If you’re looking for an authentic Italian restaurant in Davao City, try visiting Il Giardino di Luciano. A quaint garden resto located in HQ Compound, Gemini Street, Doña Vicenta, Davao City.
It is led by Italian Chef Cesare Brescia, and if that sounds familiar to you, it’s because you may have heard of him from Cesare Ristorante Italiano, his previous restaurant in Damosa Gateway, Angliongto Avenue.
This new restaurant ‘s main dining area offers an al fresco experience in a garden setting, while the indoor dining area provides a cozy and intimate ambiance.
Cesare’s Commitment to Sharing the Italian Cuisine
Cesare is a friendly character, committed to sharing his culture and food to Davao City. Since he moved to Davao from Italy back in year, he has been preparing Italian Favorites reminiscent of his home town in Roma.
He first opened a gelato shop in Torres back in 2013, and closed the shop to open Cesare Ristorante Italiano back in 2020.
His new restaurant offers more versatility, with a wider variety of dishes, adding brick-oven pizza to the menu.
Al Fresco or Under the Moon
Il Giardino offers 2 dining options: Outdoor Garden and Indoor. They also have rooms for private dining and small functions.
Il Giardino di Luciano Garden
I personally prefer dining in the garden. It is Il Giardino after all. However, it’s great to have options especially on rainy nights.
Il Giardino Indoor Dining
Yes, even when you’re indoor, you have a perfect view of the full moon, which means you can literally dine under the moon, even when indoors!
Authentic Italian Food in Davao
Of course, here’s the part you’re waiting for… The food options. There is no doubt, they choose to use fresh and authentic ingredients for their food. And you have tried many Italian restaurants in Davao city for sure, but only a few have that real authentic taste.
They have a wide variety of options so let me present them in groups.
Brick-oven Pizza
If you’re going to visit them, you should NOT miss the chance of trying their pizza. Best sellers are Arugula Prosciutto and for the spice lovers, Seven Devil Pizza.
Kiddie favorites are Salami Picante and Quattro Formagi.
Don’t throw away the pizza edges, they’re yummy and fluffy!
Authentic Italian Pasta
Their pasta is best described with this video. It’s not easy to find a restaurant in Davao that makes their pasta from scratch! Staying true to being an authentic Italian restaurant in Davao, they have pasta selections made with hand-made pasta!
There are other must-try pastas too like their Pasta ala Zozzona and house special, Ala Luciano.
Main Course
The meal is just starting! Of course, you can choose among the different selections from their main course. Don’t get intimated by their looks, one of them could be your favorite real soon! Price ranges from 480 and above, so there’s still room for desert!
Fresh Big Burrata
This deserves a special mention in the end, because this is the only restaurant in Davao that serves fresh Burrata, airlifted from Italy! Sure, you’ve tried a Burrata before, but not like this! This has never gone through freezing, which means it has maintained all the creamy Stracciatella goodness inside!
By the way, this isn’t available all the time, so if they tell you it’s available, order right away.
Dine at Il Giardino di Luciano
Il Giardino di Luciano is open every day, except on Tuesdays. They open at 4pm and close at 11pm, which is an extra bonus because they can accommodate late dinners.
You can find them on Google maps or waze, just search for Il Giardino di Luciano or HQ Compound.
They have free parking and wifi, so another plus.
Be sure to book ahead and reserve your table by calling them, or messaging their Facebook page.
Jessica is the Obi Wan Kenobi to businesses who want to harness the Force online. She is a Digital Marketing veteran, and one of the virtual assistant pioneers in Davao City. She uses her 12 years of experience in the business process outsourcing industry to empower other small business and organizations through online marketing.
She is the co-owner and the Operations Director of Coffeebot Solutions, a Davao-based digital marketing agency that helps businesses grow online.
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