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    Lucca Ristorante

    3.1 (314 reviews)

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    LUCCA RISTORANTE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Quiet
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Lucca Ristorante

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    The short rib with risotto that clearly is made with frozen peas and carrots.
    Nick P.

    Imagine Pittsburgh in 1998 ... oh wait, but you don't have to. You can just come to Lucca Ristorante, where the restaurant and bar appears not to have been remodeled since the Lewinsky scandal and the chairs have 26 years of sag in them. Speaking of scandal ... how about risotto made with Birds Eye frozen peas and carrots? Reminds me of what my mother use to throw together on a Wednesday night before Catechism class. Or the bruschetta ... the level of scandal here puts the Lewinsky affair to shame ... the bread was soft and rubbery because it had been toasted only slightly and was probably stale ex-ante ... also, cumin enough? Speaking of ex-ante ... our meal could readily be characterized by the before times and the after times -- that is BEFORE the loud wedding party came in and cackled, chortled, and drunkenly cavorted in the back room before saying some god-forsaken prayer everyone else in the restaurant had to sit through. AFTER they came in nobody could hear anyone but them, which is probably fine because who wants to constantly be listening to people complain about their food, the atmosphere, the ambiance, etc. At least they all appeared to be enjoying themselves, though I didn't pin them for the type that would know any better ... But seriously Pittsburgh ... could we get some decent Italian restaurants? It's as if everything is still stuck in the plastic-covered-sofa era, and the food so imbued with poverty, one can almost taste the steel mills of yesteryear closing ... I'll give it a 2 because we used a $50 OpenTable voucher, so at least we didn't pay full price.

    Wine suggested by Ted, our waiter...delicious
    Bevann K.

    Absolutely what we were hungry for... homemade noodles, tagliatelle with Bolognese sauce, made with veal and pork. Noodles were delightful. Another entree was the gnocchi, covered, and I mean covered in marinara sauce with bites of tomatoes. Added was slivered Parmesan cheese that melted with the heat of the sauce. The gnocchi are soft and light, I love them.This is not our first time here, and the Italian bread was as good as I remembered, hard and crispy outside and soft and moist on inside. It is served with olive oil, and my only request would be butter. Ted was perfect and so was our wine, by the way! Very enjoyable evening. Can't wait till next time.

    Elizabeth B.

    I would give it 4 stars. But the staff toom away from the experience largely. Our server was not very attentive, and not very professional. We traveled an hour and twenty minutes to eat here. Knowing it was move in weekend for several colleges right next to the restaurant my husband called and asked about parking. We showed up. Parked down the strew and it was getting ready to storm so we headed in. We were early but happy to sit at the bar and have a date night cocktail. We explained this to them at the door and they were kinda of snappy with us and pointed to the bar that had stuff all over it and said they could just seat us now. They took us to a table that you would have on your personal patio we had to play Tetris to have stuff on it. My left overs had to sit on the floor. We got fresh bread which was delicious and ordered the meatball appetizer. They were great. The bread that comes with it could break your teeth. It was while we were eating our appetizer someone called on the phone and also inquired about parking. When they hung up the staff a man and woman started making fun of the caller and the woman started saying things like "how about you be a big boy and figure out parking when you get here like everyone else" and other phrases like that. It was not pleasant to hear and I'm sure they made the same comments about our call but we were driving an Hour and a half to eat here we needed to know parking. We got our entrees I did the Asiago chicken gnocchi the gnocchi were amazing the chicken needed a saw blade. Husband got the salmon the lemon risotto was the winner here. His salmon was sub par and like warm. We finished with the almond cake which paired with the espresso martini were perfect the martini was the stand out of the whole meal. The food was good. The service needs worked on.

    Tomato basil soup
    Daniel R.

    Before a show at CMU (if you're reading this while Godspell is still playing, GO SEE IT!!!), my mom and I came here for a quick lunch. We had a nice experience! It was very easy to make a reservation--there were very few people at the restaurant this particular Saturday. Dustin was impur server and he appeared to be the only person running the restaurant. He was great! Very funny, prompt, and attentive. The restaurant's interior is beautiful, and the chairs are super comfortable. Our food was good! I enjoyed the short rib risotto, although the risotto needed a little more creaminess. The meat was succulent but a tad dry. The salad and soup were also tasty! Overall, we had a good experience here. If you'd like a relatively elevated meal in Oakland, this is the place to go!

    pappardelle bolognese
    Humphrey F.

    Final visit before leaving Pittsburgh, I can never speak highly enough of my favorite pappardelle bolognese. The chocolate cannoli takes the top spot on the dessert memu, which is the best version I have had so far. The tiramisu is also a must try, which tastes smooth and not cakey or too sugary.

    Consumer alert for the Lucca Ristorante & Wine Bar on South Craig Street in Oakland for multiple health code violations.

    Stay Away from This Restaurant if You Are Concerned About Your Health and Longevity! I was shocked to learn about a consumer alert issued by the Allegheny County Health Department just two months ago, only days after our family dined here around college move-in time. According to the inspection report, the restaurant had serious health violations, including rodent droppings found throughout the kitchen and dining room, stagnant water used to store in-use utensils, and mold in the ice machine. These violations suggest a concerning lack of hygiene and food safety. How is this place allowed to operate under these conditions, and did they even post the required yellow warning sign? It's alarming, especially considering how many families dine here during college move-in week. Cleanliness issues aside, I'm so shocked that I can't even bring myself to comment on their rude staff.

    Shrimp Scampi
    Rim G.

    It's okay... I have been waiting to try this place. But I was a little disappointed. The atmosphere is great. The service is on point. The food looks good. The taste? Meh... I ordered bruschetta, except it wasn't. The bread was chewy. The basil sauce and oil was good but it was not what I expected and the bread definitely ruined it. I could not eat it. They have already served regular bread before we ordered because the bread that cane for the "bruschetta" was no good. We ordered 2 pastas Spaghetti and Meatballs and I think Shrimp Scampi. The meatballs were small and did not taste anything special. They were just okay. The pasta sauce was sweet. The shrimp was good. The noodles were thick and didn't taste good. The sauce was better than the other pasta sauce but it was a little too spicy. I east spicy food a lot but I still think it was a little too much. We did not order desert because were already disappointed. If you are hungry and want something to eat, then yeah it's not too bad but for the price, I think it was not good enough. I had better pastas/Bruschetta for sure. I don't think I will go back there to be honest.

    Cannoli
    Julie Anna E.

    The ambiance was so nice and it's a beautiful restaurant. We had a nice date here but both were so disappointed with the food here! We had been dying to try this place. I wish we had just gone to our longtime favorite next door- the Union Grill After months of walking by this place we finally decided to make a reservation and dine here. Mistake. My meal was soo disappointing. I had the shrimp scampi which was soo garlicky and drenched in lemon. It was so overwhelming and a super unpleasant flavor. The shrimp were good but the rest of the meal was a flop My boyfriend had the pesto chicken gnocchi. He didn't like it. The gnocchi portion was so small he ended up eating half my dinner (fine with me as I offered it after not liking it) his meal was 50% pesto sauce, 40% chicken, and like 10% gnocchi. He kept saying how he wished he got something else For dessert my boyfriend wanted cannolis because he was still very hungry. I personally did not like them but he loved them! So I was at least happy about that Wouldn't be back to eat here unfortunately

    Kitty K.

    Lucca was the perfect spot for my birthday dinner. The ambiance is cozy. The staff is super friendly. I ordered a delicious martini to begin, then went for a Sauvignon Blanc. It was the perfect compliment to my amazing mushroom pappardelle with shrimp added. This dish was everything I wanted and more! The pasta was so delicate. The shrimp was cooked to perfection. The portions are large, I brought some home and enjoyed it later in the evening. (I never eat leftovers, but this dish made the cut!) My man ordered the filet mignon. It melted in your mouth, it was the perfect cut of meat! Lucca has been in business over 25 years. Get yourself over there for some amazing Italian food. We will be back!

    Frutti di Mar con Rigatoni

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    I came here a while ago to eat for a friends birthday dinner. I enjoyed the mushroom pasta and the enjoyable atmosphere.

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    Lucca Ristorante Reviews in Other Languages

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    Saint Ravioli

    Saint Ravioli

    5.0(6 reviews)
    1.2 miBloomfield

    Every year my girlfriend and I find a cooking or baking class that is local in Pittsburgh to do…read moretogether. This year we decided to down our robes and become disciples of Saint Ravioli. Getting a spot in a class is very hard since they are limited to 6-8 people, but if you get the chance I absolutely recommend it. The classes are 2 hours long each and are extremely intimate. Bryan and Justin will meet you at the door and will introduce you to their workshop. There is a spread of antipasto to snack on which was curated very well. Each person gets to make 4 (four!!) dozen raviolis each. The class is extremely informative and fun. I personally haven't ordered any of their ravioli drops before, but from eating the batch I personally made, I know I will in the future. Highly recommend ordering their raviolis online or taking the class if it's available.

    Although it takes some planning to order ahead, then pickup your order, the Ravioli is amazing…read more When you pick up your order, it's frozen. To prepare it, simply drop into boiling water, then after it floats to the top, wait a few minutes. I also ordered the Marinara sauce which was delicious. The owner friendly and helpful. He noticed that this was my first order, so he took some time to explain a few things and answer questions. Parking is on the street, and I had no problems finding a spot. It's a fun experience and I will definitely do it again.

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    Garbarinos - Caprese

    Garbarinos

    4.5(203 reviews)
    1.6 miEast Liberty
    $$

    Seriously what's not to love about this place. From the servers to the food to the ambiance, both…read moretimes we've been here it's been immaculate. Got the pasta with a crispy chicken cutlet again, which could have been a meal on its own-may have been a foot across. House made pasta was delicious as usual. Star of this round was the brussel sprouts, by far the best I've ever had. Have heard people say they can make vegetables take on that meaty taste, and this nails it. And they're huge! Meatballs melt in your mouth.

    Food: We ordered the Spaghetti Pesto Alfredo & Rigatoni Tomato Cream…read more The ingredients listed on the menu is what you get. Very simple, no extra effort given beyond the output of a classic italian dish. Each plate proportionately could have fed two people so it felt like we were eating for four. We both left full, but underwhelmed with the flavor profiles rendered. Service: Overall our waitress was pretty absent, having asked us how we were doing only twice, leaving little room for any comments or feedback to be offered. She recognized her absence and offered us a surprise tiramisu (complimentary) to make up for the lack of attentiveness to our table. Seating: A large bar stretches the restaurant accompanied by wooden chairs, tables and a few booths tucked against the parallel wall. The seating is not tight, meaning you have space between yourself and other parties but the wooden chairs/tables were uncomfortable. In 2026, we just expected a little more from a restaurant charging $20+ for pasta plates. Affordability: If you're going out for drinks and an appetizer, you might be able to sneak your bill in for under $50, but otherwise forget it. Each plate is $20+ with options on the wine list reaching as high as $200+ ... We wouldn't describe this atmosphere as fancy, but the prices are trying to be. Comments: Always support local, small business and give every spot a try. We left this restaurant full, but saying we wouldn't be back, and think it's important that you get an opportunity to read an honest review before you spend your hard earned money. Take care, and happy eating!

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    Piccolo Forno - Three Cheese Mezzaluna with Wild Mushroom Marsala Cream Sauce

    Piccolo Forno

    4.1(672 reviews)
    1.7 miLawrenceville
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    A few of us came in for dinner on a weeknight and they were packed, so it was a good thing we made…read morereservations. They were happy when they quickly greeted and seated us. The venue is beautifully decorated and though it's small, they do a nice job with spacing of the tables for all the guests they can accommodate at once. They are also BYOB, but offer a QR code for a neighboring wine shop who will deliver any bottle you select and pay for via the QR code at your table - This is great because they don't charge a corking fee when you do this, but if you do bring your own, they charge a modest corking fee, I think $8. Their menu is excellent... it's filled with so many appetizing options! We started with their stuffed peppers - OMG, EXCELLENT!! Any time I'm in the Pittsburgh area I need to try a few things, this being one of them. These were probably some of the best I've ever had! The sauce was finely ground and really flavorful. The peppers were perfectly cooked to keep their beauty and texture and they were spicy too! We also requested a large order of their table bread and asked for a side of EVOO with it. I sprinkled grated pecorino and freshly ground red chili flakes into the EVOO to make an incredible dipping sauce which worked perfectly with that bread! For my entrée I enjoyed their amazing Spinach Tagliatelle which came perfectly presented and tasted amazing! The spinach was perfectly cooked to the proper texture and the sauce was so good I didn't mind it having eggplant in it (which I hate). Save room for dessert, their panna cotta was great! Overall, the entire experience was very nice, I'd definitely return!

    A cute little Italian place on the corner of Butler st! It's got an intimate, cozy vibe and was…read morewarm and humid inside when I went in the winter. It's somewhat like classy Italian food with entrees starting in the $20s. If you pay with cash, you can get a 5% discount! They have an awesome joint deal with the winery next door called Grapperia where if you buy a bottle, they'll waive the $8 corkage fee. It's a nice place to try new wine at dinner. We got the smoked gouda and nduja pizza & scallop mezzaluna (with the latter as part of their new year menu). Honestly, the pizza was way better than I expected, I'd say the best of these two dishes. It was thin but well flavored with the gouda, tad spiciness (or rather kick) from the salami, and creaminess of the roasted squash. I don't normally like white pizza nor squash on my pizza(?), but this tasted rather good and unique! The scallop mezzaluna was as if the scallop was a ravioli filling. So the dish came with 9 half moonish pasta/raviolis served in a very simple sauce of lemon and processo. It was okay, my first time trying something like this but I wish there was more or had an oomph to it. I'd love to come back here and try more of their pizzas!

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    Brushetta

    Alla Famiglia - Raspberry Tiramisu

    Alla Famiglia

    4.3(534 reviews)
    2.9 miAllentown
    $$$$

    This is the best Italian restaurant I've been to in a long time. It's five stars for their service,…read moreatmosphere, and their food. Not just service with a smile, we were entertained. It was fun watching them fix drinks and mix pasta in the cheese wheel. Sparkling water House salad: candied walnuts and raisins make it next level. House pasta: corkscrew pasta with homemade vodka sauce is delicious. Filet mignon Diane: tender, juicy, lots of flavor here. Birthday dessert - raspberry tiramisu Complimentary small strawberry filled cannoli was the best cannoli I've ever eaten. There are three levels of dining rooms. We were up on the second floor. Very ornate decor and a beautiful spiral staircase. AJ was a joy to have as our server this evening. We were seated at the bar. But we were treated just like any other table. Great service all night. (7 photos; 1 video)

    Seated via OpenTable Reservations…read more Food & Drink: - Mixed Drink(s): 5 / 5 Sip of Sunshine Old Fashioned - My server recommended it and I couldn't understand why he called it SOS until I had it. Spoiler: it's not the name. Clean, clear, smells like any other bourbon until that first sip reveals just how perfectly blended it is. The kind of drink you savor while watching the sun set on the horizon. Crème Brûlée Espresso Martini - As my heart rate settled from the first drink I needed something to kick it back up. One sip and I could've read the dictionary cover to cover without blinking. Close your eyes and the aroma takes you straight to that first cup of coffee fresh out of the pot. Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Martini - Beautiful presentation but flatter in flavor than the previous two. However for a final cocktail that was exactly the point -- the perfect calm down after a rich and spicy meal. - Food: 4.25 / 5 Bread, Oil & Dip: A great palate cleanser that quickly taught me the chef loves his spices. The dip was described as "Italian Hummus" and if this is the standard I completely understand the hype. Appetizer - Ceviche Peruviano: Think of that forgotten appetizer thrown together last minute for a dinner party, a hodgepodge of raw fish and vegetables. But every bite delivers an explosion of complementary flavors, and that sneaky hint of spice hiding in the raw fish bites will wake you up immediately. Pre-pasta - Tuscan Kale Salad: Needed something to cleanse my palate after the spicy ceviche and frankly I am tired of Caesar salad. Not a kale fan normally because it tastes like dirt, but the lemon vinaigrette adds just enough flavor to make that dirt genuinely enjoyable. Pasta - Cacio E Pepe: Easily the highlight. My buddy describes it perfectly as fancy fettuccine. I have never liked fettuccine until now. My server, who prepared it himself, recommended adding house chili oil for a slight kick. I went one click past recommended and even then it was still divine. I would order it again without hesitation. Entrée - Veal Chop, Lobster Tail & Vegetables (Chef's preference): After riding Cloud 9 all evening I felt like Icarus flying too close to the sun. One word: bland. The veal was overcooked with all the flavor locked into the fat, and the lobster tail tasted like a convenience store impulse buy. The best use of those bones would be soup stock. I had no desire to finish it. Dessert - Tuxedo Crème Brûlée: As much as I wanted the house raspberry tiramisu I left the choice to my server after some back and forth. He recommended this for its balance of sweetness and berry bitterness and he was right. The perfect final note to tap out on. Service: 10 / 5 Even now, I still don't think I tipped my server enough. Dining alone, he made the evening feel like I had a companion at the table. Great conversation, personalized attention, and a level of service that few will ever experience. It was a pleasure to talk to someone who knows and appreciates food as much as I do. If you want an exceptional dining experience, request AJ as your server. I promise you won't be disappointed. Vibe: 5 / 5 Presentation, presentation, presentation. That is the theme every dish and the environment itself conveys the moment you walk through the doors at Alla Famiglia. This is a place for those who want to feel bourgeois for the night. Overall 4.25 / 5: My goal in life is to become a regular somewhere. There is something special about finding a place you love so much that every visit still feels like a new experience. Alla Famiglia is exactly that type of place. During my visit I was introduced to new items and dishes not listed on the menu, which only adds to that sense of discovery. It may be a while before I return since this place isn't cheap and my restaurant bucket list is long, but I will be back. Hopefully AJ is still there when I do, because that is exactly the kind of server you want in your corner as a regular. Recommend? Absolutely

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    Exterior of restaurant

    Big Jim's Restaurant & Bar - Chicken Parm Sub

    Big Jim's Restaurant & Bar

    4.2(360 reviews)
    1.3 miGreenfield
    $$

    A friend told us how good Big Jim's was and we are so glad we decided to go try it…read more We were warmly greeted when we entered. The waitress was also very nice and accommodating the entire time. A man was also very helpful and brought us things we may need. I really enjoyed the super meaty and delicious meatballs on my meatball hoagie. The Marinara was really good. My husband's Italian and absolutely loved the veal cutlet sandwich. It was huge, crunchy and tasty. It made him nostalgic for the veal cutlets his grandmother used to make. The Fresh-cut Fries were good but weren't seasoned well enough. I also wish they were crunchier. We saw a man order the Stromboli and it was ginormous but looked delicious. He was a big guy and only ate about 25% of it. Got my mom a corned beef sandwich and she said it one of the best she had ever had. We're Irish and she loves them. There are lots of great things on the menu and will be back to try other things.

    4/11/26- Popped in for lunch today, and the place was nearly empty but the hostess, bartender and…read morewaitress were super pleasant. Ordered the Fried Jalapinos and they were good, but the basic Sysco product. I don't think anyone makes them from scratch- do they? Anyway for $6, I wasn't disappointed. My son ordered the Big Jim's Club and could only finish half. Look at the size of that sandwich! Then I ordered a side of fries to go w his other half so he could take it home w him. Thanks Big Jim's..! Keep on, Keeping on...!

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    Lucca Ristorante - italian - Updated May 2026

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