While in town for work, I decided to check out Lucca for dinner last week. I really like the modern and minimalist atmosphere and style of the restaurant. Although the space is kind of small, I was able to get a table. My waiter was very attentive and helpful initially. Because I needed more time to decide on my meal selections, he told me that he'd give me some time. About 15 minutes later I was still waiting for him to come back and check on me. He and the other waitress working were busy talking to other guests. It felt like everyone in the restaurant knew each other, were regulars there, and were friends... except me. So I waited, sipping on my drink and eating the complimentary bread (which were both excellent by the way),, until the waitress came up to me and asked "were you planning to order food?" I snapped (slightly) "yes, I've been waiting for someone to take my order for 15 minutes." She apologized genuinely and took my order. The service was back to being attentive after that. Lucca offers a four-course prix-fixe meal for $40. It's a good amount of food for the price. I ordered the butternut squash soup, bolognese pasta, and steak. The food was very good particularly the steak. The dessert trio of the evening was also very good. The selections were very good and gave a good variety of sweet options for anyone's palate. In spite of the wait to order my food, my experience at Lucca was good and the food was worth the price. I would like to come back again and try some of the other options on the menu. read more

Everything here is excellent. The food is fresh and well curated. Service is exceptional during a time where good service is spotty. The atmosphere is friendly and inviting. Would love to see them add still and sparkling water by the bottle to the menu. (The tap water is not great). Love the 4 course menu! Thank you!! read more

Holy cow... we went to Lucca for a celebration and it was phenomenal! It's a four course meal for $40 a piece. We were seated right next to the kitchen which warmed up the minimal design space to a really comfortable room temp on a cold, snowy night. I loved the exposed brick and the staff was very attentive and knowledgeable. They have wine by the glass or bottle and a semi-full bar. No ginger ale - as a heads up (from an Irish family of Jameson drinkers, I always feel compelled to note). My husband and I both started with the goat cheese pomegranate salad. For the second (pasta) dish, I chose the risotto and my husband the Amatriciana. His pasta had a bit of a kick but we both found it to be quite appetizing. My risotto was so divine, it took everything in me to not lick the plate. For the third course, I did the salmon and Brussels sprouts, my husband did the NY strip. These were both wonderful, largely due to the sauces. The tomatillo sauce with Brussels sprouts was a surprising combination with the salmon, and the balsamic with the steak made it so savory. For dessert, a trio of panna cotta with honey and blackberry, white wedding cake and a dark chocolate brownie with strawberry topping. I am white cake obsessed and found this to be a bit dry but the other two desserts more than made up for it and we wiped the plate clean regardless. We will 1000% be back. Such a lovely spot in the east village and the perfect portions for us to be full but not uncomfortable. For two on the dinner and two drinks each, our meal topped out at $120 - totally reasonable for an experience this lovely and a night meant for celebrating! -- at LuccaDSM. read more

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Great food, great service! My server dayja was very attentive. The owner was there and treated me like I was vip. 5 stars!

Lucca is a lovely restaurant and has wonderful service. The food was almost there. Some things were perfectly delicious, but then other things fell flat. For example, the salad that came to us was big, gross chunks of romaine. Why not spinach or spring? It felt cheap. When they went all out, it was great. But it was clearly obvious where corners were cut. Overall, with a few tweaks to the menu, this place would be top-notch! read more

Womp. Womp. Upon stepping into Lucca in the charming East Village neighborhood of downtown Des Moines, we were hit with a wall of heavy air and a strong cheese smell (coming from an extreme lover of cheese - the fact that this wasn't an attractive smell is surprising). The kitchen is located in the center of the minimalist space (brick walls, few pieces of artwork and lofty ceilings). We started off with a glass of Moscato and cabernet. I am not a Moscato fan but this version was mind-blowingly delicious - Castello del Poggio (Asti, Italy). Can't wait to buy a bottle of this for home. Note that the menu is prix fixe and $40 per person. Three courses including options like goat cheese with blueberry compote, sauerkraut and kidney bean soup from an Italian recipe, risotto with shrimp, gnocchi tossed in a gorgonzola cheese and scallops with Brussel sprouts. Here's the thing, as delicious as this all sounds, the presentation and actual product fell short of our expectations. I had hoped that the simple décor was leading up to food that served as the eye candy for the space. Our waitress was attentive and did a great job explaining the menu. Unfortunately, the Moscato was the highlight of our experience at Lucca. read more

Lucca - Italian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

This was 5++++++++ stars. Amazing service, food and overall ambiance. We will be back! And telllng friends ! Thanks for a great date night dinner ! read more

Outstanding four course menu that changes daily. The service was very pleasant and attentive. Dining room has exposed brick with open kitchen in center of the restaurant. I had the scallops and they were very good. The chicken parmigiana also had glowing reviews. Desert was a shared plate with four small portions. Very good read more

Lucca - Final course, desert - Italian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Want a high end lunch that wont break the bank? Welcome to Lucca. Today i had an Italian sandwich (made me think of a muffuletta) with the side salad. A quick glance at what others were eating made me feel like i might have misordered; the pastas and full salads looked awe-maz-ing. But i was super happy with what i ate, and am already debating about when Im coming back. Perhaps I need to think my regular lunchtime routi read more

The wait staff was good. The atmosphere was good. The food was not great in my view. The salad could have come from Costco. The price was too high for the meal. No huge complaints, but I would not go back--ever. read more

Today was my first time to Lucca. New to Des Moines within the last year, I haven't gotten out as much as I should. A friend invited me to lunch there and it was an absolute pleasure from the moment I walked in the door. The staff was so friendly. Met the owner as he greeted our table with a friendly handshake and a bottle of Pinot Grigio. I felt so much at home and can't wait to return with my partner and the friends I've made here. Thank you for the wonderful afternoon. I'll see you again soon :-) read more

Lucca - Cracked Pepper. - Italian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

This is my favorite lunch spot in Des Moines. It's fast. The food is amazing. Large servings. The owner is almost always there and the staff is quick, responsive and helpful. The salads are unique. The pastas are the best in Des Moines. The sandwiches are giant. I frequently get the salmon pasta. Sometimes I get a salad and add salmon. It's one of the few places that knows how to cook salmon properly. Always tasty and hot, never overdone. read more

This restaurant is among the finest and yet best values in Des Moines. Every course of our pre fixe dinner was fabulous. My wife and I each ordered different courses and enjoyed them all. And the service? Probably the most attentive without being intrusive I've experienced in a long time. We used to visit Lucca frequently pre-Covid. This will once again be our "go-to" for evenings out. read more

Best Italian meal of my LIFE. Fantastic staff and waitress who were so accommodating when we arrived and our reservation was not yet ready. Would go back a hundred times. read more

A lovely experience at this restaurant. I had come here once before for a fundraiser that was done on the first floor, but didn't get a chance to try the food, though at the time I had really enjoyed the vibe. This time, I came with my husband for dinner and was happily surprised to see a Des Moines restaurant with a prix fixe menu that keeps you within a certain range but allows plenty of choice. I like the decor, it's clean and crisp, and I love the concept of an open kitchen where you can occasionally see the cooks sauteeing and finishing dishes with the open flame. Very cool! The menu includes 4 courses, featuring a salad or soup course, a pasta course, a meat/pork/fish or chicken course and a sampling of desserts. I had the balsamic greens, which were fine, especially the dressing but the salad itself seemed like it had been sitting for a while because it wasn't as crisp. My husband had a salad with goat cheese, which he loved. Then, I had the carbonara pasta course - yum! A perfect portion for a 4 course meal, creamy sauce, not overpowered by the bacon, pasta cooked al dente. Then, I had the NY Strip - it's a big portion, some sweetness to the sauce and balanced with black pepper, baby potatoes and spinach also included. This dish was nice! I also had a bite of my husband's scallops and those were very well executed too. Unfortunately, I was too full to try the dessert (a sampling of 3 desserts including pannacotta, and 3 different dessert sauces) so we got it packed to go (and then due to some unforeseen event I left it at my hotel's fridge so never tried them at all) but I'll come back to try them for sure. I loved the Cabermet served and the service was excellent too. Lucca is a must in the East Village read more

Lucca - NY Strip - Italian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Service was exceptional. The flavors in the courses were well balanced and fresh. The location in the East Village was perfect for anniversary celebration! read more

The overall experience was nothing special. The service was below average and the dishes we picked did not make up for the service. I made reservations at Lucca for our 10-year anniversary, and I mentioned that I was looking for a special experience. The experience was very short of special. I've been to restaurants that put flowers on the table, give a card signed by the owner... not here. It was an average night. Our server was not able to recommend a wine pairing with the dishes, and while the food was mostly good, I thought the dishes we tried were very simple and unsophisticated. The starter was a butternut squash sup - the one I make at home with a drizzle of home made basil oil is tastier. For the main course we were sold on the eggplant Parmesan, which is a dish we usually love! I thought it was ok. The skin of the eggplant was a bit hard and made it difficult to cut it. The highlight of the night was the dessert plate! Cudos to the pastry chef! The plate had tiny delicious bites; however, I thought one plate to share was too little (especially given that I wasn't too crazy about the savory courses). I asked if we could have another plate (and I didn't ask for free) but the server smiled a bit funny and said that was all we were allowed! Seriously! Portion control on my wedding anniversary? I was pretty bummed and will likely not return to this restaurant soon. I would not recommend it for a special occasion. read more

What a great little Italian place. Went with a co-worker for lunch. Had never been there before. Very clean & cozy on the inside. Modern decorations. We both ordered a pasta meal. We had water & tea which was free at the counter. Basically you walk in & order & pay. Then you take a seat. The table wobbled (we didn't notice but the apparent manager did) & he immediately fixed it. Our pasta arrived quickly & was fantastic. I had added extra chicken so I had leftovers. It was worth what we spent & definitely wasn't extra expensive. I would definitely go again. read more

Lucca - Italian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Boring. Overpriced menu with a set selection that offers very little choice. Much better places in the Village that offer variety and choice! read more

What has happened!? Prices up, portions & service down! We ate here on a Thursday night, having been many times before. First off, we had 2 small pieces of bread. We couldn't get more because they were out! "There was a party upstairs" Guess what!? I don't care! I am a paying customer just the same! Seriously! And, as usual, (third time in a row) my husband's salad never comes plain without cheese. Anyway, ordered the pasta al forno as the second course and it was 3 bites!!! In the past, it has been a good size portion. Wanted coffee with dessert, but no chance to order. We love this place, they're food is wonderful, but we are going to have to take a break for awhile. Get it together! Repeat customers not coming back!!! read more

I can't say service was awful because my waiter was so pleasant. But I sat down for a nice 3 course dinner that was over in 45 minutes even after I said I didn't want to be rushed. Goat cheese and beet salad was ok but the goat cheese was more like a liquid dressing( mixed with yoghurt or mayo)that was too acidic for the dish. In less than 5 minutes I was served a delicious spaghetti with clams. I ordered the duck with a mustard leek sauce. My duck was 40% in unrendered fat. The mustard sauce was like the salad; A mustard aolli with sautéed leeks on top and then duck. I'm only down 1/2 a bottle of wine and waiter is asking if I want coffee with my dessert. Flavors were good and restaurant has been here 16 years. I'd guess people in Des Moines are less demanding read more

Excellent food & service! Each of the courses were delicious! You need a reservation, we made ours the day of and got in at 6:30pm. It's a flat fee per person and you choose one of about 5 options for a salad/soup, course 1, course 2 and then desert is the same for everyone. Bread is provided. Most wines are by the bottle, though the have a few glass options. The atmosphere is very simple, the kitchen is out in the open in the heart of the restaurant. You can tell the put all of the focus on what is important - the food! The salads were perfectly dressed, sauces and pastas were decadent. We recommend this place and look forward to going back. I had the spinach salad, gnocchi (small but delicious) & chicken parmigiana. My honey got the Greek salad, rigatoni (one of our favs) & eggplant parm (amazing, both of our favs). Everything was good but those in parenthesis stood out as excellent. Desert was 4 small different things - chocolate flourless cake, banana ice cream, a fruity chewy tart and an apricot cream bar thing (my fav). Enjoy! read more

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The best scallops I've ever had in my life! If you want a romantic dinner or just a nice night out I highly recommend this restaurant. All of the courses were perfectly plated. Our waitress was attentive and knew just when to stop by to refill our drinks. Perfect anniversary dinner! read more

Yes! Must eat place. A four course wonder land of a dinner. You start with a salad. Then a pasta. A meat dish. Finally a desert. Every dish was mouth slapping out of sight. Great atmosphere. Outstanding staff. Cold beers and old town charm. One of the best places in the East Village. read more

Lucca - Tomato basil - Italian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

As I've gotten older, the value I'm receiving at a restaurant has become even more important. As far as Des Moines restaurants go, I'm not sure you could do much better for value than Lucca. Lunch portions are generous and leave you satisfied. Lucca rotates its menu, but I highly recommend the rigatoni with tomato and spinach or the spaghetti with cracked pepper. Both are simple, but this means they provide a solid assessment of the restaurant's true quality. Lunch orders are also delivered quickly, maximizing your time to actually enjoy the meal. For dinner, I highly recommend the prix fixe route. You'll start with a simple salad to get the appetite going. The next dish is your choice of pasta. The spaghetti with cracked pepper shows up here again as does a seasonal gnocchi. My husband is Italian, and he has previously stated that the gnocchi reminds him of his grandmother's; I'm not sure there could be a higher compliment about these little pillows of goodness. The next course is the protein. The eggplant parm is perhaps the best eggplant dish I've ever enjoyed. The meat options are generous, too, playing into the value proposition previously mentioned. Finally, a dessert sampler caps off the meal. If you're looking to keep a meal for 2 near $100, go for the end of bin wine, where you'll find superb bottles for $20. As if the food wasn't enough, the Lucca team is gracious and accommodating to a variety of dietary needs. They deliver service with a smile and embody all that you could hope for in a restaurant experience. read more

Probably the best lunch spot in EV. I've worked my way across the menu and have never been disappointed. Service is friendly and excellent and the atmosphere is gorgeous. read more

I am a business traveler. I travel all over the country for work and have the opportunity to try new places everywhere I go. With that background in mind, I have to tell you that my experience at Lucca was one the best I have had in a very long time. The restaurant has a tasteful high end, minimalist design. The wait staff were all uber professional, drssed in all black and incredibly knowledgable about the menu. They were highly attentive as well. The food was impeccable. The Caesar salad was perfect. It was appropriately dressed with fresh, crisp croutons. The gnocci were perfect pillows of dough in sage butter. The main course was the scallops but they customized for me since I do not like zucchini. The dinner ended with three mini desserts: chocolate ganache tart, panacotta and an apple cobbler type treat. All of this for a very reasonable prix fix. If this place were in NYC, they'd easily and without question charge three times as much. You must check this place out. I will most certainly be back. read more

Went here for my birthday dinner after I received a glowing recommendation and I was not disappointed. Very quiet when we arrived about 5:15 on a Tuesday night but by the time we left after 7, the restaurant was nearly full. Dinner is a four course prix fixe for $40. The sizes of each course were small enough that we didn't feel overly full but big enough to satisfy. Based on other reviews I have read, it looks like the selections are changed but I was pleased to find more than one choice for vegetarians for the first two courses. Although there was only one vegetarian option for the third course, it was eggplant Parmesan, which was fine by me. The eggplant was sliced very thin and was tender and tasty. My greens with goat cheese and black pepper pasta for the first two courses were also very good. Dessert was three small desserts; the panne cotta was creamy with a delicate vanilla flavor, the apple cake was moist and flavorful but the flourless chocolate torte was a bit on the dry side. The ambiance made it a very nice place to enjoy a relaxed and romantic dinner and we were not rushed at all. Would definitely recommend this place for a celebratory dinner! read more

Lucca - Greens with goat cheese - Italian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Pasta and bread were fresh, homemade and cooked perfectly. I've tried both types of pasta, one with their scallops and the tomato basil spaghetti- all delicious. They also have a good selection of wines by the glass. When I first went to Lucca I had just come back from Italy and thought this was just as good if not better than many of the meals I had there. Great ambiance - modern and minimalist but still has a warm feel with exposed brick and light wood. Tip - the first visit was a bit confusing. When you walk in you go to the bar and order your drinks and food - then menu is pretty limited which I like but is not for everyone. There are 2 different types of pasta - about 7 with a red sauce and 2 with a cream sauce. They have a couple of salads, a couple of sandwiches and that's about it. After you tell them your order and pay you grab silverware, napkins, salt & pepper, water and take your stuff to a table - they then bring you your food. If you are craving good pasta this is well worth the visit. read more

Excellent service, food and atmosphere. Fresh flowers, accommodating and super clean!!! The owner was friendly! read more

I used the private upstairs space for a private work event. The long table set up was short in width so my guests looked and felt a bit cramped. I like the ambiance but cannot believe they do not have an elevator and aren't handicap accessible! We all felt very bad for the one server that got assigned to my group of 20. The food was decent but we weren't wowed. The ribeye entree was the most well received in my group. The Trinity Oaks Pinot Noir was also a hit. I liked the option of creating my own select menu ahead of time. They were very professional and the service was great. read more

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This is a very nice restaurant I've been several times it's one with a set menu and you choose from different items from types of salads to main entrees to desserts. I've also been there for fundraisers on the second floor and it's a very nice area for a group wine cocktail kind of party with hors d'oeuvres. Something to consider if you ever need to plan an event. The server's I've had have always been good smart about the food in the background of the food and the food is always been very good quality. It's an interesting place kind of a open atmosphere with a kind of minimalist philosophy with a focus on the food. if you haven't been it's well worth checking out but you really need to have reservations you can't just show up you can sometimes I'll be very lucky and get reservations on the same day in a reasonable time frame. You also have to be thinking about parking because it can be a little difficult at times but that has nothing to do with the restaurant. read more

Lucca - Wonderful upstairs for private parties - Italian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

A fantastic dinner experience. The location is charming, rustic with sophistication. Their pre-fixe menu normally isn't our think but worked well for this establishment. All our dishes were cooked to perfection and brought in a timely manner. Pricing was equal to value and service was on point. One consideration is their dessert was not on par with the other food. Would highly recommend this place consider another dessert option. read more

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Came back for dinner this time. The menu is based on number of courses and none of the menu items have prices listed. I ended up having a pasta dish and chicken Parmesan and they were okay but came out to cost $15-20 each. This place can get expensive if you plan on having all four courses. Small time feel with a good atmosphere. Best bet is to go for lunch. read more

Very great food but very confusing. wish the server asked if we've ate there before so we knew what was going on.

Lucca provides superb cuisine, a stylish minimalist atmosphere, and great service. I went here for a business dinner and couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised. The menu options were solid and creative. The courses each were plated beautifully and tasted even better. I will definitely be returning. Great restaurant for a special occasion or if you are just in the mood for great dining experience. read more

I went here last night for their four course meal. First of all, they have a fairly large list of options for a prix fixe menu. There are 4 courses (salad, pasta, meat and dessert), with lots of options for everything but dessert. We both went for salads for the first course, as they have homemade dressings in house. I got the Caesar, and he got the garden salad. (his was better!) Pretty standard fare as far as salad goes. Next was pasta. This is where Lucca starts to really shine. They have homemade pasta in house, and it is amazing. I went with the ricotta spinach and rigatoni pasta, while he got the carbonara. If you enjoy that ricotta/spinach combo, I'd definitely recommend it. It was flavorful and the pasta itself was amazing. For our third course, we both got the ribeye steak. There were lots of options including chicken parmesan, a veggie option, salmon, and some other seafood. My date said he wanted his opinion included here: "This steak isn't life changing, but it comes as close as a steak can to being life changing". It was seasoned and cooked perfectly and was sooooooo delicious. Last was dessert. They gave us a "flight style" dessert plate. We got flourless chocolate torte with berries, coconut cake, seasame cake with homemade whipped cream and some sort of thing that was the consistency of flan, but tasted really creamy, and it was covered in honey. Overall, the food was amazing, and our waiter was fantastic, getting our plates as soon as we were done, and timing everything perfectly. We were the last ones to leave the restaurant, and our visit clocked in at about 1 hr and 40 minutes. That's basically 100 minutes of eating and drinking nonstop, which was amazing, and would totally recommend. read more

Came in for lunch with a friend and it was a mediocre lunch experience. They had quite a few different vegetarian options all of which were reasonably prices ~9-10 dollars for a plate. I got the spinach rigatoni. The pasta was a bit undercooked, but it was just an average pasta dish. The bread that came with the pasta was the best part. I might try to come back for dinner or if I am near East Village for lunch but it didn't have me dying to come back read more

What an amazing gem! Had a fantastic lunch with my wife. Lovely staff and space. Both pastas we fantastic and the Greek salad was spot on. Sauvignon Blanc didn't hurt Just a great experience all around. read more

My first meal at Lucca with bff. I had read the reviews and we were anxious to try it, I knew they had a prix fix option but I didn't realize that that was All they had. No single entree or ala cart items. We started with a glass of their Moscato/ it was delicious- not overly sweet , clean and a nice hint of green apple at the end. Very good. The prix fix menu has several options per course. Started with caprese salad for me- SO good and so fresh, BFF had Caesar salad- she liked it but the dressing was mostly mayonnaise with Parmesan on top. A bit boring. Second course/ I had the pasta with shrimp- the pasta was Perfection, the shrimp fresh, tiny tomatoes and a very light dressing of olive oil . It was simply perfect. One of the best pasta dishes I've had, Bff had the gnocchi which she loved. Also a simple, clean presentation but absolutely delicious. Third course( by now I'm full already) I had the rib eye with oven roasted potatoes - steak ordered medium/ it came very medium-well but was tender. The oven potatoes were soggy. I was taking it home to my husband anyway( he loved it) but if I was going to have it as my main dish I would have sent it back. Bff had the salmon with asparagus and she cleaned her plate-SO good Dessert course was a flight of 4 mini servings to share. 2 we loved and 2 we didn't eat. The vanilla panna cotta was amazing. Perfect consistency- smooth and creamy but firm. Lucious vanilla flavor and fresh strawberries. The flourless chocolate cake( these are all about 3" squares) was so decadent- rich, heavy and fudgy- with a strawberry sauce. So good. The caramel flan was not flan-consistency / it was more like crustless pumpkin pie but tasted primarily like burned sugar. We didn't care for it. The little ground nut/cornmeall(?) cake was extremely dry. Best part of that was the whipped cream and giant blackberry on the top. For $50 a piece ( including the wine) it was a bit expensive and there were some definite let-downs. But the ambience and the majority of the food was just lovely. Perfect date nite or special occasion spot! Will definitely try this again, read more

Lucca - Italian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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