Best Italian Restaurants in Happy Valley

A caveat...Nostrana adds a 22% tip to provide a living wage to employees. Great, I support this, particularly because the staff deserves it, with their exceptional service. You're notified about this when you make the reservation, so I knew. I, however, forgot to tell my husband, who paid the bill for us and another couple. The bill was very high and he thought it was higher than it should be. He looked to see if there was an automatic gratuity and didn't see one and the server didn't notify us. He tipped 24% on top of the 22%. The most expensive meal and tip we've ever had. :( The restaurant is exceptional, from the service to the negronis to the food. Everything you put in your mouth is exceptional. I loved my classic negroni. We shared the funghi and pizza margheritas. The Nostrana salad...I could eat it every day for lunch for the rest of my life. My mouth is watering thinking about it. I had the scallop appetizer, which was tiny (as notified) and lukewarm. It was the only thing I wouldn't order again. The hubs had the stuffed trout, which was divine. And of course the butterscotch dessert...you can't miss it! Our server was 8/10. She would have been 10/10 had she reminded us of the added gratuity.

The best part of this meal was its pace of service. It was perfect, which is rare. Our server provided helpful information on selecting. Each course raised our eyebrows upon first taste. Original taste experiences!

Our French waiter was amazing. Attentive to every detail, from making sure we received the right vintage wine, water glasses filled, wine glasses placed in perfect order and re-poured at the perfect time. He never interrupted our conversation yet was there when needed. We surely will return soon.

We used to go to Lucca often until we moved to Beaverton now it's more difficult to get there. We have great memories of the food and service and those still are very much a part of the experience. The service was top notch--friendly, helpful, and going beyond what was expected. The wine list seems smaller and less interesting. The cocktails were more interesting. The food was quite good but not outstanding. We enjoyed returning and will almost certainly go back again.

This is the 4th time I've visited this restaurant and it is now my favorite place to dine in Milwaukie