Lucia’s Italian Restaurant…One of a Kind

     Something rare and wonderful happened in Newport Rhode Island the other day; we lunched in a privately owned and operated restaurant. In a popular tourist area such as Newport, there are a growing number of chain and restaurant groups to choose from. As this number increases there seems to be less and less owner/operated options.  Consequently, we are gradually being deprived of the pleasure of dining in a restaurant where the owner is attentively watching over the dining room or better still, in the kitchen impressing us with his or her culinary skills. Hence, my delight in discovering Lucia Tacchi’s Italian restaurant and pizzeria in Newport Rhode Island.

     This moderately priced restaurant lived up to all of my expectations for warm and friendly service, plus an assortment of mouthwatering fare. Their lunch menu includes Croissant agli Spinaci, a jumbo croissant stuffed with mushrooms and creamed spinach laced with tangy, grated parmesan cheese or Croissant al Pollo e Pesto, a croissant filled with tender slices of chicken, fresh mozzarella cheese and a succulent pesto sauce, topped with mixed greens, to name just two of the sandwiches.  Pasta lovers, such as yours truly, will not be disappointed with Lucia’s offerings of Spaghetti alla Carbonara, spaghetti tossed in a rich blend of eggs, Pancetta (Italian bacon), cream and Parmesan cheese, one of my favorites, or Farfalle al Ragu' Bolognese, bow-tie pasta covered with the quintessential hearty, northern Italian meat sauce. Other lunch items include large and small pizzas with an assortment of tasty topping combinations, plus salads, an antipasto with cured meats and cheeses and more Italian favorites to choose from.  Their dinner menu also includes ravioli, tagliatelle and penne and other types of pasta with flavor rich sauces plus a wide range of delicious chicken and veal offerings.

     Linda’s lunch, a crispy, thin crusted pizza, topped with a generous helping of fresh-made tomato sauce, rich mozzarella cheese and thin slices of fresh cut eggplant was perfectly prepared. My dish of penne rigata pasta tossed in a savory combination of thick tomato sauce, chunks of slightly piquant ground sausage meat and tender morsels of green pepper titillated my palate with a wonderful array of taste sensations.  Adding to our luncheon repast was a pleasant, medium dry rosé from Provence that I selected from their moderately priced wine menu.  Linda concluded her lunch with one of their house-made desserts; to quote her it was scrumptious! Unfortunately neither one of us can remember the dessert’s name but the memory of the creamy mélange, similar to tiramisu in taste but richer in texture and the hints of hazelnut and cocoa flavors still linger.    

     In a world of formulated restaurant sameness, Lucia Tacchi’s Italian restaurant and pizzeria is a welcomed refuge from the humdrum, homogenized offerings of most group and chain restaurants —plus delicious food and the personal attention of the owner herself, Lucia Tacchi.

Lucia Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria

186B-190B Thames Street

Newport, RI 02840

401.846.4477

401.847.6355

www.luciarestaurant.com