesan was burnt, and prosciutto on scallops was burnt. The risotto that was with the scallops was gummy, and the scallops were rocky. Peach salad and grilled romaine salad were super smoky. Saltimbocca had hardly any prosciutto or cheese. Chicken Parmesan was supposed to be burrata stuffed, but it had only a thin amount of mozzarella. Wine was all super overpriced. Dinner took 2 hours in total. I would not go back or recommend it. There are so many amazing Italian restaurants in Denver. Go elsewhere. read more

Really good food, super service, and enjoyable atmosphere. Had the prosciutto -- delicious and risotto, also great--but if you are looking for overwhelming flavors, pick something different. It is tasty without being overpowering. Super dessert as well. read more

I can't say enough nice things about Luca - the food is fantastic, the service is impeccable and you feel welcomed from the moment you enter (with Jessica greeting you and could even remember your name after only one visit). I still dream about the raw brussels sprout salad - just the right mix of tang, crunch and umami. Every pasta and entrée I have had was also excellent. Anyone who is lucky enough to live in Denver should go here regularly and those who like me visit, should never miss the opportunity to stop in. read more

Luca is a nice break from the usual Capital Hill finds, with its upscale menu and large list of wines. This is normally an establishment that I would award four out of five stars. So, why on earth did I allow my supposedly possessed mouse to give it only two? From the moment we stepped into Luca, we were greeted and seated promptly. The wait staff was knowledgeable and had their service nicely timed with our needs. The food was fresh, imaginative, and tasteful on the palate. From the flavors of the Beet and Spinach salads we ordered, to the Lamb and Pork entrees paired with a great wine at the suggestion of our waiter. After such an amazing meal, why do I still have such a bitter taste in my mouth? We were conversing about how much tip to leave, when the General Manager interrupted us. "Is there anything I can help you with?" he said in a very condescending tone, as he hoovered over our table, eying our bill. Now, I find this interaction highly offensive for two reasons. It seemed as though this person thought: 1) Because we came in jeans we might not be able to afford the bill, but it's Capital Hill for goodness sakes and 2) we might not be smart enough to figure out how much tip to leave, I have mathematical skills thankyouverymuch! And after asking him to leave the table multiple times, he still hoovered, asking more questions, being more offensive, making nasty comments about us to the waitstaff, and drawing attention to our table. And to put the proverbial cherry on top, Mr. Manager had the audacity to say, "See you real soon." on our way out. And this is why that bitter taste still resides in my mouth. There is a certain level of intimacy you establish when you go out to eat somewhere, and no matter how good the food is, if you have an interaction like this, it is not likely that you will go back. Management should never make you feel out of place, or treat you in a condescending manner, especially when you are a paying customer. If you chose to eat here, you will likely see this man who calls himself the "General Manager" lurking in the shadows of this fine restaurant. Try to avoid him at all costs, or he will smother you and likely offer to help you balance your checkbook before you eat there since he doesn't feel like you can handle it. read more

Everybody likes to be different. I'm the kind of guy who says, often without thinking, that the book was better than the movie, or the b-side was better than the single, or that Disney World isn't all its cracked up to be. Sometimes, I don't even mean it. Sometimes, the book isn't as good as the movie, and the single is the single because you can dance to it. Sometimes, Disney World is fun. But everybody likes to be different. And so I resist, wholeheartedly, the food cult of Frank Bonanno. So revered is the man in Denver food circles that I avoid him. I insist that noodle places on Federal are better than Bones (they aren't), that the sausage at Lou's is greasy (it isn't), that the service at Osteria Marco is bad (which it is) and that Mizuna and Luca are overrated. But in my heart of hearts, I know these things aren't true. (except the service at Osteria, which is awful.) Frank Bonanno is revered because he is so damn good. Last night, my second visit to Luca, it started with amuses which were simple, just white bean paste and bacon on flatbread, but extraordinary. My mixed salumi plate and my companion's pea and lobster soup were perfect. My risotto and scallops was light, although the pork belly compliment was a hair overcooked and tasted "ham-ish." But what set the evening apart was courtesy. My dining companion was visiting from Europe, and did not speak English. The staff was patient and polite to him. He felt ill, and wanted something simpler than what was on the menu. I discussed it with our waiter, and the kitchen prepared something exceptional. Service is never perfect. At Luca, which was nearly empty while I visited, the waiter was a bit over-zealous with our water glasses. Desert was only fine. My housemade gelato was unexceptional; the pistachio was not at all sweet and the chocolate was cloying. But ultimately, like it has been before, Luca was one of my favorite mile-high dining experiences. Everybody likes to be different. It pains me to admit that what makes Frank Bonanno different is his superlative skill in the kitchen and in the front of the house at each of his restaurants, especially Luca. read more

My review is based on a Restaurant Week 2009 visit and my first experience at a Frank Bonanno restaurant. Decor definitely a bit austere and underwhelming at first, however, as the night progressed, it seemed fine enough. Big-city level of service all-around was great all night, friendly, helpful, and attentive. From the offered 52.80 prix fixe menu, the salad with finochetta and robiola, fusilli carbonara, and the prosciutto wrapped pork tenderloin were all tasty and very nicely presented. The house made meats and also lardo served with the bread were authentic and uncommon treats. (Yes, now I know lardo is lard with spices - quite delish.) The other main course offered, stuffed rainbow trout, was fine, but unexceptional, with neither the artichoke stuffing, grilled vegetables, or marinara sauce adding much overall. Panna Cotta w/ a biscotti for dessert was fine, though on the rich/creamy side for me. Unfortunately, likely due to price points, the set menu offered no items from their regular menu, save the tricolore salad. So I added a pasta of cavatelli with lump crab and asparagus, which was really good. Their fresh/house-made pastas are great and served perfectly al dente, and should not be missed for carb lovers. I would agree with other Yelpers that a meal here is spendy, and it seems Denver offers many higher-end choices where you might feel you get more decor, good food (quantity?), and perhaps innovative cuisine for your bucks. But when craving this quality of Italian cuisine, along with good service in an intimate venue, Luca is a good bet. And I found their "disciplined" portion sizes just fine. Me, I'm off to try Bones next (door);) read more

As a New Jersey native I've been searching for a long time for the perfect Italian restaurant here in Denver. Back about 7 years ago I found Carmines on Penn... an excellent family style restaurant, in a neighborhood location. But for me, it has recently lacked what originally drew me to it's to it. I'm not sure why this is was but, maybe I was just interested in finding something new or varied from the typical family style Italian which has been copied over and over again by the big box Italian restaurants. Well along came Luca! Definitely NOT family style... and definitely fine Italian dinning. And don't think that it is stuffy... Although I would not recommend wearing a t-shirt and jeans you could get away w/ a swanky shirt and jeans. Also the wait staff is friendly, attentive and helpful. And lastly, the small 4-6 person bar in the center of the restaurant, loosens the place up just enough. The food is the perfect mix of Italian flavor, sophisticated presentation and perfectly reasonable portions that won't leave you disappointed. They don't go overboard in creativity but, add just enough distinctive flavor and fine ingredients to make you savor each bite. It is true that Luca lives up to it's billing (check out Zagat). And don't get me wrong, Luca is not a replacement for a (still great) restaurant like Carmines. For those who search out Italian, it is a perfect complement to the fledgling Denver Italian restaurant community. read more

Yummy! I had the caprese and bolognese, both of which were simultaneously traditional and complex in taste. The caprese had a foodie flair to it with mozzarella gelato (surprisingly delicious!), basil seed jelly and crunchy basil along with the traditional heirloom tomato and fresh mozzarella. I went on a quiet Thursday night, but had it been crowded and buzzing, I probably would've given it a full five stars. The tastes were fabulous, but the ambience was a little quiet for my liking. read more

Denver deserves better for one of its top restaurants. Guests and I ate there on a Friday night, busy, so everything should have been excellent. For Primi courses, I tasted calamari, prepared in a very ho hum tomato sauce, nothing special. My partner had the octopus and it was really not good, served on a pig trotter base, smoky pork meat, nothing special about the combination. Pasta dishes included linguine with clams, very salty, another dish with mushrooms, again ordinary, and a friend had the "house special" venison, tough, not very flavorful. Denver deserves better and for the prices at Luca, so does your pocketbook. read more

There is a dish here that I want as my last meal: Fusilli - Wild Mushrooms, Shaved Grana Padana & Creamy White Truffle Sauce. Just to smell the aroma one last time! This place is part of Frank Bonanno's empire, and for my money the best of them all, although Mizuna is more upscale and Osteria Marco more popular. We have eaten here about 12 times over the last 10 years, and every single experience has been highlighted by superb attentive service and that aroma of truffles. Usually we don't even make it to the entrees, having feasted on the antipasti, insalata, and fusiili. read more

We've been to all of the other Denver-area Bonnano-owned restaurants, loved them, and were excited to finally try Luca d'Italia with 4 of our friends. Our table was in the middle of the dining room by the wine station and the small hosting stand. Luca's is an intimate dining space, decorated simply, but possessed a warm, welcoming ambiance. Diners filled up the place by 7PM and the volume of noise was a pleasant, lively hum. Everyone was well-dressed for the most part, but it didn't make the place feel stuffy or formal. The waiting space is standing room only, unless you waited on the bench on the outside of the interior door where the well-trained staff had offered to hang up our coats. After we all agreed to order the $75pp 7-course Chef's Tasting Menu, an oblong wooden bowl was laid before us. It contained housemade crazy-long, skinny breadsticks, a pile of rustic white bread, and several slices of to-die-for focaccia. I'm not sure what they put in that focaccia; it seemed to be infused with more than just rosemary- perhaps sea salt and brushed lightly with flavored oil? Whatever it was, but it was the best I've ever sunk my teeth into with its delightful springy texture. All of the courses were utterly delicious and were presented in a thoughtfully artful display. Though each one looked tiny on the large white dishes, we all left very full after the 3 hour meal. I can't remember the exact details of each dish, but the standouts were the meaty baby octopus dish, the small bowl of farfalle sangue (a dark red pasta) in some sort of buttery sauce with shaved cheese, and the palate-cleansing apple-celery sorbet sprinkled with gorgonzola. Even the crispy piece of trotter (meat between a pig's hoof cleat, I believe) accompanying one of the dishes was cooked perfectly. *drool* Service was excellent. The staff here was very personable and engaging, somehow more so than the employees at Mizuna. Not that Mizuna's people were bad, they just seemed more aloof and too quick (hence the 4* there I gave about a month ago). Here at Luca they didn't seem to mind stopping their bustling to carry on a conversation with you if you gave them a little lead, and our server made little appropriate jokes throughout the night. We even saw Bonnano's wife working the floor and bussing tables. The only hiccup was a long wait after the 1st course. We waited on the 2nd course for almost twice as long as any of the others. Thankfully, with our group of 5, our conversations dominated the wait. We loved Luca and we know we'll be back! read more

Finally made it to Luca last night, eager to 'test drive' the menu as part of Denver Restaurant Week. The limited prix fixe menu didn't do Luca's overall menu justice, so we sampled a few small plates off the regular menu as well. Whoever decided that Foie Gras bechamel was a good idea deserves a medal of honor. The gnocchi with pheasant and the aforementioned livery goodness was amazing. From the Rest. Week menu, Ziti with housemade fennel sausage was fantastic, but the Sole Milanese really disappointed. All breading and no fish. Service is friendly and attentive (way above average for Denver fine dining), wine list is pretty inclusive and includes some fun obscure, indiginenous Italian varietals and thankfully the prices run the gamut from $30ish on up to the stratosphere. So often a place with food prices like Luca doesn't offer value wines, but I was pleasantly surprised with 20+ wines priced at $60 or under, and some interesting ones too.... Look forward to going back soon! read more

I was alittle skeptical about the hype surrounding Luca D'Italia, especially after reading all of the bad Yelp reviews concerning their service. However, I was very pleased to have had an amazing experience with exceptional service! Our servers were very pleasant and not the least bit condescending, which is something that I have often come to expect as a 24 y/o in upscale places. Plus, one of our servers even made a Monty Python joke reference that I definitely tipped extra because of! We were given a small plate (that night it was shaved cucumber, mint, with a chile jelly on top) and a basket of different breads prior to ordering. I had the.. *Braised meatballs (appetizer): Definitely recommend. A familiar favorite, but with those special touches that make this place so great. *Fusilli with wild mushrooms and truffle cream (appetizer portion): I nearly cried my first bite, it was so delicious! Because the foods were very rich, I don't really understand people's frustration with the allegedly small portion sizes- smaller, yes, but I was full after 2 appetizer portions of food because of the outstanding flavors. I really really REALLY wanted to have dessert. They have approximately 10 desserts, each for $9. I could have eaten any of them. I will definitely be back for just a dessert and glass of wine to top off the night! read more

We ate at Luca for Restaurant Week, for the second year in a row. Last year , when I believe the restaurant was still called Luca D'Italia, the food was phenomenal. This year, we had a beautiful table by the window, good service, and the food was pretty good. I agree with another comment that it did not match the price tag. I enjoyed the crispy breadsticks at the beginning of the meal, but they did not taste any different than breadsticks from a box. For our appetizer, I had the mushroom and truffle fusilli (seeing the words "mushroom" and "truffle" basically guarantees that I will order an item - even if it's truffle oil - I realize Anthony Bourdain would judge me) and papardelle bolognese. The fusilli was the highlight of the meal. It was rich, creamy and savory with hearty chunks of wild mushrooms. For the pappardelle, the pasta itself seemed homemade and had a nice texture. When I asked my partner if he liked the sauce, he said "yes, it's good... like Hamburger Helper." An apt description; it tasted fine, I mean I enjoy Hamburger Helper on occasion, but I didn't find it outstanding or memorable. We both had the braised short rib with polenta and Brussels sprouts. The meat was very tender and the polenta was creamy and good. There were juicy cherry tomatoes along with the Brussels sprouts. Again, I enjoyed it, but I am not dreaming of it a few days later. We tried both desserts, the cannoli and the chocolate cream torta. They were both tasty. I found the cannoli very reminiscent of the ones you can buy from the dessert counter at Whole Foods. I would not pay $90 (including tip) for this meal again. I would absolutely return to Luca and have an entree of wild mushroom and truffle fusilli ($22) and check out their daily meat and cheese plate ($20). And maybe the butterscotch bread pudding. As a side note, there is free valet parking (the stand is outside Mizuna, around the corner) which was much appreciated. read more

I've never written a review on Yelp, but in this case I felt it was warranted. We've been to Luca in the past I have always been impressed. It's a great little restaurant and the food has always been fantastic. With that in mind, we decided to make a reservation at Luca for our anniversary dinner. That was a mistake. Although the service was excellent, the food was vastly different than what we experienced in the past. Our first indication should have been at the menu is significantly different than it's been in the past. Not just different food items, but a different style of dining. In the past, Luca has had elegant Northern Italian food. Now, it's more like mid level dining. Almost family style. For example, the caprese salad had tomatoes that were clearly not ripe. When I ordered the ravioli - made in house - I was expecting high-quality pasta. After all, it's an Italian restaurant and it's been fantastic in the past. That wasn't what I received. The ravioli was dense and chewy, almost like the pasta had been overworked. Moving on to the braised short ribs, a dish that normally sees meat falling off the bone, I was again disappointed. Instead of a super tender cut of meat, Lucas braise short ribs were tough. I'd liken it more to a tough steak than short ribs I've had in the past. Overall, the experience was disappointing. Luca has changed significantly from what we've experienced in the past and the food has definitely declined. It's still a good restaurant, it's just not nearly as good as we've experienced in the past nor is it worth the costs charged. We won't be going back. read more

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this to you, so let me be the first. Luca is expensive. The people at the table next to us were regulars somehow, but for the majority of us, this is not an Italian restaurant to be frequented regularly. They make a point of saying to you cheapskates that the $15 pasta you're ordering is appetizer sized, so don't think you're getting out of here that easily. If you're drinking, it's fairly easy to go $100 per person here. One way to guarantee you'll be dropping that kind of cash is to go with the tasting menu, and that's what we did. We had six courses plus bread, three intermezzos, and we were there for a little over two hours. It was a good amount of food, and everything was varying shades of good to great, but the bill at the end did make us kind of rethink how much we enjoyed it. Now, leaving out the money, the meal was excellent, and memorable. The tasting menu changes every day (how much, I don't know), so your experience will differ, but our experience ranged from outstanding (swordfish), to interesting (the "spoons" course, consisting of four one-bite dishes), to disappointing (the pasta, which sounded delicious but lacked flavor), to just fine (a salad). But the meal was exciting! We didn't ask what was on the tasting menu, so each time something got brought out it was a fun surprise, and eating for basically two hours straight is a lot of fun for fatsos like us. Service was great, especially the woman who brought the majority of the food out and was just superb at describing what we were eating. And the atmosphere is perfect for a special night out. Despite the fact that I can't see eating here more than once a year, Luca gave us one of the more memorable dinners out in recent memory, and I would definitely recommend it for special occasions. read more

Very enjoyable meal - perhaps best I've had in Denver, but slight let down on one of the mains. Pricey.... Romantic, small room, greeted at the door. Tables are close, perhaps a little too close. Staff bought us over a glass of prosecco complementary given we were first timers. Nice touch. Also bought over a little amuse-bouche taster with the prosecco. Again, nice touch. Was impressed by antipasti and pasta selection. Hard to choose from. Went with the baby octopus from the antipasti - delicious, appropriately charred, with tang and a bit of chili. Wife chose the crab ravioli - refreshing and tasty. I went the mushroom fusili - again excellent dish, truffle rounding out the creamy flavor. For mains, the result was more mixed - I went duck, which was wonderfully cooked, served with foie gras, risotto and quail egg. Although rich, a wonderful balance of flavors. The other main was disappointing - the pork, served on polenta was overcooked, stringy, and the crackle was soggy. It required more of the pear and lettuce than it was served with to cut through the richness. Sadly too full to try dessert. However one criticism was the lack of any zesty/light desssert (OK there was sorbet), which I thought was an over sight. Some serious citrus tang was needed to wash down the duck/pig/mushroom that had just proceeded. Sommelier was helpful and pointed us to a delicious wine. Service outstanding. Perhpaps the best meal I've had in Denver. However perhaps we ordered poorly with the pig, and perhaps there could have been some more inventive light tangy dessert options. read more

A place with these prices should be dialed in better. I should start by saying that the staff we encountered were all really friendly. The ambiance was nice, but a tad crowded and noisy. The food was hit and miss. With a party of five, we shared the Salumi e Formaggi, the braised meatballs and the calamari. All were excellent. The arugula salad was also great. When we got into our Primi course and dessert, things started to fall apart. The blue crab ravioli was wonderful, but the bolognese was disappointing and the carbonara was abysmal. It was served with a raw egg, which I normally love, but the Primi course is by default an "appetizer" portion, and a whole egg on that tiny amount of pasta was a mess. The egg is supposed to cook a little when you mix it in but it basically just turned to raw egg soup. The service was a bit strange. As I mentioned, everyone was very nice, but they kept making mistakes. A slurry of servers would arrive to deliver our courses but they would seem to step on each other a bit, and when they all disappeared just as quickly as they had arrived, we would find that a napkin or silverware was missing and had to wait till someone came back around to have it replaced. This happened on more than one occasion. We had the toasted almond cake and the dark chocolate torta for dessert. Neither were anything to write home about, and the caramel sauce served with the almond cake was better suited coating an apple at a fair. I don't drop this kind of cash on a meal very often, so when I do, I expect it to be almost flawless. read more

My experience with Italian food in Denver has been mediocre at best and I was very excited to find out that my fiance had made reservations at Luca D'Italia for my recent birthday. I was well aware of its reputation for good Italian food and romantic ambiance. Sadly, the food was just okay. We started our meal with the grilled baby octopus and the Sicilian calamari. I suspect our octopus got a little too close to the heat because all we could taste was char. The calamari was delicious and the stewed preparation was a nice change from the typical fried style. We then split the caprese salad which was good minus the bread which was also a little burned. We finished off the meal by sharing an order of Fusilli pasta (with mushrooms, a truffle cream sauce, and fresh parm) and the Tagliatelle Fra Diavola (basically fettuccine in a spicy tomato broth with a whole bunch of lobster meat). Both pastas were flavorful and well cooked. The Fusili was the clear winner, but was also incredibly rich tasting so the smaller portion size was a plus. I can't say that I would rush back to Luca D'Italia. While our service was great, the food doesn't warrant a special trip back for me. Despite my serious love of pasta, I prefer Frank Bonnano's take on Italian better at Osteria Marco- the menu is more appealing and the prices are more reasonable. read more

Good food, good atmosphere. Maybe a tad pretentious. Asked for a Malbec and it was like I broke a plate. "Malbec's aren't from Italy they're from south america! Everything we have here is from Italy" -this waiter never returned to our table. Yes yes kind sir I understand, but every fine restaurant I've been to from firenza to portofino has offered wines from other regions. You're missing the finest point of Italian dining, it's the hospitality. read more

Luca is one of the best Italian restaurants I have been to (here in Denver). The happy hour is from 5-6 pm and I ended up sitting at the bar area which was pretty nice. The bartendress was super nice and recommended a couple of different items off of the menu. Each one she told us about was phenomenal!! Loved eat bite and for one of the items which was called Wild Mushroom Fusilli, hands down the most incredible pasta dish. It had truffle in the pasta as well and I ended up ordering it twice (had nothing left on my plate!). When I come back into town, this is going to be one of the places I will be coming back to get some good food. read more

See all

Based on its reputation, a friend and I booked dinner here in anticipation of amazing food, service, and wine. We were not disappointed. The moment we went in, we were offered a glass of a wonderful rose (makes me reconsider my prejudice against wine that is pink) as they prepared and led us to our table. Then the amuse bouche came.... a little pre-appetizer that was outstanding. The wine list was diverse, and offers great value. You really need to plan to do either an appetizer or salad, and both a pasta and main dish. All the dishes are small. The pasta dishes were WONDERFUL! The Cavatelli in particular was a hit. Mains were also very good, but weren't quite as good as the pasta dishes. Service for the most part was outstanding, especially early on. Very knowledgable wait staff. At one point, though, there was a service gaffe, and apparently our order never made it to the kitchen. After they realized the error, they brought out another appetizer to tide us over while our mains were coming out. Not quite sure what happened there. One slight annoyance. Our table was in the middle, and its a somewhat old building with some really bendy subflooring. As a result when waiters and customer walked by our table, their steps made a trampoline-like bouncing effect I could feel every time. Again, small annoyance, but still, little things get magnified in places of this caliber. The bill for 2 appetizers, 2 pasta dishes, 2 mains, 1 dessert, and a good bottle of wine ($100ish) was steep -- over $250 with tip. But it really was good! Luca not only has earned a return visit, but makes me want to try other Frank Bonnano places like Mizuna as well. Modest elegance - Well done! read more

Since I just reamed Frank Bonanno's other restaurant (Bonanno Brothers Pizza) for poor, creepy service, I thought I'd write a positive one for Luca. It's everything (in service) that BB is not. I'll start with the sommelier, who was not only personable-- but REALLY good at his job. I loved everything he picked for me and had him write them down so I can procure the heavenly choices for myself. The waiter? Awesome! I can't remember his name, but he was perfect. He was helpful, funny, respectful, and his pacing was impeccable. The food? TO DIE FOR! I did the four course prix fixe. My husband and I had a contest to see who could order the best of each category. It was a tie. Here were the winners: - Braised Meatballs - Fava Agnolotti - Tasting of rabbit (slightly edged out my duo of duck. That rabbit was unreal) The desserts were good. I got their panna cotta which was better than husband's torta (though that's not saying that his torta was bad... it was really great). The only thing I wasn't a fan of was their Hamachi Tartar. Pairing it with the frico was a weird choice. But, again, it's not like I didn't and wouldn't eat it... but among the amazing dishes I had, that one was no bueno. I loved Luca. It's one of my favorite restaurants in Denver. I hope Frank (or whoever) spends some time on the staff at BB to make it just as friendly and pleasant. read more