This Ocean Highway eatery operates under the motto “Simple, Fresh, Italian,” offering a menu of traditional Old World Cuisine in a fine-dining setting.
The culinary team stays busy every day, making virtually every ingredient in-house and selecting only the freshest seafood and meats for the dishes. And everyone knows that a great Italian meal is incomplete without an equally tasty glass of wine to complement the rich flavors, a detail that is not lost on the accommodating waitstaff.
The list of Starters is short and to the point, touching all of the necessary bases with standards like Calamari and Mozzarella Caprese, as well as Seared Scallops with bacon-wilted arugula and bean puree, and Stuffed Eggplant with basil pesto, fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, and roasted red pepper.
Salads include a House, Caesar (with or without anchovies), and an Arugula and Fried Gorgonzola with red onion and lemon vinaigrette, and each can be made into a bigger meal with the addition of Chicken, Shrimp, Scallops, or the Fish of the Day.
Like most Italian menus, the entrée options are divided by protein, with Chicken and Veal options including Piccata (lemon, white wine, capers), Marsala (mushrooms, wine), Francese (egg-battered, lemon, white wine), and Sorrentino (eggplant, prosciutto, mozzarella, mushroom marinara), each paired with house-made linguini.
Shrimp and Scallop offerings include Scampi, Fra Diavolo, and Marinara, and several other shellfish options like Linguini in Red or White Clam Sauce, and Seafood Pescatori (mussels, shrimp, calamari, and scallops in marinara) are also worth considering.
For Pasta Specialties, check out the Penne Puttaneesca (anchovies, olives, capers, spicy marinara), Penne alla Vodka, Penne with Sausage & Broccoli Rabe, and Pappardelle & Diver Scallops. Gluten free noodles are also available, as is gluten free bread for a small fee.
The restaurant offers a couple of options for seating – clean and quaint inside, rustic and breezy outside.
Indoor tables are draped with crisp white linens, and daily specials are written in chalk on a wall just in case you weren’t paying attention when your server went over them.
The al fresco seating is a little more casual, nestled into a patch of trees with firewood stacked neatly around a fireplace just in case the temperature drops during your meal.
Piccolo is also popular among locals and visitors, giving the place a jovial vibe that every Italian restaurant strives to achieve.
