La Cucina — Restaurant in Hanover

It would seem that La Cucina saw the saying “you can put lipstick on a pig” and thought it was an actual suggestion. In moving into the McAllister hotel, their decor and service match that of any high end italian restaurant, but their food did not follow suit. While it is an improvement over the “food” that was served in the previous version of La Cucina, it was middling for the quality they advertised. I had the short rib ragu ($24). The sauce itself, was not a traditional ragu (meat and mirepoix forward), but a tomato based sauce with carrots dispersed throughout. The pasta was undercooked and unseasoned. It was presented as a bed of pasta with the sauce on top. This presentation mixed with the undercooked pasta led to the excess starch on the pasta cooling and creating a glue between the sheets. My other guest had the penne alla vodka ($18 + $5 chicken). The dish itself was a bit underwhelming but ultimately fine (also undersalted), but the menu described it has having “sun dried tomatoes.” It did not. What it DID have were massive, hardly cooked roma tomato quarters. I understand it is their second week open, so to not have your liquor license yet is understandable if not a bit frustrating. But to have the entire back half of your menu be alcohol and then not advertise this on your website outside of a vague “bar coming soon” is not cool. I will give them credit for the complementary bread, a dying practice.

Ultimately, it is an upgrade to their previous location, but that is not saying much. It is certainly a restaurant built by Hanovarians for Hanoverians, for...

My wife and I decided to grab lunch here during Snacktown Days in Hanover and we're happy we did.

The service was great. Instantly greeted and sat. The staff was friendly, our waitress was attentive and answered any questions we had.

For appetizer we we got the Zucchini Fritti which was crispy (not soggy), the marinara was awesome.

I ordered the Gnocchi Margarita and the sauce was out of this world, the gnocchi was done to perfection.

My wife ordered the Panzanella Salad which was made with fresh corn (we could tell it was fresh), the dressing has a little spice to it and went perfect with the salad.

The meal came with their signature bread basket which is a perfect accompaniment.

Pricing was also very reasonable, $50 for the total meal. We didn't get drinks or dessert (next time).

Overall a great experience, wonderful meal, great ambience and...

We recently visited the new La Cucina location in Hanover and were blown away! It’s great to see them return to a full-service restaurant. This place has clearly held onto its roots while elevating the experience.

I had the Chicken Marsala, and my wife ordered the gnocchi—both dishes were absolutely phenomenal. The flavors were rich and authentic, and the presentation was beautiful. We started with an appetizer that was equally delicious, and the unique house bread served before the meal was a standout all on its own.

The service was truly impeccable—friendly, attentive, and made us feel right at home. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, perfect for a date night or dinner with friends. Prices were surprisingly reasonable for the quality of food and experience.

Highly recommend La Cucina! We’re so glad to have them back in the Hanover...