L'Imbuto In Lucca

Warm and welcoming atmosphere. TOP-notch service. Food... a must-try, words can't describe the quality!! A spectacular experience!!

"What's it like to eat at L'Imbuto"? If that's the question, make yourself comfortable, as if you were sitting at a table waiting for the journey to begin, because it will take a while. Let's start with the location, which, in my opinion, is poorly signposted. It's not difficult to get there, no doubt, but once you arrive at the indicated address, it's not exactly easy to figure out which restaurant it is, and consequently, how to access it. You risk ending up in someone's backyard. It might be a "personal problem," but three of us had the same "difficulties." But now let's go inside: the place is what I would call intimate, just the way I like it, with rooms that aren't too large, not too many seats, and not at all noisy. Greeted by the very kind staff, we are given a map with a description of the possible "journeys" and the rules to follow to enjoy them and ensure that other guests can do the same (I'm not giving away any spoilers; the same map is available on the website). As soon as we are seated, a large, white-clad figure emerges from the kitchen. It's him, Chef Tomei, who comes to do the honors. Now, in my opinion, that alone is worth 100 points. I come to your restaurant to eat what you cook, not just something you invented and that bears your name, so you have to be in the kitchen, that's my credo. And now the journey begins. We chose the longest one, the 9-course menu. For those who don't know, Chef Tomei doesn't have an à la carte menu; there are three experiences that include 5, 7, or 9 courses. He chooses what to prepare for you. This was a huge plus for me because I'm sure I would have missed out on a lot with a simple à la carte menu. For the drinks, we paired them with the 5 great wines. And now the journey begins... mine was a fabulous experience, filled with explosions of tastes and flavors I never imagined. To be fair, not everything received the same "score," as is only natural, but that's because it's subjective and personal (de gustibus non disputandum est). The quality of the dishes is excellent. The pairings are fabulous. After all, we're talking about Cristiano Tomei. I'm not even going to talk about the price. If you decide to have an experience like this, that should be the last thing on your mind. Enjoy your trip. Thank you, Chef.

Simply extraordinary. A true taste experience. Every dish was surprising and out of the ordinary. The location is beautiful and makes you feel at ease. The staff was truly impeccable, knowledgeable and friendly while maintaining the right level of formality. Chef Tomei even came to the dining room to thank and say hello. Number one. Congratulations

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.

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.

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.

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