Piccolino Harrogate — Restaurant in England

Firstly i would like to say if you read my other reviews you will know im fair and honest and am generally an easy going customer and person, so would like say i think this review is equally demonstrative of that. We hadn't made a reservation so did so and came back for our allotted time. We were shown to a small table by the bar whilst they prepared our table and said they would come to take a drinks order. The high chairs were very uncomfortable and my husband wasn't able to sit easily so when a space became available we moved to a lower table whilst waiting. About 10 mins later the manager came and asked if anyone had taken our drinks order and we advised they hadn't. She duly went to get a drinks menu and left us for a few minutes. When she returned she was able to offer really helpful advice about wine and flavours to help us make a better choice. Almost immediately a waiter arrived with a bottle which we thought was very quick, we then realised it wasn't our order. He apologised and took it to the correct customers. The manager then returned apologising she had forgotten which wine we had chosen, and again went away with our order. The wine arrived and then shortly after we were shown to our table. It was a booth, the seating uncomfortable as the soft bits meant you were very low, but if you sat in the post where there was a wooden part of the frame, you sat a little higher, just not as comfortably. 3 waiters arrived in succession to ask if we were ready to order, we weren't, but as we were slow one asked if we would like to order some garlic bread whilst we chose. It arrived and we placed our order for starters and main courses. The garlic bread was dry and tasteless. Then our mains arrived, we explained we hadn't had our starters and the waitress apologised and took them away. There seemed to be a lot of conversation going on by the serving area and after about 10 mins the manager arrived to advise me that unfortunately they had no ribs for my starter left and they couldn't offer my starter. At which point, a waitress arrived with my starter. The manager saw the humour in this, as did we. We ate our staters, and i then went to the bathroom. Whilst on my way back, my husband tried to call me as the waitress had brought our main course and he was concerned mine wasn't correct. I arrived at the table and my order was indeed wrong. The manager apologised and went to take my meal away but my husband had to ask her to also take his and re make it at the same time so we could eat together once mine was ready. At this point, it was getting late and we decided we were going to give up so quickly advised the waitress not to make our mains again. They offered to send us away with our meals in takeaway boxes, we declined as didn't want to eat later. We were finishing our wine when a waiter returned and advised that the chef had boxed our food up anyway and we could reheat them later or following day( chicken and crab dishes... not advisable). As he put the boxes on the table he knocked my glass of wine over, he tried to wipe my arm and tried humour, suggesting that he didn't want to rub off my fake tan. I advised i didn't have fake tan on, he said it was lucky that it hadn't spilt it on my dress, i was to unimpressed at this point to advise him that it was damp in places and he had, fortunately its a red and blue colour so, not ruined. The manager was very apologetic and didn't charge for the food, we accepted the apology and did say we were reasonable people. She returned again just before we left with a voucher to offer money off if we returned at another time. The customer relations aspect was admirable and it was good that they tried to apologise and make amends. I don't think we will be rushing to go back, but probably will give them another chance at another point if we return to harrogate, the service that night was unimpressive and i dont think we could recommend piccollino...

Pretty awful experience in summary.

Initial impressions were good: nice decor, bustly atmosphere, plenty of staff, and there was an acceptable selection of drinks and cocktails, albeit on the pricey side.

The experience went downhill relatively quickly however shortly after we took our table.

In the interest of full disclosure - I was in a party of fourteen (couples, all in our fourties) and as such were in the upstairs private dining area. We were asked to order our food a few weeks in advance of the day, and pay a £10 per head deposit.

I chose the calamari, followed by pea and asparagus risotto, followed by tiramisu.

The starter was ok. It was served with a mayonnaise dip but would have been better served with an aioli.

Service was not very attentive by now, and as we were in private dining we had to get up from table and walk downstairs to get attention.

Then we had an hour wait before our mains were served. By this time, our party were getting a little annoyed considering that we had ordered up front.

My risotto was just about ok. The asparagus was nice and crunchy but the rice was a little overdone and overall it lacked flavour. I think I could have done as good a job at home.

I had eaten half of it by the time I was offered any parmesan, another symptom of the slow service, which hadn't improved despite our party making our concerns known.

Mains were cleared and then another long wait until dessert was served. We were then told that tiramisu was not available - it was still frozen apparently. We had ordered weeks in advance and there was no reasonable excuse for this.

Staff were very defensive when our objections were raised.

I was pretty miffed myself by this point as I was looking forward to my tiramisu. I got given a pleasant creme brulee as a substitute, but by this time the issues with service and missing items had completely overshadowed the evening.

I asked to speak to the duty manager, to be told that they had left for the evening (on a Saturday night, before the end of service?!). I instead dealt with the Assistant Manager who did her best but came across as lacking confidence and experience.

My advice to you is that if you have a party of people wanting a nice evening then you should avoid this...

My partner and I recently had the pleasure of celebrating our civil partnership at Piccolino Harrogate, and we can't thank Salvatore, Lucinda, Sergio, and Conor enough for making our day absolutely unforgettable.

From the moment we arrived at this charming restaurant and bar, we were greeted with warmth and hospitality that immediately put us at ease. The extraordinary rooftop terrace, with its lovely retractable roof, provided the perfect setting for our special occasion. The ability to enjoy the open air or have cover as needed was a fantastic touch, and it truly added to the unique atmosphere.

One of the highlights of the evening was undoubtedly the amazing canapés that were served. Not only were they beautifully presented, but the portions were also incredibly generous, ensuring that all our guests were more than satisfied. The blend of flavors and textures was a culinary delight, and it exceeded all our expectations.

What truly stood out, however, was the impeccable service and attention to detail provided by Salvatore, Lucinda, Sergio, and Conor. It felt like we were celebrating with an Italian family, and their warm and friendly interaction with our guests created an inviting and festive atmosphere that we'll cherish forever.

Their willingness to go above and beyond was evident when they helped us with setting up the venue, ensuring that every detail was perfect. They even took great care in storing our belongings securely until the next day, allowing us to enjoy the evening without any worries.

The location of Piccolino Harrogate is also worth noting. Situated across from the Turkish Baths in Harrogate, it offers a picturesque backdrop that added to the overall ambiance of our celebration.

In conclusion, our civil partnership ceremony at Piccolino Harrogate was an absolute success, thanks in large part to Salvatore, Lucinda, Sergio, and Conor. We couldn't have asked for a more dedicated and accommodating team to help us create cherished memories on our special day. Piccolino Harrogate is a hidden gem, and we wholeheartedly recommend it for any occasion. Grazie mille for an...