Luca Osteria — Restaurant in Coral Gables

Located in the heart of Coral Gables

We started our dinner with an Allegrini Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2018. Before even finishing up the first bottle; we ordered the second one 🤣 New gentleman server was a bit confused but I think he was confused as apparent he was new and our regular server was shadowing him all the way through (he needs to be guided a little more and also teach him how to properly open a wine bottle - he was struggling up a bit!)

Love their style; we order everything and dishes start coming out the moment they’re ready. Typically how you will have them served at almost every restaurant in Europe.

For dinner we had a little bit of everything….

• Local Stracciatella with a side of Honey Truffle. It’s a must order! So good and ask for extra bread! • Patate Fritte; sooooo delicious every single bite has an explosive of different flavors! Can’t miss it! Ask for shaved truffle’s makes it even better! If you’re a truffle lover! • Pasta al Limone is always made with love and perfectly Al dente. Never disappoints! • Cacio e Pepe it’s always a must have! This time around wasn’t impressed by it. • Short Rib Bolognese was okay. Nothing out of this world; don’t bother ordering. • Risotto ‘al Mare’ is a must order! So so good! Risotto made perfectly! • Free Range Chicken ‘al Mattone’ ordered half and trust me is enough to serve a table of 5 hungry humans! Make sure you squeeze that lemon on top! Their little gem Caesar Salad is divine! • Anto’s Tiramisu was okay; missing more of that Kahlua or espresso infusion to it.

Highly Recommended!

But make sure you make that reservation because they’re always very very packed! Unless it’s a rainy day that people tend to cancel reservation last minute! Yesterday was the emptiest I’ve ever seen it.

•••••••••• August 8/23 visit update

Be aware when ordering wine. I had ordered their bottle of Tommasi Amarone which they had on their wine list and waitress came out with a Bussola Amarone. I was told it was the same thing. NOT REALLY. Kept the bottle since I haven’t tried it but if you don’t have the bottle available then just heads up to your customer not just bring another bottle just because you might assume it’s okay. Be up front about the situation. It’s okay you run out of a bottle but certainly not okay to assume your customer will be okay if you change the bottle without any heads up!

Ps. I wish they would train a little more the servers on how to pour wine because the many times I’ve visited waiter and waitresses that I won’t put their names always tend to drop wine either on table or water or one time on my...

Going out to eat is something my family and I very much enjoy. Today, my niece made reservations for a party of 6 at Luca Osteria. We started with a couple of appetizers and drinks, then proceeded to order our main course. My son and I, wanted to eat Cacio Pepe (my niece assured me it was a must try!). When it came time to order, my exact words to the waiter were, “we both would like to have the Cacio Pepe”. Rather quickly, our table started to receive the food, everyone was served except, we were short one Cacio Pepe. I then tell my niece, “I think the waiter must have misunderstood and only put in for one Cacio Pepe”. She then confirms with him if in fact he had only put in one, instead of two, to which he replied “yes, I only put one”. He then turns to me and says “you said you wanted one to share” I said “no I did not”, he then started to argue with me that I wanted to share. I then again said “the word share never came out of my mouth”. He told me at least three times that yes, I had said the word share. Then turned around and went to the kitchen to put in my order. Since he didn’t give me an opportunity to finish my statement. I went ahead and asked a young lady to please cancel my order, that I was no longer hungry.

After everyone else finished their meals, ate dessert and drank their espresso, I asked him for the check. I reviewed the bill, like I always do and noticed 2 Cacio Pepe on the ticket. As I am telling the table “he’s charging me for two” out of nowhere he comes, grabs the check from my hand and says “oh yeah!” as he is walking away with the check in his hand. Not I’m sorry I gave you the wrong check, or I failed to remove one of the entrees let me correct it, nothing!

He was the most condescending and rude waiter I have ever experienced in my life. Customer service is definitely something he did not provide. I mean, why would he even attempt to be nice, when a 20% gratuity is included for a party of five or more at this restaurant?

I did not ask to speak to the manager because we had a couple of kids in our party that were ready to call it a night, plus I did not want to ruin anyone else’s dining experience. However, the moment I got home I called and spoke to Casey one of the managers tonight. She apologized and assured me she would address the situation with the “lovely” Francesco.

Needless to say, I will never spend another dime at...

Luca Osteria has consistently been one of my top five favorite restaurants in Miami. I try to dine here at least once a month—not just for the outstanding food, but because the overall experience has always been one I’ve looked forward to. Unfortunately, my most recent visit left me disappointed and reconsidering my loyalty.

This time, I decided to come in as a walk-in with my husband and baby to see if we could get seated. Thankfully, we were accommodated at a small table near the hostess stand, which we appreciated. However, sitting there gave me an unexpected view into the way guests—especially families—were being treated.

We arrived 15 minutes before opening and stayed until around 7 PM. During that time, I saw the hostess turn away numerous walk-ins, despite at least 8 empty tables outside and 5 inside that remained unused for over an hour. It was disheartening to see so many people eager to enjoy the restaurant being turned away when there was clearly capacity. I understand the desire for exclusivity, but it felt excessive and unnecessarily unwelcoming.

More concerning, though, were the inappropriate comments made by the manager. When a party with a stroller was seated, he came rushing out and said, “You need to ask how many kids are in a party because they count.” He then followed with a comment that was frankly upsetting: “We don’t make money off kids.”

As someone who dines out often with family, this kind of attitude is disappointing. Ironically, the majority of the restaurant that evening was filled with families—including children sitting at the bar. And I can confidently say that many families, including ours, tend to order more than the average table. To make families feel like a burden or less valued sends the wrong message, especially in a restaurant that positions itself as a neighborhood favorite.

It’s unfortunate to write this, because I truly love Luca Osteria and have recommended it to many. But experiences like this one—where service and attitude fall short—can chip away at even the most loyal customer base. I hope the team takes this feedback constructively, because I’d love nothing more than to return and feel as welcomed...