Luci Ancora is an Italian Restaurant in the Highland neighborhood that has garnered quite a reputation for its excellent food and service. Located on 2060 Randolph Avenue, it has become a staple Italian Restaurant in the area where locals love to eat regularly.

Luci Ancora was opened in 1988 by the Smith family. The story of their family and in coming years the restaurant began all the way back in the 1960’s when Al and Lucille Smith had become newlyweds and were eager to travel the world. When the opportunity to live abroad came to them, they were ecstatic, and chose to pack their things and move all the way to Naples Italy. The Smiths spent their time in Naples in the neighborhood of Via Petrarca. Al and Lucille Smith stayed in Naples for eleven years learning about the cultural food that was so important to the locals there. When the Smiths came back to the United States, they were now a family with six children ready to share the culture of Italian food with Americans. They settled in St. Paul eventually opened their own restaurant in 1988, becoming the neighborhood Icon many know it as today.

Generally Luci Ancora has a really cute and authentic atmosphere to it. Items from Italy are spread around the restaurant and give a cool mix of Italian American culture. The space is pretty average-sized for a restaurant, so it does not feel overwhelming or too small when entering the establishment.

The food at Luci Ancora is very delicious and a great example of how good Italian cuisine can be when done correctly. The menu is basic and has all the Italian essentials, a section for appetizers, pastas, salads, and desserts. The appetizers, salads, and desserts were pretty good, but what really was amazing were the pastas. The Fettuccine, in particular, was amazing. For drinks there is nothing too special, just the classic Coke products, and a large amount of Italian wine to choose from.

The Prices at Luci Ancora are yet another reason to check out the restaurant. Everything is reasonably priced for a sit-down Italian restaurant. The pastas range from $15-30, salads start around 10 dollars, and desserts are even cheaper. Drinks do vary heavily in price, but are comparable to other restaurants. Coke products will be very cheap, but some Italian wine can be incredibly expensive.

Check out Luci Ancora for an authentic Italian experience with delicious food at reasonable prices.