Luce

Name: Luce
Address: 1 Shepard St, Cambridge, MA, United States, 02138
Telephone: (617) 714-5295
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.4

4.4

792 Reviews

$30 and under

Italian

Innovative
Romantic
Neighbourhood gem

LUCE is a family-owned neighborhood restaurant offering timeless, regional Italian dishes in a cozy, comfortable dining room and bar. Our kitchen turns out an array of starters, pizzas, and handmade pastas that emphasize seasonal and local vegetables. There are always a few dishes that showcase New England meats and seafood.

Owner Rene Becker curates a list of Italian and other European wines that compliment the regional and seasonal food. All wines on the regular list are available by the half bottle and in many cases by the quartino, or quarter bottle. The wine list also includes well-aged bottles of Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello, and Burgundy. The Luce bartenders make consistently delicious, classic cocktails and manage a great list of amari and grappa.

LUCE is named for René and Cynthia Becker's daughter, Lucie, who is nicknamed Luce (pronounced loose). Luce in Italian (pronounced loo-chay) means "light". We like both pronunciations. Join us at Luce Tuesday thru Saturday.

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Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Italian, Contemporary American
Hours of Operation
Tue–Sat 5:30 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(617) 714-5295
Website
http://www.lucecambridge.com/
Payment Options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive Chef
Kunal Datta
Private party facilities
Contact events@lucecambridge.com for more information.

Location
1 Shepard St, Cambridge, MA 02138
Neighbourhood
Cambridge
Cross Street
Massachusetts Avenue
Parking details
Street Parking
Additional
Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Fava Bean PureeUS$11.00
spicy greens, olive oil, Hi-Rise rye bread
Antipasti MistiUS$14.00
marinated olives, salami, prosciutto, arugula + parmigiano
Luce ArtichokesUS$12.00
fried baby, grilled globes, lemon aioli, herbs
Celery + Tuna ConservaUS$15.00
cannellini beans, shaved fennel, lemon vinaigrette
Chicory SaladUS$14.00
apples, candied walnuts, gorgonzola dolce, balsamico
Chilled Lobster SaladUS$18.00
preserved lemon salmoriglio, beet+watercress, HR cracker

Pizza

MushroomUS$18.00
taleggio, oregano, thyme, tomato sauce
Fried CalamariUS$18.00
pickled peppers, watercress, tomato sauce
PancettaUS$18.00
marinated artichokes, rosemary, ricotta, tomato sauce

Pasta

OrecchietteUS$18.00
cacio e pepe, broccoli rabe, pecorino
Lemon LinguineUS$19.00
littleneck clams, roasted fennel, calabrian chili
TagliatelleUS$19.00
duck bolognese, parmigiano
Ricotta GnocchiUS$21.00
braised lamb, tomato+onion sugo, anchovy crumb
Spelt FarfalleUS$21.00
italian sausage, braised apple, rosemary+sage
RisottoUS$19.00
leeks + pancetta, mushroom stock, aged balsamico

Cena Per Tutti

Cena Per Tutti
A multi-course family-style meal of our current favorites. For the whole table only
- per personUS$65.00
- Wine PairingUS$35.00

For the Table

Grilled Head-On Shrimp
Cabrian chili aioli
- 5ea ForUS$17.00
Oven-Roasted Meatballs SicilianoUS$18.00
pine nuts + golden raisins, marinara sauce, Hi-Rise semolina bread
Whole Grilled Sea BassUS$32.00
yellow-eyed beans, basil salsa verde, cipollini onions
Grilled Prime NY Strip
grilled little gem lettuce, fried artichokes, anchovy dressing, parm
- 6oz ForUS$29.00
- 12oz ForUS$45.00
Roasted CauliflowerUS$9.00
yogurt sauce, parsley
Brussel SproutsUS$10.00
almond pesto, bread crumbs

What 792 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

4.4

4.4 based on all time ratings

4.4Food
4.4Service
4.2Ambience
3.9Value

Noise • Moderate

792 Reviews

KC
KathleenC
VIP
Greater Boston
70 reviews
3.0
70 reviews
Dined on August 8, 2019
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
pizza was terribly soggy. heavy with cheese and sauce.
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JD
JoanneD
VIP
Greater Boston
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on August 6, 2019
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Amazing - it’s so unusual that every single item that every person at the table orders is absolutely delicious!
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j
jeffh
Greater Boston
44 reviews
5.0
44 reviews
Dined on August 3, 2019
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Service was very good. Menu is inspired. Love the champagne and fries. This is one of the better places in Cambridge, underappreciated.
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DJ
DJones
VIP
Portland
19 reviews
5.0
19 reviews
Dined on August 1, 2019
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Perfect experience. Very low key environment w incredible food that you can get in half portions. Great European vibe.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Greater Boston
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on July 26, 2019
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Excellent food and drinks!
Is this helpful?
AM
AnnieM
Greater Boston
13 reviews
4.0
13 reviews
Dined on July 24, 2019
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
The food and menu selection were good. They were a little heavy on the sauces for my taste. Dressing /sauce on burrata salad and artichoke appetizer overwhelmed the delicate deliciousness of the main ingredients. Overall service and atmosphere is nice. Wish the windows onto Shepherd Street opened. Sitting at the bar was pleasant- more sense of a place/ personality than the dining room.
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I
Ishanya
Greater Boston
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on July 20, 2019
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Wonderful menu! We love this Shepherd replacement. All dishes were very good to excellent with the exception of the ricotta gnocchi with lamb- too oily for me. I have to remember that lamb can be greasy. Wine is a bit pricey. Otherwise, we loved the menu, food, service- GREAT!!
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LL
LaurenceL
Greater Boston
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on July 20, 2019
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The food is imaginative and of high quality. Refreshing! I hope that there will be shifts of the menu from time to time, because it is not a long list and I would like to dine regularly there with some variety.
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H
Hulk
Greater Boston
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on July 13, 2019
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great vibe, yummy fun food!
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CA
CA222
VIP
San Francisco
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on July 12, 2019
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
Starters and drinks were excellent. I thought my pasta was only okay, but there were lots of things that sounded good so I will definitely be going back!
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FAQs

Luce is rated 4.4 stars by 792 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Not available on OpenTable

Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable booking network. To check availability, please contact them directly.

Is this your restaurant?

Claim this listing

1 Shepard St, Cambridge, MA 02138

Additional information

Cross Street
Massachusetts Avenue
Neighbourhood
Cambridge
Hours of Operation
Tue–Sat 5:30 pm–10:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Italian, Contemporary American
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Street Parking
Payment Options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Executive Chef
Kunal Datta
Additional
Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.lucecambridge.com/
Phone number
(617) 714-5295
Private party facilities
Contact events@lucecambridge.com for more information.

Luce

Not available on OpenTable

There’s more to explore

Additional information

Menu

No1

Fava Bean PureeUS$11.00

Antipasti MistiUS$14.00

Luce ArtichokesUS$12.00

Celery + Tuna ConservaUS$15.00

Chicory SaladUS$14.00

Chilled Lobster SaladUS$18.00

Pizza

MushroomUS$18.00

Fried CalamariUS$18.00

PancettaUS$18.00

Pasta

OrecchietteUS$18.00

Lemon LinguineUS$19.00

TagliatelleUS$19.00

Ricotta GnocchiUS$21.00

Spelt FarfalleUS$21.00

RisottoUS$19.00

Cena Per Tutti

Cena Per Tutti

For the Table

Grilled Head-On Shrimp

Oven-Roasted Meatballs SicilianoUS$18.00

Whole Grilled Sea BassUS$32.00

Grilled Prime NY Strip

Roasted CauliflowerUS$9.00

Brussel SproutsUS$10.00

What 792 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

FAQs

How is Luce restaurant rated?

Is Luce currently accepting reservations?

Not available on OpenTable

Additional information