Lucia Bar Italiano

Came here for some good Italian food one night recently. It’s a great location in downtown Durham with a cool atmosphere and wasn’t crowded at all. The cocktails were delicious (had the strawberry mojito), the bread basket and spread was amazing, the meat and cheese combo plate was very filling and also delicious! By the time the entrée came out I was already full but ate the whole thing anyway considering the portion size wasn’t crazy large. I had the shrimp linguini, only had 3 shrimps and the sauce was pretty basic marinara, I wouldn’t order it again. I tried the bolognese which was something I probably would order next time, if you’re in the mood for a heartier sauce.
The downsides was very slow service especially considering the restaurant wasn’t even slightly crowded and we had to ask for a bread basket.

I will preface this by saying we went during restaurant week, so the food may not have been representative of their usual fare. The ambience is very pleasant, and the service was friendly and attentive. It was also nice to be in a restaurant where the tables aren’t crammed together and I can actually hear the other people at my table.
Overall, we found the food to be just ok. I ordered polenta and mushrooms as an appetizer, but it tasted mostly like heavy cheese grits (I realize grits are not entirely unrelated to polenta). My friend ordered mussels, which she really enjoyed. The portion size was also huge.
For my entrée, I ordered the fish special (Mahi Mahi), which lacked in flavor and was a little overcooked to my taste. The vegetables were also cooked in a lot of butter or oil. Two people ordered the cacio e pepe, which came in a tiny portion. It is a simple dish, but it seemed to have very little cheese for something with cheese as one of only four ingredients.
But the nutella budino I ordered for dessert was really good. I would go back just for that but perhaps not for dinner.

Home run. For dinner had – literally – some of the best swordfish I’ve had in many years. It was the fish of the day; thick cut and tender all the way through. Lovely steak entrée, great accompaniments to the proteins, everything really excellent. Wonderful desserts (you must, must try the Nutella budino) too. Apparently a new chef has joined in the last couple of weeks; he has upped the quality to where this is now a restaurant worth returning to often. If what our server told us is right, expect more emphasis on seafood in the future. Great dining experience.

I had high expectations coming in thanks to word of mouth. This totally blew me away regardless. The food here is unbelievable. I got the calamari, beef petite tender, and nutella budino and everything was nearly perfect. The beef was delicious (perfectly cooked and seasoned). The budino was legitimately one of the most delicious desserts I’ve ever tasted; it’s almost a disservice to attach the Nutella name to it. I highly recommend this place; it’s fantastic, easily one of the best restaurants in Durham.

Totally worth trying. From the minute we were greeted by the hostess everyone was so super kind and friendly. We were slightly underdressed but they all made us feel so welcome. We never had to ask for a refill of water it was always being filled. Restaurant was busy too and service was stellar. Had the calamari and it was the best I’ve ever eaten. Love the open kitchen. It’s almost like dinner and a show. Had the shrimp linguini for dinner and it was just amazing. Lots of shrimp. Noodles were perfect. Right sized portion. My friend has the wild boar pasta and honestly it was probably the best pasta meal I’ve ever had a bite of. We both wanted more just because it was that delicious. It was a wonderful meal and I would recommend it for a nice night out.

Well I have to say this was not a very good experience. Hostess very nice nice that was a plus… Our waiter let’s say is in wrong profession. The food was at was not even average. The rice balls were very. Good. Meat balls we had to return. Which they did take off bill. Pork belly was over cooked and cold when served. I’m gonna just leave the rest alone will not be returning there.

Came here for birthday dinner! Let me say that the ambience here is amazing. The interior is modern and an open kitchen concept. We were sat right away. Service was courteous and the wait staff was attentive to us.
To get to the food…
–Caprese: very fresh mozzarella in pesto, red onion, and tomatoes. One of the best I’ve had.
–Brussel Sprouts: well done and very tasty. Crispy and savory.
–bread: soft and crispy. The bean spread was not my favorite though, I think butter would be better
Favorite entrees were the linguini and gnocchi. Linguini was al dente and had fresh olives and big shrimp.
All in all, a great experience! Would recommend for a decent Italian place in the Durham area.

The service was the best I have ever had anywhere– and we go out a LOT!
The food was good to great. The appetizer was amazing. The puttanesca sauce was good and just the right amount of heat. The atmosphere was great! We ate in the dining room which was romantic. The bar looked really cool too with a long couch with tables or eat at the bar overlooking main street.
This may be our new favorite place.

I don’t know how this place only has 3.5 stars! Everything — from the atmosphere to the service to the food — was 5 stars! Our waiter was very attentive and helpful. We started with the meat & cheese platter and burrata. Both dishes were delicious and eaten quickly! For our first course, I had the Lucio Salad, which was light and citrusy. It was also a generous portion for a first course! For my entrée, I enjoyed the half roasted chicken and they kindly substituted roasted vegetables in place of creamy polenta (which also looked delicious!). The chicken and veggies were so flavorful and hinted of something sweet. I could eat everything again!

I came here for a group meeting and the atmosphere was lovely however the food was just okay my favorite part was my tiramisu which was perfect in every way.
I ordered the linguini it took forever to arrive and it was WAY over salted with a thin watery sauce, if I return I might have the steak instead.

I went to Lucia for restaurant week and was disappointed (and I hate writing bad reviews because I like to support local businesses– but it was bad). I realize that it was restaurant week so it was busier than usual but the wait times were ridiculous. It took over 10 minutes for a waiter to even come to our table, 30 to get the breadbox (which by this time I was craving watching everyone else get breadboxes) and over an hour to get our food. During all of this time there were lots of people coming by and refilling our water so it wasn’t like they were understaffed and never once did anyone apologize for the long wait time.
Besides the slow service, the food was also subpar. We started with the calamari which was a decent portion but nothing to write home about. I got a pizza because I used to love Pops’ pizza and it was very limp and didn’t have any flavor. If you are an Italian restaurant with three other awesome pizzas places in walking distance, you should have good pizza. The only redeeming part of the meal was my husband’s porchetta which was a decent portion size and well cooked. Perhaps the menu is hit or miss for now and I hope the service improves, but I probably won’t be back to try again.

I was happy to finally check out Lucia so a friend and I went during restaurant week for lunch. We arrived a little after noon and proceeded to wait several minutes before someone came to the hostess stand to seat us. Not the most pleasant start, but okay.
They had a lunch special which was a good deal, an appetizer, entrée and dessert for $ 15. It was once again quite a while until our waitress returned so we could order. It was a bit odd to us considering the restaurant was essentially empty.
The bread and bean spread you get is quite good as others have noted. I had the pureed canneli bean soup. It was good, not great, but certainly good. The petso bruschetta my friend got was quite good.
For the next course we both opted for the spaghetti and meatballs in lieu of the panini. I know they make their pasta in house which is impressive, but I have to admit I wasn’t super impressed. I don’t think they were cooked to the proper texture and the noodles just didn’t quite have the *omph* of a great noodle to me. The two meatballs that came with I also felt were a bit bland and unimpressive. The parmesan on top was high quality and delicious. My friend (who i should note felt similarly), asked to have rest of hers boxed when the manager came around, instead they accidently threw it away.
The Panna Cotta dessert was quite good. I’m not a dessert person but I enjoyed it, it wasn’t overly sweet and the pistachios were delicious.
When we were ready to check out we found ourselves once again waiting for a long time. Considering this was a weekday lunch and we needed to get back to work, we ended up just bringing our cards to the bar to check out.
For the restaurant week price it was a nice deal, sure. But had I paid full price I would be disappointed and the service left a lot to be desired. I’d come back to try other things, but I’m not rushing to go back.

What a treat! This place, as inconspicuous as it is, is a must! The interior is located on the second floor of a renovated warehouse and it is absolutely beautiful with its modern and luxurious décor.
Right away, you’re started with their bean dip and a selection of bread and crackers. The dip was very tasty and not too overwhelming at all. My girlfriends and I ended up ordering family style, and split a bunch of dishes.
For our antipasti, we got the brussels sprouts (with pancetta marmellata, cipollini onions, and parmesa) as well as the burrata (with pistachio genovese and balsamic vinegar). Everything was beautifully plated, by the way. I am a huge fan of Brussels sprouts and order them all the time at various locations (to the point where I’ve started comparing restaurants by the quality of their brussels sprouts, haha), and I have to say that the ones here are among the best I’ve had. Perfectly crispy and complemented with flakes of parmesan, these brussels sprouts were fantastic. The burrata was pretty nice — not as soft as I’m used to but it went well with the pistachio genovese, which was this savory, pesto-​like sauce.
The eggplant pizza was quite delicious, as it was topped with their yummy house ricotta, hints of lemon, garlic, and oregano. The pizza was thin but was able to hold the weight of the toppings without being soggy, and the crust was great! Perfect combo of crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Great size for sharing amongst 3 – 4 people, too.
For our primi, we got this nice shrimp and guanciale (cured meat) linguini flavored with garlic, heirloom tomato, and basil. I loved this dish, and as someone who isn’t a fan of pasta, that is saying A LOT. The linguini itself was just amazing — perfectly textured, not too al dente, not too soft. Just chewy enough. And the sauce wasn’t overbearing or too rich. I loved it.
Our secondi was the Porchetta, a heavy pork belly wrapped pork roast that sat atop a head of butternut squash purée. The purée was delicious and sweet. The pork belly was a bit too fatty for my tastes (which is how pork belly should be, I guess, but I’m just not particularly a fan of it). The pork roast I found a bit dry.
Anyway, my friends and I had a great time here. Service was super attentive — we came around 6 with a reservation and the place was pretty empty. Good food, relatively quick prep time, and wonderful ambience. Definitely will be back.

I have seen a two year old baby eat more pasta than what these guys served us today. The portion of Garganelli I ordered (for carry out) was so tiny that I had another meal after I eat it. I had appetizers at Italian restaurants twice the size of this overpriced plate of 9 total pieces of pasta (you can count from the photo). Was is tasty? Yes, it was pretty good. Service was also excellent, ambiance is great but the portion size is beyond disappointing for the prices.
You are a restaurant, which means that food should be your #1 priority, you did everything else great but if your guests leave still starving than you are not doing what you are supposed to do and the hunger that remains will overshadow all the other great things that you guys do.

I liked the food here — I got the meat sauce with pappardelle, and I thought the sauce and the noodles were well cooked. The sauce wasn’t salty and had a decent amount of meat in it. What disappointed me about this place was the service, which was slow … even though the place didn’t seem that busy on a Friday night, and the fact that they ran out of three separate drinks on the menu. So even though I had wanted to order something to drink, at some point I just gave up. The server also seemed to get annoyed that I was taking a long time to decide what drink to order next when he told me they were out of one, so much so that he just decided to take my menu away while I was staring down at it.
If this place wants to keep business, I highly recommend some better inventory management.

Great menu options. A lot of Italian words
On the menu so do your research or ask a lot of questions. Nice size dining area with an open kitchen concept.
Gluten free and vegetarian options on the menu. Our server Ester was fabulous. We did have to wait a little bit for food but I believe that was because a lot of tables for seating at once.
There was a large selection of cocktails, wine and beers but no ciders. The dining room is very neat and clean and so are the bathrooms. Best of all the dining room is full and it was not too loud.

I absolutely enjoyed my time at this restaurant because 1) you can make reservations on
, 2) great service (my bf’s meal was comped just because his dish came out much later than everyone else’s, and we had a party of about 10 people).
The tiramisu I’ve had better, but they do such a good job presenting all the different layers when they bring it out. I definitely enjoyed my pizza.
A great place that is conducive to a group dinner.

LUCIA IS THE BEST RESTAURANT IN DURHAM. Although it is new, this needs to be recognized immediately so Lucia can get the recognition they deserve. I honestly don’t know how they do it, but their dishes are always so different than any other Italian dish you’ve had before, and they are better.
I went here after my roommate constantly raved about it, saying that the two times she went there the dishes were the best dishes she’s ever eaten. So, a group of 13 people and I went for a big dinner before an event, and at the end of the night each person commented on how incredible their dish was. And the group included a lot of picky eaters and non-​foodies!!! It’s really a testament to how great their food is!
I got the squid ink fusilli dish, which had octopus, tomatoes, braised fennel, and tomato sauce. The octopus was so fresh and weirdly tasty (normally I find octopus bland and chewy). The pasta had the best chew to it, and it tasted perfect with the AMAZING tomato sauce. I don’t know how they make their tomato sauce, but honestly people, please get this dish just to understand what I’m talking about. Also as a note, I was really nervous about the fennel because I hate black licorice flavor, but I didn’t taste it at all, and in fact maybe that’s what really made the tomato sauce the best I’ve ever had.
Also, Lucia’s pasta dishes are so reasonably priced. I got the squid ink fusilli and it was only $ 15.05 in the end (including tax). I seriously want to go here every time I go out to dinner from now on. Here or Mateo.

Great addition to the West Village area, and a classier ambiance than the previous Pop’s setup. The main dining room has a series of intimate booths and small tables, but in a big, connected space, so it’s a nice mix of privacy and openness. I also caught a glimpse of their private dining room, which looks like a fantastic place for a fancy group dinner or graduation celebration.
We went on a Thursday evening (with reservations), and the place was pretty full. Service was professional and kind, but not extremely attentive. But food came out at a reasonable pace, and we ate all the things:
— The initial bread basket comes with an assortment of flatbreads and sticks and a white bean dip that we devoured. I would have liked traditional fresh bread and olive oil, but I thought the flatbreads were yum.
— Prosciutto appetizer: Anytime a cured meat comes with fig marmellata, it’s a winner.
— We also shared an eggplant pizza as an appetizer, and the ricotta and lemon really make this pop.
— I thought the risotto was a bit bland, but scallops were buttery.
— My friend ordered a vegetarian version of the pappardelle, and oh, that housemade pasta! I can’t think of another in-​house pasta in Durham (I still haven’t been to Goccio), and this stuff is gooooood.
— I got the squid ink fusilli, and the pasta and squid ink flavors were great, but I would avoid this if you don’t like fennel — very strong.
— THE PORCHETTA. Sorry for yelling, but this was the best dish at dinner, hands down. The meat was tender and juicy and just the right amount of fatty. Totally ordering this next time, no question.
— The 10-​layer tiramisu was actually too cakey for me – would have benefited from more marscapone and espresso liquid.
— But definitely recommend the milk and cookies!!! Those Nutella sandwiches were amazing. More please!

Man, I was excited to try out Lucia after Pop’s suddenly disappeared. Sadly, it seems plagued by similar problems that Pop’s had. A beautiful space in great location with mediocre service and hit and miss food.
We were seated quickly on a Wednesday night and the place was decently bustling. The hostess told us that our server would be right with us and handed us our menus. Five minutes pass and we’ve already decided what we want before someone comes by to give us water. Still no server and no order taken. Ten minutes pass and our server finally comes by to take our orders. He seemed reluctant to stay and answer questions. Five minutes later and some stale breadsticks and very average bread gets dropped off with a bean dip that was so bland it tasted like you were just eating mashed up white beans. Did they run out of seasoning in the kitchen? I barely touched the breadsticks and bread, which is unbelievable since I love restaurant bread and usually ask for seconds.
Our appetizers of calamari and grilled octopus were also lacklustre. The calamari was a generous portion, but had no seasoning in the batter and tasted like fry oil that had been used one too many times. I had to soak it in the aioli, which was tasty, but not enough to smother all the calamari. The octopus did have good seasoning, but was so tough that it was like gnawing on jerky.
Would not recommend either.
The entrees were the highlight of the meal. My wild boar pappardelle was actually flavorful! The pasta had a good bite and the balance of meat, sauce, and pasta was perfect. My husband also really enjoyed his porchetta. One downside is when I asked their server if the pork was antibiotic free, he asked the chef and told me «It’s definitely hormone free». That’s pretty BS-​y because all pork and poultry is required to be hormone free, even Smithfield has only hormone free pork. Not the same thing at all and I expect a restaurant like Lucia to also know better or not try to BS me.
Overall, I would recommend Lucia for lunch or their dinner entrees. Their tiramisu was decent and sizable, but also missed the mark on the coffee and liqueur kick. So the theme of the night was «bland and mediocre.»