"Lucca's farm-to-table classic — Antica Locanda di Sesto rolls its pasta at the table in a 1368 valley inn, the province's most honest plate."
About Antica Locanda di Sesto
Antica Locanda di Sesto sits at Via Ludovica 1660 in the village of Sesto di Moriano, about twenty minutes north of Lucca along the Serchio valley toward the Garfagnana. There has been an inn on this site since 1368, run today by the same family, and the kitchen is recognised among Italy's Historic Restaurants. It is a roadside locanda in the truest sense — generous, unhurried and built around the family farm rather than the tourist trade.
For Lucca's other tables, compare the traditional cooking at Buca di Sant'Antonio, the modern Tuscan room Ristorante Giglio and the centro-storico dining at All'Olivo. It belongs to the province's Italian and fine-dining scene.
The Kitchen
The kitchen is built around the family's own farm and the immediate valley: Sorano beans grown a few fields away, farro from the same ground, wild boar from the Garfagnana, freshwater eel and trout from the Serchio, free-range chicken and hand-rolled pasta. The pasta — often rolled and cut live at the table — is widely held to be the best in the province, and the format is à la carte plus a daily handwritten menu of additional offerings. Pricing is honest by Lucca standards, with mains around €18 to €26, matched to a focused Tuscan wine list.
The Room
The dining rooms spread across the connected salons of the original inn — exposed beams, terracotta floors and fireplaces lit in winter — and it is easy to arrange a long table for eight to twelve. The mood is warm and family-run rather than formal, suited to a leisurely lunch after a Garfagnana drive or an unhurried group dinner. It closes on Wednesdays, and booking a week ahead is sensible for a Friday or Saturday.
Best for a Team Dinner
Long beamed salons, share-the-table pacing and farm cooking make Antica Locanda di Sesto an easy team dinner or an unhurried lunch to impress clients near Lucca. The romance of the old inn also carries a quiet anniversary.
Not for
Not for a quick city-centre bite or a fine-dining tasting menu — this is a rustic valley inn twenty minutes out of Lucca, built for a long, generous, farm-led meal.
Frequently Asked
What is Antica Locanda di Sesto known for?
It is a family-run Tuscan roadside inn in the Serchio valley north of Lucca, on the same site since 1368 and recognised as an Italian Historic Restaurant, known for hand-rolled pasta and produce from the family farm.
What should I order?
The hand-rolled pasta — often cut at the table — is the draw, alongside Sorano beans, farro, wild boar from the Garfagnana and freshwater eel and trout from the Serchio.
How much does it cost?
Pricing is honest by Lucca standards, with mains around €18 to €26, matched to a focused Tuscan wine list.
Where is Antica Locanda di Sesto located?
At Via Ludovica 1660 in Sesto di Moriano, about twenty minutes north of Lucca along the Serchio valley.
Do I need a reservation?
Yes — it closes on Wednesdays, and booking about a week ahead is sensible for a Friday or Saturday.
