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Welcome To Luce Portland
Luce Portland, located at 2140 E Burnside St, is a charming Italian restaurant renowned for its cozy ambiance and exceptional cuisine. Guests rave about the homemade pasta and exquisite seafood, with standout dishes like the shrimp linguine and delectable cod starter. The vibrant atmosphere is complemented by a well-curated wine selection, making it an ideal spot for intimate dinners or lively gatherings. While the restaurant does not accept reservations, patrons appreciate the opportunity to explore the surrounding area while they wait. With attentive service and a commitment to quality, Luce Portland promises a memorable dining experience that keeps locals and visitors coming back for more.
About
Luce Portland
If you find yourself wandering the streets of Portland, make sure to stop by Luce Portland, an Italian gem located at 2140 E Burnside St. With its cozy atmosphere and a menu filled with delightful dishes, Luce promises a dining experience that is both satisfying and unforgettable.
Customers rave about the incredible food and impressive value. A frequent visitor, Kelli Kaiser, emphasizes the must-try cod starter and a range of pastas that never disappoint. The cozy setting, paired with the warmth of the staff, adds to the charm of this bustling eatery. However, be prepared for a wait, as patrons eagerly flock to this spot for a reason!
The vibe inside Luce is bright and inviting, capturing the essence of a classic Italian eatery with a modern twist. Margot Estrade describes it perfectly: "so cute" and "sunny," making it an ideal spot for a cozy meal. The homemade pasta has garnered admiration, with many guests declaring it delectable. While appetizers and salads might not steal the show, they certainly complement the fantastic array of main dishes that await you.
For the adventurous diner, Nay’s experience highlights the sheer variety available. Dishes range from exquisite octopus to perfectly cooked steak, with an amazing wine list to boot. The shrimp linguine, according to Nay, sings of the sea, leaving diners craving for more. And let's not forget dessert—her favorite, the orange cake, was a sweet finale to a wonderful meal.
Each visit promises something new, as Sachin Abraham attests. Whether indulging in antipasti like stuffed fried olives or savoring the simplicity of half portions of pasta, Luce offers an array of unique flavors that entices groups to share and explore. The grilled cabbage and hanger steak were noted as particularly memorable dishes, adding depth to the menu that keeps visitors coming back for more.
Elizabeth Baldwin’s experience further cements Luce’s status as a prime destination: she recommends trying multiple antipasti and half orders of pasta to truly appreciate the restaurant's culinary prowess. Her recounting of the trout special as “AMAZING” reflects the kitchen's ability to surprise and delight.
In conclusion, Luce Portland stands out not just for its delicious food but also for its inviting ambiance and attentive service. With a commitment to quality that resonates throughout its dishes, it's clear why this Italian restaurant has gained a devoted following among locals and tourists alike. Don't miss the chance to indulge in this lovely dining experience—the vibrant energy of Luce is waiting to welcome you with open arms!
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“ I live in Seattle and any time I’m down in Portland I like to come to Luce. Incredible food, great value, and cozy restaurant. We love the cod starter and any pasta we’ve ever tried. Can’t wait for our next visit. You may have a long wait, so go put in your name early. It is worth it! ”
“ luce is so cute. the vibes are bright and sunny and the pasta is homemade and delectable. apps and salads are also good but not mind blowing, and service is great in quality and a little hands-off in touch level (not a problem at all). price point is great imho. ”
“ Have I been hiding under a rock?!? Finally I made it out to Luce The only downside for me is you can’t make reservations! Which makes it driving far and kids an absolute nightmare but who cares I would do it again. Exquisite, not one complaint, start to finish. I would say this is by far the best is not the best Italian restaurant around here. What didn’t we order? I would pass on the bread, too salty for me but my friends loved it Octopus and potatoes Fennel salad Green salad Wine list amazing My favorite dish, the broth omg 10000 It was so delicious I ordered two to go The mushroom, carrot marinated were not my jam The eggplant balls were interesting but I preferred all the salads and olives! The steak was amazing and perfectly cooked I ordered the shrimp linguine and oh boy it was def tasting like the sea, Everyone loved what they ordered for entrees We ordered all the desserts but our favorite was the orange cake. Wooooozier. This place is amazing, chefs kiss Service was outstanding Can’t wait to come again ”
“ Okay, so I recently checked out this adorable little Italian place in Portland called Luce, and I have to tell you, it was a great experience! It's got this cute, intimate vibe, almost like a tapas bar with their tasty small plates. They've got a good wine selection too, which is always a plus. I definitely recommend going with a group so you can try a bunch of things. Now, I wasn't a huge fan of their Ragu Tagliatelle – it had this weird smell that just didn't do it for me. But the gnocchi and the roasted beets? Delicious! And you won't believe it, but the cabbage side dish was possibly the most exciting thing on the menu with this deep, rich caramel flavor. Just a heads up, they don't take reservations and it gets pretty busy, so you might have to wait around 30-40 minutes for a table unless you get lucky. Actually, the first time I went, we stumbled upon Luce on our way to another place, and it looked so darling inside that we totally changed our plans. And I'm so glad we did! We started with an antipasto plate – the cauliflower and stuffed fried olives were both fantastic. We also shared a pasta dish, and the name is escaping me, but it was stuffed with potato and golden raisins (you barely noticed the raisins!) and had these light, crispy breadcrumbs on top. It was really good and kind of unassuming. I highly recommend trying it, especially since they let you order half portions of the pasta, which is perfect for sampling! For our mains, we went with the baked stuffed trout and the hanger steak, plus a side of leeks with butter and grilled cabbage. We loved everything, but the hanger steak and the grilled cabbage were definitely the standouts. To finish things off, we got a couple of desserts. The buttermilk panna cotta was seriously off the hook! The ricotta cheesecake was just okay for me (but if you're a ricotta fan, you'd probably love it). Our server, I didn't catch his name, was awesome. All of his recommendations were spot on, and the service was just perfect. The atmosphere is really darling – the restaurant was buzzing but still felt cute and quaint. I'd definitely recommend this place for a date night! Honestly, this is the kind of place I can see myself coming back to again and again for a solid Italian meal. I haven't tried a ton of Italian spots in Portland yet, but so far, this is my favorite. The other time I went was on a Saturday night around 6:30 pm, and we were able to get a table outside in about 20 minutes (the wait inside was longer). They don't do reservations, but they take your phone number, which is great because you can wander around and check out the nearby cocktail bars or shops while you wait. We split focaccia, three half portions of pasta, one main dish, one side, and two desserts between the four of us, and we were all perfectly satisfied. Seriously, get the half pasta portions – they're all so unique and flavorful, it's impossible to choose just one! ”
“ Incredible food, cutest little restaurant. Had such a good time. My husband and I ordered three antipasti dishes, two half orders of pasta, a side, and a special and that was great amount of food. We tried the trout special and it was AMAZING! A real stand out. The atmosphere is very nice, when i walk by at night it always looks so cozy in there like a movie. I will be back for sure :) ”
“ Our experience was great! The quality of food was amazing. We ordered their olives, bread, fennel & dill salad and 3 of their half pasta plates. All amazing. Fennel salad was so refreshing. This was followed by Panna cotta, which was super delicious! Strongly recommend. You just have to go earlier and put your name in. They don’t have reservation system. ”
“ We stumbled across Luce on our way to another place and it was so darling inside that we changed our plans and dined at Luce instead! We were not disappointed! We started with an anti-pasta plate of the cauliflower and stuffed fried olives – both were delicious! We shared a pasta dish, I can’t remember the name, it was stuffed with potato and golden raisins, which you didn’t notice, and some light crispy breadcrumbs. This dish was very good and unassuming. We highly recommend you sample it. We really liked that you could try half orders of the pasta, this allowed us to sample without committing to a whole meal! Then we ordered our main dishes which were, baked stuffed trout and hanger steak, with a side of leeks/butter and grilled cabbage. We loved all of it, but our favorites were the hanger steak and the grilled cabbage. We ended the evening with a couple of desserts, the buttermilk Panna cotta was off the hook! The ricotta cheesecake was meh. (If you love ricotta cheese, you will love this cheesecake!) Our server, I didn’t catch his name, was fantastic. All of his recommendations were a spot on and his service was perfect as well. The ambience is darling. The restaurant was busy and simply cute and quaint. Highly recommend this place! It would make a great date night! ”
“ Second visit. You will likely wait and it’s worth waiting for. The half orders of pasta dishes are perfect for sampling with a group. If you’re indecisive like me, choose two. Excellent food. Between two visits we ordered six different pasta dishes and the most amazing stuffed trout I’ve ever had. Nettles ravioli stands out as the creative. Service is informative and attentive. Excellent vibe. Exceptional food. ”