Lucca Food & Wine

Food (Cibo)

Lucca's cooking, like most of Italy, maintains the substantial and flavorful character of its past.  It is distinguished by its use of local vegetables and aromatic herbs, and homemade soups like minestrone, made in the rural tradition, "alla frantoia" (of the olive mill), an outstanding vegetable soup, zuppa di farro, a thick soup made from spelt, capretto, and roasted mountain goat.  Lucca is known, too, for foods like  tortelli lucchesi with ragout sauce, served on festive and holiday occasions; pork roasted on the grill or with aromatic herbs, rabbit cacciatore with olives, chicken al mattone, fried chicken with fried vegetables and Baccala (cod) roasted with chickpeas or stewed with fresh leeks.

But Lucca's real specialty is its olio di oliva delle Colline Lucchesi (extra-virgin olive oil), one of the best olive oils in the world and a flavor that makes already delicious meals irresistible.

Wine (Vino)

Lucca has its own variety of wines like the wines of Colline di Lucchesi, The "Lucca Hills"  rosso made from Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo, and Colorino grapes and a dry, delicate bianco made from Trebbiano, Greco or Grechetto, Vermentino, and Malvasia grapes.