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Lucca Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Italian Restaurants Canadian (Traditional) Italian, Canadian (Traditional) [Edit]
420 E LocustDes Moines, IA 50309
(515) 243-1115
- Hours:
Tue-Sat 11 am - 2 pm
Tue-Sat 5 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
23 reviews for Lucca Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"Be sure to try the gnocchi for the first course." In 3 reviews -
"I had the gnocchi followed by the skirt steak." In 7 reviews -
"...contemporary fine dining restaurant in the East Village." In 4 reviews
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23 reviews in English
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Review from Debbie C.
Las Vegas, NV
1/21/2012
Simply Outstanding Food! One of the best meals I have ever had.
From start to finish it was divine. Was here for a business dinner. Was not sure what to expect after a first glance at the menu. Our server described the menu, then we had to make the difficult decision of what to have.
I started with the sage butter gnocchi. Melt in your mouth goodness. So light, like little pillows. Next I chose the chicken stuffed with asparagus. There are no words to describe how fabulous this was. From the first bite to the last. Perfectly cooked. Lemony, buttery, cheesy, perfectly cooked chicken and asparagus.
We sampled all three of the desert offerings. all 3 were very good.
The service was excellent.
I hope someday to get to come back here and have another wonderful dining experience. I am jealous of the locals who get to dine here all the time. -
Review from Cari N.
Los Angeles, CA
4/28/2012
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. -
Review from Jesse M.
Clive, IA
12/3/2010
Lucca is a fine place to dine. They do a good job of mixing it up and attempting to shape the dining scene in Des Moines. There were 4 of us tonight; I had the risotto with sausage and peppers (for a starter) - perfectly al dente risotto; my wife had the salad - it was a salad; across: the gnocci which was excellent and the amatriciana which was fruity and very tasty. I had the braised lamb - had it been non-domestic (Australian or New Zealand) I probably would have appreciated it more. My wife had salmon - strike 2 - Not a big salmon guy. Across: steak, very tasty and a chicken pasta - it was very good.
Lucca is an excellent restaurant and just what a chain town like Des Moines needs. You could do a LOT worse. Go. -
Review from Megan H.
Ankeny, IA
10/4/2010
Whether or not it's merited, I tend to think of Lucca as a "special occasion only" restaurant. Recently, I discovered that Lucca is one of the few DSM restaurants that offers gift certificates on http://restaurant.com. Since you can usually score a $25 gift certificate for just a few bucks, I thought this more than merited a visit to Lucca.
I would usually recommend securing reservations, but we dropped in on a Saturday and were seated with no trouble. Though service was slow (we were seated in the bartender's section, so it was understandable), we were happy to pace our meal slowly and just enjoy the atmosphere. High ceilings, exposed brick - it's a lot like my other East Village love, the Continental. There are a few good beers available on tap as well as a nice wine list, but I love Lucca's cocktails. I couldn't pass up the tarragon gimlet, which was just lovely.
It had been a year or so since the last time I'd visited, but the gnocchi was just as good as I remembered. Though I personally prefer toasted gnocchi, Lucca's version is pillowy and soft. It practically melts in your mouth. Sadly, the delicious chicken livers (really, I'm not kidding, they're delicious) were not available - but since Lucca's menu rotates often, I trust they will be back.
For our main courses, Charlie ordered the steak with gorgonzola cream and I had the braised pork. Both were very good, though I'd probably choose the steak over the pork next time. The steak was really remarkable, and the gorgonzola cream was fantastic.
About halfway through our meal, a little old man who had been eating alone at the bar got up from his seat, made his way to the grand piano by the window, and started playing. The live music was lovely, and really made the evening special.
Though I do think Lucca is among the best restaurants in Des Moines, it doesn't quite achieve five-star status for me. When Lucca opened, they offered a three-course prix fixe menu. This included a lovely and amazing cheese course which never failed to disappoint. I'll be honest, there is nothing I love more than a cheese course, and I am truly saddened that this is apparently no longer available. I'm obsessed with cheese. I would have gladly paid a few dollars more if it meant I could have finish my meal with a perfectly curated cheese course.
If Lucca reinstates the cheese course, I might just reconsider my rating. Either way, I know I'll be back.Listed in: East Village
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Review from Tony L.
Arlington, VA
6/5/2008
Lucca is a very contemporary fine dining restaurant in the East Village. It's a long, narrow building with exposed brick walls, high ceilings, and white table settings. A very modern feel of what you would expect in NYC.
The food is Tuscan-Italian inspired but it's not limited to that cuisine. The menu will change daily. Lunch is served from 11-2pm and dinner from 5-10pm. Dinner is a 2 course meal M-Th and includes a 3rd cheese course on Fr-Sa.
Absolutely outstanding food, every time. Don't be afraid to order something you normally wouldn't like because chances are you've never had it like this. The wait staff is knowledgeable and friendly, and I've never had such consistent results on the plate in a restaurant.
Be sure to try the gnocchi for the first course. I love gnocchi but I've never had it as wonderful as it's prepared here. -
Review from Michael H.
Des Moines, IA
3/28/2011
My favorite restaurant in Des Moines. Food is consistently outstanding, great atmosphere, with a nice simple menu. The gnocchi is amazing.
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Review from Rick S.
Pittsburgh, PA
3/3/2011
A tremendous restaurant in Des Moines. I liked how the kitchen was right off the bar, all the food was piping hot. I went here on a whim and will make it a must stop on my next visit. The sausage and pepper risotto was awesome. I followed that up with the chicken parmigiana and wasn't disappointed. The wait staff was very helpful and knowledgeable about the wine selection. As someone who makes his own pasta sauce from his grandmother's recipe, I have come to loathe sauces that come in a jar since I always think they taste like ketchup. This sauce was outstanding and would definitely come back the next time I'm in Des Moines.
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Review from Kevin T.
West Des Moines, IA
4/8/2011
This is my first experience at Lucca and the service was excellent. The menu was setup for a 2-course meal all for the same price. There were 6 or so first cource options and 5 main course options. I chose the Risotto and the steak. I have never tried risotto before but it was tasty and not mushy or grainy so I believe it was prepared properly. The steak was cooked perfectly and the rosemary potatoes were great. My gripes are that their wine by the glass options were slim so we felt forced to buy a full bottle to get the type of wine we wanted. Also my steak was cut into pieces for me when I got it. Kind of made me feel like a little kid and mommy had cut my steak up for me to eat. Other than that the food was good. I will probably come back again.
Listed in: Date Night
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Review from Adam L.
San Francisco, CA
1/4/2009
The best restaurant in Des Moines, plain and simple. Lucca is a must stop when I journey back to Iowa to visit my family and friends. The exposed brick decor and open kitchen accentuate the simple yet stunning dishes that are served here. The staff know their stuff. The cheese cave harbors gems. The wine list is commendable. Lucca could easily compete in a bigger city such as NYC or SF.
I had my favorite dish in August '08 during a meal with my girlfriend, mother, stepfather, and grandparents: pork chops, an Iowa specialty. The chops came with plenty of pepper, a honey glaze and bell peppers of various shades. Outstanding. I cannot stop thinking about this dish.
On my recent visit during the Holidays I thoroughly enjoyed sea scallops with brussels sprouts, haricots verts, julienne carrots and a spicy aioli. For my first course I had seared foie gras with paper thin sliced pears and sweet balsamic reduction. Both dishes were prepared correctly, presented artfully and delicious to the last bite.
I highly recommend Lucca for any dining occasion. -
Review from Chris and Katie H.
Washington, DC
12/26/2009
More or less New American-Italian prix fixe as so many DSM places are lately. Lucca's website told us to expect three courses on Saturday, and it looked like the best deal around. As it turned out, they hadn't been to Gateway to stock up on cheeses, so there was no cheese course.
Lucca has carved itself out of a space that once held the Dumpsters for the neighboring businesses. It's now an alley with a roof and a kitchen in the middle. When an open kitchen is done well, it's an admirable accomplishment. So many things can go wrong in a kitchen, and so many things happen in a kitchen that would ruin the appetite of the average diner, that they are best kept in the back. Lucca's 2-man kitchen did seem to handle everything smoothly and professionally, though i wonder how the cooks heard each other over the din of the jazz band at the front of the house.
Katie ordered the gnocchi, and I requested the pear and spinach salad. They were out of gnocchi, so she settled for the frittata. She ordered the scallops, and I had the salmon, since they were also out of swordfish. She got the better of both courses, though even hers were forgettable. My pear and spinach was just that. Pears and spinach don't make a salad. A salad really should have more than two ingredients. However in the event that these two ingredients are included, pears should be cored and spinach should be de-stemmed. Slicing a pear in half and forgetting to remove the seeds does not make it fancy or elegant. It's tacky. Spinach that has been so hastily removed from its bag that no care was put into its placement is even worse.
Fritattas are hard to fuck up, and Lucca lived up to this expectation. The fritatta included vegetables, eggs, and cheese. However, any additional details were forgotten moments after consumption.
Onto the mains. Katie's scallops over vegetables were well executed and had a very nice presentation. The scallops were sizeable and not the usual small portions sometimes dished out by stingy restaurantuers. The underlying bed of vegetables was well porportioned with a light sauce. My salmon, on the other hand, was the handiwork of a novice chef. It was salty, slightly overdone, and swimming in an unappetizing bath of mashed legumes that looked like baby diarrhea. It did taste better than it looked, but I do wonder if it was well-served by being pureed. The stark juxaposition of these two seafood items was discombobulating and seemed to appear from two different kitchens.
Then there were the bathrooms. Strangely, no one has mentioned these cubicles of hell before on Yelp. Perhaps because everyone has tried desperately to dissociate or block them from memory. The bathrooms occupy a squat closet that is oddly situated in the dining room, rather than customarily tucked away into a back corner. Once inside, the bright walls are accented with a full mirror right there so you can watch yourself "do your business." Why anyone thinks a patron wants to be that intimate with their bodily functions is beyond me. Not to mention the implicit rationale for the band must be to distract those eating from the occasional flushing sound coming from behind the kitchen.
Finally, there are the details of the wine and absentee third course. The wine was excessively over-priced for Des Moines. More upsetting though, it was overpriced for its vintage and label.
Before arriving at Lucca's, we had compared their prix fixe to those at Django and Bistro Montage. Since D.C.'s Blue Duck has made us partial to having our cheese for dessert, we were drawn in by Lucca's third course, which included cheese, on Saturday nights. When our bill arrived, rather than a cheese menu, Katie inquired about the missing component. The waitress grimaced and responded that it was a "secret deal" that wasn't usually provided. Except that "secret deal" is mentioned on the website.
All in all, we spent approximately $90 on dinner (including wine). Undeniably, our money would have gone further and been better spent elsewhere. -
Review from Jordan H.
12/5/2010
For what you'll spend here, I can think of a dozen other places in Des Moines you should eat before going to Lucca. I've enjoyed Lucca in the past, but my last two experiences here have been less than acceptable. Gnocchi that was not even cooked (honestly solid dough balls that were extremely gummy) and in a "brown butter sauce" that was simply melted butter. Terrible. Amatriciana was quite good, with bits of bacon adding the requisite smokiness - something I'd order again for sure. Scallops were obviously tossed in a pan as opposed to searing on each side, and were overcooked and tough along with unappealing to look at. My steak was cooked properly, although there was little to no seasoning on it, as the potatoes it was served with had a lack of the promised gorgonzola cream. The panna cotta we ordered for dessert was good. Service was extremely awkward.
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Review from Sarah T.
Mason City, IA
11/4/2011
I had a delicious cajun tuna sandwich with a perfect spinach salad for lunch. The price tag came in under $10, only because the waiter forgot my glass of wine. Still, imperfect service does not a lunch ruin. Piano from a baby grand in the front of the house, sun streaming in front windows and food prepared with art and precision made a quick stop while East Village shopping into an experience I plan to replicate.
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Review from Jeremiah E.
Des Moines, IA
1/2/2011
Great lunches at pretty good prices.
Dinner is pretty good. Not sure it is worth the price though. -
Review from Angela T.
Urbandale, IA
8/14/2010
Lucca's food and atmosphere are fantastic. It's a small restaurant, but it has great service and a great vibe. The dress is semi-dress for dinner, which gives it a fun flavor. The menu is always changing, so you never know what you might order for your primi and secondi. Sitting in the East Village at the base of the Iowa capitol it is picturesque and there's plenty of parking. I had the gnocchi (they are well known for this), and the chicken breast with cuos-cuos, cheese and prosciutto. It isn't just a restaurant, it's more like a dining experience. [recommend making a reservation in advance]
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Review from Trish T.
Michigan City, IN
3/28/2010
This was my first restaurant experience in Des Moines. Just a cute little restaurant with a modern, trendy feel, gave you the Lincoln Park vibe of Chicago. Their restaurant is simple with sandwiches, soups and salads. I opted for a sandwich that was just fresh and yummy. Tried to go back one day but it was after the infamous 2 p.m. good luck trying to find food in downtown Des Moines time. Hope to get back!
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Review from Nathan B.
Takoma Park, MD
12/8/2008
Excellent service, excellent food. Excellent ambiance, too. Lunch is good--similar to Basil Prospieri's in 801 Grand, a bit pricier--dinner is divine. The prix fix menu leaves you plenty of choices and everything I've tasted there has been well-executed. Their servers are smart and approachable.
I hesitate to tell this story, but remember I gave this place five stars. The first time we went for dinner, my wife found a piece of plastic in her pasta--I think the wrapping of a cheese. We were a bit appalled, but the server/management handled the situation with grace and generosity. We didn't make it back for months, and when we went back, more than one server remembered us and made sure we were taken care of. Now, the experience is (I think) out-of-the-ordinary, but speaks well to their commitment to being Des Moines' best restaurant. -
Review from Natalie D.
Manhattan, NY
12/4/2009 2 photos
Lucca is an Italian-leaning Continental restaurant in Des Moines's East Village neighborhood that my boyfriend and I picked out of the NYT for a visit.
We made an 8 o'clock dinner reservation, got there, and had to wait ten minutes to be seated. But! They gave us two free glasses of wine. A great first impression.
The restaurant interior is fantastic: long, exposed brick, all-white bar, tables, and chairs. We loved the big city feel. Others have noted that Lucca would survive in bigger cities like New York or Chicago, and they're absolutely correct. It'd feel right at home.
The meun changes nightly, but follows the main ingredients and combinations listed on the restaurant website. Our risotto and gnocchi appetizers will appear every night, just not in their respective shrimp and olive oil dressings. When we went, the chicken/rice was a chicken breast folded over prosciutto and cheese, with tomato-scented white rice. The scallop/vegetable combination had a sesame-orange, Asian flare. It was delicious, if a bit heavily sauced.
I would highly recommend Lucca for all Des Moines visitors.
(Read more @ http://iowasthinking.w...) -
Review from Matt D.
Des Moines, IA
3/24/2010
I enjoyed eating at Lucca and the food was great, but the price is simply too high for the food they offer in this market. I'd prefer Montage, Django, or Phat Chefs over Lucca for the price. I appreciate what they've done with the space and that they've taken some risks in the menu selection, but I doubt I'll go back with so many great restaurants in the area which provide a higher and more consistent value.
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Review from Peter A.
Minneapolis, MN
3/12/2010
Pretentious. Food was alright, but inconsistent; some dishes too hot, some cold. My salmon was under seasoned as well.
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Review from Ricky T.
Des Moines, IA
8/24/2010
We visited this place with a another couple that were eager to try this place as it had recieved great reviews. To start off they did not have a cheese course and the explanation from the server was that they had moved all the cheese over to the pizza place they just opened up a block away. That was a little disappointing but the ambiance was fun and the company was great. You really can't look over the menu as there are no descriptions. you have to wait for your server to come to your table and explain all of that and then try to remember what sounded good when making your decision. The food was okay. I had the gnocchi followed by the skirt steak. It was alright. Nothing really to remember. As we were finishing our dinners suddenly we had live music. A guy on fiddle and someone playing a small guitar like thing wandering and playing through out the resturant. It was really loud so needless to say that ended the conversation and we paid our bill and left.
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Review from Andrea B.
Overland Park, KS
7/19/2008
I've only had a chance to visit Lucca once, but it might have been the best meal I have ever had! The menu changes constantly so it's a great place to visit again and again. It is a great addition to the up and coming East Villiage.
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Review from Tim H.
Omaha, NE
9/26/2009
This is the second time I have been to Lucca. We went to celebrate a job offer and the staff at Lucca was very professional and knowledgeable. While the food was great, the service well paced, and the atmosphere nice, the kitchen was smokey and very hot. Despite the kitchen heat, this place is consistently one of the best restaurants I have been to and I will continue to visit in the future.
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Review from Kris D.
West Des Moines, IA
1/26/2010
We enjoyed this restaurant and will definitely go back again. The service was very prompt and professional. Everything about our meal was well timed so that our group could enjoy our company, wine and food at a leisurely pace. Overall our food was very good, and will be back to try other dishes. Our complaints: We ordered the cabernet sauvignon and was told they were sold out. Who is sold out of a basic wine on a Saturday night? They were also sold out of one of the first course selections. From other reviews, this appears to be a chronic problem. I would also note my roasted pork belly was overcooked
