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

If I could give no stars I would...Overall it was a much hyped about meal that left a horrible last in our mouths. Pros: Sommelier - he was wonderful and the wine he recommended was fabulous Hostess - kind, inviting and helpful Cons: Marginal food - nothing to write home about; food arrived at our table cold Waitstaff was atrocious - we waited nearly an hour for someone to come to our table and offer anything (water, bread, etc). They never arrived, we had to flag another waitress down. When our waiter finally came begrudgingly to our table, he did not welcome us and only touched on the prix fixed meal, nothing else on the menu. With the prices, we were expected to pay, I expected a little flourish about the menu items - when pressed, he was short and unfriendly. After we ordered, we barley saw him again. When he arrived for nearly the second time that evening with the dessert menu. He never checked on our food - if he had, he would have learned that our meals came out cold, nor did he ever fill our water glasses. It was apparent that his attitude progressive got worse throughout the evening. Overall, I will never return and caution others to do the same. It was special evening and all of us (there were four) were disappointed. We have had the opportunity to dine at many places and so dissatisfied with a meal or dining experience. read more

Luca D'Italia . We went here for the harvest week menu which was just a blast. For those that don't know Luca does a tasting menu for harvest week where everything has been raised in Colorado! Our first course was a salad with haystack mountain goat cheese and a house made Finochetta. The second course Striped Bass- Olathe Corn Puree, Pea Shoots and Beets ( the bass was grown near Alamosa. ) The third Raw Cows Milk Ricotta Agnolotti and Local Herbs YUM YUMMM YUMM. The next out was Colorado Lamb-White bean and Bacon Ragu, Green and Yellow Zucchini. And the dessert was Palisade Peach Tart- Rhubarb Conserva. Everything was just exploding with flavor and was truly one of the best meals we have had here in Colorado. If you would like to see pictures and some more info of our meal please feel free to visit our blog! read more

One word - wow. I cannot begin to express what an incredible experience I had here over this past weekend! This restaurant was recommended to me by a co-worker who put it in his top 3 (which says a lot because he has pretty much eaten at every fine dining establishment in our great city) so I knew it must be good. Since I was celebrating my birthday weekend with a very dear friend in town, who coincidentally found Luca while researching restaurants and had asked if we could go here, I decided this would be THE place for my birthday dinner. As soon as you walk in the experience really begins as there is a sommelier right in the middle of the restaurant behind a table filled with more bottles of wine than you can count. You are free to converse there or they will come to the table and help you pick a wine from their extensive list. Luckily for me, my friend speaks Italian so they happily worked together to decide on a $75 bottle of wine that was AMAZING. We had already had a few small plates at another restaurant so were only interested in dinner and possibly dessert. We both chose pastas off the appetizer list that they allow you to make into entree sizes. My friend had the Fusilli and I had the Pappardelle Bolognese - oh.man. The ragu sauce was just incredible and this is by far the best bolognese I have had in this town. Hands down. The Fusilli was just as good but a little rich for me however going from the bolognese to this dish may have been the reason for that. For dessert we opted to try two of the house-made cello's - Buddha's Hand and of course, traditional Limoncello. The Buddha's Hand is an actual fruit (Google it - it's quite terrifying) and is in the citrus family but does not have a strong citrus taste and so this was a VERY strong liquor and we did not finish it. The limoncello, however, was very smooth and just delicious and we had no problems finishing it. We only ordered one of each and split them - I recommend this as they are quite heavy pours. The restaurant is beautiful and the service was very good. Everything about the night was just perfect! I cannot wait to return here and as a matter of fact my supper club plans on it in February :) read more

Arrived to an empty restaurant and it stayed that way most of Friday night. The selection of entrees was mediocre. A lot of over the top descriptions. When the food came I was not as impressed. It was good but at $40 a plate I was expecting better. The staff was very attentive and inquired about the flavors we were enjoying. All in all I would categorize the place as overpriced and not as flavorful as I had hoped. ($120 bill for 2) But the saving-grace was the homemade almond cake at the end. read more

A very strong 4.5/5 star experience the other night. I would not categorize Luca D'Italia as fine dining (Michelin definition of fine dining) since the prices are relatively reasonable...but the service I received was very much fine dining level of service (with a friendly attitude). The two pastas outstanding. The main (cod) cooked to perfection. Yeah the prices my be higher than average for Denver, but in my opinion, you are actually are getting more than what you paid for. Big fan. 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 failed to review this fantastic restaurant when we dined there earlier this year..so now I'm catching up! We actually had reservations twice before, but had to cancel due to travel changes - we had not yet moved to Denver, but traveled here every other month or so. When we finally were able to make it to Luca, we were very please. We decided to go with the Four course pre-fix menu - and the wine pairing as well. We had such a great time speaking with the young sommelier who served the wines as he was quite knowledgeable about Italian wines. The atmosphere is so relaxed and comfortable and the depth of flavor in each dish makes it a go-back soon choice for us! read more

I went to Luca for the first time on 8/31/2010. This will be only my second 5 star rating ever. I can't help it. Luca is perfection. The wine list is comprised of phenomenal selections. The service is impeccable and the food - I could crawl into a vat of the fussili and die a happy death. If you want info about their wine selection the sommellier is passionate and knowledgable but neither pretentious nor arrogant. I cannot say enough good about Luca. I can't believe i've never been there before. I can assure you I will be back many times. read more

If I gave Luca any less than 5 stars, I'd have to get my head examined!! This place is absolutely amazing! My wife and I went for our anniversary and had an amazing experience... from the moment we arrived to when we hobbled out, full and content! We started with the Calamair which was tender and delicious! For our main course we wanted to share. The must have item here is the Fusilli pasta... it melts in your mouth! We also tried the Halibut, which was fresh and full of flavor! We had a slue of other items brought out to us. Because it was our anniversary dinner they felt it appropriate to spoil us rotten!! I can't wait to go back for some more Fusilli and see what new delicious items they'll be offering! read more

Eating at this place was kind of like a roller coaster ride for me. The highs were exciting and the lows were underwhelming. I guess it would be fair to say that it was about the quality of food I was expecting to get from a place that still had reservations in the 8-9pm window on New Years Eve less than a week out. So I went in here with expectations tempered. They were doing a 5 course menu with 2 choices on every course except dessert. We had a reservation for 8:45 and weren't seated until 9 which was slightly irksome, but really not that big a deal. I ate or tried everything on the menu. Some of it was exceptional, some of it was not that great. Exceptional: The lobster and mushroom dish. It was very tasty. I loved the earthiness of the mushroom and the delicate taste of the lobster together. It was really solid. Also, the tuna dish was very tasty. Probably my favorite of the evening. Well seasoned, flavorful with tomato and olive. Very nice. The bass dish was also very nice. It had a marrow emulsion which gave the dish a very decadent and savory flavor. Well done. Also worth a mention was the duck entree. Excellently prepared and very flavorful. Not that great: The scallop and squid ink pasta dish was my least favorite of the evening. The scallops were small like the kind you buy in bulk from the grocery store. Not the big, plump tender ones I am used to getting from high end restaurants. Also, I felt the pasta on this dish was a little underdone. The panna cotta amuse was a little off as well. Extremely citrus-y and I'm not sure I enjoyed the oyster foam that came with it. The key lime sorbet palate cleanser was very, very tart. I love me a good key lime dish, but you need some sweet to balance out the sour, and it wasn't present in this dish. Lastly, I didn't much care for the carpaccio dish. I felt like the components of the dish overpowered the beef itself and I didn't get to taste the meat very much. The service was adequate (although a bit on the slow side). Over $200 for a meal for 2 and you want every dish to knock your socks off, not just half of them. With that said though, I left feeling happy, full, and ready for 2012 to arrive. 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

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Great. We went on recommendation from colleagues - our 2nd wedding anniversary and well worth it - so that'll be the 2nd time in two years we've had a meal without our loveable but NOISY infant. This place didn't disappoint. Even the appetiser - carbonara - was excellent. We did the 52/80 menu and it was excellent. Love the window into the kitchen so you can actually see the waiter collecting your order. The owner (looks a bit like the unfortunate chef from the Sopranos) is very nice and greeted every table the night we were in. The food was wonderful and the service fantastic - very informative but not pushy. We'll definitely go again. Who says you have to take a hit on the food quality if you move from San Francisco to Denver - not necessarily! read more

We had heard that Luca was really good, so we were excited to give it a try. We arrived and the host was pleasant. She took our coats and seated us since we had a reservation. I immediately felt underdressed despite a nice shirt and nice jeans. Apparently this place is higher class than my clothes represented. This was unclear to me, so I felt a bit out of place. Minor point, but worth noting. We were offered Denver's finest tap water but not offered an alternative (with gas) - we had to request it. We received a small-bite complimentary, a slice of carrot with a few accoutrement to make it look like it was more than a carrot. Seemed like a cheap beginning, to be honest. The waiter took our drink order, and the time between order and reception of drinks was well over 10 minutes. My drink was good, but it was nothing memorable. One of my companions got a house manhattan and it looked better. I ordered one as my second drink and again, it was good but not impressive. We waffled over the Prix Fixe menu for a bit vs. not, and in hindsight I wouldn't have gotten it since the desert was unimpressive (one of them was basically pudding with some PB2 on it). While ordering, I asked the waiter how to pronounce things, so that if I chose to order something again, or of I was speaking about it to friends, I'd actually know what I was talking about. He made a joke about how English was his first language and pretty much refused to even check for me. Minor nit, again, but it hurt the overall experience. Sparing the details of what we ordered, I will mention that my wife and I both ordered Sea Scallops and I since that was the name of the dish, I was expecting scallops with some flare, but much to my dismay I received only two very small sea scallops, a few slices of fatty bacon, and a bunch of mushrooms and carrots. I was disappointed and mentioned it to the waiter, and then when the manager came over he simply asked if something was wrong, instead of the waiter actually communicating my issue, he passed the buck. Further, the manager didn't offer to do anything at all. For $34 you'd expect a bit more protein and a bit less fluff. Conclusion? Pretty disappointed overall. The food was decent, but the experience was not and I felt like they went the cheap route with a few of the dishes. For 4 of us it ended up being $310. For that kind of money once again, I'd expect a bit more. This is the second disappointing Bonnano restaurant that we've been to that also happened to cost quite a bit of money, so our conclusion is that we will probably avoid the more expensive Bonnano concepts as a result. read more

Fairly new to Colorado and our first time at Luca. Came in for our 48th anniversary. It was The Best Food we have ever had. The Halibut was melt in your mouth and my husband totally enjoyed the short ribs. The serves was very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. We highly recommend it! read more

Great little Italian restaurant. The pastas were just fabulous. I'd forgotten how great homemade fresh pasta tastes. Great value and we will return. read more

I was in town visiting my daughter, we decided to try Luca. Wow what a wonderful experience. The food was delicious. I had the short ribs with polenta highly recommend. We sat outside, it had great ambiance and very comfortable. But by far Ashely our waitress made the evening perfect. She was not only knowledgeable, personable and attentive. Our whole dining experience was exceptional thanks to Ashley. When in Denver try out Luca and make sure you ask for Ashley as your server. read more

I needed a good spot to take my friends who were in from out of town and had been hearing about Luca for a while so we thought we'd check it out. Reservations were at 6:30 and we were seated immediately. There was a birthday card on the table thanking us for choosing them to celebrate at which I thought was a nice touch. Everything on the menu sounded awesome. We got an amuse bouche with some sort of pork and it was heavenly. A bottle of red from Umbria was out standing (no idea what it was I didn't order it) We shared the bolognase and while it was excellent I really wanted to try the pasta with crab, arugula and tomatoes. We also shared the spinach salad which was great. I had the scallops and while I love scallops I really picked that entree because they were serving spring peas with it and I'm addicted to them! The dish was phenomenal but there was one thing I couldn't bring myself to finish which was sort of like a pea mouse and the texture thing just didn't fly with me. One friend had the halibut and it was outstanding, we were mopping up the sauce with the bread. The other had the aged ny strip and it was great, served with lobster mashed potatoes...yum! We skipped out on dessert because I was taking them to d bar but I will certainly be back here to taste more delicious food and sample their tasting menu! read more

OK!! Food is AMAZING! Probably close to if the THE best food I've ever had in my life and perfect presentation. I agree with last writer that you really need to do two pastas and two main entrees because the portions are appetizers so be prepared to spend $$$. We did 1/2 bottle chianti, two pastas and one entree. I know that I had the gnocchi, i cannot remember what pasta my date had, and we shared the lamb dish. All was prepared perfectly. Now, for the down part. We were seated right away because we had reservations, but waited for about 20 minutes for service after we ordered a bottle of wine. We actually started to comment on the wait when the manager brought out the two glasses of Rose and the apertif and "welcome us" to Luca. Our waitress didn't seem overly excited to be working that evening. And I know I know...maybe she had a bad day, blah blah blah, but when I'm spending a certain amount of money at a nice establishment, I do expect some ass kissing. Would I want to pay such a large amount of money for small amount of food again? Maybe because it was a great experience, but my budget tells me otherwise :( read more

I was excited to check out Luca D'Italia during Restaurant Week, since I'd heard such good things about it. I left feeling a bit disappointed. Although the service was above average in the overall scheme of things, it was a bit sub-par for a fancy restaurant. We waited at the bar for over five minutes while our table was being prepared with hopes of getting a cocktail, but we were not acknowledged. When we were seated, we waited what felt like quite a while (maybe 10 minutes?) for our waiter to come by and give us a menu and drink list. Oh, and when I tried to put my coat on a rack near the hostess station, I was politely informed that the rack was a "warming rack" and that I'd have to put it in the frigid foyer -- but by the time we left my coat had grown quite cold, and hadn't been moved inside despite the open spots on the warming rack. The food was a bit hit-or-miss, though our Montepulciano wine was delicious. The selection of bread and flavored butter was tasty, especially the fennel (I think?)-flavored breadsticks. (A couple of them, however, were quite undercooked and tasted/felt doughy.) The sage cavatelli pasta we ordered as a first course was good, but it lacked punch. The pork shoulder was delicious, but while the menu advertised that it came with gnocci, the gnocci had been replaced with some type of polenta (a let-down, in my view). The cacciucco was too briney, perhaps due to some excruciatingly salty olives. For dessert, the panna cotta was delicious. I especially enjoyed the contrast between the mild custard and the sour orange flavor. But my husband's panna cotta came topped with two cookies and I got no cookies! (Well, until he kindly shared one of his.) I wonder if the restaurant was a bit overwhelmed and cutting corners due to the pressures of Restaurant Week. Given all of the other delicious restaurants in Denver and the sky-high prices of this one, I'm not likely to head back soon. read more

Sometimes you have to factor in the price of a place when giving your rating. Luca is expensive, which doesn't prevent it from receiving a five star rating; BUT, when you pay a premium for a meal it should be worth it. The food at Luca just isn't worth the money. Walk three doors down and go to Mizuna instead; or drive over to uptown and go to the quaint Il Posto; best yet go to 9th and Lincoln and eat at DiFranco's for $13. Luca is good, don't get me wrong, but it's not nearly as good as these other places. The melon and prosciutto appetizer didn't have the right blend of flavor. There was a garlicky cream in the middle that clashed with the sweet and salty pairing of the fruit and meat. The pork shank offered nothing special, unique, or memorable. The trout was cooked perfectly, so I do tip my hat to that, but still the flavors didn't have me jumping out of my seat. Overall, a forgettable meal for an unforgettable price. I will likely never be back. Not because the place is terrible; but because, with so many other great restaurant in Denver, there's just no reason to. Sorry Luca. read more

My wife and I love the Luca experience, from Max the GM to the servers and ultimately the food. The happy hour is outstanding and the Thursday night $50/4 course special is great - and it includes a bottle of wine. Luca, here we come. read more

This restaurant is the best find! Excellent foods and service. I haven't had a bad dish yet.. everything is great. I would definitely recommend to anyone. read more

Luca - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

We went to Luca's by chance after visiting the Denver Art Museum and were deeply disappointed. We had never heard of the place before. Upon entering the place was fully reserved which we took as a good sign. A place this busy had to be good right? We sat at the bar which is nice to be able to accommodate the full menu for walk ins. The free welcome bite size appetizer was pretty tasty, a cucumber with purées and other things on it. The service, cocktails, and that cucumber were great. But that's where it ended. The cheese platter was small and came with no crackers. Just some burned bread that was way too thick for cheese tasting. The cheeses were good but not stellar. For the price, it was disappointing. The ravioli we had was quite possibly the worst thing either of us had tasted. It was a fish ravioli with veal sweetbreads and the total count of ravioli was 4. If it was delicious, I would have been disappointed with the size. Because it was gross, I was disappointed in the price. read more

The food is pretty good. Standard Italian, done well. The meatballs were particularly good. I'm taking it down to three stars based on the atmosphere. If you're under 35, you might feel a bit out of place here (unless your into that "dinner with grandma" vibe). I have nothing against the older crowd, but it just feels old school and stuffy inside and the patrons just added to this. If I'm paying $60+ per-person for a meal, I want the food to justify it or the atmosphere to make up for it. Spend a couple bucks and update the interior of this place (your ceiling fans are straight out of the 90s and possibly haven't been cleaned since then either). It wouldn't take much to make this a 4-5 start restaurant. read more

Great restaurant! The complimentary champagne for being first time visitors was a great start for my wife and I. Everything on the menu sounded delicious and our waiter was very knowledgable about the food which convinced us each to do the four course prix fixe menu. We ordered everything our waiter suggested and he didn't steer us wrong at all: Carnoli Risotto (Sea Urchin), Braised Meatballs, Tagliatelle Fra Diavola w/ Lobster, Bolognese, Seared Scallops and the Duo of Duck + desert... though they say they change the menu every 2-3 weeks. Definitely worth another trip! read more

Came tonight for my birthday dinner. I thought I would feel out of place as this isn't my normal scene but Jessica was so amazing. Thoughtful, sweet and so accommodating. Made me feel special and she bought me a drink. The food was beyond delicious and I tried so many new things. I will definitely be back and want them to know how amazing they made me feel. Thank you for the experience. 10 out 10 would tec read more

I love Italian food, but I'm not sure I love it enough to pay this much... at least, not very often. However, it's worth it for special occasions or when someone else- an expense account, perhaps- is picking up the tab. While I've never dined in Italy, I have a feeling that this is the closest you can get in Denver to dinner in Tuscany. The multiple courses and unabashedly creamy sauces and succulent meats fit the European dining style much more closely than most American eateries. So do the many meat choices- this is the only Italian restaurant where I've seen rabbit on the menu. I'm still too squicked at the idea of eating a bunny to try it, though! I, however, am a card-carrying pasta fiend, as anyone who reads my reviews will know- so the handmade pastas and raviolis get my vote for the stars of the show at Luca. I could order five courses of pasta here and be happy! Lucky for me, though, the salads and desserts are equally tempting, so I didn't just fill up on various noodles. There used to be a commercial on for Olive Garden that went something like, "Our uncle Tito visted us from Milan, and the first thing we did was take him to Olive Garden." I always laughed and imagined Tito replying, "And then I beat them within an inch of their lives!" As any full blooded Italian would do if dragged to Olive Garden straight off the plane from Italy... But if your real life uncle Tito does visit and gets homesick, try Luca instead. read more

Yellowtail hamachi is one of my favorite dishes to eat; thinly-sliced fresh fish, simple accompaniments and delicate seasoning. The simplicity of the ingredients is where a chef's finesse comes in, honoring the fish and not over powering it with too many flavors. You can find hamachi on many asian menus but the rendition that executive chef, eric cimino of luca d'italia puts out is not only visually stunning but showcases a true balance of flavor. Razor-thin pickled vegetables (giardiniera) are delicately plated around beautifully sliced raw hamachi. Preserved lemon and black garlic add just enough acidity and earthiness to the dish. The fish is rich with a sweet aftertaste and the giardiniera adds a nice briny flavor to each bite. Every ingredient on the plate has a purpose and each bite reiterates the thoughtfulness put forth by the chef. I will admit I was slightly surprised to find a dish that is typically classified as 'asian' to be listed on an italian menu but after enjoying luca d'italia's hamatchi crudo, the bar has been raised in my book. read more

Four of us made a reservation for Sunday at Luca. We were the only ones at the restaurant for some time and the music was loud enough to be distracting, although we were still able to talk and hear each other. We asked if it could be turned down and it immediately was. Very much appreciated. Happy hour is all day Sunday and we took advantage. We shared at meat and cheese plate. All of us had our own half fennel and arugula salad. We ordered two foccacias, the spaghetti pomodoro, a pizza, a meatball appetizer, and the fusilli. Three of us had a glass of the house wine while a deconstructed grapefruit drink was also ordered. All the food was delicious. Although we live in another town in Colorado, we will make an attempt to stop by again. read more

If you are like me and don't do dairy or seafood you will starve here. This restaurant is only 2 blocks from me but I've never been because the menu looks dairy soaked. I went because my bf likes that and it was his bday so we went. He loved it and I had to get a burritto from Bennys afterwards because there was NOTHING on the menu I could eat. This is rare normally I find something on every menu. Not here and we told them these and they could not have been less accommodating. Clearly, I won't be back. read more

I went to Luca for dinner this NYE and partook in their 6-course prix fixe. It was tempting to go to Mizuna again instead of trying Luca, but I'm glad we went here to try something new. The food was lovely - really enjoyed the amusee of medjool dates, mountain gorgonzola, and toasted pistachio. The food here was simple, earthy, and delicious! From the housemade cavatelli with braised duck leg carbonara to the Robiola agnolotti SHOWERED in fresh black truffles, to the roasted venison leg with venison sausage, chestnut stuffing, and cherry venison reduction to the grilled beef tenderloin with potato fonduta (HOW did they make this...it was insanely good) hedgehog mushrooms and barolo reduction, we savored each and every bite. The negative: the ambiance is rather stark, cold and unappealing. They could go a long way with sprucing up the interior a bit. After all, Italian restaurants should be romantic, right? Otherwise, Frank Bonanno wins again. read more

After reading about Luca for several years and anticipation of an outstanding experience, I am now writing with great disappointment. While I applaud the chef for some very interesting and delicious dishes, the service delivery is what brought the score down. My biggest disappointment was that the service staff, while friendly, seemed completely clueless to diners needs. The sommelier was so busy assisting with taking orders for food that he was unable to attend to wine. We waited with empty glasses of water or wine or food for 20 minutes between courses. While I thoroughly enjoyed the artisan quality of the dishes, I am sad to say that I will likely not return to Luca. I hope that Chef Bonanno will read this review and others that have had similar experiences and spend some time fine tuning, training or adding staff. One other comment is the "window" to the kitchen should be reevaluated. While attempting to display the chefs at work actually is a view of a busy back of house and was more of a busy distraction than a true "open kitchen" concept. It's a shame to have such talent tainted by such a poor delivery system. read more

We reserved at Luca when we were unable to get seating at the time we wanted at Osteria Marco in downtown Denver. We figured that the restaurants were in the same "Family," owned by Frank Bonanno Concepts and were happy to give Luca a try. Trip Advisor gave it excellent reviews, though Yelp a little less glowing with the main objection being value. Having previously enjoyed dining at Osteria Marco, we were looking forward to trying out Luca, situated on 8th and Grant in Denver. The restaurant itself is quaint, with candles lit at every table, a view of the kitchen, and the Charcuterie Board preparer in the dining room itself. My husband, daughter and I shared the Charcuterie Plate, which came with cheeses, meats, 2 types of mustard and olives. My husband was starving so he also ordered the Sicilian Calamari -- which comes stewed in a spicy tomato sauce. For drinks ($12 each), he enjoyed 2 cocktails and I had a cocktail and a glass of house red. My daughter ordered the Margherita Pizza for her main course, and I had the Short Rib with Brussel Sprouts and Red Potato Puree and my husband had the duck with leek puree. Everything was delicious and very well seasoned. We opted to box some of our meals to leave room for dessert. We tried the first three listed on the menu, and the Bread Pudding was the best of the three. While we were finishing our main courses, the manager came over and took my (not quite empty) glass of wine and (not quite empty) cocktail from my husband. I was a little puzzled as we were hoping to enjoy the last few sips. I decided to approach the manager and ask him why he had taken our drinks from the table... He was surprised at my question and said he had thought we were done! He made up for it by giving us complimentary Champagne with our dessert! We would definitely go back to Luca, but it did put quite a dent in our wallet at $240 for the meal, including the tip! read more

What an incredible experience! We had a 7:15 reservation and showed up a little early to have a cocktail at the bar. The bar was completely full (only has about 10 chairs). The hostess was so friendly and accommodating. She sat us at a great table where we could see the kitchen and the rest of the restaurant. Our server came over and we let her know we wanted a cocktail to begin with and she didn't make us feel rushed at all! I got the "Through the Drinking Glass" and beau got the "Today was a good day". Both were SO GOOD! We ordered the mozzarella flight (because when there is a cheese flight, you order it). All 3 were PHENOMENAL! They make them in-house and we couldn't agree what the favorite was because they were all so different. There was also a cranberry mustard I would put on EVERYTHING! I wanted a bottle of wine and the Somm came over and made a perfect suggestion. He also told me about a couple other bottles to try based on what I was looking for. The wine opened beautifully and added another positive element to the evening. We decided to do one of the restaurant week and order off the main menu too. We had the meatballs which were wonderful! There was just enough fennel to give that flavor but not too over powering...and the sauce...oh goodness that sauce. Tomatoes, caramelized onion and magic. Ok, maybe not magic, but it sure tasted like it. We also ordered the fusilli pasta, the parpadelle, and the canoe shaped pasta. All 3 were some of the best pasta I have ever had (and I actually work for an Italian restaurant!). We shared the short rib for the main course and it was so tender you didn't need the steak knife that our wonderful server dropped off. Hold up- let me take a second to say thank you to our server. She was fun, friendly, hospitable and made great recommendations, but never hovering or made us feel rushed. That is exactly the type of server we all hope for with all of our dining experiences. THANK YOU! As we are sitting there enjoying our evening, in walks FRANK BONANNO! Seriously I felt like a school girl that he was actually standing in front of me slicing his own prosciutto. Shut up. So cool. Another wonderful part of our experience was being able to see into the kitchen. All the chefs were so calm and having fun together. They were working together as a team and made us feel even more relaxed that they thoroughly enjoy themselves. If you are still reading my review, you are already probably halfway to Luca now. Luca, Thank you again to everyone for giving us such an exceptional dining experience! We will definitely be back!!!!! read more

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Had a really great dinner with wine pairings at Luca. The general manager was our server and was very knowledgeable about all the food and wine. We asked him to pick his favorites and send them out- everything was delicious. The hand made pastas and sauces made when ordered show a level of care and detail. Personal favorites were the fusillini and the short rib with Brussels sprouts were stand outs by far. We had lemon almond cake for dessert and it was a perfect end to a meal. We loved everything about the place and the personal touches given by the general manager. I highly encourage you to check out this little gem. Definitely will be back. read more

Great service, amazing food and wine, everything was perfect. The chicken parm, short ribs and burrata were our favorites. Everyone on the staff was so accommodating. Thank you!! read more

We had a business dinner last night at Luca. It was my first time here, and immediately I knew I would love it. Our private room was lovely and had an open window to enjoy the cool air. The food was amazing. But what really impressed me was the service. It is hard to serve a large group, but these folks were amazing. I asked for a recommendation for Chianti and got a delicious wine. One of my colleagues wanted a cider. Luca didn't have it, but the young lady helping us walked around the corner to one of the other restaurants this group owns to get one for him. That kind of service doesn't happen very often. We had an amazing antipasti to start. I had the Luca salad, because I can't resist fennel, but the caprese looked beautiful. I chose the wild mushroom fusilli, with cream, parm, and truffle oil. It was incredible. And for an entre, the halibut with mascarpone polenta was great. The fish was cooked perfectly. I will bring my family back soon! Go Luca! And I appreciated easy parking! read more

Luca - I love this sign on the side of the building! - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado