Luce is a perfect little Italian restaurant on East Burnside, known for their housemade pasta, simple and bright salads, $2 antipasti and a thorough wine list. Why we love it: The servers are total pros at recommending the right dish or glass, and no matter how busy it gets ( very) they keep their warm, gracious attitude. The food itself is comforting yet light and fresh (opt for cappelletti in brodo when you’re under the weather, or a fennel, celery and dill salad on a hot afternoon).

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Candlelit shelves stretch from the floor clear to the ceiling, inviting a treasure hunt for imported foods and Italian wine finds, available to drink on-site for a corkage fee. At tiny oak tables, an understated menu kicks off with a carnival of $2 antipasti bites begging for impromptu table parties and ends with double-decker sponge cake billowing pastry cream and pistachios. In between come a fine stuffed trout, a dandy dish of spaghetti and clams, and the best bowl of soup to be found: cappelletti in brodo (stuffed pasta in broth).

Food at this second restaurant from the owners of Navarre aims to be simple straightforward and good, from the golden, bell-shaped arancini to the rosemary-scented hangar steak. As we learned on a pair of recent visits, that maxim holds true for the pasta, which you can often see drying on racks in the kitchen. And with half portions at true half prices, Luce might be the best deal on quality Italian noodles in town.

For no-nonsense Italian food including house-made pastas, be sure to check out Portland’s adored Luce. Their beautiful space is the perfect setting for a delicious Italian meal. The cute and cozy ambiance is enhanced by the fact that this restaurant is also a local grocery store for Italian goods, so you can take some treats home with you.

The tiny Italian counterpart to Navarre, Luce is part mini-specialty foods shop, part café. Originally conceived as an addition to an event space, Luce has about a dozen tables that dot a black-and-white-checkered floor. Order from a short menu of simple, but refined Italian dishes and/or a long list of antipasti all priced at $2 each.

website | Instagram | neighborhood: Kerns, NE Portland ( get directions) |cuisine: Italian | dinner only. Luce is a teeny tiny Italian restaurant that also has some larder items to go. They don’t take reservations unless it’s Valentine’s Day, so your best bet is to get there right at open or be ok grabbing a drink while you wait.

This is a small Italian market in the Buckman neighborhood filled with large shelves of authentic imported goods and fine wines, large windows and tons of vibrant green plants. Eating here feels like you’ve stumbled into a closely guarded secret. But the secret is out and they don’t take reservations.

Luce’s dining room is small and it doesn’t take reservations, but the Italian food at this low-key spot is well worth any wait you might run into. The restaurant also features a great wine list and a charming shop of Italian foodstuffs like olive oil. Address: 2140 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214

Luce is a popular restaurant located at 2140 E Burnside St in Portland, Oregon. Known for its vibrant atmosphere, Luce offers a menu that focuses on seasonal ingredients and creative dishes. The restaurant operates on a first-come, first-served basis and is open daily from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM.

A post shared by Luce (@luceportland) on Oct 5, 2019 at 9:44am PDT. This low-key and very cute Italian joint serves up some of the best pasta and antipasti in the city. Our personal favorite is their Agnolotti with butter and parmesan.

In 2014, I randomly parked in front of Luce when I was meeting a friend at a coffee shop. I decided to go in for a quick lunch and ended up loving my meal. Since that initial visit, I’ve come back and I’m still a huge fan.

Luce’s bright and simple décor reflects their take on Italian cuisine – unassuming, fresh, and absolutely divine. Choose something from the ample wine list to accompany your pasta. Just don’t forget to share.

I love the design of the space from the tile floors to the wood shelving. It looks like a cafe you would see in Europe!