Piccolina da Centrolina

"Piccolina is a toned down version of its sister restaurant, Centrolina, in every way: the atmosphere is a little more casual, the check totals are lower, and the food isn’t nearly as good. Still, it’s a solid option for affordable Italian downtown, especially during the daytime. The espresso program is excellent, as are the bread and pastries, which are baked in-house in full view of the dining room. You can’t go wrong grabbing a scone with your to-go coffee, but treating yourself to a custom cannoli would be a sweeter choice in more ways than one. The all-day menu is ideal for sharing, with pizzas that come out of the wood-fired oven beautifully blistered without overly blackening, and sandwiches that can easily satiate the hangry with just a half. While it’s nice to enjoy Piccolina with company, we suggest keeping the sandwiches all to yourself, enjoying half right away and saving the rest for later, particularly the porchetta, which gets better as it sits." - Allison Robicelli

"Amy Brandwein focuses on casual, contemporary Italian dishes at this cafe in City Center, open Mondays (her other restaurant in the development across the street, Centrolina, also is open Mondays)." - Missy Frederick, Tim Ebner

"A wood-burning oven imported from France is the workhorse inside Amy Brandwein’s Italian cafe in CityCenter, an everyday alternative to Centrolina, her dressier osteria across the street. Two summers ago, the five-time James Beard Award finalist added twice as many seats, seasonal spritzes, and more wood-fired capabilities to roast all kinds of vegetables, seafoods, and meats like ribs and pork and lamb sausages. A daily pastry program produces quiche and phenomenal focaccia, and the 10-layer eggplant Parmesan remains a best-selling showstopper. Eating light is painless, too, from charred Napa cabbage to a carrot-and-bulgur wheat bowl with cauliflower, raisin, and pistachio. Order takeout online or get delivery via Caviar from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily." - Tierney Plumb, Eater Staff

"A wood-burning oven imported from France is the workhorse inside Amy Brandwein’s Italian cafe in CityCenter, an everyday alternative to Centrolina, her dressier osteria across the street. Last summer, the five-time James Beard Award finalist added twice as many seats, seasonal spritzes, and more wood-fired capabilities to roast all kinds of vegetables, seafoods, and meats like ribs and pork and lamb sausages. A daily pastry program produces quiche and phenomenal focaccia, and the 10-layer eggplant Parmesan remains a best-selling showstopper. Eating light is painless, too, from charred Napa cabbage to a carrot-and-bulgur wheat bowl with cauliflower, raisin, and pistachio. Order takeout online or get delivery via Caviar from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily." - Tierney Plumb, Eater Staff

"Three years after opening at CityCenter DC, chef-owner Amy Brandwein brings her essential all-day Italian cafe Piccolina to its full potential with twice as many seats, more wood-fired capabilities, and a parade of seasonal spritzes. The five-time James Beard Award finalist, who also runs upscale Italian mainstay Centrolina right across the alley, grew Piccolina into the next-door space formerly occupied by antiques store The Great Republic." - Tierney Plumb