7 Best Restaurants in Lucca, Tuscany

The staying power of Buca di Sant'Antonio—it's been around since 1782—is the result of superlative Tuscan food brought to the table by waitstaff who don't miss a beat. The menu includes the simple but blissful tortelli lucchesi al sugo (meat-stuffed pasta with a tomato-and-meat sauce), as well as more daring dishes such as roast capretto (kid goat) with herbs. A white-wall interior hung with copper pots and brass musical instruments creates a classy but comfortable dining space.

Divine, cutting-edge food and Tuscan classics are served in this one-room space, where in winter you may find a roaring fireplace, and in warmer months there's outdoor seating on a pretty little piazza. If mushrooms or tartufo are in season, try homemade pasta topped with them. A local favorite during winter is the coniglio con olive (rabbit stew with olives). There are also three set tasting menus.

Blend is open 10 am to 9:30 pm (after most places are closed) and serves sandwiches, pasta, and creative salads. It's on a quiet little piazza right around the corner from the Duomo, and it offers outdoor seating in warmer months.

Husband-and-wife team, Piero and Caroline, live by the motto "antica esperienza, bonta moderna" ("old-school knowledge, innovative techniques"). They use top-notch ingredients such as Bronte pistachios and IGP Piemonte hazelnuts in their ice creams, which include out-of-the-box options like the Burlamacchi—vanilla smothered in cookie crumbs and salted caramel.

This lively, gaily colored little trattoria (the name means "black sheep") with a high-vaulted ceiling is staffed by giovani disabili (both mentally challenged and learning-disabled young people), who wait tables under the supervision of a nondisabled companion. The food's terrific, from the made-in-house pizzas and focaccias to the traditional torta ai pinoli (pine nut cake). Great care is taken with sourcing, when possible, local organic ingredients, and such care translates into a lovely meal.

The macabre decor is not for the faint of heart, but any lover of seriously good food can look beyond the disembodied dolls (among other things) adorning the dining room's walls. The menu is strong on local dishes, served in generous portions. If you're lucky, Ubaldo himself will be on the scene.