Antico Caffè delle Mura
Piazzale Vittorio Emanuele II (at the south end of Via Vittorio Veneto)
Cuisines: Italian
About
Built atop the city's formidable bastions in 1860, the Old Cafe of the Walls offers the most elegant dining in town in an intimate room filled with piano music and a giant fresco of Lucca's skyline. The insalata del Caffè no. 1 is concocted of chicken, artichokes, pinoli, and shredded arugula. Papardelle al baluardo (homemade wide noodles in a sauce of vegetables, tomatoes, sausage, and a pinch of hot pepper) and the zuppa di farro (barley soup) are tempting first courses. Afterward, enjoy the light petto di anatra agli aromi (duck breast cooked in balsamic vinegar) or the bocconcini di coniglio al dragoncello (rabbit scallops scented with tarragon). The Antico Caffè has less character than La Buca di Sant'Antonio but is more refined; and though it doesn't quite revive the Belle Epoque, it at least sings it a graceful swan song.
