La Luce — Restaurant in Fujikawaguchiko

My recent visit to La Luce was deeply upsetting and disappointing. The restaurant advertises that it is open until 9:30 PM, yet when we arrived at 7:59 PM — well within operating hours — we were met not with hospitality, but with cold, dismissive attitudes from the staff.

Rather than being welcomed, we were immediately told they were closing. No explanation, no apology, just an uninviting and frankly hostile interaction. The tone and demeanor of the staff made it painfully clear that we were not welcome. It’s impossible to ignore the uncomfortable truth that our treatment felt racially motivated — we were met with cold faces, curt responses, and no effort to conceal the prejudice in their behavior.

Restaurants are supposed to be places of warmth, community, and service. Unfortunately, this was the opposite. No one should be made to feel unwelcome or less than because of who they are.

I hope the management takes this feedback seriously and addresses the conduct of their staff. Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity — especially in a place that claims to...

As suggested by the reviews, I'd let the staff know I'm vegan - I believe a chef came out to confirm my ordered, he suggested a mixed vegetable pizza with vegan cheese on top.

Overall, the pizza was very good - the crust thin but with perfectly baked, generous and chewy edges. Their menu had an information about flour they use to cook with being imported from Italy, perhaps that the secret? :) Most of the veg toppings traditionally belong on a pizza, those were tasty. On top of that - there were sauteed broccoli florets placed on top, these were tasty too although that's kind of out of the usual toppings. On top of all of this - a fresh mixed green salad, which of course can be taken off. Personally, I'm not a fan. Mixed in with all of this were chunks of vegan cheese, tasty, with fluffy consistency, which melted within short time. I did not ask what the cheese was made out of though.

The staff was helpful, friendly and polite. I also enjoyed the atmosphere, ambient music...

A short walk from our accommodation, we planned to reach there just as they opened...and I guess a lot people had the same idea on a Sunday evening.

After seating each group before us, we were informed that the food would take about an hour to be served (probably due to the large number of customers ordering at the same time). We agreed and were promptly seated.

We ordered some specials and the cream pasta, and had some drinks. About 45 mins later the first 2 Pastas arrived. And about 5 mins later the wagyu steak arrived.

Everything was good...and considering the unique situation they were in (probably the best Italian restaurant in the district), I was happy to pay whatever they were asking.

The crab pasta reminded me of a lobster pasta we had at Ladurée in Paris, the bacon cream pasta was really rich and so good, best we had in very long time. And then there was the wagyu steak, which was just perfectly cooked.

Highly...