Cantinetta Luca

Great food and wine. Friendly staff and nice area to watch the chefs do their magic. Fiancé and I shared The Ravioli with Truffles and the Gnocchi with Truffles. I can’t remember the exact names of the dishes but both were very good. Also the free bread and olive oil went great with everything especially the amazing sauce. Looking forward to going back next time we are in Carmel.

My fiancé and I went here for our anniversary dinner. The atmosphere was fabulous and the food was perfectly cooked. Our server was very professional but kept us laughing. The tables are very close together so it forces you to get to talk the other tables, which was really fun. Only one star down because the portions are very small for the price you pay.

The T-​Bone steak was amazing, highly recommend it,
with potato and brussel sprouts. Ambiance is warm and servicr is friendly.

We are at this place for lunch on me years eve. The atmosphere is good, a great attention to detail and also very friendly staff.
The pasta dishes generally taste good — an authentic mix of some well prepared plates. However the portion size is completely ridiculous, far too small — and I’m a small guy. I’d suggest ordering a couple of entrees per person if you want to walk away satisfied.

I love love this place!
I usually visit point Lobos at least 3 – 4 times a year and this restaurant is the best experience yet!
The food is great and I love how their staff is very welcoming and caring.
I ordered the ink octopus pasta is great with the capers and black spaghetti pasta.
Also we had the mozzarella and bread appetizer, very good, rich!
Great place after a long walk in the woods! :)

This place is fine. I would say the food and wine were ok, the atmosphere was ok — neither memorable or anything to get excited about.
The worst thing was the service. Our waitress seemed to forget about us at times, and only mentioned that the bread pudding would take 30 minutes when the dessert menu arrived. Generally, when you have a dessert on your menu that has a long prep time, you let the table know so that they can plan for that. It wasn’t a huge deal, but it is a bit of a buzz kill to sit for that long between dinner and dessert.

If being seated at the chef’s table is the penalty for walking in without a reservation, then punish me, Luca! Our party of three sat across from their brick oven, just a couple feet from where food is grilled & plated. Their open kitchen concept captivated our attention.
Steaks are priced per ounce, & since he couldn’t dictate portion size (which were generous to the extreme, we were told), he went for their special: pork two ways (tenderloin wrapped in bacon & a pork chop.)Our friend started with pork meatballs & had the tagliatelle alla bolognese as his main. Positive feedback all around.
While the men enjoyed meat-​centric dishes, I opted for the caprese antipasti & beet salad (called bietola) as my mains. The brightly-​colored heirloom tomatoes were fresh & nicely salted; the mozzarella was firmer than I prefer. Bietola salad had a crispy goat cheese ball, pickled strawberries, spicy arugula, crunchy hazelnuts, & a balsamic vinaigrette that I actually enjoyed, (probably because it was made with white rather than the usual dark balsamic I abhor on salads!) Completely pleased with my choices!
Dessert was a bit of a letdown. Their chocolate pudding topped with butterscotch mousse had its textures all wrong; pudding could have been richer & thicker, mousse was a thin, runny whipped cream with no body.
Recommended, but make a reservation if you want to sit in the main dining room, as I heard the hostess quote 60 – 75 minutes for a table.

Very busy but we were never rushed. The chef made an appetizer out of s side dish, roasted peppers with olive oil and sea salt. Pasta dishes authentic Italy! Crowded and loud but still felt intimate. We would return! Very attentive service!

Ok food. Decent atmosphere. You don’t get a lot, and it’s reasonably expensive though.
I had the chicken entrée, and that’s literally all it is. It was decent tasting.
My wife had the gnocchi, and I felt about the same way towards it. Kind of small, not wonderful but not bad.
Good bread and dip is served to start.
We came here because we saw it downtown. I liked the similar Italian place right across the street more, and interestingly, I saw my waiter from here working there too.

We have made Cantinetta Luca our place for dinner whenever in Carmel. This is our special restaurant to celebrate a birthday every year. Eating here is like being in Europe, starting with the seating arrangement and the food which is like stepping into someone’s personal kitchen.

The bread sticks are delicious and so is the complimentary bread and olive tapenade, we love their pastas because are homemade, our favorite one is Tagliatelle a la Bolognese. Last but not least, we had a delectable tiramisu which I’ve been dreaming about it ever since we left; the chocolate pudding is also delicious.
The simplicity is the success of this food and their home made recipes with a touch of genius from the chef. The point is, go to Cantinetta Luca on your next trip to Carmel and you’ll be treated to first class food and hospitality by Brett the Restaurant Manager, who made a point to make us feel welcome and Mario our waiter who provided excellent service.

After enjoying a sandwich from Luca next door for our picnic lunch at Point Lobos State Park, we decided to try Cantinetta Luca for dinner. I did note several wary Unilocal reviews, but CL was on the same street as our B&B and we were craving Italian.
We came in and were pleasantly greeted and opted to sit in the bar. The super friendly bartender worked double duty with us for awhile, but then we wound up with a really great waiter. Since it was late, we only ordered pastas and a glass of wine each. I went for the papparadelle and broccolini; Hubby got the gnocchi special, which was spinach gnocchi cooked in mushroom broth with various vegetables and mushrooms. Both our meals were really good, improved by the freshly grated cheese and pepper offered tableside. Portions were also quite generous.
I would say that I think this is a better place to go with friends than as a romantic night out. The ambience is beautiful, but the restaurant can be quite loud. Not a bad thing; just something to take note of before you show up if you’re looking for a quiet spot.
For sitting in the bar area, I thought we had attentive service and great food. As we were leaving, the manager made a point to come by and asked us for honest feedback. I told him everything was great, because it was. Carmel is so lucky to have so many great restaurants!

Edgar was our waiter, and we had a great time! Compliments to Brett for stopping by to check up on us. My daughter had a question about her Shirley Temple, and Brett went out of his way to make an impression. You never know when you will meet someone and connect with their lives.
We tried the mixed salad (outstanding with super fresh ingredients), Margarita Pizza, and fresh homemade pasta with clams. All were super and delicious, but the service is what made this memorable meal. We had Italian wine, bubble water (gas from Italy), and espressos. A full bar is key in my opinion when dining out.
How could we not stay for dessert? So we did! Cheers to the chef and the heated olives with cheese… yum!
We had plans for a quick lunch but stayed for almost 2 hours based on the service and delicious food.
Cheers to the staff, management and owners who have played a part in the success of our epic time in Carmel by the Sea.
Salute’

Ok, I am going to keep it sweet and simple. If you like steak… go here and order the porter house steak. You will not regret it!
The service can be better. However, the porterhouse steak makes up the difference.

3 ½* Cantinetta Luca
Italian
Lunch & Dinner
Beautiful ambience
Homemade salume and pasta
Liked the spicy pizza
The food is delicious, but in modest portions and overpriced, as is the wine by the glass
But this is Carmel, so expect to pay
Efficient food service
House water seemed brackish
p. s. very cool bathrooms

I’ve been to Luca probably eight times or so. The food is simple and delicious. Wood fired steaks served on the bone per my husbands request. Nice accommodation. The house manager has an extraordinary personal service as he gave me his personal cell to call to make sure my husband gets the private chefs table he likes. The staff is impeccable and family friendly too. Kind and personal. It’s staff like Lulu, who is so sweet to my daughters. Do request to meet her if you go. They know our names and treat us so well.
I’m a local. I love food and I want to feel relaxed when fine dining. As much as the food is great, it’s the staff and the manager that really knows how to take care of people that will always keep us coming back.
I eat everywhere in Carmel and Pebble as I’m a local. There are so many choices. Let me put your rustic Italian in perspective. Go eat at Luca, you will not be disappointed.
Oh, and do try the grilled baby octopus!

Sadly I was not all that impressed with our recent dinner here. While it was good, it was not as great as it was last time, and there were a few missteps in service that I didn’t particularly like.
They have changed their menu to now focus on steaks and seasonal pasta dishes, as opposed to wood-​fired pizza that I remember. Their steak menu is now a la carte, and they have a few options. I wanted the grassfed ribeye done in a cast iron skillet as opposed to the grill, because last time we came we had a steak done in cast iron that was phenomenal. I was told they couldn’t pan sear the grassfed steak because it was too marbled and wouldn’t cook right. I found that to be bizarre since they offered a dry-​aged ribeye that was done in a skillet. Rather than argue with the waiter, I settled on dry aged, since I love the flavor dry aged beef and cast iron seared steaks. It was OK — not worth the $ 50ish that I paid.
The sides were good — I tried the spicy brocollini, mushrooms, and asparagus.
I didn’t have any wine because quite frankly I found the list to be pretty lacking. Barely any local or California wines, all Italian stuff that is either too young, unknown to me, or too pricey. A better by the glass selection would be nice.
My wife had some sort of pasta dish — I think ravioli — and said it was just OK. I think she thought they tried too hard to make it fancy, with spinach pasta and such. On my way out I saw someone eating the bolognese and it looked amazing — I’d recommend trying that if you go.
While not a horrible experience, I just thought the food, service, ambiance, and everything was middle of the road. Last time we went, a few years ago, it was amazing. This time it was not.
That being said the waiter did bring my wife 3 scoops of different sorbets, and they were fantastic. Best sorbet I’ve had in a long time.

Luca– come for the food, stay for the philosophy. Jacques Melac, a mentor and teacher is at head of the wine program and what a treat that is for all of us who have been enjoying his laughter, knowledge and experience for years.
The food is better than ever. The steaks are really to die for and the bolognese is second to nothing.
If you haven’t been in awhile, come here for a hell of a great experience!

********************* 1258 **********************
Cantinetta Luca offers casual Italian cusine, offers some authentic dishes such as Neapolitan style pizza, baked in wood-​burning oven. Luca also specializes in antipasti, a dozen or so varieties of salumis and handmade pasta.
All dishes are prepared with a rustic style, fresh ingredients, bold flavors. The Executive Chef /​Partner is Jason Balestrieri who worked at Patina, the famed Los Angeles restaurant of star chef Joachim Splichal. You will often see him in the kitchen working his magic. He’s handsome and has a very nice smile that would bright up your day.
An open kitchen where you can see chef in action while preparing your dishes. The interior décor of the 93-​seat restaurant with full bar service is an antique/​modern ambiance, inspired by the classic architecture of Italy.
Cantinetta Luca is rustic design, warm, comfort and cozy, design is a blend of stone, brick and glass, wood and bright Italian colors.
— MARGHERITA — San Marzano Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil — my FAV
— FUNGHI — Chanterelle & Crimini Mushrooms, Pancetta Cotto Melted Onions, Fontina Cheese — vegetarian lover, this pizza is for you.
— RIGATONE — Spicy Lamb Sausage, Roasted Peppers, San Marzano Tomato, Ricotta Salata
— SPAGHETTI ALLA VONGOLE — Manilla Clams, Garlic, White Wine, Spicy Salame — a must try dish, perfectly al dente.
— TAGLIATELLE ALLA BOLOGNESE — Pork, Beef & Veal Ragù — simply delicious.
Service is always good, and the food is simply consistently tasty. This is 1 of my favorite Italian spots in Carmel by The Sea.

We love the their deli next door, it’s our go-​to option for a quick lunch date. We’ve wanted to try a meal from the mother ship and finally had a chance last night. We made a reservation for three for 5:00 pm. On arrival we were greeted by a friendly duo who assigned us to table 1, a window booth close to the door but across from the greeter’s podium. This particular table obscures the view of the action going on in the restaurant but now we know.
The menu is simple, one page which is refreshing. The table bread was warm and fresh, served with an olive spread. Appetizers included Grilled Octopus, (polipo) and ‘fried risotto balls’. The octopus was memorable. The couscuos and charred lemon on the plate wasn’t necessary. The risotto balls were not warm, were dry and didn’t impress us.
Our dinner guest opted for the Squash Gnocchi. I believe the ½ hour we waited for the main dishes was because of the gnocchi. She shared. I’m not a fan of pasta chunks but my wife and friend are. They liked the flavor and neither were bothered by the fact the dish was barely warm.
I had the Funghi Pizza. The chanterelle & crimini mushrooms in combination created a flavor I didn’t expect on a pizza. If you like mushroom pizza you will agree this kind of defines the dish. My wife ordered light and enjoyed the zuppa del giorno which this night was minestrone.
Our waiter Rodrigo exhibited professionalism throughout. It would have been nice to have a periodic update during our lengthy wait on dinner but he was busy working tables the entire time.
To our surprise the place filled up and there was a small crowd waiting for a spot as we left.
Monday night in Carmel. It was odd to spill onto Dolores Street to see no one, not a soul anywhere in sight at 6:30 pm. Part of the beauty of Carmel is something here surprises you every day.
We will return to Cantinetta Luca to explore more of the menu. There is a lot of energy in the dining room. It’s definitely not a quiet dining experience. The combination of traditional Italian background music and general table conversations feels homey and comfortable.
Service 5 star.
Facility and ambience 5 star.
Food quality 4.5 stars.
Wait for food 3.5 stars

Definitely a date night place. You first walk in and get the feel of rustic but elegant atmosphere. I’m glad I was dressed along with my husband. It seemed intimidating when you first walk in and see older couples, probably retired or frequent customers. Ambience is definitely mature and exclusive.
Service was incredible. Our waiter was Josue pronounce «O-​sway». He made it feel like we were regulars even though it was our first time. They were very attentive and never skipped a beat with providing good service. This is why I gave the 5 star. Great service makes dining perfect!!!
The food was incredible.
We started off with Salume — Chef put together a variety of Italian meat– Calabrese, (spicy type of salami from Canada) this was my favorite, along with prosciutto, Milano, Fennel –this was their home made salami. Their dip for the bread was outstanding. It had fresh olive with garlic. We helped ourselves to two loaves. It was small loaves but seriously should have stopped with one. Needed to save room for main course and dessert.
I ordered their Caserecce made with clams and calamari and hint of Calabrese salami. This was delicious but my only regret was that I should have ordered the Rigatone. This was made out of spicy lamb sausage. It was an incredible taste of Mediterranean. The fresh Parmesan cheese over the pasta gave it the extra kick. It really didn’t need it but I’m a fan of fresh grated cheese.
The dessert was Tiramisu which I almost finished. I’m not a dessert fan or a sweet tooth type of person. The tiramisu was just right that it didn’t leave my mouth feeling sugary and wanting to drown the sweet in water. My husband had Crostata — apple tart with lemon gelato. Wow — this was also tasty. Pastry wasn’t heavy. It was airy and light. And the fruit tasted fresh. Just a great combination.
Overall, great experience. Definitely coming back. They have their deli next door that you can order most of what they serve in the restaurant and take home. It’s called Salumeria Lucca.

Se voce está de régime, sem fome, este é seu lugar. Pratos bons (não são ótimos não) mas pequenos. Sairás com fome. Os preços são médios. Não peça carpaccio ele é feito de copa e não de carne fatiada finamente. Lamentável.