How have I not reviewed Lucia's?! Lucia's is the ONLY pizza place I will order from, dine in, out here in the Berkeley/ Oakland area. Lucky for me, they deliver to my address. I'm pretty sure Lucia's kept me alive during the pandemic and I'm thrilled that they went back to a dine-in restaurant sooner rather than later. That's not to say their food isn't good delivered: it reheats like a gem! For pizza, just toss a few drops of water in a pan and fry up a few slices. The crust gets nice and crispy while the sauce and cheese melt to perfection. This is as close to Italian style pizza as you're going to get without hopping on a plane to Italy. Recently I've been venturing out of the pizza zone and trying more menu items. Everything I've had is delicious! Last night I ordered the pasta special which was a GNOCCHI bolognese in addition to the FLAMING LIPS pizza and an appetizer. It truly did feel like I just ate in Italy because I didn't leave the restaurant feeling sick from over eating. Not sure what they're importing, but it's working. If you want true, authentic Italian style pizza and pasta, you must try Lucia's! read more

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Went here for our anniversary with reservations. We were seated right away and got some water and ordered drinks. Started with the calamari fritti. Tasted great, we got the non spicy aioli. You can get that optionally. I've ordered the pizza Napoli and my wife had the rigatoni. The pizza was amazing, simple recipe but every bite was super tasty. The crust is just the way Napoli pizza should be. As desert we had the cannoli which was good, nothing spectacular but solid. Service was friendly and attentive. All in all a great evening. Will definitely return and try a few more dishes. read more

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The meatballs were dry and tasteless, calzone fried pie was soggy with little cheese or prosciutto, Brussels sprouts were overcooked, and pesto pasta was just okay...basically a disappointment! read more

We have ordered pizza and burrata ! Both were good, but their tiramisu is really good!! Definitely come back here! We didn't have reservations for Sunday nite but luck to sat down right away! Service was great as well! read more

Lucia’s Berkeley - Tiramisu - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

Best pizza in the Bay Area ! Sooooooo good Cool ambiance , good service, amazing pizza. Also try the montanarine. It would be fried pizza on top of Normal pizza , but it's for a good reason read more

Great meatballs and very fresh broccoli as well! We got Lips of Fire. It does look like lips of fire! I usually prefer crispier bottoms. The bottom is quite soft, which kind of surprised me. The sauce on the pizza is very fresh and a little spicy. Overall great fols read more

Lucia’s Berkeley - Lips o fire pizza - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

Can't even give this place a one star, the rudeness upon entering this small establishment was absolutely unnecessary . We are a family of 5 and although we did not have a reservation (arrived upon opening) still did not expect the discourteous manner the hostess displayed. His callousness was unnecessary , without even looking up he asked if we had a reservation. Upon informing him we did not, he motioned that we could sit out side. At which point his ill mannered and negative attitude made us uncomfortable so we left that establishment. This restaurant was recommended by our hotel and I will be sure to inform them of our treatment so that they no longer encourage patrons to visit this place. We were so fortunate to come upon Heroic Italian who were extremely gracious and the food was delicious! read more

Lucia’s Berkeley - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

Best pizza in Berkeley. Roman style thin crust pies with the real deal wood fired crust. We got 4 pizzas for 6 people and had leftovers, but did get some salads and appetizers. The gluten free crust is absolutely amazing- highly highly recommend- I will be working to emulate this at home! Little gem salad and the secret burrata pizza were the standouts but everything was great. Service was also friendly and efficient. read more

Lucia's has the best gluten free pizza and pasta I've found anywhere. After discovering a gluten intolerance several years ago, I've longed for great pizza and pasta and always been disappointed with the offerings I've found. Lucia's gluten free pizzas and pastas are so much better than any that I've found elsewhere. Both the Diavola Pizza and the Norma were delicious, and the pasta bolognese was phenomenal. We will definitely be going back to Lucia's regularly for dinner. We're also not-so-secretly hoping that they'll open a San Francisco location sometime soon so that we can go even more often. read more

Our date night special and one of my top 3 to go for a wood fired pizza. Do not forget to ask for their chili oil. Their Pesto Pasta is pretty good too and their Salads are fresh and never disappoint. read more

Found this place on OpenTable and Yelp and saw its great reviews. It's a small little cafe like restaurant with a focus on pizza. The calamari was delicious but smaller portioned than other restaurants. The Italian mule was very tasty. We ordered the special of the day, eggplant Parmesan and the paparadelle alla bolognese. Both were excellent and served with a side of pizza bread. Service was good. We had the salted caramel and vanilla gelato and the chocolate mousse. Both were amazing. The only negative, and a minor one at that, is the less-than-generous size of the portions. Still, a five star establishment. read more

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Probably the best, most athentic pizza in this area, and the service is impeccable. Owner is always friendly to us and wants to make sure you enjoy yourself and the food. The calabrian chili oil on the table is addictive. Always love it here. read more

What a great find! I can't believe we never tried this place until today. We didn't have a reservation but we were able to sit at the bar. The host was super nice and let us move to a table when it became available. Everyone was super nice and friendly. The service was great. And yes, the food was delicious We ordered today's special pizza with Burrata cheese and fresh tomatoes I usually leave crusts but I ate them all. They were super fluffy and tasty. This place is now one of our favorite restaurants in Berkeley! We can't wait to go back and try other items on their menu! Thank you!! read more

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Still very good! Recently ordered from here craving pizza. Lucia's doesn't not disappoint with their wood fire chewy crust and delicious toppings! Their online ordering process was easy and you can order ahead of time. The pizza was ready on time! Thank you Lucia's! Currently, only doing take out. COVID protocols enforced. read more

This is for their one vegan option, the Margherita. Pro: They use Miyoko mozzarella which melted nicely Like the flavor of the crust Nicely cooked in their mobile oven Friendly staff Neutral: Found them at the Temescal street fair, one of few vegan options Hoped for larger coverage of the pie with sauce and cheese and less end crust Price for small 10" was $12.50 Con: Only two small twigs of basil Served open on a cardboard plate - good thing I did not have a high wind blow it away on walk home Search continues. I'll try to post pic later read more

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Bad service, mediocre food. Go to Jupiters instead. We were asked us to leave because they "needed the table" despite us still eating! Was there with a small group, $200+ check, and less than 2 hrs in we were asked to leave despite there still being pizza on my plate to eat. read more

Came for brunch, my husband wanted pizza, and this place had pizza on their brunch menu. Made a reservation online through yelp, was super easy and convenient, and actually for the time we came/arrived we probably didn't need one. It's super cute, love the pink lit sign. Our server was nice. They have typical brunch fare and pizzas. Ordered coffee and the America pizza- with egg and bacon as well as their pasta special - linguini carbonara. Both were delicious. They have a huge pizza in the back, so it was a true delight. My husband and I went to italy for our honeymoon and ever since then, we are always on the hunt for napoleon pizza and yummy pasta. This hit the spot today. Definitely want to come back again for their dinner menu. read more

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Oh my goodness, can I just applaud this place real quick? I love love love the pizza, but I also loved the negroni, as well as the service. The staff were so attentive and funny, I love their personality! I had brunch here, ordered Margherita pizza and Norma pizza. Both were on point. Try sprinkling ur pizza with pepper flakes and their homemade olive oil with chili drizzle. It spices things up. The place is cozy inside, conveniently located near campus. Just right air ventilation indoors. Awesome service by the co-owner(s) themselves. Keep calm and enjoy pizza, like I did, I'm certainly gonna be back! read more

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If you like dealing with people who don't understand micro aggressions then go ahead. As a person of color it was quite irritating to be told by the person taking my name for the phone waitlist for in-person seating "Could you tell me an easier name?". I decided to leave and go to another pizza place down the road after that. read more

Make sure you get a reservation to escape the wait! We sat at the bar right next to the chef who made all the pizza, so we saw all the action taking place! Their pizzas are definitely really tasty. We shared the Shroomy White pizza and added sausage and I highly recommend this one in the white pizza selection. It was loaded with toppings, the mozzarella was delicious and thick chunks of sausage all around. The dough was thicker than I thought on the outer ends which I loved. We also shared the clam linguine - the portion was smaller than I thought but the clams were big and juicy. Both the pizza and pasta were more than enough for us to share, this would be a great place to share their different pizza selections! read more

Pizza is best when it's done simply and done well. Came here for brunch with a big group, and service was great! Good vibes, cute view, and decor inside. Even the bathroom wallpaper is cute. The Margherita was good, without the usual intense saltiness of pizza. Unfortunately the middle dough was super soggy, but the crust was very chewy and flavorful! We got two of each dessert item, and I liked all of them! The tiramisu especially. Their sorbet is from Al Mare down the street, but you don't get to choose the flavors. Overall, a solid choice for brunch, lunch, or dinner! read more

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Unpretentious resturaunt...ie plain....with fantastic food!!!!! Ordered a Pruchetto & arugella pizzs...thin crust that taste like a light bread. Delicious! Try the hot oil....it's the perfect amount of flavor spice. Also ordered the salmon....ohhh my Goodness....AMAZING...FANTASTIC....who knew....this was earth shaking.... Service was warm & attentive. Thank you for a fantastic dinner!! Sharine read more

Lucia’s Berkeley - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Came here on a rainy Sunday evening for dinner after a show at the Berkeley rep. The restaurant is a quaint little location with rustic minimalistic decor and it was very busy for a Sunday night. Previously, I ordered the vegan wood fired margherita pizza and you could never tell it was vegan so I had to come back to try another one. I ordered the vegan farmers daughters pizza this time. I personally didn't love the combination of toppings on this one but the crust was perfectly charred, crunchy and chewy. read more

Lucia’s Berkeley - Vegan Farmers Daughter Signature Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

A couple of year's ago their food was great, this time I had very bad food nothing like an Italian meal. I ordered spaghetti with shells it was so salty and full of oil with no taste. Just horrible. I was a guest and didn't want to make my friends unhappy and later I asked my friends if they liked their food,they were unhappy too. I am not going to eat there anymore. My wife got sick, she told me next morning. read more

Came by for brunch this weekend. Compared to lunch and dinner, there's not that many people here for brunch - no surprise as you wouldn't really expect a pizza place to offer brunch. My friends and I ordered: - La Norma $12 (fresh mozzarrella, tomato, basil, eggplant, fresh ricotta) - Specky Brecky $13 (fresh mozzarrella, speck, Sicilian sundried tomatoes, potatoes, farm egg) - Prosciutto Benny $15 (Levain toast with poached eggs, prosciutto, shaved montasio cheese, hollandaise) Didn't try the two pizzas, but I loved my order (Prosciutto Benny). The side of potatoes was soft but not mushy (very buttery). I didn't have room to finish the tomato and salad. The eggs were poached perfectly, not too runny and not too well done. The prosciutto was one of the highlights - the softest, most melt-in-your-mouth prosciutto I've ever tasted. And the Levain toast - I can't describe how good it was. It reminded me of a French toast in the sense that it seemed like it was fried? Crispy on the outside with a hard crust but the inside was soft and buttery. We also got a free dessert as my friend made a reservation through OpenTable and that was the special offer. The owner/manager and employees are all very nice and were telling us how their equipment and ingredients were sourced from Italy, so they try to be as authentic as possible. Some of the employees and chef are also from Italy. This place is not cheap, though - so for college students on a budget, maybe this is your place to splurge on some authentic delicious pizza after a midterm? read more

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Pricey but tasty pizza. I particularly enjoyed the novelty of the red pepper infused oil they bring to the table and recommended to sprinkle on top. It added a nice, mildly spicy flavor. It's very casual, small and, if crowded, you are likely to be sharing a large table with others if you have less than 4 in your party. read more

Lucia’s Berkeley - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

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My daughter's name is Lucia, so we had to try this restaurant. We came for brunch and ordered Shirley Temples, a Roy Roger's and a Mimosa to start (there were no cherries included, which was kind of a bummer, the only strike against this eatery.). We had the Rustic French toast with marscapone cheese and colorfully plated berries, eggs and potatoes with toast, the Becky's Breaky pizza and the American Pizza with Canadian bacon and an egg. Everything was wonderful! It was all so colorful and fresh. The French toast was so good and inviting, my children fought over getting bites from my daughter. It looks like they make fresh pasta and pizzas for dinner, we'll have to come back to give it a try. This restaurant includes the gratuity in the tab, BTW, which is easier for the patron and more sustainable for the employees. read more

We ordered delivery last night. Yum! The eggplant caponata with yummy bread for dipping, delicious Brussels sprouts, and the bolognese was devoured. Well done! Can't wait to eat there in person! read more

I recently discovered that they also have gluten-free calamari, which is such a treat! I'm not sure if the owners are gluten-free or what, but I feel really taken care of as a gluten-free person when I come here. My partner is NOT gluten-free so he has tried the regular options and it's his favorite place to go out to eat! once in a while, we dine in instead of getting takeout and we have always enjoyed the warm, cozy atmosphere and quick service. read more

Among a crowded field of good choices of decent pizza in Berkeley and Oakland, Lucia's stands out as the only one who is true to the Neapolitan pizza. I remember when it was relatively new, we had brunch there. The place was almost empty. One bite into the pizza, my son proclaimed it was THE BEST pizza he ever had eaten except when we were in Italy. He has since moved out of the area. But he still salivates when I mention about Lucia. The restaurant is now very popular. It was almost full at six on a Thursday. We choose to sit on the counter to see the 900-degree brick oven from Italy up close and to watch the pizza chef turning out "magic pies" in 2 minutes! -The phenomenal pizza The dough was PERFECT. It was chewy, yet soft pillowy thin in the center, bubbly light with blisters puffed-up on the edges. The topping is of high quality, delicious. -The appetizer Caponata: pure joy for eggplant lovers. Tris Di Montanarine: The mini pizzas are too tiny to hold any toppings as it fell off fried dough except for calzone. I think changing the dough shape before frying will help. -The drinks They serve cocktails, beer, and wine. Berkeley's Donkey and Goat wine is on tap. Dessert I would eat more pizza if I could. I could never make it to dessert. The service Warm, attentive, and prompt from Brooke. We also observed the entire team, from chef to server, all work together, help each other. I guess this is an example that the mandatory tips work by sharing the responsibility and, hopefully, the tips among all employees. Lucia's is my choice for savoring a top-notch authentic Neapolitan pizza with friends, family, or by myself. read more

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Stopped in after a show. The only spot available was the counter at the window which was a great little spot. We felt lucky given we had not made a reservation on a Saturday night. Excellent service. Amazing yet simple dishes: arugula salad with pomegranate seeds and crunchy taro root, Margarita pizza with Bufalo mozzarella, and the freshest and most delicious pesto on pasta (cooked perfectly al dente) that I may ever have had. Ever. read more

Everything could have been amazing if they just added a little salt! * Pizza - 4 stars: AMAZING crust, but a bit bland. They're known for their pizza, and I love how soft and chewy the crust is. Each pie is on the smaller size and I'd consider it an individual pizza but good for sharing if you're doing family style. The American Breakfast pizza was my favorite (add cheese) over the Specky Breaky. * Carbonara Pasta - 4 stars: Delicious fresh tasting pasta with the perfect recture, just wish there was more bacon and some salt! Available only on weekends. * Brussels Sprouts - 4 stars: Good, standard. * Proscuitto Benny - 3.5 stars: Meh, standard. Liked the prosciutto though! * Hash - 3.5 stars: Meh, fine. Cute space, great for groups and families - best most friendly service, would return! read more

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We shy away from negative reviews but when we got the way overpriced bill for this meal it added insult to injury. $175 (w/20% tip) for 3 small simple pizzas, 3 sides and no alcohol! It might have just been a terrible night and/or they were short-staffed, but we were totally underwhelmed. My cousin & her partner waited an hour for their fries while they waited for us to join them. A major reason we chose this place was the GF pizza, a $5 up-charge. The crust was way less than ideal; the large outer ring w/no topping was OK but the center with minimal goodies was soggy to the point we were surprised it didn't disintegrate. Asking them to take it back and try to crisp it up a little only resulted in warmer soggy pizza. Wanting more veggies, we added arugula for $3 more and got 4-5 small, flavorless leaves - whee! The side of Brussel's Sprouts were so undercooked I struggled to cut them with a knife. The highlight was the Shishito (or were they Padrone?) peppers - they were really good. read more

As an authentic Italian trattoria in the heart of downtown Berkeley, Lucia's represents the overall rehabilitation of the area where Shattuck and University Avenues cross. I admire the owners for going all-in in the area which has loads of potential thanks to all of the foot traffic from the nearby BART station, but with this being downtown Berkeley can also be a little unsavory at times. Nevertheless the owners of Lucia's features authentic pasta and pizzas cooked in a traditional Italian style thanks to their Stefano Ferrera brick oven featured right in the middle of their open kitchen, which helps makes sure the pizzas stay up to snuff and thankfully they do with a bubbly blackened thick crust to boot! I previously came here for a special event when they originally opened and thankfully I never forgot how good the pizza was when I tried it then and I am happy to report that it remains good to this day. Lucia's is a partnership between a former New York native and a former resident of Venice, Italy, and it's a family affair as their spouses are involved in the curation of the wine and dessert menus as well. Named after a mutual friend who loves unique ingredient combinations, which fits in perfectly with the theme of their pizzas offered at her namesake. Since I such a memorable time here, I knew that it was only a matter of time that I would make a return visit with friends and one Friday evening it turned out to be the perfect time. When we arrive at 5 p.m. the place wasn't too packed and the three of us were easily able to grab a table towards the rear of the restaurant close to the aforementioned magical pizza oven. The dinner menu at Lucia's is wide-ranging as it features tapas, charcuteries, homemade pasta, and both red and white pizzas. Our party wasn't super hungry, as we were looking to sample their menu by sharing items from their menu, so we decided we wanted something from their Homemade Pasta menu and of course, their Pizza menu. From their pasta menu, we opted for their Trenette al Pesto made with basil, pinenuts, pecorino and parmigiano cheese and from their Red Pizza menu we ordered their Big Ham pizza made with tomato sauce, mozzarella, prosciutto cotto and crimini mushrooms. Our meal came our within a fair amount of time, every thing tasted as if it was made with real care. But I do question the quantity of the amount of food, versus the quality of the food we did in fact receive. The pasta tasted fabulous as you could really appreciate the amount of care they put into the making of the noodles and all of the ingredients that made up the sauce. As for the pizza, it featured those burned bubbles in the dough that oven fired pizza is so known for, and all of the ingredients were freshly made. But the overall quantity of food wasn't really enough to for three people to share, yet one person to have a complete meal, especially where the pasta was concerned. But all of this should not take away from the quality food that Lucia's Berkeley turns out every night. Homemade authentic Italian dishes, some of which you wouldn't be able to find outside of Italy let alone any place else in the world thanks some unique combinations for their pizza toppings. Where else would you get Brussels Sprouts or ghost pepper maple syrup on top of a pizza? Probably not many places, that's why Lucia's Berkeley is a must-visit to try out their incredibly uniquely prepared authentic homemade pizzas. read more

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The food was quite excellent. But the portion of a $10.50 to-go side order of caponata was shockingly small. See photo. Absoutely inexcusable. When I called and left a message complaining about this I never received a return call. I don't care how good the food is. I will never patronize them again. read more

Lucia’s Berkeley - a side order of caponata as it was opened. Literally 2 tablespoons. - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

Cute little restaurant with a cosy ambiance! We made a reservation on Open Table. Tried the Brussels sprouts/Cauliflower appetizer- very tasty! Gluten free pizza was good too. Not a fan of the pasta(we ordered the Maccheroni Al Pomodoro). read more

I'm 3rd generation Italian heritage born in Manhattan & the argument that there is no good pizza in California ends now. I grew up w/ traditional Italian cooking from my grandmother. Going vegan when I was 20 years old vegan cheese was underwhelming yet now vegan cheese can be stellar w/ local Miyoko's vegan cheese leading the way. Lucia's has hands down the best vegan pizza in the SF Bay Area. Me & a friend recently had the vegan margherita- tomato sauce, Miyoko's cashew mozzarella, & fresh basil. It hit the spot as is baked in a traditional oven imported from Naples, Italy. The roasted brussels sprouts w/ cauliflower & crispy lemon were also ah-mazing. There are also many other traditional Italian vegetable side dishes that pair great w/ the pizza. Lucia's is conveniently located in Downtown Berkeley just a short walk from the Berkeley BART stop. I look forward to my next visit. My only complaint is they they are only open for dinner Tues to Fri from 5-10pm. Sat & Sun they have brunch from 10:30am to 2pm along w/ dinner. read more

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The pizza crust is where Lucia's really shines. If we just stuck to that, we would've been solid. However, we ordered a few other dishes and they were disappointing. For balance, we usually order a side salad so we got the Pomegranate Salad. In the mood for something fried, my boyfriend got the Calamari. The arugula in the salad was wilty, needed something for some more textural contrast and variety; too simple. The pizza came out and the crust was great. Wood-fired, Neopolitan-style, slight char, chewy; one of the best in the SF Bay Area. For the toppings - the menu said the Lips of Fire pie had ghost pepper maple syrup. There was some sweetness from the maple syrup, but the ghost pepper didn't bring the expected heat. Luckily, they had brought chili oil out with the pies that gave the spiciness we wanted. Come for the pizza (and get past the 20% auto-service charge). read more

Went to Lucia's for the first time during Berkeley restaurant week! We were given a set of options for a 3 course meal for $30 each (but beware of 20% service charge) We got the calamari and the tris de montanarine as appetizers, the bolognese as the entree and the chocolate mousse and sorbet for dessert. The fried mini pizza dough was soooo good and something I would order again for my friends to try, I highly recommend! The pasta was decent and so was the chocolate mousse, the chocolate flavor was a bit overwhelming. The service was very kind but they were a bit slow and not very attentive when they were busy, but given it was restaurant week, it's understandable. I would recommend this place to others and will come back to try other options! Looking forward to it. read more

Lucia’s Berkeley - Calamari Fritti and tris do montanarine - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I have been to Lucia's several times. My husband and I love their pizza so so so much! We brought friends here last Sunday and we ordered the Brussels sprouts, the fries, lips of fire pizza, and the prosciutto pizza. The Brussels sprouts were AWESOME-well done, cooked just right, not too charred, and not too oily. My favorite pizza is the lips of fire pizza. It is hands down one of the best pizzas I have ever had. It is the right amount of spicy mixed with awesome flavors. Just writing this review has me thinking when I can go back to have the pizza again! I think the service can be a bit better, but overall I would recommend the food to anyone and everyone! We drive over an hour to eat here, and are never disappointed by the quality of their pizzas. read more

Lucia’s Berkeley - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

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