Piccolo Cafe

Awesome little Italian spot with great food! The only downside is the wait time and long lines, which only proves this place is good!

I met up with a friend here for a quick after-​work dinner this past week, and I ended up selecting Piccolo mainly due to location, as well as a lack of other Italian restaurants in the immediate vicinity (it was cold out, so I had little interest in walking even a few blocks away). It definitely has more of a takeout vibe to it, but there are plenty of tightly-​packed seats to sit down at and eat in-​house as well. The display isn’t great — the mushroom soup definitely looked amiss — but with pretty standard pasta options, there’s little left to the imagination. While the gentleman at the front was nice enough, he wasn’t really paying attention; he brought the entirely wrong soup out (minestrone instead of mushroom).
We ended up doing the post-​5 PM combo (which the menu fails to inform you does not apply to the lobster dish — surprise), which meant we got 2 entrees for $ 16 — pretty solid. The minestrone, from the looks of it, did not seem that attractive — hardly any liquid in the so-​called soup, and it definitely looked more like a pile of soggy veggies. I went with the fettuccine with bolognese sauce, and it was very average. The pasta was soggy and definitely a bit overdone, and the sauce itself did not stand out with any kind of flavor.
In short, while we did get filled up at a decent price, I would almost certainly try somewhere else in this part of town next time I eat dinner in this neighborhood. Average food with below-​average service — one can do better.

Love this tiny quaint italian café/​restaurant… Always had a great meal whether its lunch break at work or a dinner with my girlfriend. Pasta is just like i have when i visit Italy, like they say, the key to great food is fresh ingredients. I absolutely love pasta carbonara & bolognese. Melts in your mouth, just as good as any top italian restaurant in the city… Taste just like my aunts pasta in Italy.
For lunch i always have the signature avocado-​shrimp salad, awesome light, & great tasting. Usually i finish my meals with a nice espresso to wind down, fun place, feels like im at a small café in Italy, especially with the cool Italian pop songs on the radio. Yummy! Oh yea the Italian guy who works in the afternoon is very funny & treats us with great friendly service

This place simply has the best sandwiches. Their latte is also amazing. The desserts are from outside I believe and aren’t up to par with what that make.
The veggie signature is one of my favorites but I think you will probably do well with anything from what I’ve experienced.

They’re slow so order ahead!
The food is great, it’s a perfect lunch option amongst the restaurant chains that take up midtown.
Coffee is awesome too.
The reason I knock off a star — the service had super long nails and weren’t wearing gloves. They were handling food and then people’s cash, etc. and it was a bit appalling considering germs etc. can easily get under long nails.

Very small café with limited seating and no bathroom on Madison. For $ 10, you can get almost anything on the menu. The pasta looks awesome. I had the #2 panini, which consists of bufala mozzarella, basil, tomato, and gaeta olives. It was very good. I like that it came with a small side salad of mixed greens and balsamic reduction. This place is a good option for a fresher meal on the go that won’t break the bank. They serve a limited selection of beer and wine as well as coffee and espresso.

Great local spot. Latte was one of the best I’ve had
Lots of good breakfast sandos
Mixed Berry crumble was delish

Beware: a truffle omelette is actually eggs with a spread of disgusting truffle mousse and not fresh truffles. Inedible. Good hot chocolate but I wish they served it topped with whipped cream instead of a bunch of foam. My son enjoyed his croissant. When they say piccolo, they mean it… this place is tiny!

Food did not live up to reviews. I had Pesto Pasta. No taste and very heavy.
I had cheese cake. That was good
I would come back

This café is the perfect spot to grab lunch and catchup with your friends especially since it’s by my apt and next to my two girlfriends’ workplaces. :)
I ordered the fettuccine w bolognese sauce because I wasn’t in the mood for a sandwich or a salad and decided number one on the menu is number one for a reason. Considering the different pastas they serve, my order was made quickly. What surprised me though was that the pasta tasted fresh texturally, if you know what I mean. I would believe it if they happened to make their own pasta because it tasted just that. The sauce didn’t hit the spot though; I was expecting a more meaty flavored sauce.
My friend ordered the shrimp and avocado salad and she seemed to enjoy it. Both of us were stuffed. I also tried the iced latte and it was decent. I’d come here again but to try something else.

Nice coffee. Great breakfast sandwiches and simple pastries
Enjoyed the spicy salami egg sandwich.

Update from my last review.
Haven’t seen the waitress that screwed up my order for a while now.
Recommend:
— Lasagna alla Bolognese — looks bad but tastes really really good
— Truffle Omelette — eggs are nice and fluffy
— Panini — I pretty much loved all their panini’s so can’t recommend a specific one.

Food is always so good, fresh, made to order and the quality is always top notch. Great bread on snadwhiches and the soup of the day every time ive been there has been perfect! Great atmosphere and for sure a lil diamond in the rough for midtown get away lunch spots! Always nice staff and enjoyable visit, Grazie

Not a bad take-​out choice around the hell that is Port Authority. My $ 9 veggie lasagna was surprisingly full of butternut squash, potatoes, cheese, and balsamic– different from what I was expecting, but pretty tasty nonetheless. A good spot to grab-​and-​go if you’re bus-​bound.

Chose this place because:
1. It was close to the Empire State Building, which we had just visited.
2. It had carbs (ran the Brooklyn Half Marathon the day after)
The food: Alright. I got the gnocchi. It was all red, no greens, another mistake I made. I should’ve asked to add at least some vegetables. However, no complaints. I got the carbs that I needed.
The service: The one employee in the café took our orders and brought our food to us when it was ready. She was nice.
The facility: Small and adorable. It’s a good place to eat without the hustle and bustle of lots of people. We were among the two or three small parties dining in.
Payment: I paid in cash, so I can’t speak to if they take American Express or not.
Overall: I’d recommend it if you want carbs!

Ordered delivery for lunch today.
I ordered the penne vodka with bacon. But what bacon? There was probably a total of half a slice of bacon, in the greasy sauce. Disappointing.
We also got the spaghetti with meatballs. We asked for penne, which was written on the receipt but it came with spaghetti. The pasta was overcooked and the meatballs were undercooked.
Both dishes were way under par.
We called back to let them know about the spaghetti since it was inedible. The delivery guy came with the food and said «tip only.» It was awkward and uncomfortable but we tipped him anyways.
Overall, would not recommend. However, the girl who answers the phone was very nice and patient, which is why I am giving 2 stars instead of 1.

SOOOOO delish! Came here for lunch during the work week. I’ve been eyeing this place for lunch ever since I had their breakfast sandwich on a croissant a while back. I heard their pastas were great, but since I’m on a health kick, ordered the lobster salad.
Best. Ever.
They were SUPER generous with the amount of lobster meat they gave me. All for the reasonable price of $ 12! The lobster tasted fresh, juicy, and the dressing was light yet flavorful. Can’t wait to try something else off the menu next time!
P. S. Ricotta cheesecake was like a slice of heaven.

This place is super cute. Love the interior and display case. They show the pastries and food options up at the register. So you know exactly what you are getting.
I got veggie panini, side of potato wedges and nutella tart.
Panini was good. Super messy. The eggplant and squash had a lot of water left in it (which usually happens when veggies aren’t salted). So healthier, but then veggie water juiced out of it. I don’t mind. At least I know its healthier. The goat cheese spread was really good.
Potatoes were good. Side of potatoes and side salad came in a cup which was kind of cute.
The nutella tart. just tasted like a ready tart with some nutella in it. but its good if you just want a small bite of sweet.

Absolutely amazing. Ever since my friend took me to the Gramercy location, I am now officially a Piccolo devotee. It’s definitely a whole-​in-​the wall place. Not many wooden tables, and there is only a little space between tables. Also, I was kind of shocked that I would have to get up and get your own silverware and napkins, even though the restaurant isn’t truly take-​out style, and the food is plated.
Overall, the food is AMAZING. Authentic italian, with the freshest mozzarella I’ve had in a while, not served at a super high end restaurant. I ordered the caprese panini, and added grilled chicken for an extra $ 2. It came with a side salad and was TO DIE FOR. However, I warn you, do not store the food over-​night. I tried to eat Piccolo left-​overs and they were not very good. Enjoy it while it is fresh.

I give them credit for adding a rustic Italian lunch options in the Murray Hill area. However, not sure if I give them credit for the execution of the concept:
— I was apparently waiting in the wrong counter to order. There was no one in front of me and none of the waitstaffs offered to help or take my order.
— it took me 15+ minute to get my truffle egg sandwich
Their breakfast sandwich comes with free regular coffee (they mistakenly made me an iced coffee which I gladly accepted on this 85 °F day). I took my sandwich and coffee to go. Maybe it was because I didn’t eat it right then and there but it didn’t wow me at all. I think I prefer the good old egg sandwich from the truck guy downstairs. Yes the truffle spread is quite yummy but I don’t think it warrants the $ 9 price tag. Portion size is average so at least you’ll be full.
Overall I think it maybe a good place to sit down so you can enjoy their ambiance and watch people come in and out but I don’t see this as a regular lunch option considering the wait time. They do have the lunch card, buy 5 get one free sandwich kind of deal. Eh, not sure if I’ll ever get to my free one.