Luca in Stony Brook, NY, is a beautifully decorated restaurant featuring large, spacious dining areas--though I would shy away from the booths in the front section dining section for more than three patrons, as they appear a bit cramped. Planning a visit is convenient with ample parking on-site. Reservations are highly recommended. The menu is broken down into three main parts (salad or appetizer, a second course, and an entrée), supplemented by chef selections and sides, with a special Saturday prix fixe menu that provides a choice from each part. While certain choices carry additional costs and extras such as drinks and desserts, I discovered it is also possible to order a la carte from the pasta and entree segments--with the bonus that a la carte pasta portions will be larger. For my visit, I chose from the Saturday prix fixe menu and paid a little extra for my steak, starting with a Caesar salad, followed by homemade tagliatelle in a Bolognese sauce, and finishing with the Australian wagyu steak special of the day. The meal was excellent a feast for the eye as well as the palate; the homemade tagliatelle were scrumptious, the Bolognese sauce was one of the best I have had in a long time, and the steak cut like butter and tasted out of this world. The evening was made that much more enjoyable thanks to our waiter, Jack, who was knowledgeable, friendly, and exceptional throughout the meal. Key takeaways: 1. An excellent price-to-portion ratio 2. Superb service 3. Ample parking If you find the review useful or the pictures agreeable, please leave a comment. read more

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Outstanding experience!! The restaurant is beautiful and the ambiance is relaxing. Our waitress, Ashley was a rockstar!! We had a party of four and we all did the three course meal and it was outstanding! Fresh ingredients, appropriate portion sizes and delicious! We will definitely be going back and if you haven't been there.....go! read more

ate here before and was pleased... alas, the attitude and pretension were on full display while the food was mediocre at best. When the tap water and bread outshine the meal, there's a problem. Calamari in spicy, watery sauce, gristly overcooked steak, nondescript salad...perhaps it was an off night, but we will not return to see if that's the case. read more

This was an amazing spot we tried for the first time! The appetizers were so unique and the entrees were all to die for. The $99 appetizer, pasta and entree option is a great deal. Stand outs were the Chicken Parm, Corn Pasta (not photographed), Truffle Risotto and the Tiramisu (probably best we have ever had). Two things to call out was that service was very slow (servers, bread service and bar service) and also they charge $1.50 for blue cheese olives (have never seen this done before). read more

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A beautiful lunch experience this afternoon, 2/7/26 for my sister's birthday. We made a reservation because we heard that you needed one. The seating area is very small so I would recommend making one just in case. The indoor is beautiful. Everything was clean and looked new. We pretty much split everything, 3 apps and 3 pastas. The best app was the risotto (technically a side) and the beets with feta. The 2 best pastas were the gnocchi and the corn-corn pasta is not the proper name but I can't remember what it's actually called! The service was fast, on point and helpful the entire time. This is one of those places that would be for a special occasion because it's expensive but the experience is worth it. read more

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i've eaten here 5-6 times. i've ordered more than 2/3 of the menu. here's what i will tell you. music choice of the restaurant is either repetitive untz untz tunes that are being blasted through the restaurant or terrible remixes of 2000s hits. you try to mentally block it out. the servers are usually kind and attentive, and the bar is truly exceptional. i do love their alcoholic drinks especially the unconvential tom collin's and their modern marg. the food on the other hand needs a lot of work. the only dishes i've ordered that i liked were the lamb saddle which they no longer serve, the australian wagyu ribeye (it was a special) & the risotto (it's a side). the bresaola, fig, goat robiola? underwhelming but not terrible. the handmade pasta is decent depending which dish you choose. out of all of them i recommend the asparagus pici. the roasted chicken tastes like retirement home food & it's extremely bland with all of the flavor coming from the jus. the strip steak is a waste of money it's mostly inedible fat. snap pea & sweet potato dish? inedible too quite honestly. texturally it is uncomfortable to eat and flavor wise it is lacking incredibly. chicken parm not worth the money and i've cooked better myself at home. potato crusted halibut is also bland and reminds me of retirement home food. the desserts are a complete skip i've tried them all they are all boring and not worth the money. i feel like this place is lacking that true inventiveness and doesn't take meaningful risks with their dishes. the ambience on the inside looks nice at face value but the music once again ruins the experience. flavor profiles are typically weak. also don't sit at the outdoor patio because we saw 2 rats while we were dining outside. if you do go just choose a pasta and maybe the risotto with some drinks. that's all i'll be ordering if i ever do have to go back. i recommend the trattoria in st. james over this place. they execute better on the food and it feels much less prestigious and try-hard. ultimately i feel let down by this place since it replaced the widely missed Pentimento which i feel was much better. read more

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The service was good we ate outside on a beautiful night! The Caesar salad is different but really good & fresh. The food was delicious - my husband enjoyed the duck!! read more

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5 plus-plus-plus Maybe one of top dining experiences in all of New York. Food excellent! Service excellent! Very comfortable seating and well thought out, tastefully decorated dining area. Outdoor dining area also very comfortable. The bar area too! Great premium cocktails and nice wine list. The food was excellent and portions are actually quite large! We had apps, 1/2 pasta, mains, and dessert! Come hungry and ready to take a doggie bag home! You can always order just a main or just a pasta, but u will miss out, cause everything is excellent! For apps we had lump crab meat and artichoke. We also had tuna tartar! Both quite good. The pasta course seemed like all perfectly cooked house made pasta expertly adorned with flavorful sauce. We had bolognese which had a delicious braised short rib flavor! Wow that was good! For mains we had halibut-perfect-fresh-and plentiful! We also had probably the best chicken parm anywhere! Its a full breast breaded and fried w the bone! Not easy to do, and perfect temp! Soooo good! We also had lamb chops, that also had some tender slow cooked braised lamb shank. Wow that was good! And big enough for 2 people! Do not skip dessert! For desert we had some delicious super premium pistachio ice cream. Really creamy and delicious! We also had Zabaione! Really really good, and you hardly ever see that on menus! From start to finish, Luca is a well thought out and perfectly executed premium dining experience! Luca well done! Bravo! We will return! Highly-highly recommended! read more

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Service: Wonderful. Our server gave us great recommendations for the menu. The concept is to curate a 3 course meal which consists of an appetizer, a 1/2 portion of pasta, and an entree. If you have a big appetite, have the three courses; if you have a small appetite, have one person curate a 3 course meal to share and a second entree. They did not ask about food allergies or come by to explain items served. I highly recommend taking a picture of the menu to remember the additional items on the plate. Food: Burrata and Snow Peas - Refreshing. The snow peas had a nice sweet crunch while the burrata was creamy. The dressing helped cut the creaminess of the burrata but it was slightly too acidic. Corn Cappelletti - Must get! The pasta was the perfect texture and the corn filing was slightly sweet. The lemon butter perfectly coated the pasta for each bite Tagliatelle Bolognese - Deep. A classic dish done right! The bolognese was deep and robust. I would highly recommend this dish. Duck Breast - Good. The duck breast was cooked medium but the skin was not crisp nor was the fat rendered enough. The orange jus was slightly sweet. I dont think the confit was needed. I wished there was more vegetables on the plate. I would recommend getting a side vegetable. Dark Chocolate Budino - Perfect. The smoothness of the chocolate pudding was paired very well with the crunch of the honey comb and the cocoa nibs! On to my next adventure... read more

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Great atmosphere the outside seating was perfect for a summer dinner, the service was fantastic personal and attentive. Food presentation great. The flavors are too overly complex for me personally. The rabbit pasta appetizer dish was very good. The chocolate old fashion was incredible. All the other dishes we tried just to over complicated For us (again not saying anything bad ) The staff I can't say enough about how excellent they all are. read more

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I was so excited to finally try Luca after hearing so many great reviews -- and it absolutely lived up to the hype! We arrived with a reservation and were seated promptly. From the moment we walked in, everyone was warm and welcoming, and the hospitality remained consistent throughout the entire visit. We started with appetizers. The meatball was absolutely delicious sauce and perfectly seasoned and impressively large. The crab meat topped artichoke was hands down the most delicious artichoke I've ever had. It was a flattened artichoke topped generously with crab meat, and the flavors were outstanding. For pasta, we ordered the Bolognese and the penne alla vodka. The Bolognese wasn't your typical red sauce -- it was more of a rich brown meats sauce, unique and incredibly flavorful. The penne alla vodka was outstanding, made with fresh pasta and a perfectly balanced sauce. For our entrées, we had the chicken parmesan and the veal chop. The chicken parmesan featured fresh, tender chicken topped with delicious mozzarella, and the sauce was out of this world. The veal chop, served in a delicious mushroom sauce, was cooked perfectly and is a dish I would highly recommend. To finish, we had pistachio gelato and a blood orange sorbet (a special that evening). Both desserts were amazing and the perfect ending to a fantastic meal. The service was impeccable -- our waitress Shanna was amazing, attentive, and friendly plus helpful. We were given a cozy table, and even the bathrooms were thoughtfully stocked with washcloths to dry your hands. There's truly nothing negative to say. Highly, highly recommend this restaurant! read more

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ONE OF OUR FAVORITE SPOTS. Fabiano & Nicole are the best. very authentic and unique dishes read more

Food, service, and ambiance were all spot on!!! Love the transformation from the former Pentimento establishment....Truly had a NYC vibe with a very welcoming atmosphere....We ordered a delicious appetizer to share , and then followed with fresh fish and moist chicken entrees. Everything was done perfectly. The menu is eclectic, and truly a wonderful addition to the area! Service was outstanding with very attentive and knowledgeable staff. Don't forget to save room for dessert, as the cheesecake was a nice treat to our wonderful dinner! If you're ever in Stony Brook Village, give Luca a try. It's worth the visit. Soon they are opening another restaurant (with same name) in Huntington Station. Very excited to try that out as well...As a big foodie who rarely ever cooks, this made my palette very happy! read more

We stopped by for Mother's Day without a reservation, and we were provided with outdoor seating. Spacious outside with just a couple of tables, big cozy seats with cushions. This restaurant has upscale vibes. If bugs are attracted to you usually, I recommend bringing long sleeves and/or long pants/cover up. We were informed that the portion sizes were not incredibly big. With that in mind, we decided to try several different plates: - Artichoke and Crab - Calamari (sneaky spicy! Doesn't taste that spicy initially but you taste it afterwards) - Porcini Mushroom Mezzaluna Pasta - Braised Rabbit Paccheri Pasta - Lobster Girasoli Pasta - Lamb Chops The bread came first, individually, with some spread. Delicious. A downside was just how long it took for the food to come out. Don't come here if you have plans strictly after, you won't make it. Granted, we were not in a rush anywhere so this was fine for us. Out of the 3, my favorite pasta was the Porcini. All of the platters were easily shareable, while not a lot, but even with a family of 4. The lamb chops weren't really it for me, I wasn't huge on the flavor. The bathroom was single stalled and very clean. read more

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Excellent restaurant, food was great, service was great, location was beautiful. This is one of the best fine dining Italian places I've been to on the island. The lunch special is also a great deal, you get plenty of food for a good price. If you are looking for a culinary experience and a great date night spot this is it. I will definitely be back. read more

LUCA - Lunch special chicken parmigiana and the market fish (cod) both excellent - Italian Near Me - Stony Brook, New York

Extremely disappointing ending to what should have been a special birthday celebration. Our group of 12 made a reservation at Luca a month in advance to celebrate two birthdays. We accepted a 5:00 p.m. reservation because that was the only time the restaurant could accommodate us. We arrived approximately 15 minutes early but were told the restaurant was not yet open. The doors opened around 5:05, and we were seated by approximately 5:10. To be fair, our waitress was fantastic. She was attentive, professional and did an excellent job throughout the evening. The drinks and four courses--appetizers, pasta, entrées and desserts--were served at a comfortable pace determined by the restaurant. The food was decent, although the portions were small for the prices. After approximately two hours and 45 minutes, our final after-dinner drinks arrived at the same time as our check. We promptly paid the $2,200 bill. Just two minutes later, while we were only beginning to enjoy those drinks, the manager, Will or William, approached us and said he wanted us to leave because another reservation had supposedly been waiting for our table for an hour. That explanation made no sense. One hour earlier, the restaurant had not even served our main course. In other words, the restaurant apparently expected a party of 12 to finish four courses and vacate the table before its own kitchen had completed serving the meal. We did not delay service, refuse to pay or linger after finishing. The restaurant controlled the timing of every course and had just delivered our final drinks. Asking a group to leave immediately after accepting a $2,200 payment--while they are still consuming drinks the restaurant just served--is unprofessional and completely unacceptable. Making matters worse, all six couples expressed their concerns as we quickly exited, yet management offered no meaningful response, apology or acknowledgment. Six couples from six different households left with the same negative impression. Although the food was decent and our waitress was excellent, management's treatment of our party overshadowed the entire celebration. We will not return. Fortunately, this area has many truly great restaurants that understand hospitality, respect their customers and know how to properly schedule large parties. Before booking Luca--especially for a group or special occasion--I strongly recommend reading the reviews carefully. A good place to try - Elaine's not to far away and it seems Luca is owned by the same owners of Old Field and old Fields in port Jeff has always been 4 to 5 stars in my opinion. Maybe they need to train their staff better not sure but hopefully something changes. read more

My husband and I love this restaurant. The atmosphere, attention to detail, wonderful service, and food is all incredible. When you go, you MUST get the calamari. It is so different and delicious and I wish I could eat it daily. Can't wait for another special occasion so we have an excuse to go back for a 3rd time! read more

AWFUL! I'm not sure how this place is getting the reviews it has been getting! The food and presentation and ambiance is fine and the servers pleasant and attentive but that's all I can say for the good. While the food looks good about half the entrees our party had tasted well the prices for such an establishment are insane for the small portions regardless if you get the 3 course dinner or ala carte. In the end many of us left still not satisfied and to make matters worse one of the managers by the name of Will I believe asked us to leave even though some in our group were waiting on drinks still and just finishing dessert and spent well over $2000+. They even claimed they had a 2.5 hour limit for larger parties and being honest the restaurant controls the pace at which the food and drinks come out, no restaurant should ever utilize seating limits regardless or at least warn you ahead of time before you consider making a reservation. Won't be back again and would recommend other eateries that don't overprice meals and kick out paying customers for no fault of their own. read more

Delicious drinks and food. Impeccable service! Highly recommend! The specials are good. The portions of apps are it shareable. I do like the option of three course or à la carte. read more

Came here for a sibling dinner! Food and service was amazing we all did the three course dinner. I got the montauk Tina which was fresh and delicious, corn cappelletti and the filet all the food was clean and you could see the care in each dish that came out. We will be going again soon! The room was a little dark but nice and so clean the ambiance was definitely beautiful read more

LUCA - Italian Near Me - Stony Brook, New York

This was an absolutely amazing dining experience! From the moment we walked in until we left after two hours of enjoyment, it was perfect. The restaurant itself is beautiful! The wait staff, the bartenders, the Owners as well as the other patrons...Excellent!! THE FOOD and DRINKS...off the charts! Highly recommended! read more

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Nice ambiance, quality food and presentation and good servers. That's about all the positives. Portions are small for how expensive the food is and the chicken parm was underwhelming especially for its price. To make matters worse the manager Will asked our party to leave and made a comment that he had a table waiting for two hours yet we would have been eating the entree when we had a four course meal and spent $2000+ in the end. Won't be back and can't recommend this establishment! read more

The service here is top of the pops incredible! From the mixologist bartender (Fabio?), who has an exceptional knowledge of his craft, to the waiter John who helped us choose our dinner from the amazing menu. Drinks: expertly prepared and poured. The traditional Negroni was divine and the traditional margaritas the same. The pours are good as well. You will definitely enjoy the bar! The food: bread brought to the table was yummy and a bit unusual in that it wasn't your typical white bread loaf. It was more substantial and memorable but being caught up in the evening I didn't think to ask what it was that made it so appealing. The appetizers were delicious. I had the oysters - fresh and delightful! (3 in a mignonette sauce) and the beet salad-yummy!!, my companions had the calamari and house salad m m o which were all lovely and enjoyable. The calamari was in a spicy broth and while I didn't try it myself my companion enjoyed it. The pasta course with sun choke ravioli seasoned with what I am guessing was cubed pork belly was delightful and my companions enjoyed their dishes as well though sadly I do not remember what they had. Main meal for one of my companions was the special, market fish, a locally sourced (maybe Montauk?) sea bass over a sweet potato puree which my companion found a bit bland and the purée bit watery. I tasted his fish and found it to be a bit bland as well. My other companion and I mhad the veal chop; the meat was more tender than you can imagine, and the mushrooms divine, but the sauce was far too salty and while I am not salt adverse, It's like someone added half again what was asked for. It made what could have been an incredible dish a bit disappointing. Desserts were good. The coffee affogato was very good as was the sorbet. I had the Mandarin & Vanilla Panna Cotta with toasted oats on top. At first I wasn't all that gung-ho about it, but as I ate I became more and more enthusiastic. I would order again. Now I am gonna sound a bit like an ass here and I very well may be the music was a dance beat techno kind of thing which is not conducive to fine dining at all. If you're noticing the music and it's distracting you and making you a bit anxious it's not good eating music. So I asked the manager about the music choice and while he was polite when I mentioned that it made diners feel a bit rushed and anxious, he said it was their vibe. And I could tell he thought me a bit of a wanker, and to be fair I very well may be a bit of one as the man was busy and I still felt the need to ask that question. But here's my thinking: at $100+ per person for dinner, and more for the evening if you're drinkers, and the average age of those dining being over 40 but closer to 50, this isn't a techno crowd, It's a background jazz crowd so that they can enjoy d without breaking out into an SNL skit of Hans and Franz--Now We Dance! I have worked in restaurants in kitchens and as a bartender,waiter, and even manager, so I know that you need to keep people moving so that you can make seatings, you can't have patrons lingering for hours. Someone else needs the table, but if music distract from delightful company and good food, it's not right. Okay here's a bit of a tattle tale on myself. I knocked over a beer bottle a waitress was bring to the table when I tried to turn around and see something my companion mentioned. They were very gracious but I felt terrible. Being the 3 Marx brothers rolled into one, I felt badly that my elbows got the better of the poor waitress who I'm sure didn't realize she had a live wire in front of her instead of a calm patron. I hang my head in shame, but she was very nice about it whereas I deserved a scowl for that one! Again, my apologies. Our waiter John was fabulous!! He explained dishes to us and gave flawless service. On the whole we had a very lovely evening. I'd say 4,5 stars but rounded up because of the excellent service and the fact you will have a nice evening out here. Thank you to my friends for taking me out to celebrate my yearly trip around the sun honoring my entrance to the world. You guys are the best--Thank you. read more

Nice restaurant with good food. The vibe is very City modern, so if that's what you're looking for, then you'll love the place

We visited the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame at the back of this small mall at 11:00 A.M., featuring a large Billy Joel exhibit, but were done by 12:30 P.M. and found Luca for lunch in front of the mall (on Main Street in Stony Brook). It's fine dining with a two-course lunch that, per couple, runs $100 including tax and tip (but sides and drinks will jack it up). Worth it! It's Italian food served in the style of nouvelle cuisine. While the bar up front is a bit dimmer, there's no large screen TV and a loud crowd, it's more sedate. The dining room was well lit (it was a sunny afternoon on a chilly March day), nice white table cloths, thick painted white tree trunks for support beams instead of walls or pipes, and all the servers wore the same aprons to carry their tools (bottle openers, pens, order pads). By 1:00 P.M., the room was almost full, but conversations were soft murmurs, so we didn't hear what anyone except us and our server was saying. My wife enjoyed her Gardiniera Salad, which sort of reminded me of a mini-cold antipasto. I loved my tennis-ball sized meatball appetizer, served in a bowl of tomato sauce (which they called ragu) and parmigiana cheese. It was very soft and juicy on the inside, with ricotta dripping off the top. They put out two (complimentary) very thick slices of seedless whole wheat bread with a little bowl of red cream cheese, but I requested another little bowl of butter, and ended up using the second half of my slice of bread to mop up the sauce left over in my meatball dish. My wife and I both ordered the same entrée, Sautéed Shrimp (four large for each of us) with zucchini, eggplant, sweeet pepper and tomato ... done perfectly. Very good chef! Very nice server! We were too full for dessert, but my wife ordered decaf coffee. She said it was okay, but it was more like an "Americano" (with espresso) than a light decaf. Still a great place and found it on Yelp! read more

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Great experience and food!! Waitress was very attentive and extremely kind. New favorite spot. Thank you for a wonderful dinner.

Was really looking forward to trying this place as I have heard many people talk highly about it. The best part was the beautiful ambience. The interior and bar area, as well as that back patio area are gorgeous. Unfortunately, I was underwhelmed by the food, service, and drinks. The waitress was rushing us to the point where we said something (also had never had to do this prior to this). Our appetizers came out before we even got our drinks. When you're paying for a nice meal, you want to be able to enjoy it and not feel rushed. She also wasn't really friendly or engaging. Bus boys were very nice. The meatball appetizer was just average. Tasted like something I could get at any Italian restaurant or pizzeria. It is also just a single meatball. At high-end restaurants, I do expect smaller portions with a higher price tag, however, I feel like they could do better on a lot of their portions. The calamari appetizer was bland and the pieces of calamari were chopped up so small. I ordered the jalapeño pineapple margarita and it was the only drink I have ever sent back in my life. I love spicy drinks however this wasn't even palatable. It was overwhelmingly spicy and could not taste anything else except for spice. I was really looking forward to that drink and was quite shocked at how bad it was. I replaced it with a strawberry Mojito, which was actually good. For entrees I tried the filet mignon and pasta bolognese. I ordered my steak, medium rare and it came out well done which was very disappointing. It comes with a red pepper sautée thing on the side that was eh, just very average. The pasta bolognese tasted like a meat stew (no red sauce) and was eh. Desserts again weren't mind blowing. Likely will not return but beautiful space. read more

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What a wonderful gem in Stony Brook area! Came here for a celebratory meal and it definitely didn't disappoint. I would recommend coming hungry and getting the 3 course dinner for $79, which includes your choice of starter, pasta, and main. Highlights include the tuna carpaccio (not pictured), pork tenderloin (not pictured), and strip steak, but all the dishes we got were wonderful! Portions were very nice and we got plenty of food for the price! Drinks were also very good! Service was on par, no complaints! Decor is nice, elegant, and clean. Restaurant is in a little shopping area, so there is plenty of parking in front of the restaurant! Overall, definitely a great dining experience and would recommend for a special occasion dinner. Would come back to try other dishes! read more

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Amazing! Top stars. Fine dining at its best. Great ambience. Met one of the owners, Dave, who was so kind and winderfulto myself and hubby. It was our anniversary night. read more

Solid spot. Food was ok. Service was spectacular. Ambiance was fine. John B was a great host and made it much better. Great spot if food was a bit better. read more

FANTASTIC! I finally ate at Luca! Went with my team for a holiday lunch. This place is a class act. Upon entering, we were greeted very warmly by the hostess. I was struck by how light and bright the place was. The decor is simple and beautiful. We were asked to check our coats, which I LOVE. Pet peeve of mine is when you go to an upscale restaurant and everyone has their coats hanging on the backs of their chairs. We were taken to the table where I was given a tiny stool for my purse!! I'm in love! Every dish we ate was delicious. The excellent service continued throughout the meal. I loved that when they cleared our finished plates, a few waitstaff coordinated to remove them all at once. It's the little things. I loved my fennel and orange salad appetizer. I got the scallops for my main and they were delicious. For dessert, I shared the pistachio gelato (YUM) and the dark chocolate budino (double YUM). We were not rushed, but also not ignored. I would highly recommend Luca! read more

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I don't usually leave reviews, but I felt this restaurant deserves one. They are a good example of what a successful restaurant should be. They pay attention to every detail. From the food they serve to the service, everything is done amazingly well. The food is delicious, I don't think words would really do it justice. The ambiance is classy and clean. The service was absolutely amazing! I will definitely be going back! read more

Excellent, 5 star quality. Meatballs were a great appetizer and chicken parm could have come directly from Italy! Dessert is not to be missed. read more

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Don't answer the phone for lunch reservations after 11:00 AM. Spent 25 minutes doing online stuff with all my personal information. Not gracious like in the restaurant! read more

I was sorry to hear they recently had a fire and I'm wishing them a speedy recovery because this establishment is nothing short of spectacular. The food is gastronomically magnificent, the service on point and attentive, and while the establishment is fancy, the ambiance was slick rather than stuffy. I will caution that there is a certainly an evident type of clientele I feel the place is tailored for best--somewhere in the 40s-60s range, which I'm myself--so I found the environment to be more on the classy flavor than anything that would approximate the kind of vibe you might find at a restaurant in Patchogue on a Friday night. Thus, I think it's the perfect establishment for a romantic dinner or an evening of casual dialogue with friends in a relatively quiet establishment. read more

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Luca has been at the top of my list of places I wanted to visit for quite some time, tonight was finally the night and it blew...me...away... From the wonderful and attentive staff to the outstanding culinary feast that was put forth. I can only describe it as pure bliss from the moment I walked through the door to the unfortunate end of my night walking out. A perfect spot for the special occasion. The decorative touches, controlled intimate lighting and controlled music levels will set you up for having the perfect night out. Skip the NY strip and upgrade to the veal chop, it's well worth it and get that risotto. read more

My husband and I had the extreme pleasure of dining for the first time at Luca last night. I wanted to write this review while the memories are as fresh and thoughtful as the meal we experienced. First impressions: The host Anthony was lovely, warm, and genuinely happy to hear we would be celebrating our 29th wedding anniversary with them after being encouraged by the GM at the Old Field Club. We were greeted almost immediately by our attentive and helpful server Joseph. Joseph was quick to make onpoint suggestions any time we asked, and shared the general enthusiasm that pulses throughout this remarkable establishment. Cocktails: My husband ordered the modern twist on a Margarita. I was suprised since we just celebrated Cinco De Mayo, but what he received was so unique and fabulous. It's served with a salt "Foam" which I wondered if it was eggwhite or cream based. No matter, whatever the vehicle, it did not impart any flavor, just lovely, well balanced salt to enhance the tart, but not sour or overly sweet cocktail garnished with a preserved lime (or was it just dehydrated/charred...not sure, but it was perfect). The right amount of spice really opened the palate. I had a lovely glass of Chardonnay that Joseph recommended--California, not sweet, not too dry, just perfect. What a surprise: warm fresh baked bread served with a compound butter. I know these days that many are low carbing it, but how nice to be served a bite without having to ask or pay for it! The bread was hearty but not heavy--I think it may have contained some cornmeal. It was just plain ole yummy! The compound butter had olives and sundried tomato..which, if you told me before eating, I probably would have passed on. What a nice surprise; it was not overworked, the butter was silky and smooth and the flavors had layers of umami to them. We were off to a great start. We both did the chef's 3 course, and glad we did. First Course: Husband had the Tuna Carpaccio. Omg, soooooo delicate and delicious! I read many complaints about the "size" on Yelp. I am guessing that those folks don't understand the difference between a tartar and a carpaccio. The later, which is what we got, is meant to be delicate, the belly of the tuna, the softest, buttery thin slices. This is what we got. We loved it. I had the beet salad; nice basil oil, creme fraiche, a light grating of cheese. Very nice, probably the least remarkable item of the night, but it was a beet salad, you know? Prior to our secondi, Anthony brought over two complimentary glasses of champagne to celebrate our anniversary--a class act! Pasta: Husband had the bolognese. He said the handmade pasta was so perfectly cooked with just the right amount of sauce that was luscious! I had the Bucatini with clams. My Lord, this dish was exceptional. A perfect hit of heat, plump delicious whole baby clams, The homemade pasta--again, cooked to perfection and the perfect vehicle for one of the most extraordinary sauces I've ever had. This is not your typical oil laden linguini with clam sauce, this was a delicacy. Mains: Husband had the Chicken Scarpariello. It holds a great deal of sentimentality to him since his Dad was the master at it. This did not disappoint, in fact, the addition of shishito peppers was genius and had us questioning why no one else ever thought to use these tender peppers! The portion was very generous. The dish was not over-sauced, juicy ,perfectly cooked chicken with crispy skin--masterful! I had the potato crusted Halibut. Again, an extremely generous portion, perfectly cooked, moist, flaky fish over a deftly prepared leeks and a lite sauce with dottings of lovely caviar. The crust had a crunch without being intrusive, tasty, and enhancing of the lovely prepared fish. For dessert, we went big and ordered both the Chocolate Budino and the Pistachio Gelato. Once again, oh. my. God....!!!! I am a little picky with desserts, as I'm more of a savory person, than sweet. When I do indulge, my big no-no is lemon and chocolate...or really, anything citrus with chocolate. Well, I was proved wrong last night. The hit of crisped lemon meringue atop the budino was the perfect palate opener--perfection against the creamy, smooth chocolate. The pistachio was not overly sweet and sooooo creamy!!! We were surprised with a complimentary lemon tart. Again, such class and generousness here. The crust was a bit dense, but the filling was delicious and once you broke through the crust, totally worth the effort. We also decided that rather than a port, let's try a "Rare Spirit," and settled on the Whistle Pig. Mind you, I'm not generally a hard liquor person, and had never even heard of this...but if you ever come across it, try it. You can thank me later. Smooth, no burn, slight smokiness...soooooooo good. We will be back. This is our new very favorite restaurant in the area, probably the entire island. It is officially on my Top 10 of all time eating experiences! read more

Classy Italian, well trained staff, friendly, efficient and a credit to Management. Decor is modern with comfortable surroundings. The Food presentation is appetizing and delicious. For this day of impossible pricing they are fair and have the class not to charge for use of a credit card. read more

On a whim, my wife and I decided to head out and find a place to have a light lunch. We chose the Stonybrook area. Long Island is famous for great places to eat. We happened to stop at Luca's Restaurant. It was once a different name, as we recalled visiting here years back. What a wonderful surprise it turned out to be. Especially having been seated outside, it was so quaint and charming. From the moment we sat down, the experience was excellent. The food was delicious, the wine pours were generous, and the service was truly outstanding. Our waitress Lizzy, was an absolute charm. She took the time to explain each appetizer in detail and made us feel genuinely welcome. We ordered the Marcelli Formaggi Artisan cheese plate, and Lizzy explained that the selection of cheeses changes weekly. She described each one we were served including one delicious cheese from France. She did the same for the Artichoke and Crab, and the Meatball appetizers. It was clear that a lot of thought goes into the presentation and selection, and we enjoyed every bite. To finish, we ordered espresso's. A small touch that really stood out was that each espresso came with a biscotti. So many restaurants no longer include those little extra's, but it made the ending of our light appetizer lunch feel complete and satisfying. Sometimes the best dining experiences are the ones you discover unexpectedly. Luca was exactly that for us, and we look forward to returning to have dinner. Highly recommend stopping in. read more

How I would best describe Luca: A place you'd dine, somewhere upstate NY while staying at a Bed & Breakfast and wishing a place this cool would open on Long Island. Folks, this spot I just described is now in my backyard. The new owners changed the former Pentimento Restaurant space into an elegant new restaurant. My wife & I made reservations, highly recommended by the way. We went on a Friday night and the place was packed. Walking to the hostess desk, they showed us to our table. As I walked by the bar, I can see it's well stocked with the finest spirits. We looked at the menu before arriving. It's a three course meal with some outrageous selections. And once again, Mrs S chose the best dishes! I mean my choices were very good, but I wanted to switch plates with my wife. We each ordered a glass of wine, the wine selections are very substantial. I started with a Super Tuscan and my first order, the Montauk Tuna Carpaccio. Topped with thinly sliced fresnos chili, fried chickpeas and capers, this dish was incredible. Mrs S? Ordered the Roasted Beet. It was topped with this amazing cheese similar to brie, savarin cheese? This cheese has me swooning! For the second course I ordered the Tagliatelle Bolognese. Fresh homemade Tagliatelle pasta tossed in a elegant sauce of beef, pork and pancetta. Truly a chef'd up dish and it was probably the best pasta I had in a long time. Except Mrs S's dish. She ordered the Mushroom Duxelles Ravioli topped with a simple brown butter sauce. Her dish was heavenly, the homemade ravioli was next level. For our final main entree, every item choice looks incredible. Our waiter said the Market fish of the day is John Dory. John Dory is indigenous to the North Atlantic, its popular in Australia and New Zealand. Fan-say! We both ordered the special and it did not disappoint. The fish was prepared perfectly. We left feeling very satisfied with Luca. Luca, you were the shining star of our 2023. I wish you much success in your latest venture. *The art! It was from the tavern, I loved it when I first saw it! read more

LUCA - Menu for tonight - Italian Near Me - Stony Brook, New York