Luca d'Italia
Denver, CO 80203
Phone: (303) 832-6600
- Price:
- $$$
- Hours:
- Tue-Sat 5pm-10pm
Editorial Review for Luca d'Italia – by Ephraim Mallery
In Short
Colorful walls and art create an upscale, urban feel. The place is packed on weekends and pleasantly busy during the week. The menu allows diners to have an authentic, multicourse Italian meal without overreaching. Seafood dishes accent the fish's subtle flavors with simple sauces and vegetables. Heavier possibilities include house-made fennel sausage and a tender, Tuscan-rubbed rib eye. Dessert options include tiramisu, warm rice pudding, flourless chocolate torte with mousse, or berry tart with sorbet.
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Insider Tips
Know Before You GoWeekend reservations are essential, but are also recommended during the week.
User Reviews for Luca d'Italia
04/18/2008 Posted by gastroman2008
After dining at several local hyped restaurants, I decided to go to one of Denver's few restaurants that consistently garnishes great reviews. I was not disappointed. The service was by far the most polished I have seen in town, both for service and suggestions. The menu here is inspired, with obvious great passion behind it. The salumi plate, a testament to the skill of the "in house" philosophy of preparation, was varied and delicious. Next were the pastas. Having been repeatedly disappointed by pastas offered in Denver, my hopes weren't too high. However, after sharing and ordering a third pasta, my girlfriend and I whole-heartedly agreed these were the best we've tried. The delicate butternut squash agnolotti and the simple, but perfect seafood lasagnette were our favorites. We decided on veal and beef for dinner, nothing crazy. We were rewarded with two red meat dishes that were better than those found at a lot of steak houses in town and actually arrived with great sides and sauces, especially the veal. Dessert was beyond our limits, so we just enjoyed the rest of our wine which, by the way, was suggested by Luca's very knowledgeable sommelier. We can't wait to return to Luca.
Pros: Inspired fare, polished service, sommelier on site
Cons: decor
04/17/2008 Posted by WriteOn1
Perhaps this was once an interesting, excellent place to eat but when we went one Friday night before Christmas, I was totally underwhelmed. The service was rather condescending and the ambience is decidedly 90's and snoozy. Frankly, the menu was way overpriced and lacking in some fundamentals. For example, I like to begin or end my dinner with a simple, mixed greens salad. Not only was this option not listed on the menu, but the server told us that it was impossible to make one for me. The other salad options included things I didn't want and would have been too big or heavy to have with a meal, so I didn't have a salad at all. Secondly, although my risotto was very well done, I really don't feel as though the menu has enough options. And it's certainly not traditional Italian, so I don't quite understand the inference in the name. Overall, I found it lacking in authenticity, selection and ambience and everything is really overpriced. We won't return.
Pros: What the menu offers is prepared well
Cons: Overpriced, boring, dated atmosphere, not enough authenticity
