Marco & Luca

Reviews

• Becca M.

  star star star star star 21 July 2026

  Delicious little gem in the downtown walking mall. Their food is amazing and I've never brought someone here who hasn't left happy. There food is made to order and clearly handmade.
  
  The people who work there are kind and happy to help with explaining the menu and offering suggestions. I'm not huge on sauce and their dipping sauce for their dumplings is AMAZING (and I don't say that lightly)! It's small and affordable and a great place to get your dumpling fix. I have tried most of their menu and my absolute favorite is their fried dumplings. I could sit there and eat them all day except then I may not be able to fit through the door frame.

• Bobby S.

  star star star star star 5 July 2026

  Dumplings... simple and perfect.
  
  Every time our family is in C'ville, we make sure that we come and get the dumplings here...
  
  The inside sitting area is tiny so you will want to come at off hours. But even then, you'll find a bunch of people inside and waiting for take out... always!
  
  The most amazing part of the dumplings is the sauce! Absolutely the best sauce for dumplings.
  
  The crisp fried skin and the consistent taste and flavor of the inner meat, noodles and vegetables...
  
  If you haven't tried it... then you haven't truly lived... haha just kidding... but no... really!

• Connie L.

  star star star star star_border 3 July 2026

  I stopped by here for dinner on a Wednesday evening shortly after 6 PM in May 2019, while working in Charlottesville. This little restaurant was very conveniently located in the downtown mall area, around many other restaurants, cafés, and shops. My dinner at Marco & Luca was definitely one of the cheapest meals I had all week, but the portions were generous and filling.
  
  I ordered the fried dumplings and the classic jianbing (vegetarian option). I suspected I would like the dumplings, since I tend to favor fried dumplings over boiled or steamed dumplings to begin with. These were definitely tasty and addictive, especially when covered in that sweet sauce. They were also very crispy, and had been freshly fried up after I'd placed my order.
  
  I wasn't sure what to expect from the jianbing as I wasn't even sure what it was when I ordered it. However, I really enjoyed it; it was a crepe-like pancake wrapped around some Chinese fried noodle/donuts and stuffed with veggies. The jianbing was also served with a sweet-tasting sauce. It was a bit hard to eat, especially since it was served in a styrofoam box that my knife would sometimes cut into. But for less than $6, it was a ton of food, and I was glad I didn't order more than the dumplings and the jianbing, even though I'd been considering it.
  
  The food was very tasty and I'll definitely be back. I'd love to try some of the other things on the menu, including the noodles, but I'd definitely get those dumplings again. The ambiance is very chill and casual, and on the no-frills side. There's free water if you're dining in and don't feel like buying a beverage. It seems they serve everything in disposable boxes even if you dine in, which is probably very convenient but doesn't seem very eco-friendly.

• James M.

  star star star star star_border 1 July 2026

  Great location on the downtown mall for a quick snack or dinner. My wife and I have gone here several times for either a cheeky order of dumplings or a pork bun to go and sometimes for a full dinner. The menu is pretty basic, which I find great, it really helps me hone in what I'm ordering on the fly. I tend to go for their chicken curry combo which comes with a pork bun, dumplings and a drink. Great value for money at around 10 bucks for the combo. All options are light on the wallet but heavy on the yummmmm factor.

• Tiffany H.

  star star star star star 1 July 2026

  This fried dumpling place in Charlottesville is well-known even at VCU in Richmond. They have very few items on their menu, but their most known for their pork, leek, and ginger fried dumplings with Marco Luca soy sauce and hot sauce.  The dumplings are crispy, moist, and delicious. The dumplings are bite-size, so I wish they were bigger. For 6 dumplings, it costs $4. I also tried the cold sesame noodles with cucumbers. It was good and refreshing, but the peanut sauce at the bottom can get overpowering.
  
  I usually order some dumplings to-go to eat for dinner or bring back home for friends. The dumplings are still good after awhile, just ask for the sauce to be on the side! However, I wish they gave you more to-go sauce. If you ask for sauce on the side, it only comes in a small plastic container. Otherwise, they would drizzle more soy sauce and hot sauce on top. It's just preference because I don't want my dumplings to get soggy after sitting in sauce for awhile.