After nearly a decade in business, Mike and Kari Jacobs closed their charming Olmsted Falls wine bar Olde Wine Cellar earlier this summer. Captivated by the location, Luca Sema quickly snatched up the historic property in the heart of town. After a few weeks of interior work, the chef opened the doors to Vino di Luca at 7932 Main St., in mid-July, joining Sema’s other establishment, Luca West in Westlake.
The elegant wine bar features a small bar and dining room ringed by a large retail wine selection. A small kitchen and chef’s table are located just steps from the front door. All told, the eatery seats 42 guests indoors and plenty more on front and rear patios.
To go with the wines, Sema has crafted a concise menu of small plates and pastas.
“They’re small plates but the portions are large enough to make a meal out of them,” says Kelley Gatchell, operations manager.
There is an antipasti platter, caprese salad, smoked salmon crostini, tomato bruschetta, and meatballs with sauce. A handful of pasta plates include penne with vodka cream sauce, gnocchi with spicy tomato sauce, orecchiette with shrimp, and ricotta-stuffed beggar’s purses with truffle cream sauce.
An expansive wine selection offers wines by the glass and bottles at retail when priced $25 and over. Bottles under that threshold come with a $10 corkage fee.
“We stuck with our roots, so it’s heavily Italian, but we also have American, French, Argentinian and others,” adds Gatchell.
Vino di Luca also opens the doors from noon to 4 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday for retail wine sales.
The wine bar is open dinner-only Tuesday through Saturday evenings.
For more updates about Cleveland, sign up for our Cleveland Magazine Daily newsletter, delivered to your inbox six times a week.
Cleveland Magazine is also available in print, publishing 12 times a year with immersive features, helpful guides and beautiful photography and design.
