Picture this: a warm August evening, just a stone’s throw from the sea in Rimini. What on earth do raw mantis shrimp, stuffed with tomato, toasted bread, and lard, have in common with a mutton tartare topped with pecorino and black truffle?
I asked myself the exact same question back in the summer of 2022. That was the first time I ever tried the food at Da Lucio, and it was love at first bite.
No reviews read beforehand, no Instagram Reels, no word-of-mouth: just pure curiosity and a healthy appetite. And honestly, it was better that way.
What Jacopo Ticchi - the chef and owner born in '94 - offers is a bold culinary journey built on experimentation, technique, and sustainability. His cooking doesn’t just tell the story of the sea; it reinterprets it through a fresh lens, leaving room for the land, the rhythms of nature, and much-needed pauses.
From late July to mid-September, during the Adriatic fishing ban, the menu transforms, shifting focus primarily towards dry-aged meat, perfectly in line with the restaurant’s core philosophy. It is an act of love, allowing the fish time to reproduce. It’s a constructive, quiet protest; one that the sea desperately needs.
Ultimately, Da Lucio is so much more than just a restaurant. It’s a place where every dish tells a story, and where environmental respect is channeled into pure creativity.
Over the years, the restaurant moved locations until settling in Viale Ortigara, which feels like a genuine window onto the sea. Today, you can head there for an aperitif, or perhaps organise a special surprise by purchasing one of their gift cards.
In Rimini - a city that never sleeps, wrapped in an atmosphere that blends the '80s and the 2000s - Da Lucio is the oasis you don’t see coming. And yes, I’ll be back. Knowing that Da Lucio is now a well-established name, celebrated for its collaborations and projects tied to dry-aged fish, genuinely makes me happy. The excellence hasn’t faded one bit.
The menu changes constantly; you can opt for the tasting menu or order à la carte. The star of the show is large, locally caught fish, cooked over a charcoal grill or in a wood-fired oven. Even offal, so often dismissed, is given dignity and incredible flavour here.
Some dishes are true sensory journeys. I still remember the fish livers with chocolate, served like a piece of sweet confectionery and paired with a sip of vermouth, a little gift from the chef that tasted entirely unexpected.
A sommelier is on hand to guide you through a selection of natural wines, glass by glass, with thoughtfully curated pairings that champion independent winemakers and indigenous grape varieties. Alternatively, you can order a cocktail, whether for a pairing, a pre-dinner drink, or a digestif. The list is extensive and designed to elevate every single dish.
By now, you’ll have gathered that every detail here tells a story, of the sea, the land, and sheer passion.
If you are looking for a restaurant in Rimini where every culinary creation is the result of a conscious, never-predictable choice, Da Lucio is the place for you. It’s contemporary, sustainable, and evocative cooking. A kitchen that dares, and delivers.
I stumbled upon it almost by chance. But you? You no longer have an excuse.