Guests of Ask For Luigi may be surprised to learn the bustling Italian eatery does not take reservations. Situated on a quiet Railtown corner, the quaint restaurant known for producing delicious handmade pasta, among other things, seats customers as they arrive — and that’s that.
“We could be booked for months in advance, with no room on the waitlist, but that’s not for us,” says general manager Matthew Morgenstern. Instead, those eager for a table must arrive promptly at 5:30 pm. “Or else they wait at home, or have a drink nearby, and we send a text when it’s ready,” says Matthew, alluding to the cherished tradition of a mother calling her children for dinner.
When combined with family-style dishes and an eclectic interior – which includes just 32 seats at near-touching tables, and hanging jungle-like plants – such an unfussy dining experience may transport diners to the intimate kitchen of a loved one, or friend-of-a-friend. “We want our customers to feel as if they’ve wandered the streets of Italy and into someone’s home. As in, ‘go there, and ask for Luigi’,” says Matthew.
house-made bread & e.v.o.o. (V)
crispy polenta & taleggio cheese (V)
octopus carpaccio
bocconcini fritti (V)
anchovies & eggs
fried cauliflower & aioli (V)
roasted fennel, arugula, & radicchio salad
bison tartar & tuna aioli bruschetta
bone marrow & escargot
chef’s salad’ Brussels, pork belly, sweetbreads & agro dolce
Luigi’s meatballs
tagliatelle, chicken liver ragu & sage
spaghetti, ling cod ‘bolognese’ & clams
fusilli, artichoke & rabbit ragu
ricotta ravioli, fried eggplant, olive & tomato sauce (V)
pappardelle & duck ragu
saffron risotto, lamb sausage & peas
gluten free pasta made in house available upon request
panna cotta
olive oil cake
chocolate budino
family-style sharing encouraged (V)- Vegetarian
house-made bread & e.v.o.o. (V)
roasted rapini & stracciatella cheese
crispy polenta & taleggio cheese (V)
anchovies & eggs
bocconcini fritti (V)
fried cauliflower & aioli (V)
brussels & crispy pork belly agro dolce
arugula, radicchio & goat cheese salad (V)
fusilli, lamb sausage, chickpeas & olives
bucatini all’amatriciana
gnocchi, peas & whipped ricotta - (V)
spaghetti, anchovy, garlic, chilies & breadcrumbs
risotto, herb & mushrooms (V)
rigatoni & bolognese
gluten free pasta available upon request
panna cotta
olive oil cake
chocolate budino
family-style sharing encouraged (V)- Vegetarian
la prima colazione
house-made bread with jam & taleggio cheese
stracciatella & bottarga
two poached eggs with ricotta stuffed eggplant and tomato sauce
pork belly with a fried egg, salsa verde & creamy polenta
zucchini frittata with roasted tomato and goat cheese
waffles with apples, hazelnuts & tiramisu crema
monte cristo sandwich with prosciutto & soft boiled eggs
tagliatelle alla carbonara & poached egg
pappardelle alla bolognese & fried egg
chicken parmigiana & egg
egg
fingerling potatoes cooked in duck fat
bocconcini fritti
creamy polenta and parmesan
Fried Brussels argo dolce
pork belly
panna cotta
olive oil cake
chocolate budino
cocktails
spritz
mimosa
bicicletta
Luigi’s house selection on tap
beer
prosecco
white
red
Coffee
espresso
americano
macchiato
cappuccino
latte
DRINKS
WHITE WINE,RED WINE,LUIGI’S HOUSE SELECTION
1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0 |
I can cook all that pasta at home in 25 min. totally absurd overhyped restaurant what is by accident on list ....that here is a little mini pasta restaurant where nothing else besides the pasta taste good...appy and desserts are really bad , the wine list a joke .... ...in italy you have 10.000 pasta restaurants way better
Hate the wait but love the food. If you come at 10pm on a Saturday still a 10 minutes wait. I have been here a couple of times before and always excellent. The meatballs in tomato sauce just amazing. We had the zucchini and rabbit pasta dishes and both so good. Cooked just al dente, good amount of flavour and just enough coating of sauce. Very good selection of by glass or bottle wines.
Think your friends might be familiar with this business? Ask your friends on Facebook to see what they think.
Be sure to arrive early to this quaint Railtown trattoria, which does not take reservations but offers seats on a first come, first served basis. Put your phone number on the list and head to nearby Crab Park for a stroll; like your mother when you were young, your server will call you when your table’s ready. Handmade pasta is king here, and is served in a variety of ways including linguine with simple tomato sauce or stuffed with Italian cheese and the best in local meats.
View this Smart ListProsecco on tap? Yes, please. This Italian eatery has been wining over critics’ hearts and palates since it opened on a cozy Railtown corner back in 2013. The food menu features fresh, house-made pasta, antipasti and dessert, with plenty of vegetarian and gluten-free options. Thirsty? The drinks menu highlights the Italian tradition of the aperitivo and the post-meal grappa, plus a tightly edited wine list and house red and white on tap.
View this Smart ListThis intimate trattoria is a cozy place to gather for a filling and flavourful Italian meal. Order a serving of Luigi's signature meatballs – served family-style – and watch the meaty morsels quickly disappear. These all-beef Sicilian meatballs are just like Nona used to make – provided she was an accomplished chef who ground her own beef and turned it into melt-in-your-mouth, medium-rare balls of perfection.
View this Smart List