Amazing food. And yes I ordered 4 desserts cause I couldn't choose and yes it was worth it!. I can't wait to visit again meet time I'm in the Tampa area. The fact I can bring my own Wine is a good idea!
Cindy Harper
-
April 28, 2024
What a quaint place to enjoy an authentic Italian meal. I felt like we were in Williams house eating from his kitchen. This is the 1st time visiting but I will go back again and again! I had the Grouper /Shrimp with Risotto and my husband had the lasagna! Tiramisu and Cannoli’s were excellent
🍷 Bring your own wine! 🍷
roger lee
-
March 03, 2024
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 and worth a trip to Tampa just for the food.
Praxi Oshman
-
October 21, 2023
Very small when you go in. You probably wonder do I stay or leave, I mean is just 6 table place but then you decided to stay and now not sure what to order. I normally don't go to too many real Italian places. After asking you what do you like in your meal this is what the dishes came out like. Absolutely flavorful. Enjoy it very much!!
I'm glad for trying something new.
Olivia Al-Eisa
-
October 10, 2023
An overall incredible dining experience. Authentic Italian in more ways than the food, but the food! We had a reservation with a group and shared appetizers family style- burrata caprese salad, smoked salmon salad and fried artichokes. All delicious.
For dinner, we all ordered from the specials menu, although we got our toddler the amatriciana which he devoured. My husband ordered the short ribs and I ordered the diavolo shrimp fettuccine. Both were outstanding but the short ribs were on another level. We are particular about Italian and pasta as we make our own at home but these dishes blew our minds.
Dessert was also incredible. We ordered tiramisu and cannolis. The cannolis were the best I’ve ever had by a long shot.
Would highly recommend for an authentic Italian meal while in the Tampa area! So note, it is BYOB!
Our Address
2140 W Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Tampa, FL 33607, USA
Ad 2
Ads Info
Ads Title
Claim Listing: Piccola Italia Bistro
Please Login or Register an Account to Claim Listing
Amazing food. And yes I ordered 4 desserts cause I couldn't choose and yes it was worth it!. I can't wait to visit again meet time I'm in the Tampa area. The fact I can bring my own Wine is a good idea!
What a quaint place to enjoy an authentic Italian meal. I felt like we were in Williams house eating from his kitchen. This is the 1st time visiting but I will go back again and again! I had the Grouper /Shrimp with Risotto and my husband had the lasagna! Tiramisu and Cannoli’s were excellent 🍷 Bring your own 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 and worth a trip to Tampa just for the food.
Very small when you go in. You probably wonder do I stay or leave, I mean is just 6 table place but then you decided to stay and now not sure what to order. I normally don't go to too many real Italian places. After asking you what do you like in your meal this is what the dishes came out like. Absolutely flavorful. Enjoy it very much!! I'm glad for trying something new.
An overall incredible dining experience. Authentic Italian in more ways than the food, but the food! We had a reservation with a group and shared appetizers family style- burrata caprese salad, smoked salmon salad and fried artichokes. All delicious. For dinner, we all ordered from the specials menu, although we got our toddler the amatriciana which he devoured. My husband ordered the short ribs and I ordered the diavolo shrimp fettuccine. Both were outstanding but the short ribs were on another level. We are particular about Italian and pasta as we make our own at home but these dishes blew our minds. Dessert was also incredible. We ordered tiramisu and cannolis. The cannolis were the best I’ve ever had by a long shot. Would highly recommend for an authentic Italian meal while in the Tampa area! So note, it is BYOB!