Really? Decided to try this place as a result of the overwhelming number of good reviews all over the various foodie sites. Although the place was packed out, we should have realised it was a mistake before we even sat down when we noted that there wasn't a single diner there that looked even remotely European. Always a bad omen if you're offering Mediterranean cuisine, and not one diner there looks Mediterranean. Ordered Spaghetti Al Vongole for both myself and my wife, with a bottle of S. Pellegrino for the tidy sum of $43.40. Not bad, considering the Spaghetti was poor quality packet pasta you can get in any supermarket, and the tomato sauce was poured out of a caterer's tin, before it may have spent no more than a few minutes in a pot to warm it up. My dish was served almost as a soup, with the pasta swimming around in a watery red concoction. After questioning the consistency of the sauce, the dish was returned to me, with most of the watery sauce obviously drained from the very same serving. Ok, let's try anyway. Wow .. two or three mouthfuls, and we knew. Yep, a worse dish, I doubt we've ever had!!! Did they slow cook the sauce to infuse true Italian flavours? Not likely. Have they heard of seasoning the sauce? Don't think so. Do they realise garlic, olive oil, and other fresh herbs are used generously when cooking down Italian red sauces? No, none of the authentic flavours you'd expect in even a poorly executed Italian sauce were present, and this, from a venue located smack bang in the Central Adelaide market? Hmmm .. if bland needs a new definition, we'd describe it as Lucia's Spaghetti Al Vongole, which brings me to the vongole themselves. The meat inside these delicate gifts from the Gods hadn't been respected and as a result, had been overcooked to the point where you'd have found more tenderness in chewing through a piece of rubber. It was also obvious that the pasta hadn't been fried off for a few minutes after boiling it, with the sauce, vongole, wine, additional garlic, herbs, and olive oil being tossed through it. Even my 10 year old nephew knows you'd do this when preparing an Italian pasta dish which involves seafood and light red sauce with it. We ended up leaving without having eaten more than two or three mouthfuls each, and when we contacted them later in the day to see if they were open to refunding us for the experience, we must say that they weren't very accomodating. They are very lucky that they are in an incredible location for foot traffic, as we doubt very much that they would be successful anywhere else. We ended up driving to Henley Beach and had a wonderful meal at our favourite Mediterranean eartery there where we spent almost three times as much for food which is consistently flavoursome, and simply boarish. As a final word, if you're Italian yourself, don't bother with Lucia's, as you'll be bitterly disappointed.

Lucia's hasn't changed its menu in awhile, and that's just the way I like it. I recently had the tuna salad here - a departure for me, as I am obsessed with their pasta. However, they do an amazing salad!

I think this is one of the best italian restaurants in Adelaide, and whilst the menu hasn't changed, there are still new discoveries to be made at this beautiful restaurant.

This place is almost perfect.

Another reviewer has mentioned that they think Lucia's could do with a makeover, and I understand what they mean, it is a bit aged, but that is what I love about it!

There's a tradition of little italian places that don't try too hard with the decor, but just serve up real, authentic home style cooking. Lucia's belongs to this tradition. The coffee machine is spiffy and churns out a mean brew but the tables are straight from the 70s, cute formica, and the paint and decorations are similarly aged.

THE FOOD! It's really plain, tasty, heartwarming, cheering. You can get a spaghetti bolognaise or the gnocchi with napolitana sauce comes with delicious ricotta. The ravioli, is of course, brilliant.

Perfect for lunch with girlfriends, and great for the budget conscious too.

this place is packed everytime i go there. cant always get a table thats how good the food is. the food is traditional. ive never found a place that is so traditional not in adelaide. If im in the city i have to to lucias.

Approximate cost: $ 14.oo

Great products!! Bottled pasta sauces, fresh pastas, dressings and my absolute favourite - balsamic glaze.

Yum, yum,yum! All of their produce is delicious. They have their own label too. I would recommend their olive oil and sticky balsamic glaze

as it is situated in the Central market this is a convenient place to go for anyone after a long shopping.good food and great service

Great little restaurant in the central market, with fantastic atmosphere. You may have to wait a little while to get a table, but it's worth it. Great cheap night out.

Approximate cost: $10

They make the best coffee in Adelaide! And I love the gourmet shop alongside the cafe - the staff are always friendly and helpful - especially Tom :-)

Tasty food at great prices. Great variety and range of drinks. Conveniently situated in The Adelaide Central Market. Well worth another visit. Great work keep it up.

Approximate cost: $15.00