Ristorante Lucano

Went there this weekend (3^rd time i’ve been there). A wonderful experience everytime. Plenty of specials to choose from. I had the swordfish this time. My friend had the halibut. Service was excellent again. A hidden gem!

Rarely does a restaurant get 5 stars in my book. This one however is deserving of this rating. Halibut special was perfectly seasoned and cooked. Shrimp app — same. Menu and specials plentiful. Ambiance was cozy with little rooms and alcoves. Superb. My husband had a salmon dish with equal results. So fresh and delicious.

My wife and I went for our anniversary dinner and had a fantastic meal. We started with a water and wine by the glass. She had Riesling, I had the Montepulciano. Bread with olive oil herb dip came next, followed by the Rock Shrimp appetizer. We shared the appetizer — which was ok, but then were greeted by the main entrée’s. Wife had thyme and lemon haddock, with garlic mashed potatoes and pan fried zucchini. I had salmon covered with an amazing tomato/​pepper based sauce along with broccoli and grilled asparagus. My meal was perfectly done — I had not the slightest complaint.
We then had seen some of the dessert pics and we ordered the La Bomba (not sure if I got that right) — but it was a softball sized ball of ice cream coated in a chocolate shell with a peanut butter center. The ball was cut in half, which was great for us to split. A sweet finish to a fantastic meal. We will go back.

We went as a celebration of our two year anniversary and had a great experience. Our waitress, Kailey, was very knowledgable about the menu-​even with the 8 or 10 specials of the day. We started with clams in a spicy tomato broth, which was superb. I would have been satisfied calling it a night there. We both ordered specials for an entrée. I had lamb and my boyfriend had veal. Both were suggestions from our waitress. The only issue I had is that each special was around 40 dollars, which was a little higher than expected. We both had a glass of wine and ended the night with dessert of sponge cake, mascarpone, ricotta and strawberries. They brought us the dessert with a candle and two glasses of prosecco, which was a very nice touch. All together, we spent about 150 including a tip which is a little out of the norm for us around here. We would go back, but I think we would keep it a little on the cheaper side.

I took my best friend here for his birthday. Service hands down was amazing. Everyone was friendly and attentive. The Bucatini all ‘amatriciana was absolutely flavorful. Has a slight kick so if you enjoy a bit of spice, I recommend this dish. The Gnocchi al Sugo di Agnello left my palate slightly but not truly satisfied. Not sure what it needed though. Overall, my experience was good. Considering the higher cost, average overall flavor of the meals, and superb service, I’d need a second visit at some point to decide if this restaurant is good or not.

I made reservations a month ahead of time and thanks to the rave reviews on here this place fit into what was mine and my other half valentines day celebration.
The service was exquisite and the food was to die for.
I had the best broccoli soup I’ve ever had and he had the most perfectly cooked little neck clams we will ever have in our live time and they were perfectly clean! Not a spec of grit!
He got a big t-​bone steak and I had the mahi mahi. Both melted in your mouth and had gorgeous flavors.
The coffee with dessert was robust and just to our liking. He had the new York style cheese cake with in house made whip crème and it was more perfect the a cheesecake should be. And I had the triple Chocolate mousse cake which was super light and melted in my mouth.
We will definitely be going here again we adored the door and the atmosphere. The service and food was absolutely top notch in every way.

I found the food to be uninspired and WAY overpriced. Per messages from the waitress the chef was unable to meet simple requests for modification of a menue item (add onions). When I found a physical contaminant in my meal (not requesting any compensation or another meal) the chef sent a rude reply through the waitresss back to me. The dining room was so cold people ate with their coats on and kept rubbing their hands. Extremely pretentious. Would not return or recommend.

We took our Aunt and Uncle to Lucano last night and had a terrific experience! The wine list is all Italian, we had Brunello. Our server was knowledgable and very helpful with dietary restrictions. We started with a Fava Bean and Escarole appetizer as well as a Beet Salad. Both are delicious! Our entrees were Steak, Lamb Chops, Lasagna and a Seafood Pasta. All served hot and very good!
We finished our meal with Lemon Sorbet and an order of Profiteroles.
Thank you for a lovely memory with our family!

After 2 years, I have finally made my second visit. It’s still hands down, in my top 3 favourite restaurants in Rochester. This restaurant proves you should never judge a restaurant from the outside. Once entered, here lies an amazing restaurant.
Inside is an intimate atmosphere and beautifully decorated. We were lucky to have a young girl named Emily. She was professional, full of knowledge, and all warm smiles.
For starters, we ordered the Caprese and a few oysters. The Caprese was fresh, nicely presented, and delicious. The appetizer is brilliantly put together. As for the oysters, they’re the freshest I’ve tasted in Rochester.
For mains, we ordered the Angello Scottadita (Rack of Lamb), and Swordfish Special. The Rack of Lamb is what I personally ordered 2 years ago. From what I can remember, it was amazing back then, and even better now. Perfectly cooked to the correct temperature, and the sauce perfectly accompanied the dish. I must say, the sides were impressive. Something as simple as carrots were cooked nice, and seasoned nicely.
I must be honest with the Swordfish Special. I wasn’t completely blown away by the dish. For it being one of the specials for the day, I expected more. It was two thin pieces of swordfish (which was stated), breaded, and pan fried with a delicious sauce. It just came off too simple to be a special. For it to be priced around the same as the Rack of Lamb, was hoping for more. But the swordfish was very nicely cooked, and actually tasted quite nice. I want to point out, presentation on both entrees were spot on.
We ended our meal with the Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake, and Tartufi. Both not overly sweet, and a very nice way to end our meal.
I want to thank Emily for being so professional and lovely during my 2^nd visit back.
As stated before, this is easily one of my top 3 favourite restaurants in Rochester. I’ll happily return and continue to recommend to friends and family.

Phrases like «Hidden Gem,» or «a great special occasions kind of place,» or «perfect for a romantic dinner» frequently get used for Lucano, and those are all well fitting and true.
What I can tell you is that at Lucano everyone I have dined with and myself have all had excellent meals, every time I have been here. Whether I’ve dined on fish or pasta, lamb or beef, salad, soup, off the menu or that night’s special, the meal has always been well prepared, perfectly seasoned, and everyone’s meal served simultaneously.
Sadly, it has become far too uncommon (in my experience) to be able to dine in a restaurant and (1) be able talk and hear a normal conversation with those at your table, while (2) still receiving attentive service, and to also have everyone’s orders brought to the table with everything on every plate done well. To have the entrée be delicious, and the sides also cooked just right, yes, everything at the right temperature for everyone’s plate all at once. Ta-​da! Bravo!
To experience that now is so rare that it becomes noticeable, actually something to note. Literally noteworthy. As it struck me during our most recent visit at Lucano. I just have not experienced the level quality that I have found here when going to other restaurants that are comparably priced or that have the reputation of quality that I find here at Lucano.
You have to call them directly to make reservations they are not on an app. But If you leave message with your info, a person calls you back. Isn’t that nice? Yes it is.

The food was completely amazing, I loved the quaint atmosphere. Our server was very friendly also. Definitely worth a try.

Talk about a total twilight zone experience. As one of my first dining experiences in Rochester, I was brought to Lucano for dinner after flying in from Boston. As we drove into the parking lot of this run-​down looking strip mall, I started looking around looking for suspicious characters that would jump us upon vacating the vehicle. When we entered the restaurant, my heart sank. Looking around at the outdated décor, I started to fear this was a mom-​and-​pop version of Olive Garden. Looking at the menu, I knew we were doomed — no good restaurant has a novel for a menu. Hearing the 101 specials from the server sealed it for me – I was going to starve in Rochester, NY.
And then the food came. The insalata verde was BURSTING with flavor in a way that I did not think was possible for a salad in the middle of February. Mind you, I eat my salads with no dressing! This was followed by vitello mediterraneo, and a shared plate of gluten-​free spaghetti alla panna. The veal was cooked perfectly all the way through, and the marsala was tasty. They even got the spaghetti right. I was amazed that they managed to cook a gluten free spaghetti perfectly al dente. On top of that, the sauce was delicious both in texture and flavor — I can almost taste it as I write this so many months later.
I have never been so happy to be so wrong. This is a solidly good restaurant, and for Rochester, it’s one of the best I have been to so far. A second visit should be on the horizon in the near future.

Friendly Service. Food took for ever. The food was bland and mediocre and totally over priced.

I visited Ristorante Lucano on a Saturday night and needed to make reservations, as they were nearly booked. Nestled in a strip plaza at East and Winton, this intimate restaurant is a hidden delight. We were able to find parking outside of the restaurant, but the hostess also noted that there was overflow parking available at the church next door when we made our reservation.
The owners greeted us upon arrival, and the staff was friendly and attentive throughout our meal. To start, we had the «Fave e Verdura» which was as large as an entrée with perfectly cooked fave beans and greens and just the right amount garlic. For our main courses, we had the «Pappardelle alla Montanara» with generous amounts of homemade sausage and diced eggplant and the «Bucatini all ‘amatriciana» with thick spaghetti and white onions that gave the red sauce a mildly sweet taste. Both were delicious, and we had plenty of leftovers. Although the menu was a bit pricy for pasta, it was a wonderful experience.

Lucano is one of those places that I’d driven by 50,000 times and always wondered what it was like. So we finally made a reservation and checked it out on a saturday night. We were seated right on time and the staff was very friendly.
We were very happy with the food, the flavors were very rich and satisfying. My wife had the gnocchi and I had the filet, we shared everything. The portions were plentiful and we took some home and enjoyed it the next day.
However, it is so hard to get over the location. Being on East Ave is nice, but the dilapidated strip mall that the restaurant is in is not in harmony with the quality of food served in the establishment. Also, there was no music played during our dinner so it felt like everyone in the restaurant could hear our conversation.
I would not hesitate to go back, but if this restaurant was in a better space with exposed brick and the like and it would enhance the experience.

First the bad news the wine list isn’t great but that’s it
The service and most importantly the food is excellent the décor is quaint
The bread is rustic italian and very good
The gnocchi with lamb sauce and cream sauce is exceptional. We were a party of 20 and the menu and specials were extensive which is normally a red flag but every meal came out hot and perfectly prepared
I would highly recommend this restaurant

After reading all of the spectacular reviews of Lucano’s I was so excited to go here to have a really nice dinner out with a friend, only to be completely devastated by the food preparation. Although the service was impeccable and easily the best I’ve had almost anywhere in Rochester, the two EXTREMELY over-​cooked, over-​priced fish entrees ruined my entire evening. When fish requires *force to cut through* instead of flaking away beautifully, you just know something’s wrong. Maybe it was my fault for having such high expectations, but I have not been let down so hard in a very long while.
At the beginning of the meal, the really great wait staff brought us bread and EVOO + fresh herbs, which was really nice, but I was let down because the bread was cold, dry, and hard, likely having been sitting out all day. It also didn’t seem homemade, which is upsetting when you’re supposedly eating at a «fine dining» ITALIAN establishment. Conversely though for an appetizer we ordered the octopus-​grapefruit-​frisee-​candied walnut salad which was easily the silver lining of the whole evening. The octopus was tender, not at all overcooked, and the salad was fresh and acidic. It probably could’ve used for some extra fat to cut the sourness (like some sort of cheese), but that’s being picky. This appetizer was hands down the best part of the meal by 1,000,000 miles.
For dinner, we had the salmon and coravina fish specials. The salmon was served with a spicy red wine tomato sauce, and the coravina came with a burnt-​lemon kalamata olive artichoke sauce. Although both dishes were plated very rustically (which was a nice change of pace), both fish were so dry and overcooked that I simply have no words. I could not cut through my friend’s coravina with a fork alone. I needed to use a knife to get through it, and when I tried to swallow it I had to chew it like bubble gum so it would actually go down my throat. When paired with the overly salty lemon sauce and cheap vegetable medley on the side, I knew there’d be no saving this train wreck. The highlight of the entrees was definitely the red wine spicy red sauce with the salmon, which was also overcooked, but thankfully not quite to the disastrous level of the coravina.
For dessert, we shared a slice of their double chocolate mousse entremet. I have to say it was OK, but the chocolate flavor was very mild (note: not subtle — it was mild. There is a difference.). I had some hopes since the desserts looked homemade, but I’m sad to say it also ultimately fell flat for me.
After this circus of failures and mishaps, we were finally faced with a $ 105 dollar bill for an appetizer, two glasses of wine, two entrees, and a dessert. Absolutely unbelievable for the horrifically poor quality of food we received (barring the octopus). I would not wish this food on my worst enemy.
Two out of five stars, ONLY because of the lovely owners. Based on the food alone, my presence will never be seen here again. Even now, I’m still shaking my head in disbelief and will caution all of my friends to run away as far as they can should they ever consider dining here.

Don’t be fooled by its location in an outdated strip mall, this place cooks up some quality Italian fare! It’s a great spot for those looking for an intimate date night where they don’t have to yell over the table at each other. Seriously, this place is nice and quiet.
We started with the affettato misto lucano ($ 10) which was a mixture of prosciutto, cheeses, and artichokes, and then went on to the insalata lucana ($ 6). The salad looked and sounded delicious, but it had way too much acidity. It would be much more enjoyable with some goat cheese or candied walnuts. For my entrée. I got the lamb osso bucco ($ 29) and my friend got the salmon special ($ 28). The lamb was tender and melted in my mouth. The red wine sauce it was in was delicious with the fingerling potatoes (and the bread if you’re feeling dangerous). I am not a huge salmon guy but my friend’s dish was actually quite tasty and he really enjoyed it.
I can’t say that this is the best Italian restaurant in ROC, but it’s definitely a hidden gem worth trying. I gotta warn you though… it’s gonna put a hole in your wallet. They are a bit overpriced for ROC in my opinion, so make sure to invite someone with a big bank account!

I haven’t been to this restaurant before, and it has been on my list for a long time. So when Breanna suggested that we go there for International Supper Club, I was thrilled!
The reputation of this restaurant of making really delicious food is well deserved. They specialize in Northern Italian dishes, and tend to go for more authentic Italian fare rather than Italian American food.
The Décor of the restaurant was nice, it was cozy and warm, with a series of rooms around the place. This helped to keep the coziness level up, and the noise level down. Open concept is not for everyone!
Since we were such a large group and we were splitting the bill, restaurant management suggested that we had a family style feast. The menu was, a caprese salad with buffalo mozzarella, antipasti, gnocchi with lamb ragu, beef tenderloin with potatoes and vegetables, and cannoli for dessert.
The Caprese salad was a surprise, considering the time of year. Even though it had no basil, the balance of the buffalo mozzarella and tart tomatoes really worked. I don’t know where they get tomatoes this time of year, but they were delicious! The selection of Italian salumi and pickled vegetables that we got for antipasti was also wonderful and very tasty.
The gnocchi in lamb ragu was probably my favorite dish of the night, even though it is hard to choose, although it was excessively sauced for traditional Italian, I couldn’t complain because the ragu was so tasty! The tender pieces of lamb in the flavorful tomato based sauce was wonderful. I could have eaten a bowl of those tender gnocchi with sauce and then sop up the excess with some of the wonderful bread they had, and being perfectly happy with that!
After that we had a beef tenderloin with a red wine sauce, mashed potatoes and assorted vegetables. All the dishes were delicious and perfectly cooked. I did feel the veggies were just the frozen kind, which felt a bit of a letdown considering the other dishes. Also, beef and potatoes didn’t strike me a very traditionally Italian, but the beef was so good, that I didn’t care.
For dessert we had mini cannolis and coffee. The cannolis were delicious, perfect balance of sweet and richness. So many times I had too sweet cannolis, and these restored my faith in those pastries.
All in all the food was wonderful, if not necessarily traditional as I was led to believe. The restaurant inside is cozy and the service couldn’t have been friendlier. The parking can be awkard in the location, but once inside, it’s easy to forget.
I would definitely go again, and get me more ragu!

Very cozy intimate restaurant; the customer service is truly outstanding.
Was taken here last night and had a very memorable dining experience. I think reservations are pretty much a must on a weekend night. There is a main dining room that has maybe 7 tables and then an adjoining room as well that has more but overall its a smaller restaurant.
For starters we had these awesome marinated shrimp skewers. The kick was that the «skewer» was a rosemary branch. This was very clever I thought, and the flavors were amazing.
I went with the veal chop special, as I’m not into seafood at all. The dish was exceptional as far as presentation, flavor, texture, was cooked exactly as I requested. I think Lucano is really known for their seafood as evidenced by the long list of fresh catch specials recited by our waitress.
Would definitely recommend this place for a special occasion. It is a bit of an older crowd here which can be a welcome change from the noise of many other restaurants.