Ristorante Da Marco

Nestled in its own private wood with a view over the city of Lucca, this welcoming Lucchese restaurant has a lot to offer those looking for a relaxed, yet special wedding meal.

Your guests are greeted on a large covered balcony that overlooks the Lucca valley with Prosecco based drinks and white wine cocktails and a long buffet spread of freshly made bite sized Italian antipasti (appetizers). Some of my favorites on offer include: cheese and tomato stuffed fried dough, mushroom covered polenta squares, gorgonzola cheese soufflés, and grilled fresh vegetables in local olive oil and fresh herbs.

After cocktails and appetizers, you can either adjourn for dinner to their covered outdoor patio, surrounded by a green wood, fragrant roses and purple hydrangea. Or, in cooler weather, there is an elegantly decorated large upper room that can seat up to 100 people. Smaller parties can use the first floor room with a large wood fireplace and dark wood bar as there dinner room. Dinner is delicious, with chef Marco's modern interpretation of traditional Lucchese dishes. In addition, the restaurant even has its own pastry chef who creates the wedding cake just hours before serving it. I've tasted it on several occasions, and I have to say that, unlike a lot of wedding cakes, this one actually gets eaten because it is so fresh, light and creamy.

Some additional benefits of this venue are the fact that it is so secluded that you can dance until late in the evening, a rarity here in Tuscany. Also, the chef speaks English, and although Lucchese, has lived abroad for many years, so he understands the special needs of a foreign clientele. He easily caters to wedding parties with vegetarian, coeliac, or other special dietary needs guests. Finally, beer lovers need no longer fear a Tuscan wedding, chef Marco has added beer on tap to his bar!