Piccola Italia Bistro

They have fantastic nightly specialsFresh pasta and seafood.Awesome food and very attentive staff.

An Italian dream. This little hidden gem is absolutely delicious. The owner and his mother are the main chefs and waiters. This has to be the most amazing and authentic Italian food I've ever ever had in the US. I love the intimacy of having such a small location. Definitely have to make reservations in advance because he only takes about a certain amount, but you can get food to go which we have done and it's still amazing.You must visit this place! My Italian husband even says this reminds of his family back in Italy.

We had a lunch there and the food we order were all so good. It has lots of flavors and taste so fantastic. Excellent quality of pasta. It looks simple dish but the taste was beyond great. The menu was great with nice selection of pasta. The Puttanesca and Clams over linguine with shrimp were so good. They have balanced flavor as well. Nice salad with fresh ingredients. The Burreta was so good. The place was casually good with nice atmosphere. The setting was great.

This place is serving up authentic Italian cuisine at a very fair price. It's not a fancy or big place, but the food is incredibly delicious. The drinks- it's BYOB! Yes, you can bring your own alcohol and there is no corking fee. The restaurant does not have a liquor license. The food- the menu consists of traditional pasta dishes, but there are always specials, too. I went with a party of 5 and every person loved their meal. The food is homemade, authentic, and truly delicious.The dessert- all desserts are homemade so I tried to tiramisu, which was one of the best I've had in my life. Trust me, this Italian girl has tried a lotttt of tiramisu. Overall, the food was amazing and priced great. The only negative thing I have to say is the temperate. I was hot because they had a swamp cooler, not normal AC. I want to return for the pasta making class.

Wonderful food and such a special experience. The owner takes your order than cooks your food. How he does it, is amazing. It's BYOB so bring you wine and enjoy!

Piccola is the greatest when it comes to Tampa Italian dining.The owner is also the chef, the server, and the prep so it's a one-man show which is always a green flag for me in todays day where owners have no heart in the product that gets made. The food is not only extremely delicious but the prices are very cheap. Pasta will be generously portioned, served fresh and steaming hot, and only runs $15 a plate. Don't let the online menu fool you, there are daily specials for starters and entrees and there's a wide selection for vegetarian/pescatarian usually.Honestly, I just moved back from Chicago where Italian dining reigns supreme and had been a little bummed about the scene. Lots of Italian in this city is okay but you pay a lot for food that just feels ordinary. So it was very refreshing for me to find this place that had somehow flown under my radar for years.A couple things I'll note, non are negative but you just should be aware to maximize your experience:-there's 4-5 tables, so a reservation should be made over the phone. They don't take them online.-be ready to hear the specials bc they're given verbally and it's usually a pretty big list.-the owner running the show is very, very Italian. Which means he will always be honest and straightforward but to me this is part of the charm.-it's byob, but this is a plus for me since I don't have to buy an $80 wine that runs $15 at total wine.

Hidden Gem! Secret Hole in the Wall! Call this one man operation what you want but be assured that William does a creative and fresh Italian kitchen in the couple of hundred square feet he has to work with.Ambiance - Seriously? Came here on a quiet Sunday afternoon and were one of two groups in the restaurant. Maybe the 6 wood table and 20 or so red plastic chairs add to the old world charm, but lower your expectations and enjoy the Italian photos and view of the kitchen. It does have the look and feel of a small Italian bistro. Just imagine a view of the Mediterranean in place of the busy MLK outside.Pro Tip1 - Make reservations as space is limited.Service - William does almost all of it himself, from cooking, to serving, to answering the phone. He often has one helper (a relative?) but is essentially a one man operation. That being said, service is efficient, the food comes out quickly, and water carafes are plentiful.Food - That's what you're here for and you won't be disappointed. William has 10 pastas (all $14.95) a few appetizers, and no salads on the menu. The one salad available is Caprese, and it's good. His specials can number from 3 to 10 depending on the day and take good mental notes as he will rattle them off quickly. They all sound incredible, and it's tough to choose.Pro Tip2 - Make sure you ask the price of the specials as they can be 2X to 3X the price of the 10 regular pastas.Braised Short Ribs on Pappardelle (special $39.95)- An incredible boneless short rib that is fork tender over pappardelle smothered in a red bolognese-like sauce. This is definitely a hearty plate that "meat-lovers" will relish. Perfectly al dente pasta in a rich hearty sauce. Be prepared to share or take some home.Anglio E Olio - Spaghetti pasta with scallions, sesame seeds and red peppers. More delicious than I expected with quite a pop from the peppers. I couldn't stop eating this ...Cannoli - Comes in pairs but we were able to order one for half the price. Crunchy exterior and creamy cheesy interior. There were chocolate sprinkles and I would have preferred shaved chocolate or even chips. The sprinkling of powdered sugar was done evenly and not just dumped on, which I appreciated.Pro Tip3 - Bring cash to avoid the credit card fee...The newest addition to my "Favorite Hole in the Wall" restaurants list and worth a trip to Tampa just for the food.

Amazing food! We had the arincini to start and was cooked perfectly, I had the daily special of lamb on the saffron risotto. I think this is the best risotto I've ever had. My boyfriend has the ravioli which he also said was great. Only downside is the parking lot and that we weren't aware this was bring your own beverage. Now that we know it will be better but fantastic authentic food.

A side from being in Italy, this place has had the most authentic Italian food we've found. Excellent!

Authentic, great food. Eat one of the specials, not off the menu (although I'm sure that's great too)