Vecchia Trattoria Buralli — Restaurant in Lucca

Closed on Wednesday. Dinner on Saturday 8 September 2018 We had not booked a table beforehand and it was a Saturday evening so we had to wait ten minutes to be seated outside. We have had three wonderful meals at this restaurant previously but this time I think we were treated as tourists despite the fact that we speak Italian and order food like the Italians (but with more wine.) One bottle of water, one litre of house red at €10.00, one starter of borlotti beans at €3.50 (pretty good), one starter of deep fried vegetables at €7.00 (good), one main of deep fried breaded aubergine slices with vegetables at €9.00 (good), one main of parpadelle (wide pasta strips) with gorgonzola and pine nuts at €9.00 (only OK as it had been under a heat lanp) and two espressos cost €46.00.

Dinner on Tuesday 11 September 2018 This time we had booked an inside table and the restaurant was not as busy as last time. This is not rocket science! It was a quiet Tuesday night, not a frantic Saturday night. And both of us agree that the service and the food were uniformly excellent. (This is a reminder to my future self - BOOK AHEAD AND AVOID BUSY NIGHTS!) This time we chose two courses from the specials menu (two courses for €18.00 with supplements for some items.) One bottle of water, two half litres of house red (good) at €7.00 per half litre, one starter of farro (like spelt) soup and one main of lightly fried porcini mushrooms, courgettes and green tomatoes at €18.00, one starter of maccheroni pasta with tomatoes, sheep cheese, chilli and thyme and one main of lightly fried salt cod and vegetables at €26.00 (€18.00 plus an €8.00 supplement) cost €63.50. This was a wonderful meal and we will be returning next year (but not unannounced on a busy Saturday night).

Lunch on Sunday 10 September 2017 What an incredible discovery for food lovers and vegetarians alike! One bottle of water, one litre of good house red at €12.00, one starter of spinach (THE BEST SPINACH DISH EVER) at €5.00 (just because they were out of white beans, my original first choice), one starter of polenta and smoked cheese, one main course of baked aubergines with both sheep cheese and porcini mushrooms, one main course of barley risotto and aubergines and two coffees cost €47.50.

Dinner on Tuesday 12 September 2017 We were immediately recognised by the two members of staff who greeted, seated and served us last time. Once again we were seated in the same room as last time, where everyone else spoke Italian. I suspect that my Italian is good enough that I have graduated to the "Italian Room"! (Either that or they are trying to keep us away from the front window of the restaurant where I might scare small children passing by.) Two bottles of water, one litre of good house red at €10.00 this time (as opposed to €12.00 last time), two starters of rocket and parmesan cheese, one main course of spelt soup, one main course of spaghetti and tomatoes and two coffees cost €49.00. The bill was only €46.50 as they had only charged us for one bottle of water but we are English and it is our beholden duty to promulgate honesty (despite British politicians being incapable of telling anyone, even the British people, anything AT ALL without it being a lie from the very beginning right up to and including the bitter end) throughout the known world so we insisted on paying €49.00 plus the usual tip despite all protestations to the contrary.

Dinner on Thursday 15 September 2017 We did not even have to mention our names as we were recognised immediately and offered our choice of seating. One bottle of water, one litre of good house red at €12.00, one starter of borlotti beans (as the canellini beans were not available), one starter of homemade pasta with tomatoes, sheep cheese and thyme, one main course of baked aubergines with both sheep cheese and porcini mushrooms plus baked vegetables, one main course of lightly fried salt cod and lightly fried vegetables and two coffees...

As a couple, we had had a nice, although not exceptional, dinner at this restaurant in August 2025. In September, we were part of a dinner for a larger english speaking group (10+). I have heard that there may have been a change in management between our two visits, but I cannot confirm. On the second ocassion, our server was great, unfortunately the food that we received was not what we expected. It seemed like the food that was served to our larger group was different than what was served to us previously as a couple. Portion sizes were smaller and the dishes seemed 'Americanized' and not authentic Lucchese. This is unfortunate since most of the group, although english speakers, do live in Lucca and area and are potential repeat customers. I can't speak for the rest of our group, but with so many restaurant options in Lucca, unfortunately we are unlikely to return to Vecchia...

Vergognoso. Non so nemmeno da dove iniziare. Pranzo con amici, ottime premesse. Il ristorante non era troppo pieno, e ci accomodiamo, ordinando antipasti e chi primo, chi secondo, ma nulla di epocale. Dopo aver ordinato, passata un'ora e mezza di attesa (nel mentre NESSUN cameriere si è avvicinato, chiesto se fosse tutto ok o perlomeno avvisato di un ritardo) arriva una cameriera esclamando "Ma a voi non è arrivato l'antipasto, vero?" Le confermiamo di essere ancora in attesa e senza nemmeno scusarsi rientra nel locale. In cucina a quanto pare, col locale mezzo vuoto, erano in un incubo lovecraftiano e tra piatti sistemati con le mani e delirio generale, non facevano uscire mezza main course. I pochi piatti che venivano mandati ai tavoli, venivano serviti con fare svogliato e maleducato dai camerieri, che spesso sbagliavano proprio il tavolo. "Questo è vostro?". Una disorganizzazione e un menefreghismo da fare impallidire. Un cameriere invece che servire i tavoli girava tranquillo sistemando quelli da sparecchiare, versando i bicchieri d'acqua per terra a fianco a noi o versandoli malamente nei vasi di piante. Arrivano finalmente gli antipasti, la cameriera chiede se vogliamo dei piattini per dividerli. Accettiamo volentieri, ma non è più tornata. Il cameriere di prima sbaglia l'ennesima consegna e fa per recapitarci delle bistecche, ovviamente non nostre. Gli diciamo che non è nostro, ride, doveva portarle dall'altra parte del locale. Non sapeva nemmeno i numeri di tavoli. Nel mentre, sguardi di puro disagio coi vicini, a cui arrivano ordini sbagliati o spariscono piatti. I primi vengono serviti senza ovviamente accompagnare il formaggio. Lo chiedo al cameriere, che dopo una lunga attesa lo porta senza mai un cenno di cortesia o di scuse per il disagio. Eravamo a tanto così da alzarci e andarcene. Potrei giustificare un servizio tanto pessimo se il ristorante fosse stato sommerso di gente, ma non è così, e ad ogni modo avrei perdonato il ritardo se perlomeno avessi visto interesse o dedizione da parte dei ragazzi. Nulla. Tipici stagionali senza nessun interesse nel lavoro, e la cameriera più "anziana" non è stata da meno. Il cibo poi era anche decente, se non fosse stato servito, ovviamente, freddo.

Non ho mai visto una cosa del genere. Totale disinteresse, assoluta maleducazione e zero rispetto per i clienti che comunque vi danno da mangiare. Al momento del pagamento nè scuse, nè sconti, nè uno straccio di giustificazione a qualcosa di disastroso e dimenticabile.

Non si salva nulla, un pranzo rovinato. Non torneremo mai più e diffido chiunque ad avvicinarsi a...