Piccolo Ristorante — Restaurant in Brisbane City

Had dinner here recently and found the experience quite disappointing for the price point. The $30 pasta dishes don't deliver the quality you'd expect - my mushroom gnocchi was excessively oily and didn't taste like quality truffle oil. The $14 gelato dessert resembled supermarket ice cream rather than authentic Italian gelato.

What concerned me most was the apparent lack of fresh preparation. When we requested the pepper be kept off the spaghetti bolognese, staff said it wasn't possible as it was "already made" - suggesting pre-prepared rather than made-to-order food. Additionally, the pasta arrived with cheese already applied, which is unusual for authentic Italian establishments that typically offer fresh grating tableside.

While the food wasn't terrible, it's significantly overpriced for what appears to be store-bought quality. At these prices, diners should expect fresh, made-to-order Italian cuisine. Unfortunately, I can't recommend this restaurant given the poor value for money.

+++follow up+++ Let's start with facts: You claim we "ate everything and were very happy," but that's incorrect. We took leftovers home, which ended up as dog food. This misrepresents our experience and undermines your argument.

You ignored key concerns from my review, like the $14 gelato tasting like supermarket ice cream and poor value for money.

Serious hygiene issues: Glasses were used as paperweights with rims touching menus handled by countless customers. We repeatedly had to ask for clean cutlery between courses, which should be standard, yet were made to feel like a burden.

"Unusual request" claim: There is no kids menu and we asked and were told there is kids bolognese, there was no mention of chese on the kids dish. When we asked for removal of the cheese from the kids spag bol and were refused, we asked for a spoon to remove it ourselves. This reasonable request was wrongly labelled "unusual."

The food simply didn't taste good. The gnocchi was oily and lacked quality truffle flavour, regardless of your preparation process.

We're fine paying $30 for quality pasta, price isn't the issue, value is. Gnocchi Gnocchi Brothers offers better quality at lower prices; Voglia matches your prices with superior food.

Your response attacks our motives, shares private details, uses dismissive emojis, and makes false claims about our experience, showing defensiveness rather than genuine interest in feedback.

We leave positive reviews for deserving restaurants. The contrast between your venue and quality Italian restaurants in Brisbane is clear.

Your statements contradict: saying we were "happy" but also "there to complain." Claiming authenticity while ignoring traditional service practices. Saying customer happiness matters but dismissing feedback as "pointless."

Given these facts, unaddressed concerns, hygiene issues, and unprofessional communication, honest feedback remains vital. Many Brisbane restaurants achieve high standards; your venue...

Piccolo will probably remain the restaurant that my group of friends and I will always agree to be the ‘spot to meet’.

I went here for the first time the other week and let’s just say I was blown away. I had heard about this place a couple of years back, and was always so intrigued to go and check it out. It is tucked away in a part of Northgate and it truly is a gem of a restaurant.

This place has amazing hospitality, and the staff are just so nice and incredibly friendly. We took a while deciding what we wanted and they were so helpful, patient and even made sure our dietary requirements were looked after.

THE FOOD WAS AMAZING. I love pasta, it is my favourite food- and I am always hesitant to try pesto pasta because I fear sometimes it’s too cheesy and sometimes to garlicky- but they hit the pesto pasta on the head. I would go as far to say that it was probably the best I have ever had. The desserts that the table had were spectacular. For we left with our bellies full and our smiles wide.

THE DRINKS WERE BRILLIANT. A lot of the time, cocktails can be too potent/strong and too bitter as well. But let’s just say, you are paying for what you get for. I had two cocktails- and they were delicious. Now with most I was expecting it to be strong and bitter- but it was the perfect amount of alcohol to sweetness/ mixer ratio. It was truly a treat.

I typically do not write reviews but this place holds such a core memory for me, and I truly believe that my friends and I will continue to come back here for...

Had dinner here for a quiet anniversary (we didn’t mention it), and honestly — what a gem.

We ordered calamari and fresh scallops to start, followed by carbonara and linguine di pesce. For dessert, we had tiramisu and panna cotta. The food? It was just incredible. Big portions, beautifully presented, and the flavour… I don’t even know how to describe it — just properly delicious. My partner’s carbonara was a standout, and I couldn't stop talking about the panna cotta.

The service was spot-on, too. It was super friendly and genuinely attentive without being over the top. Shoutout to Kajal ( and her partner, who was the head chef/ manager?) — she made us feel right at home — and our server, whose name we missed but was just as lovely. Food came out at a perfect pace — no long waits, nothing rushed.

Atmosphere-wise, it felt like a little slice of Italy. It was warm, cozy, and clean — perfect for a date night but would easily suit families or groups, too.

Price-wise, very fair for the quality. No complaints at all.

Would we go back? 100%. Would we recommend it? To anyone who eats. This place might change your mind even if you think you’re not into Italian.

The whole experience was a win — the food, the vibe, the people. Everything...