Osteria Lucio at The Malting Tower, Grand Canal Quay welcomes the summer with a new bespoke sun terrace, perfect for lingering over the restaurant’s signature ‘food of friendship’. The al fresco area running the length of the front of the restaurant completes the transition from the former ‘Pizza e Porchetta’ to ‘Osteria Lucio’ with some new design features, new ownership, management, and menus. In the spirit of an Osteria, the atmosphere is informal and welcoming, with a mix of seating including shared tables, and wide-ranging menus to suit almost any occasion, palate or pocket.
Inspired by the long standing friendship of Michelin starred Ross Lewis of Chapter One and renowned Italian chef Luciano Tona, ‘Osteria Lucio’ is the distillation of their shared passion for food created using the finest produce from butchers and growers across Ireland and Italy. The Osteria Lucio kitchen welcomes deliveries each day from artisan producers of cured meats as far afield as West Cork and Tuscany, vegetables from the fields of Co Louth inspired by an Italian seed catalogue, while at the bar Irish craft beers, stouts and ales sit alongside carefully selected Italian wines, a full bar offering and a concise list of Italian-influenced cocktails.
Greeting guests is new Front of House Manager Robert Scanlon. A familiar face to many from his many years in the business, Robert was most recently based at Airfield, setting up and running Overends. Previous to that, Robert worked at Pichet, Residence and Fitzers on Dawson Street.
“This is so much more than a name change,” said Ross Lewis. “The seeds were sown over many long evenings with Lucio, around a stove, table or both. When the opportunity came along to create Osteria Lucio, all that remained was the hard work! Further dishes, drinks and food inspired events and evenings are planned, but Osteria Lucio is now becoming the restaurant we envisioned, especially with a sunny spot to sit, glass in hand and a dish of something simple and delicious to share with friends.”
On the A La Carte menu, served every night from 5pm, starters are priced from €4 for cicchetti to around €10 for antipasti. Pizzas start at €14, hand rolled fresh pasta from €17, and house special mains from €19.50. The Lunch menu, served Monday to Friday from 12pm to 3pm, offers soup with grilled bread at €5, sandwiches from €8.50 and mains from €10.50. Particularly good value is offered by the Pre-Theatre Menu, served Monday to Saturday, from 5pm to 6.45pm and Sunday from 1pm to 8pm, at €40 for two starters, two mains and tea or coffee.
For a true taste of Osteria Lucio, Ross recommends, from the antipasti menu, the Salt Baked Celeriac with pancetta, walnut pesto, apple & grated egg yolk €10.95, and a current daily special, Wild Atlantic Cod “alla Mediterranean” w / potato, tomato, olives & capers …€19.50
To fully graze the menu, try the ‘Big Lucio’. Sample the breadth of Italian cuisine with the kitchen’s selection of salumi, vegetables, greens, fresh handmade pasta, meats from the grill, and of course, pizza! At €39 per person for a minimum of two people, and served family style for the entire table.
Osteria Lucio is now open for lunch from 12 to 3pm, Monday to Friday, and for dinner from 5pm on weekdays, 4pm on Saturday and 1pm on Sunday.
Osteria Lucio, The Malting Tower, Clanwilliam Terrace, Grand Canal Quay, Dublin 2, Tel: 01 662 4199, See: www.OsteriaLucio.com Email: info@osterialucio.com Twitter: @luciodublin
