Cantinetta Luca has a lot going for it. It enjoys a gorgeous high-ceiling dining room and bar flanked by the big brick oven and open kitchen, bread baked in house, one of the best house charcuterie programs in the area, habit-forming handmade pastas and all sorts of authentic arancini and meatballs to go with the massive bistecca fiorentina steaks. 

Weekly readers have voted it Best Italian Restaurant and Best Restaurant in Carmel at least once each. Pointman David Fink’s managers have gone on to start other popular Carmel restaurants Il Tegamino and la Balena.