ristorazione — Lucca · Toscana
In the walled heart of Lucca, a short walk from the house where Giacomo Puccini was born, Via San Paolino holds an address the city knows by heart: Osteria Rusticanella 2, now Il Trippaio di Lucca, where humble Tuscan cooking has never stopped having a character of its own.
The entrance at Via San Paolino 32 is one of those doorways that in Lucca get passed on by word of mouth: known to those who work in the workshops of the old town, sought out by tourists just stepped out of Puccini's birthplace. The place opened in 1960 under Signor Onorato, who had come from Naples, and its reputation for tordelli lucchesi (Lucca-style stuffed pasta) stayed alive in the city for decades.
The dining room fills at midday with craftsmen and workers from the historic centre, and in the afternoon with young people and passing visitors: the osteria keeps continuous hours from Wednesday to Sunday, eleven to eleven, with no breaks. The lunch menu is prized for a quality-to-price ratio that local regulars consider hard to beat.
At the stove since 2006, Luca Nelli has made trippa (tripe) and lampredotto the heart of the menu, alongside tordelli lucchesi, farro soup and bistecca alla fiorentina. The dishes come from a kitchen recognised by Vetrina Toscana for its use of DOP, DOCG and IGT products from the territory: certified raw materials, recipes with no shortcuts.
In the full page, the seasonal menu with all the dishes of Lucca tradition, up-to-date opening hours and how to reach Via San Paolino 32 in the walled heart of Lucca.
