Piccolo's

Party of six had six great dinners! We started with the special arancini's, caprese and garlic bread The garlic brass came with a phenomenal cheese sauce! There were 2 eggplant parm meals, 1 chicken parm, one haddock, 1 strangled priest and a ravioli dish special. The palms had excellent crispy crust with most chicken, the ravioli dish was inhaled and the haddock had high praise. The strangled priest dish is what I'm getting next time, based on the awesome taste I had of it. We finished with shared carrot cake, blueberry lemon pie and some chocolate thing. All the desserts were awesome! Can't wait to go back for the priest!

Best Italian food I have had in all of Massachusetts. Chicken parm is the size of the plate, the pasta and sauce are homemade, fresh fish options too. I moved to Worcester because of two things, my son going to WorcesterAcademy and Piccolo’s.

All four meals my group ordered were delicious. The filet literally melts in your mouth and the black pepper noodles are perfect with Alfredo.

So delish! Melissa is a wicked cool server!!! Thank you for a wonderful dinner! BTW get Santino’s Favorite Garlic Bread with gorganzola fonduta!

This chicken parm is amazing! The service is very good. If you are craving Italian, this is the spot!

Very nice service excellent food. But the prices are in my opinion far to high. Worcester is not Boston

Wonderful, fresh, perfect meal! A true gem in the City of Worcester. Must go. Completely enjoyed. Parking is tricky so go early to find street parking.

Guilty of ignorance by living in the city for most of my life and never going here. Don't let this happen to you. Prices decent maybe a wee bit high, but food is very good. Even though it's 8.95 try the garlic bread appetizer, companion loved it as did I. Service was adove average. Food was very well prepared Will be back because they're a few more dishes we want to try

This place was great! Great service, our waitress was awesome - one of the best waitresses i've had in a while. The drinks were excellent as well! Food was HOT and fresh! I got the chicken broccoli alfredo and it was delicious. my bf got the chicken parm which was HUGE & delicious! It's a cute little restaurant, i'm excited to come back!

Delightful trattoria in a restaurant full neighborhood close to downtown Worcester. The service was warm and welcoming and we enjoyed eggplant parmigiana and a special Caesar salad. Now, please listen carefully my dear readers - whatever you do save room for dessert and go straight to the carrot cake. It is made by one of the staff members and is OMG world class good! We plan to come again just for the CR. Enjoy!

Food was absolutely delicious and our server was great. But holy crap was it way too crowded. I would recommend this place for a date night or delish Italian dinner, but NOT ON VALENTINE's DAY. It was very crowded/tight, noisy, busy, and impersonal. Food was worth staying, but would not go back around any holidays. They divided all the tables and put them like 2 ft apart from one another... we could barely squeeze past the people on both sides to sit down. I am not exaggerating)... We didn't even have space for our drinks on the table with our plates. We really wanted to stay and enjoy more drinks/ dessert, but opted out because of how uncomfortable the atmosphere was. We were in and out in 40 minutes.

We made a reservation, but we were running late. They were still able to accommodate us. Surprisingly, this little hole in the wall restaurant was not very busy. Our waitress was very quick to take our drink order, and asked if we wanted bread. My husband has a tree nut allergy, so we informed her and she said she didn't think it was safe so we opted out. She came back a moment later and said she checked and it was safe, so we got some bread. The bread was good, but could've been warmed for a moment. It came with oil that was seasoned. She took our order, and not too long after our food came out. My husband got the chicken parmesan with linguine, and I got the strangolapreti bechera. My pasta was incredible, well balanced, flavorful. The pasta was perfectly cooked. I would've loved a hint of spice, but it was still delicious. My husband's chicken parmesan was one of the best we have ever had!! It was so light, perfectly crispy, not oily, not heavy. He would've preferred a meat sauce and spaghetti to the linguine, but the chicken was the star of the show. Overall, the price was reasonable, the restaurant was very clean, the service was fast, our waitress was nice, and the food was delicious. I highly recommend!

Food was plentiful and service was good. A more limited menu than expected but has a selection for everyone to find something they may like.

Our first time at this popular spot. The decor felt like a step back into 1975- dark and complete with wood paneled walls, Tosca posters throughout and a Frank Sinatra photo over the bar. The menu was varied and unique- it didn't feel like a typical red-sauce over pasta place. The specials were also extensive and interesting- a tortellini with ham and peas was a twist on a carbonara. We were offered fresh bread and dipping oil and refills when we inhaled the first round. We ordered chicken parmigiana over gemelli. The piece of chicken was enormous and my teenage son who can put back a lot of food, took 1/3 and some pasta home for another meal. I ordered the Ravioli Giovanni which was described as "Cheese ravs, sugar snap peas, sun dried tomato, caramelized onions, parmigian & roasted garlic cream." It was very tasty and the flavors complemented each other very well. It was also a large portion- enough for me to save half to bring home. Our server was attentive and friendly. It got very busy while we were eating- it did get loud as the space filled. Our waters weren't filled quite as frequently as I like- but they were small glasses and our server was attending a large party next to us. We would return- I do recommend a reservation for a Saturday night.

Came here with my husband and had dinner. The staff was very friendly and the food was made to order. My favorite way to have it. It was well flavored and almost plate licking good. We got dessert to go, so I'll have to report on that later. The menu has lots of good choices. I'm also not afraid to ask what's good and what they recommend. Small, intimate yet family friendly as well. Music is loud enough to not hear every conversation everywhere. But not so loud you can't talk to who you're sitting with. I'll be back.

Waited an hour for our meals and it wasn't busy. Calamari was like rubber, Pollo Alfonzo (chicken) was dry and tasteless and Filetto Al Pepe Nero (filet mignon) was way over cooked when it was ordered medium-rare. The place is dark and void of any decor at all, just blank walls and zero table settings. For the price I would have expected a lot more of a wow factor.

One of Worcester's many great restaurants! The food is delicious (had the calamari for an app and one of the chicken specials which I can't remember the exact name of). Plenty of tasty looking dessert options and because they had carrot cake I had to get that which was delicious. They have a solid drink and wine selection. The service is top notch and I really loved the vibe and ambiance. Parking can be a bit of a challenge as is the case with just about any Shrewsbury St. place. But it's worth it!

Where do I start? We've been coming here for years. The food is always served to perfection. Seriously taste like how they advertise, like your Nonna is cooking a home cooked meal for you! We try to come here at least once every two weeks. The pricing is reasonable, and the meal portions are huge. The service is very attentive and very welcoming. We like to sit at the high tops and the bartender is always super nice. The ambience is perfect for any occasion, whether it's a birthday party, or a dinner date with a significant other or one of your friends.

Mellisa made everything even better. We will definitely be back great food great drinks great service.

Very good place. Big portions of food. Great selection of wine. Reminded me of Italian restaurants on Long Island

This place is so underrated. A step above most places on Shrewsbury Street! Everything is great! Food, service and atmosphere! We will definitely be back!

Alright. Listen up. The food was good. The chicken parm was good I'm not gonna lie. Only thing that made me not give a 5 star was I had a reservation for 7:30 and didn't get seated till 8, and the food took a while to come out. I get the seating was delayed due to unforeseen circumstances and the kitchen was busy but I'm just gonna give a 4 cuz I feel like it. Anyways if you're down to wait a long time for good food this the spot. Chao.

We had a good time at Piccolo yesterday. Our waitress was incredibly friendly and thoroughly knew the menu. The parking was typically street parking but beware because it's close to some residential areas which require a tag so double check. The indoor atmosphere was nice and the tables weren't too close together. I think the back dining room is a little small and larger tables were closer to the middle so the restaurant was a little loud from the sound traveling. We had amazing pasta dishes and we got the carrot cake for dessert which was a MUST. If you do anything you should go here just for the carrot cake. I'm a big chocolate cake gal but I would choose this carrot cake 1 million times over! Stick with the wine/sangria. Although there is a full bar my margarita came out extremely bitter. It tasted like straight bottom shelf tequila. I switched it for the sangria which was better but after we left we noticed the waitress didn't remove it from the bill although she took it back. Worth checking out'

Food service ambiance all top shelf ! I highly recommend it ! Whether at the bar or table you will get great service ...food is amazing

There's a reason when I fly to Boston from Kaua'i, HI that I drive over an hour to eat here. Matter of fact, more than one reason. The food is spectacular, a borderline sexual experience . The wait staff is North End blunt, I love that The "old school" atmosphere make it feel like you're eating with one big Italian familia. In reading some of the reviews (and knowing the owner for over 40 years) I can tell you this... the ball-breakers who lack respect get to experience what they give. Just like where I grew up (North End, Hanover St. ). Yes, the staff is "earthy" ... and they bend-over-backwards for those with manners, a smile and respect. Ok, let's get to the sexual experience of eating food cooked right that lets the food be the star; textures, fresh ingredients and delicate-spot-on spicing work in harmony so beautifully you too may get a rush just below your solar-plexus. The risotto (mushroom )dish I had was so off the charts, I kept putting my fork down to slow down.... And wilting with anticipation for the next bite... the anticipation conjured up the same feeling as wondering if my prom date was going to say "yes" . And folks... that was 55 years ago. Let me add it was the same each time I've eaten at "Pic's"

My GF and I used restaurant week as an excuse to venture out of our cozy little apartment to the cold, rainy March weather on a Tuesday evening to sample some of what this classic Shrewsbury street Italian eatery has to offer. The outside facade is bright, energetic, and inviting. I can be a superficial bitch so I found this very inviting. We walked through the entrance as perplexed like aliens landing on the earth. I was so distracted by the entire bar turning around successively to look at us that I didn't even occur to me to walk to the host stand. We just stood helplessly and awkwardly at the door. Eventually the manager or owner or maybe just random man approached us and asked for the number in our party. We had a choice between an alleged back room or the entrance dining room with the bar. There were a bunch of cute 2 top booths and we snagged the one against the window in the corner. The interior of this place is smallish and cute. The decor strikes me as old-school Italian, cozy, and retro. There was no cocktail menu and I didn't feel bold enough to order a drink off the cuff. I snagged a glass of prosecco and Tinasaurus requested a glass of chianti. I hate to be Dorit but the prosecco was not poured in the right glass. It was tasty but also a bit flat, which was disappointing. The restaurant week menu was a great deal, for $25.50 we received 3 courses. For our first course, T$ ordered their stuffed cubanelle peppers with spicy sausage, spinach, and cheese. This was an ADORABLE little bundled up roll. It reminded me of a newborn baby if peppers resembled human children. I chose the vegetarian option with the soup of the day which was a tomato/vegetable soup. It was swarming with onions which I chose to pretend weren't present but otherwise DELICIOUS, especially with a healthy heap of parmesan cheese. Salad was on the menu for the second choice. My little tossed salad (NOT IN THE SEXUAL WAY, YOU SICKOS) was partial to the caesar salad which she has already made me aware could've used more croutons but was otherwise satisfying. I ordered the other option, the mixed salad with vinaigrette with a nice variety of baby spinach and spring mix, shredded carrots, celery (in a salad?), and cherry tomatoes with a refreshing and light dressing. This will definitely help clear out the plumbing if you know what I mean.... For our main course, despite eyeing the pappardelle bolognese with a supposedly slow cooked pork, veal, and beef ragu, my little main course ultimately decided on the mussels bianco with linguine in a garlic/white wine sauce. This was amazing. I stole quite a sizable proportion of her noods and then proceeded to soak the remaining bread in that delicious and delectable sauce. Someone had to order the eggplant parmesan and I took one for the team. This was probably one of the best eggplant parms I've ever had. The eggplant was tissue paper thin and breaded to perfection and covered in a thick layer of mozz. The pasta was a switch-up and not the usual spaghetti but instead gemelli, doused in a thicker marinara that I enjoyed but did not feel compelled to sop up with the remaining bread. The portion was generous and could feed either a literal army or me. There were some drink specials I noticed on the wall behind the bar. I ordered the red sangria which I wouldn't recommend. For dessert, my little sangria ordered the espresso martini which was thick but strong. At the end of our meal, we agreed to snag a dessert to take home. The waitress planted the seed of ordering TWO desserts which we ultimately did, FML. They have multiple chocolate cakes, two cheesecakes (one lemon blueberry and one snickers), a lava cake, and a carrot cake. We initially ordered one of the chocolate cakes to eat there and the snickers cheesecake for home. Unfortuantely they didn't have the snickers cheesecake after our order and so we took the lemon blueberry cheesecake home. In comparison to regular food, the cake was good. In comparison to cakes in general, it was just ok. At home later that same evening writing this, I have already digested enough to eat another meal but like a person with normal digestion, Tina is still full so the lemon blueberry cheesecake will have to wait. Worcester has pretty good Italian food. This place was excellent.

Not really sure what the appeal is to this place. We were disappointed especially with all the hype. We were crammed into a little corner with a wobbly table. It was way way way too hot in the dining room even the waitresses were commenting on it. It was loud and just completely over packed. I can't imagine it was within fire code how close the tables were and how packed we were together. For an intimate valentines weekend dinner it was not what we hoped for. The food wasn't anything special. Only one type of noodle for virtually every dish. The chicken Parm came with red sauce on the chicken but alfredo on the pasta? Super weird. My husband asked for the steak special cooked medium and they said they'd only cook it medium rare or rare. Seriously? She wouldn't even ask the chef. Overpriced and underwhelmed. We probably won't go back.

Wonderful hidden gem, and far superior to the overpriced Via Italian Table. The garlic bread was stacked like a Jenga game and delicious and fun to eat. The eggplant parm consisted of thin slices of fresh eggplant rather than one big thick slab, served with fresh gemelli pasta and a chunky marinara sauce. I would have liked a lot more sauce, but it was delicious and a gigantic portion. It would have been nice to have Italian desserts on the menu, but there was no tiramisu or gelato or cannolis. The lemon mascarpone cake was lovely. Great service and reasonably priced.

We had a great dinner with life long friends last night. Since two of the three couples had to travel a bit, we ate dinner when they opened, and stayed well into the night. One person has a food allergy to garlic, so the chef made a special dish. Don't see that often enough. Meals were great, waitress was wonderful. This is why we keep going back. It's like home.

Over $30 for a plate of pasta. Never got complementary bread or anything that you would normally get from Italian restaurant. Two dinners and no drinks and the bill was over $70 bucks. Unfortunately, it was just regular pasta. Nothing different. Nothing special We did come towards the end of the evening on a Saturday. Service was good but you could tell they were over there shift and just wanted to leave. We will definitely be looking at other places and probably won't come back here.

Great food with superior service. Abbie, Felicia, and Melissa are extraordinary servers, and they work as a great team.

Always the best here. Good food. Drink. And service. What else could you need? Not too noisy in main dining room.

The food is Fantastic. Service is very good. I am bartender waitresses very helpful and friendly.

First time I returned since the pandemic and Piccolos seems to have gotten better. It can still get pretty noisy but the food was better than I remembered, though some inconsistency. We had the calamari appetizer and a couple of pieces were really over cooked but the rest were perfect. Add to that the gnocchi I had was one of the best I've ever had. Finally, got to add in great service. So yeah, I'd easily go back again.

Service was good but the food was blah. Had chicken Alfredo with broccoli. Sauce was thin and lacked flavor. Pasta was gummy. All in all, not bad, but not something id rush back for.

After waiting 45 minutes in the rain for a reserved table, we finally went to Pepe's and had a wonderful meal. You all missed out on 10 dinners, drinks, etc. because you didn't have the grace to let the people at the table who paid their bill 30 minutes before we arrived know that people were waiting for the table. Won't be back ....

Fantastic and delicious food!! I would def go back very soon!! Recommend!! Yummy Small place but good food

We had the most amazing night with our team! We came for robotics competetion and they worked with us to have a space for the group. The food was ready quickly and it was delicious!

My wife and I eat out a lot and feel we are pretty good judges of good Italian food. I don't normally post reviews (good or bad) but felt this place deserved it. This restaurant was recommended to me by a friend and we took a chance on it. Met here to celebrate my brother-in-laws birthday and everything was great. The veal dishes and baked haddock were served very hot and tasted great. The bartender and waitresses were attentive and very friendly. We met the owner of the restaurant as he went table to table as he checked to make sure everyone was happy with their experience.

A Gem on Shrewsbury Street! Our table enjoyed many entrees including Lobster Ravioli (dreamy!), Spinach ravioli, Eggplant rollatini and some of their house made gluten-free pasta with veal parmigiana and chicken/broccoli. Amy served us with patience and a smile. Yummy cocktail menu (hello blueberry lemonade!). Street parking was easy to find. Looking forward to going back!

This place feels like the north end Service was fast and great Chicken parm and butternut squash raviolis chicken were perfect with large portions Had pumpkin cheese cake is best I ever had

Prices are a few dollars more on the menu than on their website. I had some sort of a fruit fly in my plate, two waitresses noticed it and didn't take something off the bill.

I am so excited to find this place. I have been on the lookout for a local go-to Italian restaurant. I believe I have found it!

Just horrible. Gordon help this place. No meatballs at an Italian restaurant. Haaaaa So I got a lava cake. Horrible. Can I just leave since I'm the only one here. ?????

This place was cozy, and had a very different feel inside than I expected from the outside (pleasantly nicer), reminding me a bit of some north end restaurants in Boston. The wait staff was exceptionally attentive and pleasant (Tawni was great), and the food was delicious. The haddock special has a nice bite to it (I usually find most restaurant's spicy dishes lacking heat), and the Insalata Caprese was fresh and tasty. The Timballo Alla Paolo was excellent as well.

Great food. (I mean really great - fantastic - and large portions! ) Excellent service with personal attention. Solid wine list and delicious cocktails. Intimate / Romantic / Professional atmosphere and clientele. What more can one say? Try it - you will like it !

Solid. Good old school Italian with creative, modern thought. John has control of the kitchen with an Enjoy your evening on everything. Decor matches the rustica and the Gals at the bar got their game on too. Enjoy.

I came in a couple of weeks ago for restaurant month (or week - can't remember) with a larger party and the hostess and service were very friendly. The food was a bit all over the map. Appetizer fried calamari were some of the best I've ever had. Super light, perfectly seasoned and accompanying sauce was delicious. Fried ravioli first course: very dense, over cooked and inside cheese was bland. Same red sauce still delicious. Salad second course: very good, standard salad. Eggplant parm main course: nice and thin, crispy, prepared very well. A little over salted but I like salty food so it worked out. Side pasta also delicious. Recommended limoncello cheesecake dessert: I took one bite and was grossed out. It had a rubbery texture and barely had any lemon taste. They say it's made for them, but I'd stop getting dessert from wherever they get it. I did try others' food: homemade pasta with ragu (super good), raspberry cake (standard), some kinda chocolate thing also made at the same place as the limoncello (good, but a little light on the flavor -- it was the best of the desserts). Others also noted the "all over the map" aspect of the food - loving some parts, underwhelmed other parts, hating others. As such - this is a place where you apparently need to know what to order to be very satisfied.

no water was served to us and the soda was 5 dollars each. the food tasted like shit and was expensive. the waitress was rude and disrespectful after we accidentally spilled a drink and she didn't even get us a new one.

bad. bad. bad. horrible food and even worse service. do NOT recommend. over priced for no reason.

It's funny to see all these lukewarm reviews. This restaurant is my favorite Italian on Shrewsbury Street. I've had nothing but excellent food and service here. Better yet, we can walk there from my loft. I find the interior to be authentic and "neighborhoody" very convivial with many of the patrons seeing to know one another. On our first time there, a Friday night Massachusetts' Lieutennant Governor was eating there with her husband and they knew everyone as well. We had the Salmon with pasta which my partner liked very much and I had a pasta special with ragu of beef in a Vodka cream sauce. My partner was very pleased that I gave up halfway thru (as the portions are generous) so he could finish mine. This place has become my go to for a casual Italian dinner and I've been back several times. I plan to book for next week as I have friends coming from out of the area.

This place was not COVID safe our table was less than a foot away from another table to the point where the chairs were touching. They had a Valentines menu and did not give any warning that it would be limited as well as more expensive. Someone in my party received undercooked chicken as well. Seemed like it was filled with loud regulars who had no respect for other guests and would get up from their table without a mask.

Delicious! Melissa, our waitress, was an absolute gem. Garlic bread is a must! We had a couple of pasta dishes which were incredible. Stuffed peppers were amazing. Just everything was perfection.

Wow! We celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary at Piccolo's. The service was absolutely perfect. Piccolo himself is very active with everyone and helps his staff. The hostess was so welcoming and made you feel like we were family. The food was fantastic. I am Italian and cook Italian food all the time and it takes a lot for me to enjoy it out. The chicken parm was cooked and seasoned to perfection. A must have is the garlic bread with Gorgonzola sauce. I have to be honest and say this was a better meal than I have ever had in the North End. The atmosphere of Piccolos' was exactly the feel I was looking for to celebrate our anniversary. We will make this place our new go to restaurant!

My new favorite garlic bread, with the Gorgonzola funduta!!! It taste so damn good. The spaghetti alla bechera was very flavorful. I would have loved one dollop of cream with basil would provide a great fresh coolness. Would love the opportunity to try the sauce over a wide noodle. I would love to eat there in person. I ordered via grubhub. Excellent over all!!

Biggest chicken parm I've ever seen, absolutely delicious! We have driven by 100 times, I can't believe it took so long for us to try it!

Anytime I am in the Worcester area craving Italian Cuisine I swing into here. My got to dish is the "Butchers Special" love the spiciness. Atmosphere is small and intimate bringing and very cozy feeling.