Food and wine event: an example in Lucca

An example food and wine event does not necessarily have to fill a room or have a theme written in enormous letters. In Lucca, something more precise often works better: a reserved table, bottles chosen for a reason, dishes that stay in their place, and someone who knows how to explain why that particular wine is being served that evening.

That is what we do at Tomkat. We are at Via Calderia 12, just steps from Piazza San Michele, open in the evening from Monday to Saturday, from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. We are a wine bar with a kitchen: almost 200 labels, mostly Italian and French, a concise menu, and a pantry designed also for those who want to have dinner without committing to a full tasting experience.

For us, an event is not a performance. It is a way to drink better together, with bottles you would hardly open by chance and food that does not demand more attention than the wine.

A food and wine event in Lucca, without a script

Those looking for a food and wine event in Lucca may have very different needs. Some are in town for two nights and want to drink a serious Brunello di Montalcino, perhaps after spending the day among the city walls and churches. Some live in Lucca, the Piana, or Versilia and are looking for a concrete reason to go out on a weekday. Then there are those who arrive with a very simple question: do you have Burgundy, Champagne, or old Bordeaux?

The answer depends on the table. We do not prepare identical formulas for everyone, because that would be convenient for us and uninteresting for our guests. Guided tastings can be booked and start at 20 euros. From there, we decide together: Tuscany, Piedmont, France, mature vintages, a by-the-glass selection, or a bottle around which to build the evening.

Tuscany comes first, because it is what our tables drink most. Chianti Classico, Brunello, Bolgheri, Sangiovese, and Vermentino are everyday requests. There are also bottles from small Tuscan producers, especially useful for those who want to drink something they will not easily find when they return to London, Amsterdam, or Chicago.

France is the other half of our cellar. Burgundy and Champagne are part of our identity, together with a Bordeaux Experience featuring château wines from the 1980s onward. These are not bottles placed there just to increase the numbers. We have them because they are worth opening, discussing just enough, and drinking with the right people.

A concrete example: a private tasting at Tomkat

Imagine a small group wanting to organize a private evening in Lucca. There is no need to invent a gala dinner. We start with the time, the number of people, what you want to drink, and the kind of evening you have in mind: more Tuscan, more French, more relaxed, or guided.

If the idea is Tuscany, we can explore Sangiovese in different versions. A Chianti Classico can sit alongside a Brunello di Montalcino or a Bolgheri without turning the evening into a lesson. The point is to see how style, vintage, and territory change in the glass. If the group already has a passion for older vintages, we start there instead. The cellar is updated every week, so availability matters more than a program printed months in advance.

For those who prefer France, the evening can move toward Burgundy, Champagne, or Bordeaux. Bordeaux deserves time, and often a peaceful table too. A bottle with a few decades behind it does not need special effects. It needs full glasses and people who are not in a hurry to go somewhere else.

The food accompanies; it does not compete. Focaccia y Tomate arrives at the table to be shared by hand: focaccia, Campanian tomatoes, Tuscan olive oil, and Maldon salt. It is simple and direct, and with a Tuscan white or Champagne, it does its job without any arguments.

If you want something warmer and more substantial, there is slow-cooked beef roast with chimichurri sauce and a tangy beef jus. The Pork Ribs in sweet-and-sour sauce take a different, more decisive direction. For a lighter dinner, the pantry lets you choose from cured meats, cheeses, and preserves: from Culatta di Parma to 100% Ibérico de Bellota Jamón, from Tuscan pecorino to Jura Comté. There are also Gillardeau oysters and caviar.

We do not impose textbook pairings. If you want an old Bordeaux with the beef roast, we can discuss it. If you prefer to keep the wine at the center and eat from the pantry, that works just as well. The only thing we do not do is complicate an evening that should remain enjoyable.

For those visiting Lucca

Many of our guests book on the same day. They are in town for one, two, or three evenings and want to understand where to drink well without wasting time. In that case, there is no need for an event planned weeks in advance: it is enough to know what you are looking for.

If you want Tuscany, we will have it ready for you. Brunello, Bolgheri, Sangiovese, Vermentino, and a selection of local bottles. If you want to try wines by the glass, we have several, and they change often. It is a useful option when there are two of you, you have different tastes, or you do not want to choose just one bottle.

If you are already passionate about Burgundy, Champagne, or Bordeaux, mention it when booking. We do not promise a specific vintage before checking the cellar. We do promise to look carefully, which is more useful than a generic promise.

Why come back during the week

A food and wine event does not have to be reserved for birthdays or major occasions. For those who live here, it can be a Wednesday with a bottle that is rarely available by the glass, a table of friends, and a few dishes from the pantry.

The by-the-glass offerings change often. This means it is worth coming back, but also that there is no point in arriving with a fixed idea of drinking the same label you saw six weeks earlier. Wines come in, run out, and change. That is the advantage of a list chosen bottle by bottle, rather than compiled once and left untouched.

Our list has been recognized by Star Wine List with Best Newcomer 2025 and Best Medium-Sized Wine List 2026. Wine Spectator awarded us the Best of Award of Excellence in 2025 and 2026. These awards are naturally pleasing. But at the table, they matter only up to a point. What matters more is a bottle opened properly, advice given without theatrics, and the fact that you feel like staying for another glass.

How to organize the evening

For a guided tasting or private event, book by indicating the number of people, the date, and the general idea for the evening. You can do so through OpenTable or by calling +39 376 203 5395. If you have a region, style, or particular bottle in mind, write it or mention it right away. It helps us suggest something that makes sense.

You do not need to know about wine to take part, and you do not need to pretend that you do. Just arrive curious and eager to drink a good bottle in Lucca. We will take care of the rest, calmly and without adding noise to the evening.

Pier Giulio Bendinelli