This restaurant was recommended to us by the owner of the small hotel where we stayed in Lucca. She…read moretold us that it is where she likes to eat as it is out of the usual tourist areas. The thing we liked best about this restaurant was that they took traditional dishes and slightly twisted them in new directions. After a couple of weeks of very similar classical Italian meals, it was a great pleasure to see some creative variations. We arrived just as the evening rush was starting about 7:30pm. We choose a table under the huge umbrellas. Our server was very friendly and very patient with our slow decision making despite facing the onslaught of suddenly full tables. I started with a negroni and my wife with a glass of the house red which we shared the leek souffle. The souffle was hot in a ramekin with a delicate cold sauce on the plate around the ramekin. Light delicious, and very leeky. I switched to the house white and had the pear and mint ravioli which was served on a delicate sauce of blue cheese with some pine nuts. Very delicate flavors and quite delicious. My wife had the cacao gnocchi. I know, sounds weird, but it was quite delicious with a mild cocoa flavor and a mild cheese sauce. We shared a secondi the branzino filet. Delicious flames, but perhaps lacking in texture. Both the first and the accompanying mushrooms were very soft. The branzino was wrapped in lardo which also was quite soft. Yummy. We finished off with a shared lavender cream beautifully plated with a dusting of cocoa and a mint leaf. It was very firm with a distinct lavender aroma and flavor. A little limocello and a surprisingly reasonable bill and we were on our way.

Complete menu selection from salads and sandwiches, small plates to full entres. All artfully…read moreprepared. Outdoor dining along a footpath of the Southern Medieval wall to Lucca. Views of the mountains snd forests outside of Lucca. Service is gentile and more formal than expected for what first appears to be an informal sidewalk cafe. This formality is congruent, however, with the rest of Lucca. Lucca is the Grande Dame of Tuscany, affluent, former Capitol, and has not forgotten it. Close to the beautiful Botanic Gardens. Excellent food, service, and mostly atmosphere.

Ewww! Until this mistake, we said "there are no bad restaurants in Lucca". Wrong. The Boar pasta…read morehad either no meat, or just some sand-grain size residue of meat. Tuna salad was out of a can of Starkist. The first thing I thought of with the pizza (the part that wasn't a wet glob in the middle) was a childhood memory of making your own Chef Boy-ar-dee, remember painting the can of red sauce, and not cooking the crust enough? The clear liquid in the middle of the table is regular vinegar, careful before you ruin your touristy meal. The 20 euro steak was a dry skinny piece of ribeye I think. Medium rare? I believe this is my first negative Yelp review ever. And notice the restaurant did not claim the Yelp page. There is a duplicate Yelp page for this restaurant with 1.5 stars. Too bad my cell service wasn't working so I wasn't able to look on Yelp before we walked in.

+ 2 stars: for service & location: super sweet waitress & free wifi (like all other restaurants…read moreat this Piazza). -1 stars (yes...NEGATIVE ONE. Like they OWE me for even sitting here!). : food was sad. Unfortunately this was my first impression of food in Italy. The pizza was awful. I ordered a Pizza pomodorino fresco con prosciutto cotto (pizza with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, basil & cooked ham). What I got was a cardboard like consistency of a chewy (as in stale-tasting) crusty pizza, lacking any saltiness or taste. I especially wanted the basil on my pizza, which was in the menu description - and my pizza arrived without any on it. I asked the waitress for basilico, showed her the pizza description on the menu, and she took my "pizza" to the kitchen.... Only to return, embarrassed as she placed it on my table with 2 freaking leaves of fresh basil -more like a decoration than actual ingredients to the pizza. She said "sorry, I don't work in the kitchen." Lol... Fazit: The chef sucks at cooking. No Bueno. But hey, at least my Sprite tasted good. If you want a normal drink & free wifi, why not. If you want food that tastes decent....don't waste your money. Boo.

We loved Cantine Bernardini…read more The day was very warm and CB was an oasis against the heat. The outdoor tables are located in the shade with a nice cross breeze. And Rebecca, our waitress, greeted us with a cool glass of Prosecco. And two small bowls of a wonderful puree of some vegetable or other soon followed. We split: -- rabbit terrine as an appetizer. -- Primo. Linguine scoglio. -- Segundo. Grilled sea bream. Plus of course wine and espresso. Rebecca was both helpful and very pleasant. She not only answered questions about the menu, but about the town as well. Lucca is beautiful and charming. But a day trip to Lucca with a great luncheon at Bernardini made for a memorable day.

Memorably fantastic food. Courteous, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable service. Fair pricing. Great…read moreambiance. What more can one ask for?

If you're looking for something other than pizza and pasta in Florence, THIS is the spot!read more

This is European fast food at its finest! Istanbul Döner Kebab offers generously-sized wraps of…read morebeef or chicken shaved from rotating spits, paired with vegetables like lettuce, tomato, onion, cabbage, and jalapeño along with French fries and different kinds of sauces including a spicy chili paste and garlic yogurt sauce, all wrapped in a chewy tortilla-like flatbread. Located near Florence's attractions in the city center, this restaurant provides a nice respite for tourists and locals looking for a quick bite--the tasty food came at an amazing value, though the service seemed a bit standoffish.

Amazing service, out waiter was so attentive. He encouraged us to try the 2 pasta specials of the…read moreday, and they were both great choices! If they are serving the cauliflower and sausage pasta or the deer pasta, I highly recommend it. The bruschetta assortment and creme brûlée were standouts as well.

What a great little place!! It was recommended by our Bed & Breakfast place and they did great…read more It was my friend's birthday and she had a crummy day, so it was nice to come to a place like Bandierine. We were very fortunate though. They had asked for RSVP and we didn't have it, but the nice staff gave us a table and asked to be done by 9pm. No Problem!! Another tiny quaint homey place with cheerful staffs. Everybody seemed to be part of the family or became family. We were hungry and it was our first night in Pisa, so we ordered lots! I wanted something warm, so I ordered a "soup", which became to be a bowl of mussels and clams placed on top of the piece bread soaked with soup. OMG, it was sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good! Like good licking finger good! We ordered the Caprese also and that was like another world! Their balsamic was like wine, but without the alcohol taste! We were already in love with their food. It's like two entrees already, but it's ONLY the appetizers. Our pasta eventually came and that was another story. It's beyond words on how delicious and perfectly made pastas were. It will never be the same when I'm back in the US! Like all the other places we've been to, we ordered panna cotta dessert and lattes. We opted for something different since it was her birthday. The panna cotta was light and refreshing, while the lattes are energizing. Ohhhh how I want more of that "soup". Please go if you're in the area!!!!

Was looking for a change-of-pace from consecutive days of Italian cuisine. Had a sneaking…read moresuspicion that Greek food might be better in Italy than it is in the States, and I was spot on. Super nice staff greeted us when we walked in, and the interior looks small but inviting. We ended up ordering carryout (or, "takeaway," as they say here), and the food was a pleasant surprise. The Greek salad doesn't have lettuce, but the tomatoes, feta, capers, olives, onions, etc. are very fresh and delicious. The tsatsiki is creamy and tart, and is a a excellent complement to the Greek chicken souvlaki. And...the souvlaki is so flavorful and so fresh, that it was a unanimous hit. If you are in the mood for something other than pasta, give this place a try!

My daughter and I had our favorite meal in Florence here. The food was so delicious - we had the…read morebaked eggplant with caramelized onions, tomatoes, and feta and chicken skewers with tzatziki, salad, and roasted potatoes. The eggplant dish was the best I've ever had in my life - and I'm 54. The service was excellent and our friendly, helpful waitress was fluent in English and generous in answering our questions. The front of the restaurant has a countertop and is brightly lit, but the main seating patio in the back is quiet, pleasantly dark, and small but roomy (there is plenty of space between the tables which we found was not often the case in crowded Florence). I highly recommend this hidden gem!

Our Airbnb was just around the corner from Da Eraldo and I had discovered them based on their high…read morereviews. As we walked by, we noticed some of their employees inside so we asked if we could make a reservation for dinner for 6pm or 6;30pm. They recommended 6pm and took my name. We arrived promptly at 6pm and were the 2nd table seated. I'm so glad we came early. Over the next few nights we noticed so many people waiting outside all night long. I will tell you that my branzino was amazing. Fresh and cooked perfectly. I really enjoyed my healthy meal and I don't mind deboning a whole fish myself. My daughter had the linguine with clams which was also very delicious. My son had the pesto lasagna which was so-so. We were expecting red sauce bolognese so it could just be that we just had different expectations. He also ordered the steak and enjoyed it. My husband had the fruitti de mare and thought it was just okay. Something to know is that because they are so busy with so many people waiting, they like you to order everything together. We noticed a server who got frustrated with another table who tried to order apps, and then tried to order the main meals after they finished them, then dessert. These employees are hustling and trying to turn tables, as you see the queue outside waiting. It's a tiny cozy restaurant with a lot of demand. I would recommend this place for certain dishes, especially the fresh fish.

Nice setting, great service, and the dinner was yummy. The first night, we couldn't get in we got a…read morereservation for the next night. The price is reasonable and the menu varied. The bread served at the table was unique and quite good.

Food was exceptional, but the service was terrible. Not sure if the waiter was homophobic or just…read morein a bad mood, but barely grunted any communication and eroded the whole experience. So many other choices in Pisa, not worth the poor customer service.

Well hidden in the easy & quiet part of Pisa, this restaurant fulfilled every expectation…read more This place is about real cooking, making you discover great combinations of tastes from a truly fresh kitchen! Definitely worth the (short) walk!