Piccolo

I don’t usually write reviews, but this time I just had to.
In addition to amazing food (try the sea bass, if it’s on the menu) and a great waiter (we followed his recommendations exactly, and didn’t regret it for a moment), I was most impressed by the management. My dinner date and I went for a romantic date night, but found ourselves in the middle of a loud, rambunctious, and somewhat obnoxious group of men. Not only did they offer to reseat us, but they also more than made up for it by comping one of our dinners and giving us a gift certificate to come back and give them another shot. There are a lot of restaurants with great food, but not all have great service. Piccolo has both.

Had an absolutely fantastic meal at piccolo. It was also refreshing to see portions that were not obscene. Felt like I was on Abbot Kinney. First-​rate restaurant.

We came to this tiny restaurant for my husband’s birthday and we loved the overall experience. They have 10 – 12 tables in total (and also a back room?). The staff is very friendly and the atmosphere is intimate. We ordered almost everything on the menu that wasn’t seafood. I can’t pick a favorite, they’re all good. Like everyone else said, the plates are small so it’s better to order plenty. I liked the experience since we got to try a lot of different things. I noted that we were coming for my husband’s birthday while making the reservation. They were very nice to surprise us with desert wine (since their deserts are too tiny to put candles on them) and a birthday card that was signed by all the staff members.
My only suggestion to them would be to put some pictures on their website. I like picking restaurants based on the atmosphere and I took a bet by picking Piccolo based on the photo of their bathroom on Unilocal.It turned out excellent though, so no complaints.

It’s very much an intimate restaurant. Perfect for date night or a romantic celebration. The service was impeccable. We had reservations and were seated right away. Our server very not only very knowledgeable about the menu, but was great when I asked for recommendations. She didn’t struggle with explaining the menu and she kept it short and simple.
Each course was a delight. It was beautifully presented on the plate and each bite was so flavorful! It will be a treat each time we go back since their menu does change seasonally.

Ate here last night with 3 of my friends and we had the tasting menu, so we tried most of the menu. The last time I ate here was 2 years ago and noting has changed, that is not a compliment or a criticism.
The plating is beautiful, perhaps best in the TC. The space is nice, bathroom is very nice, parking in the area is not an issue. Service is good.
The food is very well prepared, technical skill might be top 1% in the TC.
HOWEVER, the food has no soul. It’s not compelling. None of us feel compelled to go back. It’s like the food was designed in a lab, not in an underground lab by a mad scientist, but by a corporate lab trying trying to hit all the points in a check list. They’re trying new things while also trying to play it safe, which doesn’t create big and bold flavors. Like the saying goes: Those who are afraid to take risks, have no right to sit at the top.
It’s difficult to explain, but just have the tasting menu at Icehouse or Travail then think about how the restaurants are different.
This place is La Belle Vie at a lower price point, so if that’s your thing, this place is for you. You won’t get that comment until you read my La Belle Vie review.

There’s a reason why Anthony Bourdain has raved about this little place. The food and chef Doug Flicker are #Winning. My 2 girlfriends and I had the 5 course tasting menu and everything was so well executed and beautifully plated. We had a lovely basket of bread to start and lemon infused butter. Washed that down with a bottle of rosé. We basically had everything on the menu but these were my all-​time favorites:
First course: obsessed with this golden beet soup with Meyer lemons and speck, a kind of prosciutto. This arrives with the contents in the bowl and then the ‘soup’ poured on top. The three of us devoured this in about 10.2 seconds and ordered our second bottle of wine, white this time.
Second course: scrambled eggs with pickled pigs feet. Literally jumping up and down! Ah-​mazing. Savory and moist and omg, so bloody good.
Third course: sturgeon, Guinea hen, and mackerel were all delicious. I can’t decide which one is best, so sue me!
Fourth course: milk braised veal shoulder with faro. I may have wept while eating this since the flavor was so nuanced and subtle and bam, delicious! Time for a bottle of red wine…
Final course: spruced up vanilla ice cream. I’m a sucker for simple with an essence of macadamia anything. Washed this down with port wine and a black coffee.
All in all, a real culinary experience. I’m not sure if people know, but there’s actually three tables in a back room. You get there by actually walking THROUGH the kitchen. Hi, Doug! He was there that night. My dining companions found it strange but I really loved it. You get a first-​hand behind the scenes view of the genius happening. Service was professional and exquisite. From our waiter Michael to the wait assistant, Katie, all top-​notch. We actually were chatting up all the dining patrons in the back and all of us were having so much fun! We were maybe the loud naughty table. *winks*
For all of this, there is a price. With tip this worked out to be $ 138 a head and I’d gladly pay that again in a heartbeat. Well done, Doug Flicker! I’ll be back this winter.

I can’t even form a thought. I’m still deep in my food coma from Piccolo.
First, make a reservation. This place is super tiny.
Next, do try the bread and fancy butter basket. Normally, I’m not super interested in bread baskets, but this butter was divine. Maybe, if you appear really hungry they will bring you another bread basket. :)
After eating a lot of bread, patiently wait for your multiple course meal to be brought out to you. My friend and I almost did the 5 course tasting, but instead just got a few appetizers to share and then our entrees. Next time I dine here I am doing the tasting menu! The food is phenomenal!!!
Dessert was pretty great too. I had a parsnip flan and it was really silky.
You must go here for a fancy night on the town!

This is the BEST meal I have had since I can remember. Not only was it the perfect intimate setting for our anniversary, but the staff made it even more special.
They started by bring us a glass of sparkling wine to celebrate our anniversary. Was totally unexpected.
The menu was small and interesting. They offered a tasting menu for $ 59pp and we decided on that. Over hearing a server, «it’s what we do», and it truly is what they do! My only tweak would be to have it slightly less expensive. Maybe $ 10 per plate and round out to $ 50.
My first course was an heirloom tomato dish that was delicious and refreshing. I wanted to keep eating once it was gone. My husband had the smoked pork broth which was wonderfully smoky. Great way to start the meal. Split decision on the winner.
Our second plates were a rabbit and summer truffle terrine (his) and, forgive me I can’t remember the name, but it was a cauliflower and jalapeño dish that was WONDERFUL! We both agreed that I won that round.
Third was the Cherry stone clams (him) and the poached «salt cod» (me). I am not a huge clam fan but the octopus and the beets were awesome. I loved the fish. The baguette sauce that accompanied it was a wonderful mix. The fritter cut the salt nicely. Another spilt decision.
Last savory dishes were, Peterson Farms Coulotte of beef (him) and the suckling pig. Let’s just say we could have had 10 each of these. They were both amazing. The meats were cooked perfectly and what came with them only added to the richness. LOVED THEM.
For dessert we ordered the Parsnip Panna cotta (me) and the Epoisses «cheese cake». Also got a coffee. The coffee was perfect. Rich with the perfect bitterness. I think we both liked the Panna cotta the most. The Epoisses was way more savory than we were expecting. Almost like a blue cheese cheese cake. The sour beer gel was awesome! I think I liked it more than him. The Panna cotta was a very nice salty sweet balance.
They ended the night but giving us a happy anniversary card signed by the staff. It was an unexpected bonus that will make us come back again and again. Please, please, please go eat at Piccolo!

Underseasoned, underwhelming, overall a miss.
Don’t waste your time and money. No thanks!

The food was overall good.
First course: Sweet corn custard with uni– excellent, the lardo was a clear nugget of goodness. Tuna crudo was solid but not extraordinary
Second course: The best overall course. The hearts of palm with sausage was flavorful and delicious. I used the bread to get every drop in. My husband ordered the scrambled eggs with brown butter which were also excellent
Course three: Spanish octopus was salty and only okay. The artic char itself was good but the sauce was so so.
Fourth course: Grilled leg of lab was flavorful and tender. The veal was the worst dish of the night. It was so tough that my knife barely cut through it. I would have thought it would be have been impossible to get veal that tough.
Fifth

Cute little place hidden in a residential neighborhood. I had the tasting menu. I highly recommend doing the tasting menu.
I had…
Sea urchin on corn bread
Razor clam ravioli
Arctic char
Wagyu tongue
Strawberry shortcake
Arctic char was ok. I wish I tried the octopus! It was fishy.
Otherwise, presentation, service was great.

Piccolo is a five star restaurant and not just «good for the area». The food is on par with the kind of experience you would expect at any other major metropolitan city.
The dishes were perfectly balanced and I didn’t have a single dish that I thought was overdone or lacking in taste.
The restaurant itself is located in a neighborhood area, much like a lot of restaurants and bars in Minneapolis (which I thought was interesting, being a visitor). The vibe is relaxing yet still has an upscale feeling.
Here is a short tid bit on every dish we had, though their menu changes with the season.
1. Chilled hearts of palm and yogurt soup with razor clams: This was delightful. It was refreshing and perfect. I am usually not one for cold soups but this one definitely has me wishing the bowl was larger.
2. Veal tartare with sun chokes: The veal was heavenly. Super tender and great flavors.
3. Foie gras tart with confit of duck heart: This was not gamey at all. The duck heart had me slightly worried, but the flavor was spot on.
4. Sole with sea urchin: The fish was juicy and the uni, while small, was a perfect cherry on top.
5. Moulard duck breast with pâté: I am not one for pâté on normal occasions but the duck breast and pâté went together exceptionally well.
6. New york strip with fennel: once again the meat was perfectly cooked and I wish I had more of this dish.
The desserts are also not to be missed. My favorite of the day was the rhubarb and fennel pie with fennel jam.
And… No… Anthony Bourdain is never wrong. He even autographed a book/​picture in the bathroom!

One of the most impeccable dining experiences.
Piccolo is a small unassuming restaurant in a residential area in MN. It was my first top on the tour of Minneapolis.
A five course meal will run you $ 56 per person. First thing is, I couldn’t help but think this is so reasonable for the quality, and how this place would probably be booked for months had it been San Francisco. Second, for a frame of reference, I am a small lady and four courses left me full. My companion, a normal sized man, had five courses and he as just ok full. Individual portions are very small.
The individual plates are not only delicious, but amazing to look at. They change up their menu often so my review may be obsolete by the time you go. My favorite of the whole meal was a chilled yogurt soup with clams. It was so unique, delicious, and refreshing. I have the Petrale sole with sea urchin, cauliflower, trumpet mushrooms, and cucumbers for part 1 of the entrée, which was an amazing balance of flavors. I thought the sea urchin would be the star, but every other ingredient shined though. The mushrooms were actually my favorite! For part 2 of my entrée I had the Rabbit roulade with hearts of palm, nasturtiums, ramps, and rabbit liver dumplings. Very interesting and well cooked rabbit.
The only thing that didn’t light stars in my eyes was surprisingly the scrambled brown eggs. Maybe it’s because there was so much hype around it, but I didn’t find it life changing. It was good. Not Amazing.
Overall, Piccolo is doing things that is interesting, but also most importantly for me, balanced in flavors. Nothing was too rich, too heavy on one flavor, or too seasoned. If there is something rich on the plate, there is something fresh to balance it out. I really appreciated the meticulous presentation of it all.
And lastly, the bathroom is amazing! :D

I was so overwhelmed, I forgot to take pictures! Well, a good excuse to come back!
It was overall a great experience. The place was packed the first time we tried it and so this time we got an early seating at 6PM on a Sunday and it was perfect — we were the first one at the place! So we got a good seat by the window and had a leisurely dinner.
I at least got a picture of the menu and we did the tasting option and that was well worth it. Our server was also helpful in explaining the options so we got a chance to try almost everything on the menu — even the cheese plate!
Would recommend doing the cheese plate before the desert — it’s worth the adventure if you have the space in your tummy. The presentation of the food was very nice, the taste was even better, and the ambiance was casual that you can be relaxed while eating a nice meal.
Having a carafe of wine enabled us to try a white wine with our first 3 courses and then a red for our meat, cheese, and desert courses. It’s a good value than getting it by the glass.
Enjoy!

Very small, classy restaurant in a very unassuming neighborhood. My friend and I had the tasting menu. Started off with the veal tartare which was pretty tasty. Then I had the scrambled eggs with pickled pig’s feet, which was delicious! The sea urchin in the petrale sole was fresh and tasty and the cauliflower was tasty for being cauliflower. The rabbit roulade had a nice taste and texture. The ramp went really well with the rabbit and was flavored very well. Rabbit liver dumplings was the best part of the dish. Vinegar sorbet was definitely different. It had a strong taste, very vinegary but since it’s a sorbet there was also a sweet tarty flavor. it went very nicely with everything else in the dish. While nice, probably won’t get the vinegar sorbet again… a little too weird for me!

Excellent wines, fascinating food and expert staff.
The main seating area is small and intimate, denoting that this place chooses quality over quantity. The wine we had selected is from a sister region of Chateauneuf Du Pape and complemented every single dish we ordered. Definitely do the tasting menu, as many dishes as you think you can handle! My fiancé and I were not disappointed… Rather, we were inspired and purely delighted! Quality on every single dish… No exceptions, no compromises.

What is there left to say about Piccolo? The food and plating is exquisite, the service is phenomenally paced while still being personable, and the atmosphere is cozy and comforting, yet upscale. I finally made it here for Valentine’s Day after placing reservations three months in advance (they were pretty close to booked at that time already). I was expecting some of the best food I’ve ever had, and Piccolo did not disappoint. In order of service:
1. Roasted carrots with foie gras and golden raisin purée, smoked Idiazabal cheese and duck fat powder
2. Scrambled brown eggs with pickled pig’s feet, truffle butter, and parmigiano-​reggiano (I think I would probably have this as my last meal before I die)
3. Skate wing with brown butter, bonito, smoked yoghurt and nasturtium
4. Berkshire pork short rib with salsify, apple butter and black trumpet mushroom crumble
5. Espresso mousse cannoli with coffee ice cream, aerated chocolate and hay cream
I also tried some of my date’s gnocchi with baby octopus and the free range chicken dish. All of the dishes were on another level of foodie cuisine only reserved for the most special of restaurants/​chefs.
I could never give this place anything less than five stars, but one thing to note — their «special» Valentine’s Day menu is a condensed version of their regular menu (2 choices per round instead of 3), with the only change being the dessert portion… for $ 9 more per person than usual. This miffed me a little bit (why am I paying more for less options when nothing else on the menu has changed?), but not enough to bring my rating down. Go any day besides a holiday, and enjoy one of the greatest food experiences you’ll ever have anywhere.

***Piccolo is a neighborhood restaurant, but it is also an exquisite fine dining restaurant serving beautifully presented, creative and delicious cuisine***
Piccolo is located in a small town neighborhood outside of Downtown Minneapolis. Piccolo feels like a neighborhood restaurant walking up to it. It is on the corner of a street where they are only a few businesses. Steps away are residential houses. And once inside, the restaurant is incredibly cozy. The restaurant has a nice, elegant, clean, and contemporary look and there are only a few tables and thus a small staff servicing guests here.
Piccolo is not a neighborhood café or bistro serving popular entrees, salads and sandwiches though. It is a fine dining restaurant that offers build-​your-​own tasting menus featuring beautifully presented courses that showcase high quality and nontraditional ingredients like sweetbreads, duck gizzards and octopus.
Despite the fine dining courses and the tasting menus offered here, prices are very reasonable. It is one of the least expensive 5-​course tasting menus I have ever had and there is no sacrifice in quality as the skillfully prepared, delicious, rustic but also refined cuisine reminded me of Portland’s (Oregon) Beast, Chicago’s Senza and Maryland’s Volt – some of the best restaurants in the country.
I started with their foie gras mousse, which was creamy and rich. The savory foie gras was complemented nicely by sweet carrots in different textures like a sweet carrot gelee as well as roasted and then chilled carrots. There was also a salty note delivered by thinly shaved and smooth Idiazabal cheese.
Next up was squid ink ravioli filled with ground octopus. While I wish the octopus would have been served less minced so that the flavor and texture of the octopus could have come across more, I really enjoyed the texture of the pasta – a nice chew (great color too). The octopus ravioli was served with very good clams and crispy fried olives.
The next course was my favorite plate of the night. It was a young chicken course where the kitchen skillfully prepared different cuts of the chicken in delicious and exciting ways. The breast was served with the skin on and it was the best kind of seared chicken where the skin was salty and nicely crispy while the meat was soft and very moist.
The chicken thigh was served as kind of a sausage, which was then wrapped in chicken skin. The dark meat, of course, had a richer flavor than the chicken breast and it was a great bonus to have the crispy skin here, which is usually reserved for the chicken breast in restaurants.
The final cut of the chicken was the liver, which was served as a creamy, strong and savory mousse that was perfectly balanced by a topping of sweet red wine gelee.
For my main course, I had a moist and tender lamb loin that was served with soft and savory lentils, crispy lamb bacon and pickled cippolini onions. It was a satisfying meat course though it did not reach the highs of the chicken course.
My dessert course, like all of the savory courses, was very nicely presented. Unfortunately, it was not quite sweet enough. The sweet potato custard had a great creamy texture, but it was slightly bland. It was nice to have a warm fall spiced doughnut, but it was too small. It was mostly just crispy and did not have the soft cake texture on the inside to balance it out.
The garnishes of crisp and tart apples and a really good, dense and smooth black walnut ice cream were great additions to the dessert. I did not like the pie crust streusel, which was a pastry element without a sweet flavor or an inviting texture.
Service was excellent as the staff was very personable, professional and polite and the courses came out at a quick and even pace.
As mentioned, prices were very reasonable. The quality, preparation and variety of food would easily compete with excellent fine dining restaurants that I have been to across the country that charge nearly twice as much. Portions are small, but I think most customers will be satisfied with the variety of proteins, vegetables and fruits served here in one sitting.
Piccolo is an exceptional restaurant. It manages to be both a casual and approachable neighborhood restaurant as well as an innovative, exciting and sophisticated fine dining establishment. With its unassuming setting and reasonable prices, Piccolo is the kind of restaurant that surprises and delights and may have you immediately desiring a return visit after your first dinner here.
Free street parking is available.

I’ll start off by making sure I’m clear that I have not eaten here. I probably never will as I now have no desire to try this pretentious restaurant. This review is just based on my five minute conversation regarding my reservation for New Years Eve.
I made my reservation over 1 month ago since I’ve been dying to try Piccolos, and I wanted a dining time around 7pm. I received a call today to confirm my reservation. The message left said I had 24 hours to call back otherwise my reservation was cancelled. I called back, busy. I tried 10 minutes later, busy. 10 minutes later, busy. 10 minutes later, busy. I feel panicked.
When I finally got through the gentlemen on the phone said he needed a credit card to hold the reservation. I asked why, he said it’s $ 25 per person if we don’t show up. I’ve never not shown up, way to trust your customer, Piccolo. This is annoying coupled with the threat to cancel my reservation if I didn’t call back. What is this? A dental office where wasted appointments could affect someone else’s need for medical attention? Geez Louise.
As I get my credit card info he tells me the only option available is a prix fixe 5 course menu for $ 65. I ask isn’t it about $ 55 on a regular day for the 5 course? His response was well it’s normally $ 56, but it’s New Years Eve so it’s a different menu. I ask, doesn’t the prix fixe menu change often anyhow? Well yes he responds, but it’s New Years Eve.
I cancelled my reservation. I was thinking I’ll just go on a regular day. However, I’ll pass altogether. They don’t trust their customer so they threaten to cancel your reservation if you don’t call back, or charge your credit card if something happens and you can’t show up. Then basically try to get as much money out of you because it’s a holiday.
I’ve looked at plenty of other restaurants with great reviews offering more value for your money on New Years Eve. Making reservations at Piccolos was a waste of time.

Wow. This place blew me away.
My husband called ahead to let them know that we would like to celebrate our 1 year anniversary here. They created us with a congratulations and welcome when we came in. Felt like they rolled out the red carpet to our 2 top table by the window… I chose the booth side. Very comfy.
To start they gave us complimentary champaign to congratulate us.
We had the 5 course meal… Forgive me for I cannot remember the names of the items but I did take pictures! I started off with a soup that Gerry and the people next to us loved! It was delicious!
The next few courses went by at a perfectly times pace with each one making us more and more excited for the next! I had the steak/​he had the partridge. He thinks he won at each meal item… But I liked the steak. The steak wasn’t the winner though. It was the perfectly cooked kale.
After the fourth course, the next was desert. You all know I love me some sugar. They offered a cheese tray while we finished our wine and before the final course…
Wow! SAY YES TO THE CHEESE TRAY!
The apple butter, pomegranate molasses, and nuts that were to top the three types of cheeses were delightful.
The desert was a flavored cream and chocolate mouse.
To end the evening they gave us a hand written thank you/​congratulations card. It was so awesome.
I do recommend it.