From the authentic Italian cuisine to the farm fresh ingredients this hidden gem is a fabulous choice for the best Italian food in the city. From the service, menu, wines and zero alcohol choices, this restaurant makes me feel like I'm in an Osteria in Tuscany. I'm a big fan of all the Conte Group hospitality restaurants from Toscana, Via Roma and Mezzo Giorno. So well managed. Never disappoints and above all always able to accommodate dietary requests. Perfect for couples and small groups . read more

The ladies and I try to dine in a different place weekly. This week we picked Luce and the food and wine were amazing but the service shocked me for such a fine dining place. I had never been and when we got to the check, we were told that the check could not be split. But we insisted on it as the waiter pushed back saying it was at the bottom of the menu. Sadly we did not see it and sighted that it was not fair for others to pay for our food and drinks if they did not have the more pricer dishes. He finally reluctantly split the bill but for me when I smiled and gave him my card, he snatched the bill from my hand which surprised me. Would I come back yes since it is close to my job but I will not come as a group or recommend to groups. read more

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Our neighbors recommended we try Luce for our next special occasion. We booked a table a few weeks in advance and sat outside on the patio. For drinks, we had a passion fruit cocktail and an Italian beer. We got the buratta con prosciutto as an appetizer and paired it with fresh bread, it was delicious. I ordered the carbonara for dinner and my husband had one of their specials, a gnocchi dish with short rib. They even brought out a slice of cheesecake for our anniversary. Everything tasted great, we will definitely be back! read more

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I went again recently before a show at the Belk Theater with limited time. The service was outstanding and they got us to the show on time. It's dimly lit and good for a date or intimate dinner. The food is outstanding every time - I am a big fan. read more

This place is top notch. It might be the best shrimp I've ever had in tonight's risotto special. The quality and range of flavors in every dish were incredible. My wife ordered the pasta, and it was clearly homemade. A next-level Italian staple, elevated even further by the richness of the meat sauce. The excellence carried through to dessert, right down to the berries in the out-of-this-world tiramisu. This is a can't-miss spot. Highly recommended. read more

Food tasted like I was in Italy. I love my chicken carbonara. Great restaurant for birthdays and celebrations.

The experience was overall a very good one. The service was very attentive with a waitress and multiple table attendees for water, bread, dishes, etc. The restaurant was lightly lit with space between tables for privacy and conversation. We started with two drinks ... Rosa and Limoncello. Both were made just right ... served martini style. Bread with a bean spread comes with each table. Meatballs was the appetizer of choice. Flavorful and tender. I chose the marsala chicken plate with garlic olive oil pasta. Lived the chicken. The pasta was cooked al dente. The garlic olive oil, though, had a lot of red pepper and salt. We also ordered the filet with asparagus and potatoes. The potatoes were amazing .. seasoned perfectly. The asparagus was just that side of crisp. The filet cooked to a perfect medium and covered with a deep flavored truffle demi glaze. We followed with a creme brule and tiramisu. I must say I liked the desserts but were not wow'd by either. We were able to follow up the dinner with 30 year tawny port!! They do validate parking for the building garage. read more

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First of all I have to commend the service at Luce. They really go above and beyond! The reason I say this is because I ordered a pasta dish that included lobster. I was expecting a dish where the meat was mixed in with the pasta, but this dish had a full lobster claw! I have never cracked my own lobster claw before so I asked our server to show me how to do it. She said "no worries, we will do this for you in the kitchen and bring it back out to you!" I was very impressed by this. Located in the Truist Plaza in Uptown, this spot is a hidden gem. They are open until 10 pm, so a good place for a late dinner. They are also walking distance from the theater, so consider stopping in before seeing a show. On nights when shows are being held, like when we went, you might be treated to mostly empty restaurant with no wait. Just some things to consider, but I definitely recommend! read more

f you're in Uptown Charlotte there isn't a shortage of quality Italian restaurants and @lucerestaurantclt is right up there with the best. I had never been and am so glad I decided to head in on a rainy Saturday to check it out. The service is hard to beat, everyone was incredibly friendly and knowledgable. Their fresh baked bread was perfect. Soft on the inside with a great crunch on the crust. I went ahead and skipped an appetizer and went straight for their carbonara. This is by far the BEST carbonara in the city. It is done perfectly. The noodles were perfectly al dente and the sauce was full of flavor. The guanciale and panchetta were perfectly portioned. Not to mention, the portion size was MASSIVE! The Conte Restaurant Group has always been top notch, Luce is no different! read more

Luce - Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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I'll start be being nice. The drinks were good. However, I am a vegetarian. They claim to have vegetarian options. I was very clear the server that I'm a vegetarian. Meaning I do not eat meat. Especially red meat. I haven't had meat in 30 years! I ordered the cheese ravioli. Cheese. They freaking served me meat ravioli! I had that in my mouth. Dietary restrictions are not a suggestion, it's a health concern. If I communicated no meat very clearly, I expect I will not be served meat. A simple apology is not enough to make up for this large of an error! This is a high end restaurant. They need to be more careful with making sure people get what they order. This is not a small error. read more

On a business trip and decided to see what local Italian food was like! - ok - this one is not the inexpensive version, but rather is a nice high end restaurant. The service and ambiance goes along with nice food! read more

Ambiance and service were amazing. My dish was angel hair with traditional marinara, eggplant and vegetables. I added shrimp and they were huge and grilled. Sooo good! The bread was hot, thick and delicious. I took tiramisu home which was a dream. They brought us a desert for our anniversary. I also had a glass of sangria. This place is very romantic and has a patio. Pics are early evening so don't be fooled, it gets full and you need a reservation most nights. read more

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We went here last week and really enjoyed everything. We made reservations in advance (however they do have a small cozy bar area) and were seated immediately. We asked to have our meal spaced so we could enjoy our app, entrees and dessert in a timely manner. The food was fantastic and I'm surprised I don't hear about about this place more often. I got the Halibut & I was very impressed with it. Very fresh and a great size. We did two glasses of the wine and I did a classic Italian spritzer and it was great (I'll be back for that alone) everything was excellent and we can't wait to come back. read more

Luce - Halibut. - Italian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

I went here a few weeks ago for dinner and just can't stop thinking about this place! Food was amazing, staff were kind, and the vibes were perfect for a nice date night. I had the penne with the vodka sauce and it was to die for. I will for sure be returning here in the near future! read more

The food was good not exceptional. The waitress was clueless. We had a party of 10 & at the end of the meal she had to ask us again what we had because she had not written it down. Clueless!! read more

I'll try not to gush too much, but oh boy, this place top - down is phenomenal. I do fine dining on occasion in Savannah and Charleston, but they need to step their game up because Luce raised the bar. Pros: - Phenomenal Chicken Parm. Absolutely delicious piece of chicken that was cooked perfectly. I've had chicken parm in Boston and I'd say this one takes it. - Bread. You must give free bread. They do and it's one of the better free breads you'll have. (Not going to lie the beans with it is odd) - Eggplant Parm Appetizer was delicious as well. It was very homey tasting and tasted REAL. - The Red Sauce used on my pasta and chicken parm is my favorite I've had in any restaurant. - My wife's birthday! They really did make it special: They gave a birthday card, got some free champagne, and even wrote 30 on the chocolate torte. Cons: - There was not a single thing I could complain about. So yeah! It was my wife's birthday (the big 30) and we know of It'sQCP from Youtube Shorts so we wanted to try Luce because of all that. Parking for this place is very easy and as soon as you take the elevator down...boom! You take a right and there's the restaurant. Very simple. Also, they do validate and pay for your parking at the parking garage so you don't have to pay $20. Anyway, got wine, got the eggplant appetizer (do get this) and we put our orders in. I did enjoy the inside of this place. It was very simple with a touch of being fancy. It was a good vibe. Servers were on it. They checked and replaced things very quickly; knifes, forks, water, refill wine. I was very impressed by this. My wife got filet mignon and she said it was the best she's ever had...now my chicken parm was perfect. The perfect amount of cheese, the perfect amount of sauce, a perfect crunch at both ends. Man...I'm going to be thinking of that chicken parm way too long. The pasta paired with it was light and refreshing to go with the heavy chicken. I will say, I prefer my chicken parm paper thin and this was a thick chicken parm...but! With it cooked perfectly I made an exception and can gladly say that is a Top-3 chicken parm I've ever had. Also, we had a chocolate torte that was the definition of indulgent. One of my favorite restaurant experiences I've ever had. It was intimate and not crowded. If you go anywhere in Savannah or Charleston I feel like you get lost in the crowd while fine dining and the staff can't make it "special" for your event. Luce hit a homerun with this. I cannot wait to go back for a birthday or life achievement. They have an earned "one of my favorite restaurants". read more

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We recently went to Luce Restaurant for my daughter's 16th birthday. She did all of the research, read the reviews and made the reservation. When you get to Luce, you have to go through the lobby of the Truist building because of construction outside. However, once you get in, you immediately notice the ambiance and atmosphere is well deserving of the great reviews. We were promptly seated and within a matter of minutes our server was over and helped us with the menu, drinks and answered all of our questions. The service was impressive and we never felt like we were being unattended. The food came out quickly and everyone in our party enjoyed their meal. When you look at the menu, it's touches on many tastes so you're sure to find something. Overall, the food, the atmosphere and ambiance were perfect. My daughter was very happy with everything and the staff did a wonderful job of making her feel special. read more

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I'm so disappointed! My husband and I use to love this place however yesterday for Valentine's Day our waiter Mikeal was very rude! He wasn't paying us no mind and made us feel like intruders in a dinner WE paid for! On top of us he maliciously brought us dry hard bread after carelessly forgetting our drink order and came to ask us "what did you guys order again?" 0 remorse for having us wait 15min only to comeback with that low life question. We feel discriminated against and that's a very sad thing to experience on a day that should revolve around love. read more

This restaurant is difficult to find if you're not already aware it is in the Truist Center. They kindly validate your parking. I came here for Valentines dinner and ordered two appetizers and my partner and I each had an entree. The burrata appetizer was the best thing we ordered and was delicious. However, we asked what the best menu item was and we were told the carbonara. However, it tasted very watery and almost like a microwave meal. I've had other carbonara and this was not comparable. Additionally, while possibly authentic, the olive oil dip for the bread came with beans inside it. It threw me off and had an overwhelming flavor. The server was kind but obviously busy. The drinks were also very good. Overall, service was decent but not great but it was Valentines Day so no hard feelings there. I was just underwhelmed overall with the food. read more

Amazing food at Luce and such a great place for a pre theater dinner. Top notch everything here. The service is stellar, the restaurant is beautifully outfitted, the chandeliers! Inside Hearst tower, which is currently under construction so Luce can be tricky to find. We all started off with a cocktail. I had the Manhattan, nice and strong! The Negroni, lemon drop and pomegranate martini were all fantastic. They had some great specials, but we went with the mussels and clams. Fabulous spicy Romano sauce, great bread for dipping, and the mussels were great, I'm not a big clams fan. We shared a Rigatoni Buttera, also had another made with gluten free pasta, both were excellent. The sauce was a creamy tomato sauce, with Italian sausage, and sweet peas. The spinach E Pere, was a beautiful salad, with poached pears, caramelized walnuts, pecorino cheese, with a honey balsamic dressing. Nice, fresh, and good to share. Had some time so we had a bottle of wine, a great Montepulciano. Went well with the food! Then a birthday dessert, of a super light tiramisu. Delicious, just the right amount of alcohol in it. Loved the Luce vibe, classic and classy. Definitely be back when I'm at another show uptown read more

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It was good, but probably won't go back. The bruschetta and meatballs were our favorite part. The risotto was good, but didn't love the scallops with it. The lasagna has lotssss of cheese & an interesting flavor. Only the bruschetta tasted fresh which was disappointing. read more

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We decided to have an Italian evening and went for Luce. It's very close to the Blumenthal theater. The inside of the restaurant feels comfortable and we were greeted warmly. We started with Fritti di Calamari, it was okay. They have complimentary bread with white beans in oil as dip. We ordered their homemade pasta Ravioli Caprese and Creamy Risotto. Both were delicious. The Torta di Cioccolato was delicious paired with a cab franc. Over all it was delicious. For the serving sizes, on the expensive side. read more

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First visit to Charlotte and impressed with our Hotel recommendation for Luce Food was very good ,service was excellent and staff were very attentive. Two reasons I am not giving this restaurant a five star review. 1) Music , was more than background music and was sort of music you would expect to hear in a nightclub not a fine dining Italian restaurant 2) I am used to gratuity being g atomically added for party if 6 but not for two. When the check came I thought the bill seemed kind of high and then spotted gratuity of 20 % was already included. Can't help but think as no one mentioned this that the hope is most people would not notice and double tip. Put me off the whole experience to be honest coupled with the Night Club Music. read more

Luce - Tiramisu - Italian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

I was thinking about Squid Ink pasta, and remembered that THIS is where I tried this Squid Ink pasta for the very first time...several months back. Better late than never? I believe the dish that I ordered was called Spaghettini? To be frank, the taste of the Squid Ink Pasta was quite subtle, and didn't blow me over...but the overall dish, complete with juicy shrimp was quite delicious! My husband ordered Salmone, and seemed to enjoy it. Then the best part...their Fried Calamari was AMAZING!! Especially so because the Calamari came w/ these unique, crispy toppings...all in a unique tray presentation. Their Creme Brûlée was also good, but not the best I've had. The place itself has a charming, warmly lit, old school ambiance, but much smaller than I had expected. Surprisingly, their service wasn't as stellar as should be...as I had to wait forever for refills. I'd definitely say this is one of the best Italian restaurants in town, but for some reason, not my favorite. I know Luce is part of this great Conte Restaurant Group...and I actually think I prefer Toscana, its sister restaurant. Honestly, there are just too many great Italian eateries and restaurants, and new ones opening al the time...it's truly hard to pick a favorite. Anyway, I really liked it here, and will probably return some day! read more

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The cutest little restaurant , amazing service and incredible authentic Italian food!!!! We stopped in without a reservation and were seated right away. We enjoyed alllll the homeade food SO Much! read more

The food was delicious when I went for my birthday! I got this rigatoni pasta and the flavor was truly amazing

The lobster risotto could use a bit more lobster. It was a $45 risotto and had less lobster meat than the nearby $28 cousin's food truck. Other than that, the food was delicious. The bruschetta was especially refreshing. read more

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Food, service & ambiance set the high bar for imaginative food, professional service and the outdoors seating make Luce a must try!

I had a lemon drop drink, the spaghettini with squid ink or something and shrimp-- it was DELICIOUS. We also had the chocolate cake for dessert-- it was like silk. The ambience is beautiful, the service was excellent and the food was amazing with generous portion sizes. I will definitely tell a friend and come again! The only thing I didn't like was that there were no sweet red wines-- but my lemon drop drink was made very well! read more

Luce - Spaghetti - Italian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

This place is the best Italian restaurant I've ever been too. We went there for my birthday and it was amazing. The staff was very friendly and on point with their service. read more

This was fine. We had a huge party so the menu was limited. Chicken Marsala was fine but I have had better. I did enjoy the chocolate and tiramisu dessert. read more

Hidden gem!! Our entrees were delicious, great service. Only thing I want overly happy about was the bread, and it came with beans which I'm sure may be a very authentic thing, it just caught us off guard and didn't have the best flavor imo. Will absolutely be back for a nice meal to treat yourself! read more

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I'm a regular but somehow it never crossed my mind to leave a review. The food is great and the service is excellent. Ask for Mikel. It's a gem downtown Charlotte. Ossobucco it's my favorite dish but also be on the look out for different specials throughout the week. read more

Service was great. The filet was really great and priced well. Pasta was good as well. Ambience was dimly lit and fairly quiet even though the dining room was full. We made a reservation last minute for a birthday and were able to get in. Parking is in the truist tower and Luce validates. read more

Luce - Filet - Italian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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So allow me to share my experience.... The menu is amazing! The food very good. The service gets a split decision. The Maitre d was an utter superior ass. I can't say it any simpler. Wednesday night, no I didn't have reservations, and it was half empty with a 10PM close. I got there at 745PM. My salvation, Rosa! Rosa noticed that he wanted to seat my party at the bar in a corner.... The empty bar. W/ empty restaurant tables. She was not allowing it. BTW, I speak fluent Spanish. Don't judge a book by its cover. The Maitre d had no clue and was extremely rude. Rosa demanded a table for us and she would take care of us. $300 later, 30% tip and a meal well spent... keep Rosa! She is the definition of customer service! Suggest a new Maitre D'. read more

This restaurant is very underrated for what it provides. It's a higher end Italian restaurant that is quite pricey, but was still a great meal. The linguine with clams was great. The tagliatelle bolognese was dry--I would've preferred more sauce, but the portions were good. I really enjoyed the warm bread with the white beans in olive oil. The arugula side was also a great salad appetizer size, but the calamari was disappointing. There were only a few pieces of calamari and most of it was fried zucchini. The ice cream was also sad. It tasted good, but $8.50 for one scoop of ice cream is a bit much. Most restaurants I've been to give two scoops for the same price. read more

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Unparalleled experience! This is our special treat to visit when we want to feel like we are in Europe without the jet lag! The ambiance sets the mood as soon as we enter with soft lighting & demure artwork throughout. The service is what we like-- attentive, friendly & timed so we can connect together & focus on gastro adventure! Our waiter helped us choose the perfect bottle of wine that complimented our salad, scallops risotto & tubular buttera dishes! That is difficult to do. (By the way, it was the Amarone valpolicella. If you want to replicate)! We are very happy Luce is still going strong & open for patrons to enjoy a break from our struggles & disappointments- if only for a meal. If you are in town on a weekday please consider them as the uptown business reduction has affected their bookings! read more

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Great spot and service both times we have been. Linguine cal del mare was solid on the first visit and capellini pomodoro was great in the second time. Girlfriend has great pasta dishes both times, though the gnocchi could use a little meat to it, which you can add separately. Still was amazing on its own read more

Luce - Linguine ca del mare - Italian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

This is one of our favorite go to place for a special occasion. Food is very good and for us service has been exceptional. We have heard the service from staff has not been great lately, but we have not had this experience. I hope they continue to be attentive to their customers even though it can be difficult with short staff. read more

Great Food - Bad Service. Recently came here for a birthday with a party of 9. Reservation was made weeks in advance and confirmed the week of. When arriving at the restaurant (on time) our table was not ready. We patiently waited for them to set the table and we got sat almost 20 minutes later. This would not normally be a big issue but the table we were sat at did not have enough seats for all 9 of us. When alerting the staff that we didn't have enough seats they had told us our reservation was for 6. After showing the confirmation for 9 we were then told to go back out to the waiting area as we had to now wait for another table to finish eating and pay before we would get a table. After waiting in the lobby area for another 10 minutes, we were sat at a table that had been open the whole time. The hostesses had an attitude the entire duration of this event, and spoke down to us the entire time. As this is an expensive restaurant we were all super disappointed in the staff and lack of preparation. This is a restaurant that makes it clear if you do not show up within 15 minutes of your reservation, they will cancel it, yet we were not sat for over 30 minutes. The food is really good, everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meals, but with the lowest entre price starting around $25 and going up from there... I will not be returning. The service, lack of preparation, and trying to blame this on us making an incorrect reservation is unacceptable for this "nice" of a restaurant. For $600 you would think the staff would at least be nice. read more