Ristorante Buca di Sant'Antonio, Lucca

Ristorante Buca di Sant'Antonio is Lucca's oldest and most celebrated restaurant, operating since 1782 on Via della Cervia in the historic centre, a short walk from the city's main streets within the Renaissance walls. Spread across a series of characterful rooms hung with copper pots, antique farm implements and terracotta, it is a handsome, traditional setting that has welcomed diners for more than two centuries. The kitchen is dedicated to the cooking of Lucca and its surrounding plain and mountains, a distinctive strand of Tuscan cuisine that differs from the Florentine repertoire. Signature dishes include tordelli lucchesi, the local stuffed pasta served with a meat ragu; garmugia, the spring vegetable and meat soup that is a Lucchese speciality; farro soup made with the local spelt; and roast lamb and other meats, drawing on the produce of the Lucca plain and the Garfagnana hills. The wine list emphasises Tuscan reds, including those of the nearby Colline Lucchesi and Montecarlo. The atmosphere is warm and traditional, more refined than a simple trattoria but welcoming rather than formal, suited to a relaxed lunch or a special dinner. The restaurant opens for lunch and dinner from Tuesday to Saturday and for Sunday lunch, with Monday typically closed, and given its reputation reservations are recommended, especially at weekends and in high season. Prices sit in the upper-moderate range, reflecting the quality and the long pedigree. Ristorante Buca di Sant'Antonio is the natural choice for visitors wanting to taste authentic Lucchese cuisine in its most historic setting, sampling specialities such as tordelli and garmugia that are harder to find elsewhere, in rooms that capture the character of old Lucca. It offers a rare opportunity to eat the traditional dishes of the city in a restaurant that has been part of Lucca's life since the eighteenth century.