Luci Ancora

We had a reservation for a large table to celebrate a milestone birthday here a few weeks ago. What a darling hidden local gem! The service is impeccable. The dining room is small and intimate, with a wood-burning fireplace quietly crackling. It feels a little old-school and special with the classic white linen tablecloths, traditional silver and china, and the best part is no loud music blaring! Come here for an intimate date night or a cozy dinner to connect with a friend. I think you could not go wrong with any of their homemade pasta dishes. Our table especially loved the ravioli with tender braised pork lamb. The house made bread and butter and the beautiful lemon soup I started with was perfect - trust me on the soup! I wish I had taken a picture. The seafood was delicious as well. I enjoyed the olive oil cake but it would have been nothing without the fruit sauce. The angel food cake was better, and the coffee was top notch.

The Food, AMAZING.The Service, Fabulous. The Ambiance, divine!Went for a wedding dinner with some friends and it was the perfect mix of elegant and casual. The staff was beyond amazing, will definitely be coming with the family. You pay for what you get, and I most definetly agree that the price was well worth what we received in service and food! The food was so fresh and great portions!

We always passed by this place but never really went in. One night we did and we always wonder why we did not go earlier.Service and Ambiance are definitely friendly and cozy.Foods are amazing.Proper Caesar Salads, but the star is definitely the house made pasta...just order any pasta, it is guarantee to your satisfactionOne of the staff actually made her own Pistachio Gelato. It is one of the best gelato I have ever eaten. It is very Pistachio-y! Just creamy pistachio that melted in your mouth.

My first visit to Luci Ancora was really a treat. We just happened to find our selves in the Mac/Groveland neighborhood and stumbled upon this sweet place via, Yelp -- of course. We didn't have reservations (and I'd suggest them), but the host found us a spot and the meal and service were fantastic. There is an extensive beer, wine and cocktail list. The server was fun, patient, enthused and informed about the offerings and suggested some really wonderful food. We started with the classic Caesar salad (with anchovies and homemade croutons) which was so fresh and so tasty. We moved on to different pastas. I really enjoyed the fettuccine con funghi ~ housemade heritage grain ribbon pasta, wild mushrooms, truffle oil + parmesan butter. I am still thinking about it.The vibe is friendly, the atmosphere is warm and comfortable. And again, ever member of the staff were so great!You'll find a parking lot out front and street parking. From Minneapolis, the Ford Avenue Bridge makes access really simple.

Food was so good, perfect portions of everything we ordered. service was amazing , our waitress was so accommodating , I've never had any service like it before , I wish I could remember her name but she took good care of us 8 adult and 2 kids! I wish I took a picture of our food but it just looked so good , I couldn't wait !

Beautiful, minimalistic interior design. Looks out to St Cates across Randolph; outdoor dining is near the small pkg lot. Great food & helpful wait staff. My sister & I had the 4-course tasting menu & a refreshing house Chardonnay. Paired well w/ the tasting menu. Lovely evening exploring a neighborhood restaurant!

This is one of the hidden gems in the Twin Cities. Outstanding Italian food, a great wine list, wonderful desserts, and the fresh bread is to die for! It's brought to your table when you're seated, and it's always warm, with a crispy crust and inside it's soft, chewy, any tastes homemade -- because it is!Luci Ancora is tucked away, next door to University of Saint Catherine. For those of you from Minneapolis or the suburbs, is worth the trip to Saint Paul. For those of you in Saint Paul, we can only be jealous.

Had a lovely first meal here a few weeks ago! I had been putting off a finer dining experience lately due to rising prices everywhere but my three courses ended up around $50 (definitely could have been pricier if I went with other items) which is not that unreasonable given you can't get a fast food meal for less than $20 nowadays! They were also offering a tasting menu with half portions of all the night's specials for $65 I believe.I made a reservation for 5:15 thinking it may be too early but by the time I left around 6 it was bustling. Parking was still available in the lot but full when I left--I'm sure street parking would be fine as well. I was dining alone which I enjoy doing often; sometimes hosts will seat me at the bar or a table that isn't necessarily ideal placement due to it just being me but I had a nice table by the window which I appreciated.I had the Mista salad as a starter (delicious--really good cheese and dressing) and the ravioli as a main (wonderful--I will be thinking about the pesto for a while!) Dessert was the tiramisu which was an excellent final course to my evening.Staff was polite and attentive and the overall atmosphere was delightful. I will definitely be back!

I had not been back here in a little while, and I am kicking myself for waiting so long to come back. This is such a gem in the neighborhood. I love the outdoor patio area that they have added. It is so Italianesque with the lights and the tables...Their homemade pasta is wonderful! They use an heirloom grain that is easier on stomachs that are sensitive to gluten. I have seen literature on this a few times and although I don't struggle with that sensitivity I can tell you I appreciate the use of local heirloom grains. And... We had their fettuccine and their rigatoni and they were amazing. The bit of fat that was left on my spare rib meat for my fettuccine was just the right amount and so soft that it literally just melted into the pasta. YUM! Our waitress had very good recommendations on wine, and entrées. We were perfectly sated and so did not have dessert but I love finding a place that has all homemade desserts. They looked great!!!My sincerest apologies for no pictures... We were just enjoying the evening, atmosphere, and conversation too much. Take my word for it everything was beautiful

Setting is nice- linen table cloths. Service was good. Food is average. Sad salad with drizzle of dressing. Pasta mushy, bland, salty.