L'Imbuto In Lucca

Last night, three friends and I had dinner at this magical place, with wonderful, flavorful dishes. The maître d' was kind, attentive, and very sociable, and he took us on this journey, as was the other waiter, who was always efficient. Thank you, you're a wonderful team. Greetings from Viareggio ☺️

L’imbuto was a truly joyful experience. The wait staff were friendly and clearly having fun presenting the dishes as they got progressively more whimsical (I will not spoil some highlights with pictures). The food was inventive and amazing, particularly the amount of flavor packed into the various sauces. The wine list was extensive. And finally, I got to meet Cristiano Tomei himself, a man who I’ve watched for years on ItaliaSquisita videos. He was just as gregarious and fun in real life. One thing to note is that the restaurant recently relocated to about 10 minutes/3km outside of the city’s walls. It is very easy to find a taxi from Lucca to the restaurant, but not easy at all to find a taxi back. Pre-arrange a return ride.

Chef Tomei's experience can't be described as a simple dinner. The best way to see it is as it actually is: a journey. A beautiful journey, the kind where a local friend shows you places you've never seen before, where you discover their customs, see the places where they grew up, and hear their stories. We opted for the nine-course menu, but truth be told, we lost count, and I can certainly say I left feeling full, both in my stomach and in my mind. I've included two courses in the photos (the most popular ones) because I enjoyed experiencing the surprise of the others, even visually. The location is extremely charming, the service impeccable and elegant.

This was such an amazing experience! The staff makes you feel so welcome and at ease, the location itself is fantastic (a calm, quiet garden away from the busy noise of Lucca city center). And the food... the dishes were fun, playful, surprising, and without exception delicious! The excellent wine pairing lifted the experience even more. If you get the chance to go here, you definitively should! You can feel (and taste) the love and passion the owner and chef, and the team, puts into this experience.

Such a nice location, right outside Lucca. It has a nice, quiet garden with just a few tables and Italian ambient music at a low, comfortable level. The personell is so nice, forth coming, professional and service minded. AND THE FOOD! The food is nothing short of amazing. It's a set menu where the chef makes up the dishes as he goes, and everything was so creative and a delight for the pallet. Keep an open mind! The wine selection to the meals was excellent. Easy 5 stars and a privilege to have experienced! Must be booked in advance.

The location was worthy of the chef, sublime dishes and attention to every detail, the welcoming and knowledgeable staff in the presentation of the dishes, it was a beautiful tasting experience to be lived on the island of taste!

We had a great time, a wonderful experience, the maitre was very knowledgeable, Tomei was always friendly, the price was right for the quality, we will be back

An absolutely memorable experience. We arrived at L'Imbuto restaurant a little early and found ourselves in a truly special place: a charming establishment just outside the center of Lucca, with an almost suspended atmosphere that gave no idea of the high-quality cuisine that awaited us. The evening was a surprise organized by my girlfriend, and without knowing who the chef was, I had the pleasure of meeting him right at the entrance: Cristiano Tomei. A pleasant and unexpected encounter, which immediately set a special tone for the dinner. We chose the "Journey" option, and it truly was. Each dish, from fish to meat, including the well-constructed first and second courses, took us in a different direction. The ravioli filled with oil and cheese was surprising for its simplicity and rich flavor. The raw meat served on a piece of bark, with crispy potato peel, made me think of eating a perfect steak, but in a completely new form. We also paired it with the "Grandi Vini" tasting, guided by two highly knowledgeable sommeliers. One of them, in particular, managed to make the whole experience even more enjoyable with some well-timed informal conversation, striking the right balance between professionalism and friendliness. He made the experience even more human and engaging. After the fifth glass, I admit I had to restrain myself from getting too chatty... but, fortunately, I managed to end the evening with a photo with the chef, which perfectly capped off a truly complete experience. My sincere compliments to the entire L'Imbuto team. A 10 for both the restaurant and the concept of cuisine it embodies. Definitely worth doing again.

Siamo stati ieri sera a cena ed è stata una bellissima esperienza. Gli addetti alla sala professionali ed estremamente cortesi. Ambiente chic e tranquillo. La qualità del cibo è di altissima qualità, accostamenti che lasciano in bocca sapori unici. E che dire del graditissimo saluto che lo chef Tomei riserva agli ospiti all'uscita. Serata unica.

Bellissima esperienza: ambiente accogliente, personale gentile (non dimenticherò i fogli regalati al mio bimbo ;) ) e che fa in modo da metterti a tuo agio per goderti il viaggio nel gusto! Pietanze con abbinamenti particolari e a volte molto complessi! Anche laddove i gusti non sono di pieno gradimento, vale sempre la pena assaggiare e capire il piatto! Esperienza consigliata, a costi ragionevoli! Chef geniale!