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Luce Restaurant & Bar
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
214 N Tryon StCharlotte, NC 28202
Neighbourhood: First Ward
(704) 344-9222
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30 am - 2 pm
Mon-Thu 5:30 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 5:30 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Cat R. said: "Made a reservation for 7:30 via OT, which is something I've become addicted to lately. Upon our arrival we were given a coaster/beeper and went to the bar. Our table was ready in less than 10 minutes. We were sat at the table just…" read more »
36 reviews for Luce Restaurant & Bar
Review Highlights
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"bread with white bean aioli (AMAZING." In 4 reviews -
"...started off with the Beef Carpaccio that was so delicious..." In 3 reviews -
"For dessert I had semi freddo." In 3 reviews
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36 reviews in English
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Review from Greg G.
12/17/2011
This review is for their lunch sitting...
Wow....that one word sums up this place for lunch. If you would have told me that I would be able to have a sitdown two-course lunch for $12.95 in Uptown, I would have told you you were crazy. This place proved me wrong. Considering my burrito, chips, and drink combo from Qudoba or salsaritas pushes $10, Luce was a real breath of fresh air.
A fantastic variety of primi and secondi options, as well as daily specials, and you will be able to return to this same restaurant and never get bored. The great menu options, along with militarily efficient service, makes this the go-to spot for folks who work in the uptown area and have a limited time for lunch.
I recommend the authentic ceasar with anchovies and fresh shaved parmesan. They had a tomato and goat cheese soup as a daily special that was out of this world as well. The Mare pasta was amazing....tons of fresh seafood throughout this dish. Most places would serve the pasta itself at $12.95. Instead, I got fresh bread with a white bean and olive oil aperitif, ceasar salad, and seafood pasta for my money. Can't beat it! -
Review from Paul C.
Charlotte, NC
5/19/2012
This clearly is a Romantic Restaurant, at least for Dinner. It is a relatively small space in the Hearst Tower, but it is dimly lit and the wait staff is professional, attentive and courteous.
Now the food. Yes, it appears to be "authentic" Italian. It helps when you have several Waiters FROM Italy and they say it is 99% the same as "home." This is a good thing (and glad it's not of the Olive Garden kind of "Italian.")
I had the Veal Osso Bucco. Now I rarely eat this out as it IS a very hard dish to cook WELL. Thankfully, the chef here knew what he was doing as the meat was "fall off the bone" tender and very flavorful with a rich red sauce and of course, lots of garlic! Yummy!
My wife ordered the Pasta Carbonara which is one of MY very favorites. Kind of hard to go wrong with anything that has bacon/pancetta in it! And this one was RICH with their creamy and flavorful parmesan cheese white sauce. Delish!
We had some sort of an Italian ice cream (NOT gelato!) for dessert, but this was very unique, with almonds in it and an unctuous caramel sauce drizzled over it. I cannot for the life of me remember the name but is was outrageously delicious!
Only "complaint" was that the Caprese salad for the appetizer was very, very tiny for the price. Also my Osso Bucco did NOT come with pasta....had to order that for $6 separately.
Wine selection is small but nicely picked. By the glass prices are typically around $9 for a good glass. Bottles are somewhat expensive reflecting the Uptown real estate.
Overall this is an excellent restaurant! Recommend you checking it out. -
Review from Kathryn C.
Charlotte, NC
2/5/2012
Since I have promised myself that I'm not allowed to move away from Charlotte until I have eaten at every restaurant, I figured that Restaurant Week would be a perfect time to visit Luce, a small Uptown spot that has been on my list for years. Upon arrival, our table wasn't quiet ready. No problem there, because the suggestion to "grab a drink at the bar" was a given. Tucked away in the corner, the attentive bar-goddess quickly poured us wine and presented us with nibbles. Super-crunchy potato chips (which appeared to be made in house), as well as a heaping handful of olives were placed in front of us.
These. Olives.
I wanted to fall asleep in a bowl if these olives. I don't know what kind of magic the cooks/aka/olive-wizards behind the scenes of the closed kitchen put into them (fresh garlic? fresh rosemary? tears of their first born?), but I'm talking LIFE CHANGING. Like little baby angels.
The food was great, service attentive and friendly.
I'll definitely be back....for the olives. -
Review from Will H.
1/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
Italian cuisine that transcends the ordinary, with impeccable service and an ambiance that demands romance make for a great dining experience, especially with your someone special.
The Mrs. and I strolled in on a Friday night at the start of restaurant week. Thankfully, "rush" is not a concept here and, even from our initial greeting and coat check with the hostess, we were pampered throughout the evening.
The dining room is low lit in the evening, but not dark. Plaster walls, travertine floors and mostly small tables along the walls. A small bar sits off to the side, but seemed filled with regulars before the evening's end. I'll agree with others- this is a place for date night, not a corporate function.
Wine list is ample and will cover most palates. A drink menu holds a small selection of cocktail options. While you peruse the menu, there is fresh-made bread with a white Italian whole-bean dip that we eventually had to push away lest we spoiled our appetites for the entrees to come.
The menu seems to change but you really should listen to the specials of the evening- there is usually a fish of the day and a risotto and pasta of the day that all sounded worthy on our evening. Our waitress took her time and seemed very knowledgeable about the menu. While there are a few Italian staples here, like lasagna, there is a noticeable effort to focus on more Tuscan-style offerings that play on fresh vegetables and proteins light on sauce but skillfully chosen to complement the other ingredients.
On our night, I had pistachio-crusted Salmon alongside a risotto flavored with citrus and cardamom. It was wonderful. Salmon was cooked to order and light, while the risotto was rich and savory. The Mrs. had a veal and risotto dish that was accented with truffle and was equally amazing.
While we ate, it seemed all the staff stopped by to ask if we were enjoying our meal and whether we needed anything else. Glasses never got close to empty and I got the feeling that our disapproval of anything would have resulted in immediate rectification. In other words, the team-based service approach was seriously spot-on here. The Italian accents by most staff were a pleasant surprise as well. Pacing was appropriate and we were comfortable the entire time.
Dessert menu was small, but what we picked out worked very well. Chocolate lava cake and a pear tarte were both single-sized portions, but just enough to savor and cap off what had already been an exceptional meal.
Bill was promptly delivered but we were never rushed. Parking validation at the table was nice. Even upon leaving it seems the floor staff made a point to wish us a good evening. When the hostess refused our tip for the coat check, it just sealed the deal that these guys take customer serious seriously. Refreshing.
Luce not only has some excellence in their kitchen, but it flows out to the floor staff as well. This was a great choice and is a worthy contender for a romantic night out with one's significant other. -
Review from Kristi Y.
Andover, MA
Updated - 4/27/2012
The waitstaff is so very friendly, and super-attentive. The specials are always great & and the dessert is delicious. The menu has lots of options and changes frequently. I really enjoyed the perfectly cooked scallops with asparagus risotto. The custard was amazing. I really enjoy this restaurant and the friendly service.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/30/2012
Went here on business trip for dinner. It was very good, fancy ritzy interior. The service is very… Read more »
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Review from Michael E.
Asheville, NC
1/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
So I had dinner with co-workers one night here and it is a much better date place in my opinion....big fancy chairs....soft lighting....very professionial wait staff....wanna impress her...or him? This is in the top 1percent of places in my opinion.
Food is very good, but you'll pay a nice price for all the nice things here. -
Review from G J.
Huntersville, NC
4/10/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Overall, a nice dining experience. The service was a little off, as we had to ask for bread and the server seamed a little overwhelmed as he had a lot of tables and trying to keep up with us early on was rough. He did finish strong and was spot-on with his suggestion of our wine. I would return often.
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Review from Denise B.
We went here as a business dinner of 5 folks. I found this restaurant totally amazing! The staff was extra special helpful and the food choices were good for everyone. I would highly recommend to come here for business or pleasure!
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Review from Laura T.
Charlotte, NC
3/10/2012
We searched for availability late on a Saturday afternoon for reservations prime time Saturday night and settled on Dolce. Great reviews on food and service. We ended up loving it...mostly. The seafood linguine dish was out of this world -- loaded with shrimp, scallops, lobster, mussels, calamari, clams, excellent sauce and pasta. Salads were very good. Buttera was excellent with rally good italian sausage and crisp pancetta. The only disappointing dish was the piccata which was so overwhelmingly lemon flavored that both te meat and the spinach were hard to taste. Semi freddo was to die for. Service was slower than anticipated based on other reviews. I would call it average. Overall a very good meal and evening.
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Review from Carter C.
6/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Overall, Luce is one of the best dining experiences I've ever had. Delicious food (the gnocchi was amazing), excellent wait staff, wonderful atmosphere. If I was a "playa", I'd take my date here for the sure win in the restaurant category.
We were in town for the Charlotte Heroes Comic Con and stopped here for dinner. When we walked in, I immediately felt under dressed. Even though every other customer was in fully casual attire (more likely due to the nearby comic event), the restaurant immediately strikes you as an upscale, formal attire venue. The decorating is simple, yet beautiful, with large white columns, soft romantic lighting and a big brass chandelier over the main dining area.
Every single course was interesting, beautiful and delicious. A bread basket with a variety of bread was brought with a small bowl of oil and cannelloni beans. The bread as a bit on the hard side on the outside, but still very tasty and just filling enough to curb your appetite. We ordered the calamari for an appetizer, which comes with fried calamari, topped with shredded and fried zucchini, with two different sauces for dipping. We were both surprised by the shredded zucchini, but it was delicious and an excellent addition the crispy yet soft calamari.
For entrees I ordered the gnocchi, and my gf ordered the pesto. They were both delicious. The pesto had lots of flavor, with the pasta being soft and tender. It was great. Here's the thing though. The gnocchi was so good, it almost ruined the pesto. I've had a lot of Italian food, and tried gnocchi a few times. Each time I've tried gnocchi, it's been prepared al-dente which imo has made it too much on the chewy side. This gnocchi was soft. Not mushy, but soft and the texture combined with the large chunks of fresh mozzarella was wonderful. The tomato based sauce it was in, was easily some of the best I'd ever had. The flavor wasn't complex. It was just the best of the flavors in tomato sauce, amplified. It was not only the best gnocchi we'd ever had, it was one of the best Italian-style dishes I'd ever eaten.
For dessert we ordered the Semi-freddo. It's a small sweet bit of ice cream with some sort of yummy nougat inside, with a few assorted fresh berries on the side. It was tasty, and the flavors of the ice-cream and fresh berries mixed perfectly.
The restaurant isn't very large, but that only adds to charm and intimacy of the atmosphere. The hostess was professional, and personable and sat us at a table out of the way. Our waiter was polite and friendly (but not too friendly. You know what I mean.). It's important to note, that the entire wait staff was sharp, clean and well dressed. None of that half-assed, "I'm abiding by the dress code, but I really just rolled out of bed" look. I'm ok with that most times, but the wait staff of the night obviously put some effort into looking crisp, and it added to the high class feel of the place.
In addition to looking and behaving posh and professional, the wait staff also managed to always be near enough to get you something if you needed it, but rarely so intrusive that they were a bother. The small size of the restaurant and the number of staff hit the perfect balance of availability and perceived absence. We never felt annoyed at their presence or lack thereof.
As for the price, well, "If you ain't got no 'monay, take yo broke ass home." (or to another, more fiscally friendly venue, whichever) -
Review from Lauryn C.
7/27/2011
Man I had really high hopes for Luce. I don't know maybe I had my expectations set to high or maybe it was just another restaurant week mishap. Well here is the good the service was great - the atmosphere was great - the dessert (tirimisu) pretty delicious, but everything else just fell short.
I ordered a dirty martini (received a straight-up martini with a twist of lemon) the boyfriend ordered a long island iced tea (we all tried to figure out what kind of drink they actually made him tasted like bourbon) but I could live with the drink mishap I'm happy I had my vodka.
Now for the food... I started with the panzanella salad there wasn't much taste in the dish it was under seasoned just plain. I ordered the manicotti for my dinner - I wish I would have known before I took a bite how hot this dish was I could barely feel my tongue after that. The manicotti was ok but not memorable. The dish that not only looked really disappointing but as I was told by my guests I brought along with me it was tasteless too. I'm not going to lie their chicken dishes looked like a lean cuisine you know those teeny tiny chicken breasts that come in lean cuisine meals well folks that is exactly what they got. Although that was a sad dish the pork chop my boyfriend ordered was delicious and the veal shank was quite tasty as well. Will I be back ...hmm not sure yet. -
Review from Josh S.
New York, NY
7/5/2011
Ate a delicious $11.95 lunch here, which is a very delicious and satisfying meal for the money.
Began with a veal and tuna appetizer followed by grilled salmon and ratatouille. For dessert I had semi freddo.
The salmon was a slightly smaller fillet cut from toward the tail end. I think it may have been frozen but it was still quite good. (The waiter even asked to what temperature I'd like it cooked! Joy!) Dessert was mediocre Italian-American restaurant fare. I would just as soon have skipped it. Portions are very decent and I thought the warm crusty bread was delicious; I asked for butter on the side as I didn't care for the bland, oily, ice cold white bean salad the waiter at first brought with the bread.
The atmosphere leaves something to be desired. Fake columns. Very open and airy. There also was only a single other table being seated when I went for lunch on a weekday at 1 pm. -
Review from Rob S.
4/27/2011 1 photo
We had tickets to see Michael Buble downtown and wanted to head into a nice restaurant before the show. We read good things on Yelp about Luce so we headed there and found that it was very busy and reservations are generally recommended.
They were still very accommodating and allowed us to sit outside on the patio with minimal wait, which was our preference that night because it was warm outside, but the inside is very nice and next time we go, we will make the proper reservations to enjoy that ambiance.
The food was great, the calamari was some of the best I have had in Charlotte. For entrees, I got the Butterra and my wife got the Farcito and we were both eating off each others plates. I added a picture so you can see the portion size and presentation. We both drank Stella so not sure how their wine was, but overall it was a great place for a date night, and we enjoyed the service and outside seating area. -
Review from Andi M.
11/7/2010
Luce is a really nice restaurant where you can get an excellent meal for lunch or dinner. Since they started their quick lunch promotion, I have gone a bit more regularly than usual. And, it's such a great price!
Luce is definitely an upscale restaurant with service to match. They have a lot of great pastas on their menu, and I especially love their gnocchi and salmon risotto. Every meal starts with fresh bread and a bowl of cannelini beans in olive oil. Yum!
A sister to the nearby Coco Osteria, Luce has a larger dining room and is more elegant. Their prices are a bit higher than Coco's, but they offer a great value for the food quality and service. Highly recommended! -
Review from Will C.
Chapel Hill, NC
10/26/2010 1 Check-in Here
PHENOMENAL!!! My wife and I came here for dinner on Saturday night for combo anniversary/birthday dinner. I have the opportunity to eat out alot due to my work schedule including in NY and DC quite a bit and this place was top notch. I was a little nervous that it was going to be too quiet and old folks after some of the reviews here but I thought that atmosphere was a nice mix between lively and romantic.
The maitre'd was extremely cordial and checked on us several times. They were out of the initial wine we ordered so they gave us a better wine for the same price. Nice touch and start!
Then the food - they have this amazing white bean/olive oil dip for the bread....I know...doesn't sound that good but so tasty - i even tried to replicate it at home the following night. We had the grilled octopus, branzino with artichokes and thinly sliced potato, and veal ravioli. All were superb. Then we were planning on going to Crave Desert Lounge nearby but they said the wanted to bring some sweets over....they brought two whole deserts and the semi-freddo with the honey was too die for.
Top notch. Highly recommended. -
Review from Lee Ann D.
Charlotte, NC
9/5/2010
We came in last night for a friends birthday and they went out of they're way to make it even more special, not only was the food great but they sent out a champagne toast to start and also a birthday dessert!!
We started off with the Beef Carpaccio that was so delicious it's now one of my top three in Charlotte!! We also had a Cheese and Meat plate with some Olives also very good the olives were really tasty!!
For my Entree I had the Rack of Lamb that was served with Artichokes and Fingerling Potatoes it was DELISH!! It was cooked perfectly and seasoned great!! I believe everyone enjoyed they're Entrees also, but I was more concerned with my own to care!!
The service was great and the manager checked in to see how everything was. We really had a nice time and enjoyed ourselves!! I will be back soon!! -
Review from Vinh N.
Matawan, NJ
2/20/2009
Very oppulent restaurant if you want to impress your significant other. Waiters are hit/miss. The manager servicing tables is a bad idea. The waitstaff is superb clearing plates and refilling bread/water.
The calamari would have been great if it wasn't paired with a vegetable. The mussels are the best in town. The sauce is spicy and very tasty. I used up all the accompanied bread as well as the ones given to soak up all the sauce. It's that good. The gnocchi is good and light but the simple sauce was disappointing. Go to Sonoma for the best gnocchi in town. The tender osco busco with saffron risotto was delicious. The risotto had a few undercooked pieces but overall was good.
For dessert, the blackberry gelato was very good but pricey for such a small dish. It was good to try but never to order again.
I wish they have a dessert menu instead of telling you. I always hated restaurants that did this because not all waiters are good at doing this and don't tell you all the details of each dessert. Also, no single wine glass menu as well.
My major gripe is the sparse times given if using online reservation, Open Table. They used to only take phone reservations. The only available times were 5:30 or 8:00pm. I arrived at 5:30 and the restaurant was 3/4 empty up till I finished my dinner. In this bad economy, they should reconsider opening up times because the times I've been there, it's been mostly empty. -
Review from Sara L.
Raleigh, NC
7/29/2011
The decor is really nice and the food is amazing. After traveling Italy for four months I would still say that the gnocchi here is incredible! The only thing I didn't like was the lack of attention to the bathroom floors, the amount of dust collecting was disgusting. Everything else was great including the amazing white bean appetizer with olive oil and fresh bread.
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Review from Gina M.
New York, NY
6/19/2009
Yay for a lovely Italian spot that is a little upscale.
While I am all for casual dining, the scene around uptown can get a little monotone. So I was excited to find this place, tucked away in the back of a little plaza. The restaurant is small, with a lovely bar area and a warm decor. The menu is well balanced and even has a vegetarian option. They had some specials as well, including the avocado gaspachio which was delicious but served in a too big of a bowl. Do try the bean dip that comes with the bread -- very tasty. Wine menu deserves a special note -- it's pretty diverse, lovely Tuscan selection with a lot of reasonably priced bottles that are still high quality.
The bill will come out a little bit more than average for the area but it's well worth it -- it manages to have class without extra pretense. I am going to be back. -
Review from Demetria M.
Charlotte, NC
Ok, so I was in a pasta type of mood and decided to try Luce to see if all the hype was legit..........and I'll just say that Luce has been added to my Italiano list:-) I had the express lunch which includes bread, soup or salad, an entree and a drink for $13 guaranteed in 30 minutes or less. The soup of the day was lobster bisque, which was super yummy with the bread and my entree was the buttera(tubular pasta, italian sausage, sweet peas and tomato-cream sauce).....double yummy! Hand clap for Luce, I may just have to check out their sister restaurants too!
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Review from Laur T.
New York, NY
12/27/2008
Love this place! We are here all the time and if not, it's take-out. The people are nice enough to do a big group delivery specially for us when we decide to order instead of doing a sit down. And the best thing is, it takes them only 30 mins to get an order for 10 delivered! Fabulous, efficient service.
Love their
- bread with white bean aioli (AMAZING!)
- calamari
- beef carpaccio
- mozarella
- seafood linguine (I always order this!)
BTW, did I mention their lovely bathrooms? -
Review from Michele C.
Charlotte, NC
10/15/2010
The best Italian Experience I have ever had in the Charlotte area. I am Italian, grew up in an "Italian" kitchen, my mom owned an Italian restaurant and my dad a pizzeria trattoria, so I know my Italian and this place was an all around perfect dining experience. I tried: the gnocchis, lamb, stuffed chicken and tuna and all of the dishes were melt-in-your-mouth amazing. Highly recommend!
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Review from Mel C.
Mineola, NY
5/29/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Amazing service, food and drinks! Managers are so attentive! The osso buco is to die for( had it both times we went there! Melt in your mouth good), and the black cherry rundown duck we had on our first visit there is up there as one of the best duck dishes I've had! Beautiful romantic ambiance and it was so nice we had to go back on our second trip back! It will become a staple in our restaurant trips when we move down to Charlotte this summer!
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Review from Tatiana D.
San Francisco, CA
12/22/2010
I ate here with co-workers while on a business trip. It's very dim inside. If I were living in Charlotte, I'd go here for some romantical date time. The lighting made me want to drink more wine but then that'd get me into some HR trouble, so I refrained. I ordered the osso bucco which was delicious although a tad on the lemony side. I had some of the rigatoni also which was equally delicious. The service was good considering we had a large party. I'm not sure what price range here is.
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Review from Hank D.
Marina del Rey, CA
1/6/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Very nice upscale resturant with great location. Went out with girlfriend of 6 years on new years eve and although we had to wait intially, we were offered free champagne by the bartender (great customer service), shortly after seating, offered three course option (antipasta, entree and dessert) discluding any alochol purchases. I had the Filet which was cooked perfectly, Luce also has a great wine selection in its cellar, you can actually see the quality of wines. Also, the Maitre'D was continously checking on us and making sure the night was enjoyable. Overall a great experience and will reuturn for special occasions.
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Review from Ellie L.
Sunnyvale, CA
9/16/2010
Went with a large group on a weeknight and were instantly wowed by the elegant decor. I ordered the Osso Bucco which was delicious. Thumbs up!
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Review from Kristi V.
Charlotte, NC
7/21/2010
We went there for restaurant week. The place is very cozy. Drinks are at least $8 a pop. The hostess was really accommodating and friendly. Unfortunately the food was far from impressive. They brought bread and bean which is yummy but there were not enough for eight of us. I'm not sure why you would bring 5 slices of bread on a table of 8 (we must look like those Atkins diet people). The crab/salmon patty was overcook. The risotto was good. The dinner (some kind of fish) was salty. To make matter worse... I found a long blond hair in my fish. The waiter comp my meal out. The manager never come out and talk to us (I think he's too busy tasting the wines). In conclusion... yea... we're not coming back.
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Review from Janna S.
Charlotte, NC
10/22/2010
I went there a few weeks ago before Mint Museum Uptown opening and ended up disappointed. While I agree that the service was stellar, the halibut, which was a special, was overcooked. I had been the 15 North the previous night and ordered fish cooked to perfection so I was not pleased to saw into my dry, overcooked halibut. Two other friends ordered the dish and agreed. The accompanying risotto was decent but I felt the plate could have used a vegetable as well.
The rest of the party seemed to enjoy their meals -- gnocchi and duck ragout. I wouldn't rush out to give it another try. -
Review from Arian A.
3/22/2010
A nice place to go on a special occasion or before seeing a show at the Blumenthal. Love love love the starter bread with the white been aioli, the beef carpaccio is just ridiculous (in a good way), and my husband is not a dessert person at all but he raves about their cannolis. Be sure to have a glass of Sangiovese with your meal, yum yum.
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Review from Frank B.
Sammamish, WA
11/12/2010
Just had a wonderful meal at Luce. They were very accommodating for a party of one... and I had a great view of all the action in the restaurant.
The bread with cannelini beans was stupendous.... though I could have gone for a bread refueling at some point.
The Cozze (Mussels) were tasty, if only a little salty. My standards for mussels however are REALLY high... think Seattle's Herbfarm high.
The Osso Buco however... was TO DIE FOR. It literally fell off the bone and melted on the tongue. Best I have ever had. The accompanying risotto was also outstanding.
A side of roasted potatoes was good, if not inedibly hot for most of the meal.
A wonderful finish with the bread pudding.
Service was personal and efficient. -
Review from Henry G.
Upper Arlington, OH
8/29/2010 1 Check-in Here
Amazing food. The hotel recommended this place and for a good reason. Fantastic food at a surprisingly affordable price. The staff was there to make sure we had a great experience.
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Review from Chad J.
Sunnyvale, CA
1/12/2009
Great restaurant! As a vegetarian, there were no no-dairy options. I had to ask for them to make special accommodations, which the gladly obliged. The atmosphere was wonderful, a very classy place, even a coat check! No smoking and no line to get in. Very wonderful place.
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Review from Uomograsso U.
Olathe, KS
9/16/2010
I had lunch at Ristorante Luce with an account manager of the consulting company I work for here in Charlotte (free lunches are great!). This place is fantastic! We started off with insalata I had the organic greens, my acct mgr had the Caesar. Both were fresh and lightly dressed. For our entrees I had the gnocchi and my acct mgr had the piccata. The gnocchi were the best. They were cooked al dente with a light tomato sauce covered with mozzarella. My acct mgr said the piccata was excellent as well, which I believe as she used the bread to mop up the remaining lemon caper sauce. I had the gelato for dessert. The day's flavor was coconut. It was also delicious. The service was perfect. Attentive without being intrusive. I have traveled to Italy and this ristorante compares with anything I found there. One note, this Ristorante follows the same menu structure as in Italy. Everything is ala carte. So if you order antipasto or insalata, an entree, and dolce you can rack up a big bill. But, nothing on the lunch menu was over $14, so you can have reasonably priced lunch as well. The portion size is also Italian as well, no over flowing plates here, but that is how I wish more restaurants would do. Overall the food is simple and well prepared. I will definitely make it a point to come back for dinner in the future. If you want true, simple, excellent Italian food, Ristorante Luce will deliver.
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Review from Daniel C.
Wareham, MA
7/25/2007
Nice, upscale italian restaurant. Beautiful decor, great service and great food. The wait staff is very educated and can help you with selections, wine pairings and anything you need. The food is wonderful.
Luce is not inexpensive but is well worth every cent. Located at the base of the Hearst tower so parking there is easy and it's a central uptown location.
Worth a visit if you're looking for upscale dining with authentic italian dishes. -
Review from Aviv G.
Spotsylvania, VA
3/21/2011
Thanks to a business associate our group had a great dinner here. Nice italian wine list, apps, salads, and entrees. Friendly service.
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Review from Jeff S.
Charlotte, NC
3/5/2008
My friends and I went to Luce this past Saturday night. It was my first time and I was very impressed. Initially, I was worried about the atmosphere--IMO, the decor is a little stuffy. But the staff is very friendly and the mood very relaxed. The food is delicious and very reasonably priced (average entree is $20-25). Check out their menu on their website: http://www.luceristora... .
