Luca Italian Restaurant blends warm, vintage brick charm with a Michelin-starred menu, offering scrumptious Italian fare and a cozy fireside terrace.
"Maximum Capacity: The Garden Room 8 / The Pasta Room 10 / The Terrace 20 Minimum Spend: Prices available upon enquiry We’ve had dreams about a place called The Pasta Room, but they mostly involved Jeff Goldblum hand-feeding us tagliatelle. Sadly, Jeff isn’t part of the private dining package at upmarket Italian spot Luca in Farringdon. But they do have a room that’s designed to look and feel like a rustic Italian home kitchen, where chefs make fresh pasta. There’s also The Garden Room that overlooks the open kitchen, with enough foliage and warm lighting to make it London’s most romantic private dining room." - heidi lauth beasley, sinead cranna
"As secluded terraces go, the one at Luca is pretty next-level. There’s exposed brick, some very perfectly maintained foliage, and a working fireplace. Basically, when celebrities get ‘secretly wed’ in their back gardens, this is what we picture. A meal at this Italian spot in Farringdon can be expensive but sharing the pork sausage ragu pasta, a portion of the parmesan fries, and a bottle of wine? You’re golden." - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna
"The slick Italian spot - famous for its parmesan fries and oh-so-sexy atmosphere - is now doing delivery and collection Thursday to Saturday. The menu changes, but a meal for two will cost £80 and there are vegetarian and pescatarian options too. Pre-order here." - oliver feldman, heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, rianne shlebak
"Like Gaga on a campaign trail, Luca is glam. A sophisticated Clerkenwell spot with lots of polished surfaces and dark wooden booths, this place specialises in cooking Italian food using British produce, with elements of British cuisine thrown in. Are you keeping up? Good. To get peak enjoyment out of Luca, get a seat at the charming bar with your favourite person, order the outrageous parmesan fries and a bowl of the exceptional rigatoni with pork sausage ragu, and then ask the barman to make you a gold Negroni." - jake missing, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna, daisy meager
"If you like great pasta, then heaven probably looks a lot like Luca in Clerkenwell. This is a proper restaurant (and as a result has some proper prices), but don’t let that put you off because the pasta is sensational. For a meal that’s lighter on your wallet, head to the classy bar and order the rigatoni with rich pork sausage ragu. It’s been on the menu for many years and we hope it always will be. The parmesan fries and an expertly made Negroni are also essential." - jake missing, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna