A Michelin-starred chef who leads the culinary team at Da Lorenzo – Al Giardino Segreto, known for blending Italian traditions with Japanese influences.
Insights
Local ModernItalianSeafoodSeafoodFine diningDinnerFine DiningHotel Dining
Last updated: 4/28/2026, 2:23:43 PM
Key Information
Luca's by Paulo Airaudo is a high-end dining concept located within the refined setting of La Gemma Hotel in Florence. It celebrates Florentine flavors by blending innovation with authentic, timeless Italian elegance. The restaurant pays tribute to Luca Cecchi, the patriarch of the Cecchi family.
Customer Perception
Customers generally perceive Luca's as an impressive Michelin-starred experience, praising the perfectly executed, creative, and delicious dishes, often highlighting the tasting menus. The service is frequently described as outstanding, attentive, and well-coordinated, with thoughtful and exceptionally well-paired wine selections. While most reviews are highly positive, one customer found a pasta dish with white truffle to be greasy and boring, and another reported a disappointing service experience, including issues with allergy accommodation, forgotten items, interruptions, and abrupt ending of the meal.
Additional Details
The restaurant offers multi-course tasting menus, such as a 9-course option and a menu named 'Atto I', often with additional chef's dishes. Some tables offer a view overlooking the kitchen.
Accommodates some dietary preferences, though one review noted difficulty with a simple allergy request.
Best Times to Visit
No specific peak times or ideal days to visit were mentioned in the provided information, but it is a fine dining establishment likely best suited for dinner.
An unforgettable evening at Luca’s in Hotel Gemma, and easily one of the best meals I have had in all of Italy. From the first bite to the last, every course was exquisite, marked by a sophistication and depth of flavor that lingers in memory long after.
The menu is seafood forward and beautifully composed, showcasing an expert and nuanced command of different cooking styles. The dish with Sicilian pink shrimp was a true standout, delicate and luminous, the kind of plate that reminds you why you travel for food. The pastas were extraordinary, among the most beautiful I have ever been served, and the spaghetti in particular was sublime.
Every detail carried intention. The bread with Tuscan olive oil was a quiet revelation, and a dessert finished with forty year old balsamic from Modena was simply out of this world. I was absolutely impressed with the precision of the chefs in the kitchen. Bravo.
What elevated the evening even further was the service, genuinely attentive and warm without ever feeling formal. The lovely manager Giovanni and the wonderful sommelier Jessica looked after us with such generosity and care, sending out course after course and turning a meal into an experience.
If you find yourself in Florence, do not miss Luca at Hotel Gemma. It is a rare and radiant place.
Elegant place with charming interior with main color being in deep green. Professional service.
Had Atto II menu and wine pairing from Atto I. The food was generally well made. My favourite dish was the tuna tartare topped with Oscietra caviar. What I was most impressed about, was however the wine pairing. The pairing of the taleggio filled pasta and the goat cheese flan with its wine was like magic. The dish was completely different with wine. This level of wine pairing is rare.
I thought 5 glasses wine was included in the wine pairing, but it could just have been some miscommunication. We received 4 glasses of wine, and did not feel that we lacked anything. All the food & wine went well together.
5
Luca delivered an exceptional dining experience from start to finish. The food was beautifully prepared, creative without being pretentious, and full of incredible flavor, and freshness. Every course felt thoughtfully crafted, showcasing the best of Italian cuisine with a modern touch.
The service was warm, professional, and attentive, creating a welcoming atmosphere that made the evening even more enjoyable. One of the highlights of our time in Florence and a restaurant that truly deserves its Michelin star and more!
5
Luca's is a calm and elegant haven in the otherwise bustling center of Florence. Set inside the Hotel La Gemma, this is great option in the city of rich, heavy & hearty food. Luca's holds another kind of heart.
Food is effortlessly tasty and on point. There is selfconfidence in restraint. And the cooking here trusts in its produce, and it is liberating to see how far you can go with clear belief in that.
Every dish is simple yet very very refined, as the saying goes, "perfection is reached NOT when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away". Everything on the plate has purpose.
Dishes range from fingerlicking good to restrained elegance and purity.
Truly rare to find these days. The winelist is heavy on Tuscan wines, and it should be, but given the menu is fairly light - I am looking for more wines that lean into the food. To me ,the menu screamed for a white elegant Burgundy, Puligny or Chassagne - yet there is only one Burgundy AOC white on the list. There are plenty of good options from Italy for sure, but at this level, I'm missing that option if you're into it.
Service is relaxed and the room has a soft comfy vibe.
The kithen is open which gives a connection to guests without coming in the way.
Would definitely return.
Thank you for an amazing service!
5
A fine dining Italian Restaurant with exceptional service. Please remember they only have 2 options of Tasting Menus.We made a reservation and told them, that we are vegetarian and is it possible to curate something vegetarian.. I was pleasantly surprised and impressed that they prepared a special 7 course tasting Menu having absolutely mouth watering vegetarian dishes. Perfect presentation and taste to match.I couldn't decide what was the best dish..all preparations were excellent. They deserve more than five stars.
Would go there again whenever I visit Florence.
