Buca di Sant'Antonio

Our group (7) didn't make advance reservations because we were going to the Puccini concert (wonderful!) and we weren't sure what we wanted to do after. At the last minute, based on a recommendation from our tour guide, we were able to secure a table for after the concert. We are so lucky. This was an incredible meal that we all enjoyed! I definitely recommend to you.

The food is good but not Michelin star level as we were told by our hotel. The staff are attentive but a bit patronizing. We booked our table four days in advance and arrived 10 minutes early and were given a table along the entrance by the bar while the main dining room has a few empty tables. A bit disappointed with our treatment as we held high expectations from all the good things we heard about the restaurant. Not sure if it is a place I would like to visit again.

Wonderful Meal at Buca di Sant’Antonio We stopped by Buca di Sant’Antonio during a day trip to Lucca after it was recommended to us—and it definitely didn’t disappoint. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming from the start, and the staff couldn’t have been more friendly or helpful. The food was outstanding. We started with the beef carpaccio topped with truffle and shaved parmesan, and it was to die for—delicate, rich, and full of flavor. The pasta that followed was just as impressive: fresh, perfectly cooked, and clearly made with care. The chefs even came out to greet some of the guests, which added a really personal touch and showed how much pride they take in their work. This place blends great food with genuine hospitality, and it made for a truly enjoyable lunch. If you’re in Lucca, it’s well worth a visit. As a bonus, we happened to be seated next to a local olive oil producer and had the chance to sample some of their oil from Pisa—which was a really cool and unexpected experience.

Our AirBnB host recommended Buca di Sant’Antonio as a special place for a finer dining experience — and they were absolutely spot on! From the moment we arrived, we were impressed by the warm welcome and the elegant yet relaxed atmosphere. The dining room is beautifully decorated, full of charm and character, and there’s also the option to sit outdoors and enjoy the lovely surroundings. The service was excellent — a big compliment to the staff and the chef. Everything felt thoughtful, authentic, and incredibly well executed. The drinks menu is great too, with some lovely local wines to pair with the dishes. There’s a fantastic variety of food on offer, and everything we tried was top-notch. The porcini risotto was rich and full of flavour, and the veal… wow. It was absolutely off the charts good — tender, perfectly cooked, and bursting with flavour. This is without a doubt in our top 5 places to visit in Lucca. If you’re looking for a memorable meal in a beautiful setting, Buca di Sant’Antonio is a must.

A very pleasant Sunday lunch. This place is very traditional with formal service, but not at all stuffy. The menu is fairly local but with plenty of recognisable choices. The only downside is point is that our pasta starter (Ravioli with ricotta) was for us overcooked, virtually no bite, but beautifully presented. The mains (goat & grilled veal) were superb. The wine list is great with local & regional favourites including half bottles and decent wines by the glass. Quite a sophisticated atmosphere, well dressed staff and immaculate table settings. There were plenty of families & groups as well as couples. All in all, highly recommended.

Our first time in Lucca. This restaurant was recommended by our hotel. We didn’t have a reservation but luckily we had space. It’s definitely a top class restaurant with champagne served for starters. The dishes were amazing. The service was professional and the ambiance relaxed and cozy.

We spent an excellent moment at the restaurant; the food was delicious, and the place was beautiful. They even offered us an appetizer, a glass of wine, and biscuits. I highly recommend this restaurant!

I had a disappointing experience at Buca di Sant’Antonio. While the interior and the food that was served was delicious, I felt completely overlooked by the waitstaff. I came with my family, and while everyone else at my table got their food, they completely forgot about my main dish. The people sitting next to me got the same dish that I ordered, and received their dishes faster and more attentively. I ended up sitting with an empty place setting while my whole family ate. We had to flag down the waiter after waiting over 30 minutes, and at that point the rest of my family had finished their meals. It would’ve taken too long for them to prepare my dish, so we had to cancel the order. The staff barely apologized, and to top it off, they still charged us for the meal they forgot on the bill. Throughout my experience, it felt like they didn’t care about me or my table. I wish I was able to say I had a better experience here, especially after reading the other reviews of the dishes here.

Antique restaurant with high level of respect to and preservation of authentic Tuscan cuisine.

Michelin Star 2020...lunch...fabulous use of in season, fresh porcini mushrooms. One dish of polenta, and the other with coniglio. The rabbit was tender and devoid of bones etc. Both dressed with an herb called "nipitella"...combo of mint thyme...might have been in the catnip family. Chef Giuliano chatted with us for a good thirty minutes. And once you get a table in Italy, it's yours for the duration of the dinner, or in this case, lunch. Salame and pecorino/Parmagiano Reggiano and a large, shared mixed salad, with Tuscan bread! Outstanding...paired this with a Sangiovese from Lucca. Reservations are about a week out so plan accordingly.

Went for lunch today on a day trip to Lucca. Everything was top-drawer - helpful service with little touches - like pouring a taste of the wine before filling the glass. This is in a building originally built in the late 18th Century. We both wanted pasta, so ordered ravioli-hers was meat, mine was cheese and zucchini-melt in your mouth. The bread was fresh with a great crust. Dessert was a beautifully presented chocolate mousse. Climb the Clock Tower first (much less crowded than the Guinigi Tower with an equally panoramic view) to work up an appetite. You will come away satisfied.

Simply amazing restaurant. The service is fabulous and the food excellent. We were seated right away for lunch, but I think a reservation is best for dinner. The waiter spoke excellent English and was very helpful in guiding us through the menu and choosing a good wine. I definitely recommend this restaurant for the food, atmosphere and friendly staff!

This place is HORRIBLE. We had reservations two months in advance. We had to wait for a table and got placed not in the main dining area. Next, we waited 40 minutes and no one ever came and took our order. Its a shame. We really wanted to like this place.

Delicious food, lovely service and a very charming atmosphere. I definitely recommend dinner here. Make sure you make a reservation!

One ifthebest and ildest testaurants in Lucca. Upscale bariation on trafitional cuisine. Excellent English-speaking waiters.

The food was simply terrific - creative dishes playing off of local cuisine and Italian classics. The wine pairing was also expertly done. Would come back any time I can!

What an amazing al fresco meal! I made reservations in advance and am so glad I did. I requested to sit outside but I must say - the interior was extremely charming and had excellent music playing. We were swiftly seated on the outdoor patio which is separated from the street traffic by hedges. We were greeted with a complimentary glass of Prosecco and the most delectable meatball bites and fried fish. I'm describing it so poorly as these bites were elegant, thoughtful creations that set the tone for our beautiful meal ahead. We hadn't eaten all day so we're very hungry when we got to the restaurant so I think these little bites tasted even better thanks to that! Angelo was our waiter and did a terrific job recommending wine to pair with our meal. We had a vermentino from Antinori to go with our starters. For our starter, we had a delightful chicken pate with truffles. I had thought our pate earlier in the day and craved it. With a crisp white wine, it was creamy perfection on a summer night. For our next course, we again split a dish - this time hand made tagliolini with butter and freshly shaved black truffles. Again, delightfully full flavored yet light, perfect for summer. For our main courses, we had to have coniglio (rabbit). My husband ordered rabbit bites while I had the tagliatelle with rabbit ragu, something I had on our honeymoon in Napa many years ago. The rabbit bites were absolutely elegant and full of terrific flavor. The tagliatelle was positively dreamy; full of delicious flavor and elegant while still being comfort food. The Lucchese Syrah recommended by Angelo paired perfectly. Stuffed from dinner, we skipped dessert but I did order hot water with lemon that turned out to be quite the treat thanks to the fruitiness of the Italian lemons. The chef came by and we enthusiastically praised his delicious food. The service was elegant, the food perfection, the wine offerings plentiful, and the ambience everything I want on a date night. I will definitely return next time I'm in Lucca! Fun fact: right around the corner in front of the Puccini statue there was piazza karaoke we heard throughout our meal. So fun!!!! Also there was a family right beside us with a sweet baby and toddler. The restaurant was so caring towards them. Being a parent myself, I loved seeing how family friendly the restaurant was.

We went to dinner at Ristorante Bucadisantantonio. It's history dates back to 1782 and they think it existed even before that. It is a Michelin 3 star restaurant. This was one of my favorite meals in Italy. It was an amazing dinner and everyone was really nice with great service. We started out with some complementary wine and warm appetizers. Then we got the prosciutto with fresh figs (really good), zucchini ravioli, and stuffed vegetables. We ended the meal with a pear tart with chocolate. The flavors were perfect and we were so happy. This is probably the best restaurant in Lucca. A reservation is definitely needed and this is so worth it. The whole meal was 70 euro for 2 people.

Amazing Michelin restaurant with unique decor! Had to drive to Lucca as my boyfriends family is original from there. After reading other people's reviews we had to stop her for dinner. We are both lite eaters so we usually share meals, so we order the rabbit salad and the ravioli with meat sauce. Both were perfectly plated and tasted Devine. Must try!

I don't give 5 stars easy but here it is. Food is exquisite Wine is delicious Service is attentive and caring Price is reasonable. The restaurant looks beautiful. Yes! Do it!

We found this restaurant from locals referral. It was a special dinner from start to finish. Food was best we have had in Tuscany so far. Service was top notch Atmosphere very quaint and comfortable . Chef came out to check on us - he explained that 2 ladies make the ravioli fresh each morning. What a treat - I came back alone a few nights later, and all of the above was consistent with first experience. Do check it out while in Lucca....

Hmm, Well, the place was nice, and the setting is great. The wine was really good. We started with the chicken liver pate which was excellent. For our primo I had some pasta parcels which were good, my wife had mushroom with tagliatelle which was definitely over cooked. My second (veal) was ok. But the grilled cod was really overcooked, dry, salty and not good. Served with garbanzo, not a great pairing. Honesty underwhelmed. Service ok, but nobody asked why my wife had left 70% of her fish... perhaps they knew. For a Michelin restaurant to cook pasta to a slimy consistency and then turn a helpless piece of fish into shoe leather... disappointing.

Typical and historical traditional restaurant that serves lucchese food. Elegant with typical decor from old Italian restaurant. Service is of attention to details like in old restaurants, which I loved. Tordelli and the carpaccio were amazing. Seriously amazing. Will suggest to anyone who is foreign and likes to eat real lucchese cuisine.

Food is delicious. We share 4 dishes. All were great. The copper pots make the place homey. Pasta is homemade and sauces delicious.

This restaurant not only had outstanding food but amazing service as well. After a beautiful & delicious meal, my friends & I tried in vain to get an Uber to return to the hotel. In addition, the restaurant tried repeatedly to order a cab for us. After failed attempts the owners son personally made 2 trips to return us to our hotel. Please don't go to Lucca & not try this wonderful place!

Five stars is not high enough. Attention to detail and service was outstanding. The Guinea foul and wild boar were amazing. Highly recommend !!

I would give this restaurant six stars if I could! It was, perhaps, the best meal of my life. The restaurant itself is breathtaking, with the hanging pots and musical instruments. The servers were so charming and attentive, especially to our eight year old grandson. Finally, the food--the baby goat and the pork dishes were epic. The pastas were superb, and the house wine was excellent. Lunch for five--69 euro--the best money we spent in three weeks touring Central Italy. Do not miss this gem!

The manager at our hotel told us this was the best restaurant in Lucca. We were only there three nights but this was by far the best meal we had. We made reservations (highly recommended) and a table was waiting for us when we arrived. We ate outside on the patio which is just off the street - very charming and fun to watch people walk by. As soon as we sat down, we were served a complementary glass of prosecco - what a nice way to start an evening! The food is typically Lucchese, with pasta and meat dishes, but the quality and preparation here are superb! And, the menu prices are very reasonable, no higher than the other places we tried. The waiter helped us pick out an affordable Chianti Classico from the extensive wine list and it was excellent, too! Our server was warm, friendly, helpful and very professional. He did not mind at all that we did not speak Italian. He even recognized and waved at us the next day as we walked by on our way to the train station. Our dinner here was one of the best memories from our trip to Italy.

First impression was how very clean - food was very good - my friend and I shared two pastas and two second plates - a great way to sample the menu. Service was great. The meal was delicious- had a bottle of the local red wine - fantastic - whole meal for two with cafe and salad was 99 euro - very good price. I will return

Outstanding!! Service was fantastic decent Prosecco upon arrival to excellent grappa at finish. Highly recommend. Better than Michelin one star il Giglio that we dined at last subsequently. Decent wine list. Reasonably priced.

What an amazing place. From the personal attention of the amazing waitstaff to the transportational tortellini in brodo... to the perfect polenta, the magnificent chocolate mousse and the excellent wine pairing... Bravissimo Buca di Sant'Antonio e grazie mille per una cena never to be forgotten. Amo Lucca.

This is a hidden Gem in Lucca and away from the beaten path. We visited 11-26-2013 for our first dinner. Which later found out it was a late lunch according to Italy standards at 4pm. It's decorated with copper pots & horns and glass wine crafts. Let's your eye and mind wonder of what / when they were used last. Beautiful linens and place settings. We enjoyed a wonderful meal with recommendations from our waiter and it was so good that I couldn't stop saying that.... Portions were huge. Waiter was very nice and polite. I could see this place filling up fast and reservations would be wise. Pricing was fare and believe it is in line with quality. Probably my best meal and experience in Lucca.

How can you review a restaurant that was the highlight of a fabulous trip? We stayed in Lucca for eight days and dined here twice. We were on our flight from London to Pisa and a very wealthy man asked where we were going - we we told him Lucca, he said that we HAD to come to Buca DiSantantonio. Second day of our trip, found it off the Piazza San Michele, and made our reservations. What followed was a love affair with menu, food, staff and a desire to remind ourselves of the fabulous connection to the lovely room, the other diners and the sweet surprise of a "Big Night" experience. NY Times wrote of Bucadisantantonio in 2006, but the Luccan fare was new to us - the faro soups, chickpeas and cod and other specialties are perfected here. A complementary glass of prosecco, bread and olive oil along with chick peas arrive as you sit and take in the lovely rooms. Fried cod is also offered as you oh and ah over the menu. The staff is amazing - and through out the evening engaged us in conversation, interested in what we wanted to try. The pasta dishes are made fresh daily, sauces are light, perfect. We had the rabbit, cod, chicken, and while we were enjoying the perfect wine selections from Walter, we also chatted with our table mates, delighting in the magic of our evening. Desserts, coffee, aperitifs were also wonderful - one of those places that you have to take photos of your food, of the room, each other because you can't believe that you are lucky enough to be there. We are already looking forward to going back - please, if you are in Lucca, make a reservation (the website is in English) and don't miss this dining experience. PS - can you tell we really, really loved it?

Our favorite dinner in Italy, let alone Lucca. Recommended by some locals whom we were with on business. We had the bistecca, paparadelle with hare sauce (teehee), cold rabbit with green salad, and the gnocci. We were lucky enough to walk in on a Thursday night at 9pm and sit down without reservations, but we were here in the off-season in February. The waiters were so kind, and recognized we were nervous about speaking Italian (the menu is even offered in English), They poured us a complimentary glass of prosecco to make us even more comfortable. :-) The service was impeccable, and they recommended a fantastic inexpensive bottle of wine to complement our meal. At the end of our meal, they even called us a taxi to take us back to where we were staying. A perfect evening, and you can't go wrong here.

The place you'll wish you could order two of everything. Walking in you are greeted by the staff dressed in well tailored dark suits and bowties. Then you see the decorations: an interesting assortment of copper pots and pans with the odd trumpet hanging from the ceiling. The main, spit roasted baby goat was tender and had a taste that made brought the image of an intimate log cabin in the Tuscan countryside to mind. It came with roasted potatoes that had a beautifully crunchy exterior and smooth center. Definitely recommend as the one place to go to in Lucca!

We had a charming outdoor dinner with candlelight. Invite mosquito stupid but it was worth it. The cover charges 350 each but they gave three freebies for that including some sparkling wine a little cookie dessert and some fried appetizers. Food was pretty good not the best of her but pretty good. All the people were extremely nice

Hands down one of the best Italian meals we have had. The chef came out numerous times and was so fun and kind. We had a large family group traveling. Restaurant has so much charm with the decor. We had about 5-6 courses with dessert and the food was outstanding.

Had one day in Lucca and through our wonderful guide Wanda we found this treasure. You'd better make a reservation because we saw over 30 people being turned away while we were sitting having an exquisite dinner. The ambiance and staff were amazing. 5 star all the way and I'm in the restaurant business.

Great typical Italian restaurant. The previous reviews are totally on point. And the service was amazing (i.e.: the people were very - and naturally - nice and accommodating as we had a new born with us). If you are in Lucca and want to experience typical and great Italian food, I would definitely recommend this place.

Wow! What a meal in a fantastic Tuscan atmosphere! This restaurant was recommended by Antonia at the Rennaissance in Tuscany. We started with a local wine recommended by Shakar our waiter. It was perfect and the price was even better. Everything we had was delicious but the favorite was the Baby Goat! Don't miss this! We had a nice chat with the chef who explaine his grandfather was a chef at the same restaurant and Baby Goat was a specialty back then! Thank you for a great dinner and memory!

Always great service and food. They are Michelin rated for customer service 2017. Reservation is a must for dinner otherwise they have outside seating if you don't . Still ok but great to have that ambiance inside with those antiquities they have in the dining areas.

An outstanding choice in Lucca. They do a great job with the classic dishes of Tuscany. A terrific selection of the regional wines at reasonable prices. Many of the wines are just slightly more than you would pay retail in the U.S. One of the things that sets this restaurant apart is service. I love dining in Italy, but service tends to be a bit "relaxed". Buca's service is a pleasant exception -- attentive, helpful and personal.

Normal restaurant, nothing special! We went there, based on the five stars review, but bread was not fresh, rissotto was ok, but the pasta very normal as the one you can make at home.

2nd time to visit this restaurant. awesome food-great wine list-excellent service. we had a 2:30 lunch rez and did not arrive till after 3pm--it was a long drive from Chianti! They took us anyway( there kitchen closes at 3pm) and gave us a wonderful experience. cannot wait to go back!

Wonderful resteraunt. Food cooked to perfection - we had pork and veal and the starters were all outstanding. Wine list very impressive and wine waiter highly knowledgeable and speaks perfect English