DeLuca's Restaurant in Lansing, Michigan is a Slice of Italy

Deluca's Italian Restaurant is a family owned establishment that's been serving Lansing, Michigan for nearly fifty years. Opened in 1960, by Pat DeLuca and his cousin, Jim Coscarelli, DeLuca's was formerly known as the Willow Bar.

DeLuca's three sons now run the restaurant that is located on Lansing's northwest side at 2006 West Willow. You can stop in any day and see family and long time staff hard at work.

The atmosphere is warm and inviting, feeling just like a family dining room with dark wood tables and booths. Complimented by dim lighting from various hanging lights. The cream colored walls are adorned with European inspired paintings. Along with the friendly staff, diners feel right at home.

DeLuca's menu starts off with soups, including the Homemade Meatball Soup, served daily. If diners are lucky they'll stop by on a day when the soup of the day is Italian Wedding soup, which includes a delicious combination of spinach, and Italian sausage.

After soup, DeLuca's offers a variety of appetizers such as Antipasto, Pepperocini and Calamari Rings. They also offer breadsticks smothered in garlic butter or cheese and garlic butter. Breadsticks come served with a choice of ranch or marinara but for the best taste is diners should dip them into the remaining garlic butter sauce left behind on the plate.

For the main course, a variety of pasta dishes are offered. Spaghetti, Mostaccoli or Fettuccine are served al dente or baked with the diner's choice of meat sauce, tomato sauce or butter and Romano cheese.

The entrée choices also include three different types of Veal Parmesan, along with Chicken, Shrimp or Eggplant Parmesan. The DeLuca's menu also has classic dishes such as several variations of Manicotti, Lasagna and Ravioli. There's also Fettuccine DeLuca, served with butter, mushrooms, and mozzarella cheese.

Yet, even with all of DeLuca's fantastic Italian dishes, their variety of soups, salads, appetizers and dinner meals that include steak and shrimp, what makes DeLuca's most famous in Lansing, Michigan, is their Pizza.

It's DeLuca's specialty. Voted best in Lansing for 14 years by Lansing City Limits Magazine and #1 in "Best of the Best' by the readers of Lansing State Journal. The menu features a list of specialty pizzas like the extra crispy crust Calabria Veggie Pizza that is served without sauce. It's topped with cheese, tomato, mushrooms, onion and green pepper.

However, nothing beats DeLuca's Classic Pizza. It's made with fresh dough and sauce that are prepared fresh every morning, and then topped with any variety of over 30 available toppings from the traditional pepperoni to more unique items such as artichokes and roast beef.

A thick crust and sweet sauce, served with oozing cheese that often makes a fork a necessity. One slice can leave a person feeling stuffed, this pizza is so rich and fulfilling.

Even with so many pizza combinations to choose from the DeLuca's menu still includes a variety of Calzones, Sandwiches and Kids Meals.

Diners can compliment their meal with one of the nine house wines available by the glass, ½ liter or liter, including Merlot and Lambrusco, which go excellent with red sauce Italian dishes.

The drink menu also includes 22 bottles of wine, 7 beers on draft and 26 bottle beers to chose from, such as local Michigan brews, Bell's Oberon and Bell's Amber Ale.

As if diners won't be stuffed at this point, DeLuca's also have a desert menu that includes, ice cream, cakes and homemade Canolis, an Italian delicacy.

With so much food to choose from, diners swarm to DeLuca's, which can mean a bit of a wait, especially on weekend nights. It's a one of a kind place and the family intends to keep that way so that they can ensure the quality of their business, by keeping a close eye on it. Even though the wait can be long, DeLuca's tries to make the delay as easy as possible with a cozy bar that seats eight and a lobby filled with tables, chairs, and a television. And if the Michigan weather permits, the outside is well kept and has a speaker system so diners can enjoy the spacious fresh air while waiting for their number to be called.

Aside from the potential wait, there isn't much to gripe about. The parking lot is a bit cramped and fresh mushrooms would be a nice addition. Also, DeLuca's is closed on Sundays, leaving one less day of the week to enjoy their fabulous food.

However, these minor flaws are easy to endure thanks to the cleanliness, friendly service, and spectacular, homemade Italian food of DeLuca's Italian Restaurant.