QUICK-FIRE SUMMARY
Vibe Check
Italian charm and vibrance with Irish hospitality – a true melding of cultures in a unique Dublin space.
Cost For Eats
€126
Cost For Booze
€74.80
Booze-Free Options?
Yes! The Taormina non-alcoholic cocktail was magnificent.
Vegetarian Options?
Yes, but not many. The Rigatoni Nduja can be made sans nduja for veggies – chat with your server for options.
Highlight Dish
Tams – The Asparagus and pickled garlic starter. Absolutely stunning.
Richie – The profiterole. You will be doing yourself an injustice if you don’t save room for dessert.
This spot is great for…
This is the definition of trussed-up casual. Osteria Lucio is perfect for dates, group catch-ups, celebrations or a place to go when you are looking for something special that won’t decimate the bank balance.
If you want to book a table head to…
Where you’ll find them
The Malting Tower, Grand Canal Quay, Clanwilliam Terrace, Dublin 2, D02 DW90
DISH THE DETAILS…
Visitors to Ireland share stories of charm, graciousness and an ingrained inability to take ourselves too seriously. And if you’ve ever spent time in Italy, you’ll have experienced their passion, energy and food that embraces you with flavours. Tucked away in Dublin’s beating heart, Osteria Lucio is a unification of these cultural experiences. The latest venture of renowned Chapter One chef, Ross Lewis; Osteria Lucio is a wonderful blending of worlds.
The restaurant promises Irish hospitality with an Italian spirit, and this is precisely the experience diners get. The staff are charming, engaging and friendly; without ever letting their expertise and professionalism slip. Which is just as well, because if you have a query about an ingredient you won’t be able to google it…
UNPLUGGED FROM THE WORLD
Osteria Lucio is very literally tucked away from the rest of Dublin in a building called The Malting Tower in Grand Canal Quay. The structure of the restaurant means that it is partially nested in a kind of tented dome underneath the Dart Line. Trains rumble reassuringly overhead; a reminder that the world continues to move while you take some time to slip away in delicious distraction.
Forget live streaming your meal online. Forget Googling the Italian ingredient you’ve never heard of. Forget all digital disturbances, because you won’t have phone signal. You will be ensconced in your meal and (hopefully for you) the company you are keeping. The space allows for no intrusions from the outside world and complete absorption in your dining experience.
BALANCE
As you might expect from a chef who is famously familiar with the Michelin world, the food that is served up in Osteria Lucio is wonderful. The flavours are carefully considered and perfectly balanced with heat, texture and taste; with dish sizes that leave you replete with room for dessert.
You’ll see no salt or pepper on the tables, and the only accompaniments are the olive oil & balsamic vinegar you will enjoy with your flatbread.
The ingredients are seasonal, local and carefully selected for flavour and quality. The wines are all from Italian smallholdings. The coffee-infused Negronis are stupidly good. No really. Have two.
We have no notes. We cannot wait to return.
THE ALPHABET DINNERS JOURNEY CONTINUES NEXT MONTH…
Next month we are spicing it up with the letter “P”…any guesses?!
Cheers, crew! 🥂
WANT TO FOLLOW ALONG ON OUR NIGHTS OUT?
You can follow all the craic on Instagram where I am going to be looking for recommendations, shout outs, sharing updates and who knows…maybe running a few competitions along the way. Join us here.
