Piccolo — Restaurant in Town of Huntington

Unfortunately, we recently lost our mother. As any of us who have lost a parent, you know how hard it is. As we were cleaning up her house and going through her things, we found an old gift certificate from Piccolo's. We thought what a great thing it would be if mom could buy us dinner one last time. It was indeed an old gift certificate, probably 10 to 15 years old... but you know how moms are. But I figured they would still accept it as it is clearly unused, and nowhere does it say anything about it expiring after a certain time. All it says is, " This document can not be replaced if lost or stolen." So this was the only disclaimer on the gift certificate, nothing about expiration date, or nothing about how it needs to be used by a certain time. So I should be good, right??...Well, you see where this is going. I called Piccolo's and explained the situation, and they say it has expired and their is nothing they can do. Worse, the gentleman I was speaking with seemed annoyed and treated me like I was an idiot and I was bothering him asking questions about this. He quickly dismissed me and gave me no solutions, I asked 1 more time if their was anything that could be done, and he quickly replied no and told me to have a good night. This is one of these times I wish common sense would have prevailed, and they would have honored the gift certificate, but not what happened at all. Not what I expected from a well-known established "family " restaurant. The crazy part is that the gift certificate was only worth $125, we...meaning all her kids, and the rest of the family would have been 10 to 15 people, that $125 would not have put a dent in our final bill. But I will for sure never come here again, or give this establishment another dollar from my wallet or a minute of my time. I suggest to go elsewhere, this town has plenty of options...Angelo's, Cefalù Restaurant, Edoardo's Trattoria, Osteria Da Nino...I can keep going...just...

We had dinner on Friday September 30. Just after we sat down and ordered our drinks the manager came over who had read our previous review below. I was flabbergasted that Piccolo would be that attentive to address the issue in person the very next time we dined there. Our experience was excellent. The service was impeccable throughout. I had the Crispy Bluepoint Oysters for an appetizer which I can't seem to pass up. The twice roasted duck in pomegranate sauce with shaved braised brussel sprouts was up there with the best duck I have ever had and I have had many quackers over the years. My wife had the onion soup which had a wonderful fragrance followed by the blackened sliced pork tenderloin with the shaved braised brussel sprouts. She loved it. Definitely a 5* evening. It was an extremely pleasant experience. I would rate Piccolo 5* with one exception. We were there last night and before we sat down we were asked if we wanted to order a drink. This invariably happens on each visit. Back off until a patron gets settled. Other than that the service and food is excellent. I had the Crispy Oysters for an appetizer and the Soft Shell Crabs as an entree. Outstanding. My wife had the Zucchini Flowers for an appetizer and the Stripped Bass for an entree. She loved the Bass and raved about the vegetables. The wine selection compliments any menu item. There is a good bar with a nice selection. We could not handle dessert but the Expresso was hot and delicious The environment is active, cozy and pleasant with indoor and outdoor dining. The wait staff are attentive and professional with a low turnover group. Overall one of...

Best restaurant in long island. They go out of their way to accommodate everyone. Let me explain. My wife and I are strict vegetarians. We went to the restaurant 2 weeks ago with another couple where the wife had a severe gluten allergy and cannot currently have dairy either. My own wife is pregnant and can't have soft cheeses. We explained all of this to the staff who expressed full understanding and that we would not have to worry. Many times at other restaurants they just tell you they will accommodate but don't pay attention and watch how they prepare in the kitchen. My friend's wife often ends up terribly sick the next day. Let's just say that all 4 of us had an appetizer course, an entree, and dessert. Everything was delicious and prepared fresh. Not one crumb was left on any plate. My friends wife mentioned that usually she doesn't finish the food because she starts to feel sick in the middle of the meal her body reacts to food not properly prepared to her restrictions. She texted us the next day saying that it was the best meal she had since her diagnosis and that she can't wait to go back again with us. And her husband who is a carnivore loved it too. From a vegetarians perspective, it's hard to find a variety of tasty menu options and Piccolo has dozens of choices for my wife and I. We have been there at least 4-5 times and never had the same thing twice. Their food and service is top notch. Best spot in Huntington for those have a discerning palate.

Update: years later (2022) - this place is like fine wine. It gets better with time! ...