Enjoy hearty Tuscan cucina alla casalinga, or home cooking, at this quaint eatery in Robertson Quay. Its owner was inspired to set up the restaurant after a visit to the Tuscan city of Lucca, hence its name. Fittingly, thefood is rustic and unpretentious, with a firm focus on quality ingredients and bold flavours. Naturally, Tuscany’s most famous dish, bistecca alla fiorentina—featuring Australian T-bone—is available here, along with a grilled grain-fed wagyu version served with cherry tomato confit, grilled asparagus and truffle fries. Italian classics like handmade pastas and pizzas also abound.

Start with the ribollita, a hearty Tuscan soup typically made with cannellini beans, leftover bread and vegetables. Lucca’s Trattoria takes it a step further and adds tender slices of beef so it works as a delicious well-rounded one-dish meal. There are more tomatoes than in the traditional version, but it adds depth to the soup’s flavour.

Lucca’s homemade pastas will not disappoint. The spinach and ricotta ravioli is cooked to a perfect al dente, with the slight bitterness of the spinach a good counterpoint to the rich creamy, mortadella and mushroom sauce. The polpo capellini, or octopus and squid ink pasta, features tender slices of grilled octopus served with squid ink pasta and dressed in a simple yet delicious olive oil sauce.

At dessert, the homemade pistachio gelato is an absolute treat, with its creamy and nutty flavours. Happily, the restaurant also offers a wide selection of cigars and quality Italian tipples.