Luca’s Ristorante

What an authentic hole in the wall Italian place. This is by far one of the best places I’ve tried. The Capri salad was so fresh. The mozzarella was so plump and juicy. The pasta dishes are amazing.

It is my first review. It’s in a small plaza… it didn’t look very impressive from the outside. But when you get in, the décor is so creative, especially their dishes. The food was so delicious and fresh. And the homemade bread is so good. I love the food & everything. I will definitely come back to the restaurant again.

Went there for New Year’s Eve and was very impressed. It was a set menu so I chose the Filet Mignon… it was cooked to perfection! Would absolutely go back for dinner again.

My bf made a reservation without telling me so it was a surprised. I didn’t have high expectations pulling up at the restaurant since it didn’t look impressive on the outside. But when you get in, the décor is so cute and creative, especially their dishes and mugs. They were very accommodating since we told them beforehand that we running late. We were seated at the corner and I could not stop looking around because there is so much to look at! They have a special menu which both of us ordered from. I had the pork chop with like a million things on it (bacon, pistachio, fig etc.) and my bf had the sea bass. We ordered a pear spinach salad as appetizer. Their bread come warm and amazing. We did order the tiramisu despite the fact that both of us were stuffed. That was a bad idea since we only finished half of it. However, our waiter was great and we had a great time.

I must say although the service was very slow upon our arrival, but the waiter, Savar made a difference to our dinning experience. The restaurant was so busy packed with customers, it almost seems that they were short in staff.
The food was exceptionally delicious, everything was so fresh and so creative. We will definitely come back to the restaurant again. One thing that I recommend is to make a reservation at least two weeks advance in ensure you get the reserve time and table that you wanted.
Food is great!

Maybe I came on an off night. Everything seemed good, except my entrée. I was not a fan of the osso bucco. I usually love it and order anywhere I see it on the menu. The waitress never checked on us to make sure we were enjoying our food. So I got stuck with a bland meal.
It was also my birthday and they didn’t do anything. It was in the notes of the reservation too. Not that I’m usually particular about these things. Maybe I just had high expectations because the reviews were great online. It just wasn’t a good experience. I probably won’t be returning.

Literally just got back from this restaurant and immediately went online to write a review. I don’t write many reviews on Unilocal but I HAVE to say — this place is literally the best italian food I’ve ever had. Don’t tell my mother or my extended italian-​american family in Brooklyn…
Every course was fantastic, as was the service. I got the branzino, my boyfriend got the gnocci. We got mussels to start as well. It literally almost brought me to tears… partially from being so grateful to have such wonderful food only 15 minutes away from my apartment, and partially from feeling the nostalgia of eating italian comfort food throughout my childhood.
That’s it, really. Don’t even think about it — just go to Luca’s. And a big thank you to everyone who reviewed this place — we rely on Unilocal a lot to lead us to the best of the best in our area and this really was true to the reviews!

Was there for a luncheon the location is easy to get to. Definitely go to place. The appetizer platter was fresh and delicious. The entrée was veal saltimbocca it was fresh and well prepared. Décor is inside is tasteful and rustic

An unassuming strip mall entrance hides a very cozy & charming interior, that prepares you for something beyond pizza parlor chow. And both the service and food quality at Luca’s lives up to that promise.
I dined here recently with a work colleague, and a few things stood out right away. The servers were polished and friendly — more befitting an upscale eatery in New Brunswick or Princeton. The lunch menu is concise and even offers a couple of choices for the gluten free diner (aka me).
Our waiter brought out some freshly baked/​heated bread (3 kinds) which my colleague eagerly devoured, and pronounced excellent.
My risotto with grilled chicken & asparagus was delicious, and perfectly cooked. It was just enough for lunch, without being overwhelming (and I am glad because if they gave me more, I would have eaten it!). My dining companion had the chicken parm panini, and wow did that look good! He could not finish it because he ate so much of the delicious bread at the beginning of the meal, but pronounced it excellent as well.
Although Luca’s doesn’t have a bar per se, they do sell bottles of Hopewell Valley Vineyard wines (which are great, btw) or you can BYO. Prices here are a little above your typical strip mall type Italian joint, but I’d say unless you are on a very tight budget, it’s worth every penny. I will definitely be back soon.

Phenomenal restaurant. 5 stars all the way. This is one of the best finds ever! Delicious appetizers, entrees, we did this family style and shared multiple items. I rarely get so excited about a restaurant. If you are in the area this is a MUST! Amazing décor, value, service, and oh the fooooood soooo delicious! This is as good as it gets, and thanks to Unilocal I was able to discover this amazing place!

I was told to go here a while back after my boyfriend had been brought here for a work dinner celebration. He said that Lucas was a unique little Italian restaurant that had great service and creative delicious dinners. After 8 months of talking about going back, we finally took the plunge.
The area in which you arrive at your destination is not the nicest. Its a little mid-​city and is very busy among lots of strip malls. If you drive too fast you will pass it so keep a look out. Parking was a little tough too as the parking lot is not very well designed and is very packed during busy hours. There is a big sign with the restaurant name outside so finding in among the stores themselves was not difficult. Upon entering the atmosphere took me right out of NJ and right to old school Italy. There are tons of paintings and italian décor to get you in the mood. We were seated immediately as we had an earlier evening reservation. We requested a ice bucket which they initially said they did not have any. After taking our app order the waiter was able to procure a large ice buck for our 2 bottles of wine ;) I am not sure where it could have been as it was early on in the night but needless to say the waiter went out of their way to get us what we wanted. Everything we ordered was outrageous. I ordered the Fico in Comicia as an app and my boyfriend ordered the fried mozzarella dish. Both were destroyed by our stomachs. For the main course I ordered the cocoa ravioli and my boyfriend ordered the gnocchi dish. We did have leftovers but not because we wanted to leave any left but because our stomachs couldn’t hold anymore. Thank you for such a wondeful expirence Lucas.
I give 4 stars becuase I felt a little out of place. I do not know why because my boyfriend and I were dressed very well and were very polite. The place almost seemed a tad pretentious but maybe they deserve to be with the amazing food and atmosphere they provide. I hope they open up a bigger restaurant in the near future.

This was so delicious!
Tonight was our first time here. We started with the burrata, which I’ve been craving, and it did not disappoint. With peach slices, blackberries and balsamic pearls on a bed of arugula and prosciutto, there was a lot going on but it was delicious! Our waiter said the balsamic pearls were aged 27 years.
For the entrées we ordered the gnocchi and one of the specials of the day, a braised rabbit ravioli. The gnocchi was served with the most tender beef. The ravioli was served with roasted fennel and semi dried cherry tomatoes. Everything was amazing.
Sadly, we didn’t have room for dessert but we’ll definitely be back!

Bread basket — awesome
Meatballs — crazy
prosciutto wrapped figs — out of this world
All pastas — Mad
BYOB — need I have to say more
Definitely a one of a kind great Italian restaurant with fresh food and great flavor– a must try!

4.5 stars — -
If you are looking for delicious Italian food in central jersey, this is the place to go. Good portions, good service, and most importantly, delicious food! Everything we ordered was on par. They make everything fresh when you order, so it is a little bit of a wait but it’s worth it! Make reservations if you’re going during prime time.
The best thing I ate was the figs wrapped in prosciutto– MUST MUST GET. So good. Oh and their lobster cannelloni is stuffed with so many huge chunks of real lobster so good.

First, let me get right to the décor because that’s an area of great controversy here on Unilocal.Sure, those with a certain sensibility might look at the painted ceramic tiles, Terra cotta bric-​à-​brac and hanging vines as «tacky.» For me, it brought a wave of nostalgia, reminding me of my childhood eating in the old family-​run joints in Brooklyn, specifically those small places in Bensonhurst and Bay Ridge that are crammed with really unusual art from Italy.
I was craving good Italian fare, and really didn’t want the faux-​Italian of Carrabba’s or to visit the same places I always go, so we took the plunge on Unilocal and found this highly rated place over in Somerset. It really is located in a nondescript strip mall, and way too easy to miss if you weren’t specifically looking for it. It is the kind of place that foodies trolling Unilocal love, but one probably missed by most civilians. I called ahead for a reservation – a good idea because this is a small place – and we were seated within a couple of minutes of arrival.
The rule here is that all your items need to be ordered at the same time because everything is, as per our server, made fresh when ordered, and ordering appetizers first will only delay your entrees. So we pored over the menu, put in our orders and then asked for wine recommendations based on those items and our personal preferences. We received a very nice Sangiovese that paired well with the meals.
First up was the Burrata appetizer, and it was as beautiful and delicious as promised. The sweet, creamy cheeses nicely balanced the salty prosciutto, the tart blackberries, and the peppery arugula. I even spread it on the remains of the rather excellent bread assortment brought to the table.
The entrees were spot on. I had the Gnocchi Genovese, pillowy pasta and fork-​tender beef in a rich sauce. It was fantastic. My wife went with the Chicken Pulcinella, «battered chicken breast layered with porchetta, fresh mozzarella & Gorgonzola in an aged balsamic vinegar sauce served over fingerling potatoes.» I took a forkful and was really surprised by how good it was. The sweetness of the balsamic against the Gorgonzola was really nice – I love contrasts, whether they’re tastes or textures, and this dish had them both.
We don’t usually go with dessert, but we felt we needed to push on and enjoy the full experience. We split the cannoli filled with an orange-​infused cream that really sung with the brightness of the citrus.
We left full, happy, and with a new favorite place on our list. This is one restaurant we’ll definitely revisit.

A hidden real gem tucked away in a small strip mall in Central NJ (not far from Rutgers). This is a lovely little Italian place, but I would not call it unassuming. Thanks in part to a recent rave from the NY Times, Luca’s is embracing its popularity.
We were a large unwieldy group, and only had to wait minimally for our reservation in the tiny entrance hallway. The staff brought us small bites to tide us over — and they were some of the best bites of the evening! The marscapone and pignoli stuffed figs, wrapped in prosciutto were Ah-​mazing.
The food itself was creative, delicious, and a tag pricey for the portions. Those who want to explore beyond the traditional «Italian food for Americans» palate should definitely come. But if the thought of golden raisins in meatballs freaks you out? Hit up a chain restaurant instead. The ingredients here are fresh, bright, and tend to be thrown into unexpected combinations.
The service was attentive and friendly, and we were not rushed even though our boisterous group was probably the last table to leave. I mean, hey, it’s an Italian restaurant in Jersey on a Friday night.
The bottom line is that this is Italian food for food lovers, not for people who like to order the same dish and expect it to be prepared the same way every time. Come prepared to spend a bit of money and time, and you will be rewarded.

Last night was my first visit to Luca’s with my aunt to celebrate her 58^th birthday. We selected the restaurant based on its great reviews on Unilocal.We weren’t disappointed. Make reservations! By 6:45 pm there was no seating available. There were multiple birthdays that night. At a table near us, a family of 5 was celebrating their father’s 90^th birthday. The other half of the restaurant had a larger party with a table full of birthday balloons and gifts.
The photos of the food in the reviews are pretty accurate. My aunt and I enjoyed two appetizers: fried mozzarella and the eggplant rollatini. For entrees we had the organic chicken over risotto and mushrooms, baked lasagna with meat sauce, and a side of linguini alfredo. The food was very flavorful and not salty. I have hypertension. I love salt, but I am very sensitive to heavily salted foods. We could barely finish our entrees because the appetizers were so generous. The food was so good, the two of us decided to order 3 desserts: cannoli, fruit tart, and chocolate cake baked in a cup. We ate everything! All three desserts.
Finally, I am a stickler for clean restrooms because I like to wash my hands before I eat. I was so impressed with the tiny, modern bathroom in this place, I had to post a picture. It was CLEAN!

I love Lucas’s! Just went there for an early dinner yesterday. The service was phenomenal and the interior is clean and rusticly decorated. (Ignore the strip mall its located in, the inside does not reflect the outside).
They bring out freshly baked bread with a high quality olive oil with tomato purée. I couldn’t get enough of it.
My date and I got the chicken parm and lobster cannelloni. The chicken parm was nothing special and was missing something in the sauce. The lobster cannelloni was awesome as always. Lots of crab meat/​lobster/​scallops stuffed inside with a great sauce. I will always get this when I come ! Last time I got the butternut squash ravioli which was also good but not as good as the lobster.
For dessert we got the Pompeii and Tiramisu. Pompeii was okay but I really enjoyed the Tiramisu. Yummmm
Overall solid Italian spot with great service that I will definitely be returning to!

I would never imagine that I’d find a place in Central Jersey with such good italian food. I have yet to have something at Luca’s that i do not like.
The bread is fresh and service is prompt. Our server Angelo (who we usually have) is knowledgeable, friendly, but not smothering. The décor is cute and makes for a cozy environment. The homemade pastas are to die for as is the zuppe de pesce. The veal osso bucco appetizer is phenomenal and falls right off the bone.
On a weekend, don’t think about coming unless you have reservations. It gets mobbed. However, you are never feel rushed.
Haven’t had their pizza or dessert unfortunately so i can’t weigh in on that, but id imagine its nothing short of delicious.
Happy to have such a great spot so close to my place!

While staying in Edison and shopping in Princeton, I had to find a place for some good Pasta and based on Unilocal reviews decided on Luca’s. Thank you NJ Unilocalers!
The Shrimp Nuovi was as delicious as it looked in the pictures, and to my surprise the tastiest part was the scallops and crab, not the shrimp, and of course the perfectly al dente linguine and creamy wine sauce.
The bonus was the warm bread brought out before the meal… the sweet raisin and cranberry focaccia was soooo tasty.
It’s in a tiny strip mall off the main highway but so worth a visit.