La Piccola Liguria Restaurant

I have never given a 5 star before. But this food was great. The service is great. I will be back.

Service = 1 Star
Food = 3 stars
Overall 2 stars.
The poor service rating is mostly related to the service from one waiter who repeatedly referred to us as «Rospo» not knowing we spoke Italian.
Rospo means TOAD in Italian and I guess this waiter finds it amusing insulting customers thinking that they don’t understand him.
We spent good money on a pricey dinner and drinks for 7 and we found it appalling that a waiter would be so disrespectful to paying customers and that management would let this transpire.

This place deserves 0 stars. Rude beyond belief! We tried to take our 8 month old out for dinner for my wife’s birthday, they turned us away and said we don’t have any high chairs. Then as we are leaving a customer walked in and the guy said we don’t need a high chair for you. We didn’t want to eat there anyway being the youngest person in there was 75. And the décor was from the 70’s looked gross anyway. Don’t waste your time!

Absolutely my favorite dining experience on Long Island. Every single aspect of your visit is perfect from beginning to end. The selections of «specials» reeled off by your seasoned professional menu guide is never-​ending, but worth paying attention to. Everything is prepared with care and given the chefs personal attention. Don’t miss the eggplant lasagna bolognese, or the Dover sole, they are exquisite.

The best Italian! :D

We are always amazed at the quality and consistency of the food served and the taste of an OLD WORLD flavor of Fine Italian Cuisine.

My mother took me here to celebrate my birthday, and I am so glad she chose this lovely place! The food was delicious, the waiters were knowledgeable, friendly, and witty, and the experience was unique! As other reviewers have mentioned, the specials list is extensive. My mother and I both ordered from it, and we were both very happy with our choices. I had the veal Milanese dish, while my mother had a pasta dish with Kobe meatballs and a black cabbage purée sauce. The veal came with a fried egg and asparagus on top — and wow, was that delicious! All components together made for the perfect bite. I finished my dish, which rarely happens! The desserts were perfection. I had a Limoncello marscapone cake, which was heavenly — light, flavorful, not too sweet. My mother had the cherry parfait, which she said was delicious. I don’t usually like to review restaurants based on my first experience, but I can tell this is just how this restaurant is. I felt like I was a guest in someone’s home, being served their homemade dishes, all done with a charm and hospitality that I have not found in many other places. I look forward to returning!

Yes, it’s dated… but that is part of the charm that makes me love this restaurant! I wouldn’t want them to change a thing.
Every single thing we had at our table was was beyond good. The food is just authentic, good quality and delicious. I was really impressed. If you’re only in to trendy type restaurants, you probably won’t like this place but if you into high quality and superb service, you will not be disappointed.
I absolutely loved the staff, the waiters were just amazing people and they knew every single thing about the extravagant specials (there are so many!).
I was reminded of how many restaurants were years ago when I dined here and it’s a shame that they have all seemed to disappear.

My family comes here once or twice a year and we like it. Great food and desserts, decent portions, good service. Not your typical Italian restaurant.

I can’t believe there are not more reviews of this place. I no longer live in NY but when I come back to visit and I am on the Island this place is one meal I never miss. Skip the menu, the long list of specials will rock you, I have never a meal that was not out of this world.
Great service and great food all served by a great staff. If you want Italian and are on Long Island’s north shore stop here, you won’t be disappointed.

Great views, great food… one of the better Italian restaurants on Long Island. A bit pricey but overall a fine dining experience. Seafood was fresh and the osso bucco was among the best I’ve ever had.
Minus 1 star for dated décor and a bit of a depressed environment. Staff was generally friendly and helpful.

Absolutely delicious! You cannot find a better Italian restaurant on Long Island. I’ve been dining here for over 10 years and each meal is better than the last. Though the décor could use updating, the restaurant is bright and the perfect size for a charming experience.

We have been going to this restaurant for years always consistantly good food and service. Very high qualty. I have taken my granddaughter there for lunch quite a few times and everyone goes out of their way to accomodate her. I would not recommend taking small children there at night, get a babysitter. There are so many specials each day that you need a pad and paper to keep track of them all
Some of our favorites are the Soft Shell Crabs, Duck, Oxtail pasta and Bronzini. The homemade Tiramisu is to die for.

Owner is Rude, thinks it’s a fine dining joint but clearly not. Il mulino prices, 1980’s décor, mediocre food. Kids Def not welcome. In fact we got an attitude on the phone about the kid when we made the reservation, «no high chairs». We bring a stroller and get another attitude from owner. Mr owner– take it easy, your place is not that great to pick and choose your customers. Parents and friends go all the time but after this episode they will not be back. My Grandmother blows this place out of the water in regards to cooking real authentic Italian food, next time I’m going the her house. One star is for outstanding valet parking service.

It’s difficult to even put into words all the many wonderful dishes and extraordinary service that you get at this finest of Italian restaurants in the NYC Metro Region. First you are seated in the asthetically divine dining room overlooking Port Washington harbor, Manhasset Bay, and Manorhaven. An amuse-​bouche arrives at the table, maybe some quiche or bruschetta, you order a nice cocktail or glass of wine and you find that you have more than one waiter – a cocktail waiter and a head waiter and captain who will recite the longest list of specials that you have ever heard recited in your life. You think, how did he remember all these wonderful dishes? And the specials at La Piccola Liguria, are special. You hear about fresh fried anchovies, oysters on the half shell, cotechino Italian sausage over a bed of lentils, lobster meat and avocado with a pink aurora sauce, a special salad of organic greens and cherry tomatoes with mozzerella cheese, and then come the pastas, more salads, soups, and entrees. Just listening to all the specials arouses a special appetite that is about to be more than fullfilled. Spinach and ricotta cheese gnochi, lobster bisque with shrimp, roast pork osso bucco with polenta, calves liver veniziana, whole branzino for one cooked in olive oil, white wine, lemon, and a touch of garlic, the list goes on and on and on each dish and presentation more appetizing and delicious than the one before it. You get your table together to order dishes so that you might each get to try out a few new things. This is a fun way to dine here. That way, you can have a salad, an apettizer, and a main dish. With a couple of glasses of wine or some cocktails plus dessert, you will run up a bill of about $ 100/​pp, but it is all well worth it. Some of the desserts are made in-​house and some are brought in from an outside bakery. We prefer the ones made in-​house as it seems that anything made here is a little more special. Some of these include pears poached in red wine, a pear tarte made with marzipan paste and topped with vanilla ice cream, semi-​freddo which is homemade ice cream made with vanilla ice cream, walnuts and chocolate chips. And they may serve you complimentary fruit and a small glass of dessert wine (moscato) at the end of the meal. Elegance, as good as it gets!

The best Italian on the Island! Can’t get enough from this amazing place. Has all the good qualities that make a place AMAZING! Great food! Lots of dishes to choose from. Friendly and professional stuff. Always a pleasure! Love, love, love this place!!!

La Piccola is known by the residents of Port Washington as «Victor’s» because the owner is personally known and loved by the regulars. This also means it can be difficult for first-​timers to get a reservation during traditionally busy hours. Try it during weeknights and I promise you will be amazed by the food. My personal favorite so far is the lobster and avocado appetizer. Seriously, amazing.

Let’s face it, there are so many choices in New York and Long Island if one wants a nice Italian restaurant. However, if you’re looking for one of the absolute best, La Piccola Liguria should be at the top of your list. The quality of the food is excellent, while the service is personable and attentive. Come by land or sea, as there is a public dock conveniently located just across the street.

Compliments to the Chef and entire staff at La Piccola Liguria. One of the best meals and food experience I’ve had recently — and of all times. (I’m surprised there aren’t more reviews here.)
From the moment you step into the restaurant, everything from the ambience, service and quality of food is PRIMO. The ambience and décor takes you to northern Italian cuisine. The service is like an orchestral performance itself — with eloquent oral recitals of their daily specials by the servers and synchronized serving gestures like dance movements. After an already full day of brunching, sunset cocktails on the boat, night sailing, and pre-​dinner appetizers elsewhere nearby, La Piccola Liguria took our journey deliciously to new destinations.
For dinner we had:
* Porcini mushroom salad with fennel and truffle oil — appetizing!
* Veal prosciutto pasta — delicious!
* Suckling pig — perfectly roasted with crispy yet succulent skin!
* Rosemary veal scallopini — richly fragrant and tasty!
For dessert we had:
* Chocolate cake
* Fruit salad and peach sorbet
* Ricotta cheesecake
* Grand marnier and amoretto on the rocks
Each dish was rich, savory and succulent yet balanced with the next dish. We left fully satiated and on a first name basis with the staff. While we spent the night on the boat, this place is worth trekking out of the city. Truly an exceptional experience to live and dine for.

This place is consistently great. The food is always memorable. Its not cheap but well worth it. Make sure you have a reservation!