Ask For Luigi

Guests of Ask For Luigi may be surprised to learn the bustling Italian eatery does not take reservations. Situated on a quiet Railtown corner, the quaint restaurant known for producing delicious handmade pasta, among other things, seats customers as they arrive — and that’s that.

“We could be booked for months in advance, with no room on the waitlist, but that’s not for us,” says general manager Matthew Morgenstern. Instead, those eager for a table must arrive promptly at 5:30 pm. “Or else they wait at home, or have a drink nearby, and we send a text when it’s ready,” says Matthew, alluding to the cherished tradition of a mother calling her children for dinner.

When combined with family-style dishes and an eclectic interior – which includes just 32 seats at near-touching tables, and hanging jungle-like plants – such an unfussy dining experience may transport diners to the intimate kitchen of a loved one, or friend-of-a-friend. “We want our customers to feel as if they’ve wandered the streets of Italy and into someone’s home. As in, ‘go there, and ask for Luigi’,” says Matthew.