Piccolino — Restaurant in Borough of Runnymede

We had a casual dinner booking at the Virginia Water restaurant, The experience was not what we were expecting.

1: The Dining room: The general setup of the dining room was OK, however due to poor layout the server was not able to or willing to stand at the head of the table when taking our order. this resulted in a rushed experience where I needed to turn around to face the server as she was standing behind me and my wife could not hear her over the loud music and over crowded bar area where patrons in a large party were standing, presumably waiting to be seated. I do appreciate prompt service, but we had not been sat down for more than 1 minute and were expected to know what we wanted to drink and what to order for starters..

2: The starters: We ordered 2 calamari fritti and 6 oysters, they arrived fairly quickly, they Calamari was tasty with the oly remark that one of the Calamari was not cooked thru, the oysters were also tasty, however the size was not what we were expecting, they were small, in fact they were the smallest oysters we have ever had at any restaurant.

3: Mains, The Filetto al pepe was a joke, not even an asparagus for garnish on the plate, The presentation was horrendous, and quite frankly should not be priced over £20. The Splendini di pesce was over cooked, specifically the scallops and again the presentation and quality was overpriced. The Pizza Diavola was tasty but the 'nduja tasted off/sour also in terms of "the very same techniques used in Naples" I guarantee that that is not true, the dough is not treated with the same respect as the Napolitan pizzeria's do and quite frankly Zizzi Wokingham's pizza is better.

4: The bill, I paid in full not asking for the 12.5% service charge to be removed however I just wanted to leave as the experience was less than what one would expect, especially having the server standing hovering/pressuring us to hurry up and pay, also ending up paying £213 for a light dinner for four our expectations were not met at all, and quite frankly if I had known that the experience would be substandard I would have opted to go somewhere else.

All in all this was not what I would expect and based on this I doubt we would...

Food was great.

My wife had the beef roast which looked incredible. The beef cooked to medium rare, exactly as she'd requested.

My meal was the Salmon pasta - perfect. I even had a grating of Parmesan.

Even the kids portion of spaghetti Bolognese was huge (possibly a sharing portion for 2 younger kids). My 2&1/2 Yr old couldn't get through it all. And he can EAT A LOT if he likes it. It tasted great. My daughter had a cheese pizza. Which she loved. A bit doughy, but tasty. (shaped like the head of Micky Mouse).

Service-wise; We had a long wait for our drinks and the staff needed reminding (only once though) of a few things. The wait for the food was more than adequate. I've waited much longer for fewer meals.

I didn't feel the place is properly gear towards kids but it performed well despite that. Offering crayons and something to draw on. The menu, in this case.

Given it's location and decor, it seemed like the sort of place that would require a dress code. But no.

Speaking of the decor it was quite neutral and not over the top or pretentious. Perfectly acceptable.

The staff are smartly dressed and were very polite and welcoming. If a bit slow at times. Efficient enough though.

There were 12 of us, and we were able to split our bill into 3 as there were 3 couples. They managed that without error. Which we were all impressed by.

The music was more than quiet enough not to bother me as it wasn't to my taste.

Typical modern restaurant music. (If that makes sense) sort of lounge garage jazz fusion. I think.

I'm a metal head, so I could very well be very wrong.

I'd highly recommend it for the food alone. And at no point did we feel rushed.

Restaurant service is often an "on the day" experience.

So I can assume it could be better or much worse.

Overall, a...

Dining at Piccolino in Virginia Water feels like boarding a sleek, polished aircraft where everything has been immaculately prepared for take-off and you’re in for a First Class ride.

We were a party of four and from the moment we arrived, it was clear we were in for something special. The venue itself is a real showstopper, glamorous without being over the top, with that perfect mix of buzzy atmosphere and polished elegance. It’s the sort of place where you’d happily settle in for the evening and not notice the hours slip by (which we did, in the best way).

Service was attentive and friendly, professional but never stuffy. Staff were well-presented, well-informed and struck that perfect balance of checking in without hovering. Think sharp trolley-dolly charm without the turbulence.

As for the food? Bellissimo. We each had starters, mains, desserts, plus pre-dinner sharing plates and a good round of drinks to match. Every dish was beautifully presented and delivered with precision, nothing lukewarm, nothing forgotten, just seamless service and full plates.

Particular standouts were the seafood starters and the desserts, elegant and indulgent without trying too hard. Everything had that proper Italian heart and soul, with a dash of contemporary flair.

The final bill, including service, came to £470 for four of us. Considering the amount we had and the quality of what was served, I’d say it was fair for what felt like a luxury evening out.

Piccolino Virginia Water knows how to put on a show, great food, great service and a venue that sparkles. It’s a smooth ride from aperitivo to affogato. I’ll happily be booking in for a...