Piccolo Cucina at Ox Pasture is a quaint Italian restaurant that boasts that they are "the best in Red lodge." I was excited to try it and decided to have my last dinner in Montana here (heading back to California) I was immediately welcomed in with the white and blue Mediterranean design of the restaurant. There is no formal host stand so we looked a little lost walking in but were shortly greeted by our waiter that took us to our table. I see reviews on here comparing this restaurant to Michelin star dining which they really need to step up in their service if they want to get close to that. I felt rushed on the menu and our server told us we needed to order all our food at once? This place only has their wine/beer lisence so you would think that all servers are knowledgeable on the wine list but we were bounced back and forth between people giving us suggestions. We settled on a full bodied and smooth red, Valpolicella Ripasso which did the trick. We were brought out some stale bread with an interesting flavored olive oil before our meal. Onto the food: Zucchini fritters with calamari- okay, nothing special Octopus- half was cooked correctly and half was overcooked Maccheroni alba norma- wasn't getting a lot of the eggplant flavor but good portioned and pasta was cooked al dente Tiramisu- served table side but missed the mark on this dessert. The mascarpone was delicious but lady fingers need to be soaked longer in the espresso. TheY should not be crunchy in the dessert As for ambiance- its pretty lively but they have a ridiculous happy birthday celebration which is more tacky than celebratory. Overall, Cute date night spot if you are in the mood for Italian food but if you are going for better food and service, there are definitely better options in Red Lodge. Really giving this 3.5 stars but home they improve on the feedback in these reviews. Wine should be poured by the server, not the guests. Don't rush your guests out and hope food has more of a wow factor in the future read more

Just had lunch at Piccola Cucina and to say my pasta dish was salty is an understatement. I do not recommend.

Made the trip from Billings on recommendation of a friend. I wasn't terribly impressed. Service was friendly and fast, cute interior, but the food quality wasn't there for the price. Got the octopus, which was rather bland and tough, needed some salt and acid. Best octopus I've had in Montana, but that's not saying much. The mozzarella en carrozza was excellent and a very hefty portion. My wife got tortellini for her entree, which was a bang on flavor match for chef boyardee beef ravioli. I got the lasagna, which tasted good, but very soupy and hard to eat. Our tab came out to 140 bucks before gratuity, which felt a little dear for the flavor. If we were in town for something, we might think about stopping in, but definitely wouldn't make a special trip for it. read more

Excellent food, festive atmosphere and music to dance to!! Benny runs the show and is A++++ in hospitality, calling his customers by name and exuding fun!! read more

Don't let the small entry fool you. They managed to get all the good stuff inside. The ambience is classic Royal House of Savoy. White and savoy blue blankets the walls, decor and dishes and makes you feel like you stepped into a true Italian café. And the food tastes as good as it looks. Just feast your eyes on the masterpiece they made out of my Panino Caprese. Yes, I ate the whole thing! Last but not least, because they absolutely make the dining special, is the staff. Their smiles, mannerisms and attentiveness leave you feeling truly waited on. So happy to hear they are now planning to stay long term. read more

Piccola Cucina - Panino Caprese - Italian Near Me - Red Lodge, Montana

Dinner at this Italian restaurant was a wonderful treat. We did not have reservations but we're seated within minutes of walking in. I was told by hotel front desk agent that this place is popular and we would be fortunate to get a table. Wheh! Service was hospitable and our server, Pablo, was attentive and knowledgeable about the area. Gave us tips of what to see and do while visiting. Wine list is mainly Italian wines, so we experimented and tried this bottle. We weren't disappointed. The Fried Zucchini was delicious and plentiful. My pasta entree was good but the lasagna was the winner. Reserve a table! Ask for Pablo to serve you and don't skip dessert!! Highly recommend dining here. read more

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Unique Italian dining experience with good food and service. Laid back vibe; not the cheapest place in town. The calamari is the best I've ever had. read more

This Italian restaurant in a small town in southern Montana will knock your socks off! Simple clean decor, highly attentive wait staff get your meal off to a great start. We stopped in for lunch on a weekday because we had been craving the calamari appetizer. Lightly battered calamari rings and thin ribbons of zucchini are not to be missed! We followed that with salads. Sister had the Insalata Caprese and I had the Insalata di Rucola. Both were superb and we enjoyed them but in all honesty, after the fact, we wished we had each just gotten our own Frito di Calamari E Zucchine Con Salsa Tartare! Too full for dessert but looked at the menu anyway. Ya'all need to give this place a try. Keep in mind they are only open in the summer. Plan accordingly. read more

Piccola Cucina - Salad - Italian Near Me - Red Lodge, Montana

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Wow - what an experience. The food was fantastic, the service wonderful and the overall vibe - just great. In fact, before I sat down to do this review, I didn't know there were similarly named restaurants in NYC. I mention this because I said to my dinner partner as we were eating dinner there on 9/21/24 that if I didn't know where I was, I could easily think I was in the city eating at a wonderful Italian restaurant. My critique would be that cheese and sauce seemed to overwhelm the excellent ingredients - I lost for instance the discreet layers and notes of a lasagna in the mix - but again, I'm forcing myself to find something to mention. The salad, bread, pasta and desert were just great - high quality - fresh tasting and flavorful. read more

Food was great, our server was fantastic. Very professional atmosphere. I got the shrimp pasta and my partner got the gnocchi and those dishes were amazing. read more

This place was recommended by a colleague. Wow super good. Very small place, but very nice We dropped by between lunch and dinner, so didn't need a reservation. But another time should make a reservation. Food is top tier!! read more

Excellent food, fine service, in fact EXCEPTIONAL, and pricey.... although the servings are large. The arugula salad was bland and unimoressive, but we asked for a side of Caesar dressing and anchovies and the flavor popped and was great. Crowded, noisy and hot... just like Italy. Wines were too expensive so we didn't have any. But the raspberry and rosemary mimosas replacement were VERY good. We will be back ! read more

Wonderful atmosphere and food. Great waiter staff. Carbonara was wonderful. Dessert are wonderful. read more

Never had a bad meal, never had a bad experience. Service is too notch. The feel in the atmosphere is unexplainable. Most magical experience you'll ever h read more

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Unless you enjoy mediocre pasta prepared by Central Americans served in a chaotic atmosphere, you might want to avoid that place.

The food here was amazing. Highly recommend getting a reservation because they were packed with a line out the door the entire time we were there. The cacio e pepe is prepared right at your table and it was delicious. read more

I went there a few nights ago with my fiancé. The service was slow and they got the wine order wrong. When our plates finally arrived (I ordered the gnocchi) and I started eating I realized that there was a CURLY BLACK HAIR in the tomato cream. I was disgusted and stopped eating but I didn't say anything because I didn't want to ruin the night. The waiter rushed us out as soon as my fiancé had finished his plate. I keep thinking about how gross that place was and wish I had said something. read more

Great food and kind, caring staff. I would certainly recommend and will visit again next time I am in town. Highly recommend.

Came here after a beautiful afternoon horseback riding with Elkriver Outfitters. We had reservations at 6:30 thanks to Chef Benny for accommodating . Make sure to make reservations ahead of time. Our dinner here was the perfect way to end our day. Our server was Mauricio who was excellent! We ordered the Octopus and Calamari for starters. For entrees we had the Lasagna, Branzino, Carbonara pasta, and the special of the day which was a Seafood Ravioli. All were excellent choices. My husband and children all shared a taste of each others plates because they all looked so good. My kids loved it! This restaurant is only open from March to October. I feel bad for the locals that have to wait for the winter to pass for Chef Benny to come back in the spring! We will be back here again. Everyone was attentive and Chef Benny made our experience unbelievable!!! Truly world class. Thank you! read more

What a cute venue! I was immediately drawn by the all white and blue Mediterranean decor, but the food did not disappoint. We recommend this place to all our friends and family, make sure you make reservations, it fills up fast and it can get tight. read more

Piccola Cucina - Italian Near Me - Red Lodge, Montana

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Had a chance to visit at a perfect time (4 pm ish) for an early dinner as I missed lunch during a business trip. I went for the grilled octopus and clam spaghetti that both were top recommendations. Both dishes were spot on and the octopus was perfectly cooked (nice and moist) and the right amount of sauce for the clam spaghetti with a hearty amount of flavorful clams! Service was top notch and will recommend this restaurant to others!! read more

Piccola Cucina - Clam spaghetti - Italian Near Me - Red Lodge, Montana

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Best Italian food in Montana. No contest. And I used to live in Italia. Amazing. Worth the drive from wherever you are.

Wow. This was our favorite place to eat while visiting! We went for dinner on a Wednesday night. Got there early and by the time we were ready to go, every table was occupied! That tells a tale in itself! The pasta was fresh and delicious. The service was top notch. Worth the price! Portions were appropriate, meaning not too much and enough to satisfy. Would come back in a heartbeat to try everything on the menu! read more

Red Lodge, Ibiza , New York Our favorite restaurant in our favorite places. The zucchini , the Orecchiette with burrata, tiramisu are a few favorites we crave. read more

Piccola Cucina - Zucchini - Italian Near Me - Red Lodge, Montana

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Several friends had talked about this pop-up restaurant and recommended it to me knowing it was exactly my cup of tea. It did not disappoint! I left wishing we had ordered even more appetizers since the fried zucchini was hands down the best I had ever tried. I ordered the carbonara and I now know what a perfect al dente pasta is supposed to be. The chew on the noodles in the rich egg cream sauce with bits of pork were so so decadent. For dessert- They made our tirimisu table side and I remarked I wish I could bathe in it. It was perfection! The entire meal was delicious. I will definitely be back. Bravo! read more

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I'm writing this as we are waiting on the check because it was so good! The service was attentive and nice, the atmosphere was bustling and fun, and the food was awesome. Our party had cacio e pepe, gnocchi, chicken, and ravioli and it all was fantastic. This place's other locations are in NYC and Ibiza, which isn't surprising. This is a must visit. read more

If you're looking for a fun night out, this is a good spot in Red Lodge. Prepare for several dancing interludes throughout the night and a lively dinner atmosphere! The service was fine, however we felt really rushed throughout our entire meal. Unfortunately, the food also left something to be desired. The gist: A fun place for a lively dinner with solid portions of ok food. I would try this place again, but I'm not racing back for the opportunity to do so. - Aracini: a good sized starter, especially to share between two people. The flavor is great and they are nice and crispy like aracini should be! This was the highlight of our meal. - burrata & prosciutto: what you expect, and the burrata wasn't anything special. - lobster and shrimp pasta: the pasta was really nice and was coated in a red seafood sauce. Topped with some lobster in the shell and shrimp. The sauce was pretty fishy without the good brine that comes with seafood. The fish was ok, but not outstanding. - tiramisu: it is prepared tableside. scoops of cream are separated by espresso soaked ladyfingers. I felt like this missed the mark by failing to capture the best parts of tiramisu. read more

Fantastic food and staff!! Servers were quick and attentive - glasses were refilled as quickly as we finished them. Food was quick and great value for a high end meal. Try the Tiramisu for dessert - you won't be disappointed! read more

Good and services was both great and just a neat little place. The gnocchi was delicious

Not sure why this is "best restaurant in Red Lodge?" Everything we ordered had absolutely no seasoning on it and we were served plates of Heinz, ketchup and mayonnaise in packets. Just look at the picture. It says a thousand words. read more

Piccola Cucina - Italian Near Me - Red Lodge, Montana

Great thoughtful higher end Italian in a darling atmosphere. Happy to find another great place in Red Lodge.

A little piece of NYC fine dining in MT The food and service were spectacular. I felt like I was transported into the NYC dining scene - a very good thing - with the down-to-earth friendliness of MT. The food was perfect and I will have at least one more visit before I return home. You are good ordering anything, it was all great. read more

Amazing food and incredible service! Authentic Italian and a kind fun atmosphere! Had bucatini Cacio E Pepe and a cannoli! read more

This is the most unexpected 5-star restaurant in a tiny town in Montana. With locations in Spain and NYC, you are getting an authentic, delicious meal. My wife had the Carbonara (amazing), I had gnocchi and a house Chianti, and my kids both had ravioli. The octopus, for starters, was tender and delicious. I will journey back to Red Lodge for a long weekend with my wife sometime in the summer. I'd rate this an 11/10 if I could rate it that high!!! read more

Best Sicilian food around worth the trip. the food, service and the ambiance is tops. Top it all of with homemade Tiramisu made at your table, Bellisimo Also the scenic drive any time of year is beautiful. read more

We showed up on Wednesday night for dinner. We heard great things about the quality of food and service. Well.... We sat down just after 7 pm. Waiter gave menus and was somewhat engaging. Came back took our order... did not ask if we wanted wine or other beverages. We guessed that we would have a dry evening and that was OK. Caprice he salad was very good as an app. Our niece had salmon which Was done perfectly. My wife and I had two different pastas. Both pastas were not cooked probably- terrible texture. My white sauced sausage concoction was horrific. Overly salty and lacked any form of balance.... I left hungry with most of the food in a doggy bag, of which I would not feed to my dog. The service..., well after the waiter dropped off the food he was no longer anywhere to be found. The once full restaurant was near empty. No one at the table had eaten anything on there plate for 15 plus minutes. No one filled water glasses. They were washing and rearranging tables. It was as if we did not exist. So very disappointed!! read more

My husband and I were there on Saturday. Staff was very friendly and we got a table right away without reservations. The food was good but my biggest complaint is the rush we felt as we were trying to enjoy our dinner and bottle of wine! We were constantly pestered if we were finished with the calamari, if we were finished with our dinner and did we need a box! We left before we were even finished with the main course because we felt like we were taking up space! No one was waiting on a table! Didn't even consider dessert, we were afraid it would come in a to go box!! read more

New York, Ibiza and...... Red Lodge!? What awesome addition to our mountain town. Big city Sicilian dining experience right here. The only thing that wasn't 5 star that most people would think was the safest bet is the Meatballs. They are mushy and not that good I promise, but everyone will prob have to find out for themselves.. read more

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Was a lovely ambiance and loved the staff, so gracious and helpful. We absolutely LOVED Their Caesar Salad , was so delicious and lovely to the eyes. Now The Sea Bass which was cleaned and served to me still had bones in it, which can happen. My husband's Penne with Calamari was not cooked, was not al dente and was chewy. We loved the ambiance, the wine (we each had three glasses) and the serving staff is awesome. Our dinners were maybe a 3 , our dinner ticket was $ 155.00, my husband paid them $175.00 for a dinner that was not present. Will give them another try because of the serving staff and ambiance & we heard the Lasagna is awesome! It was another busy tourist weekend in Red Lodge so to be fair July is crazy in Red Lodge, Mt. We ate here again, the Lasagna is fabulous, pair it with the awesome staff & the wine selection and ambiance ! Tonight , my friend & I ate there and would rate the whole experience a 5 Star! We shared a huge Salad and also the Ravioli Entree. Both were huge servings and delicious.. the staff is so prompt and welcoming & gracious! Red Lodge, Montana has been blessed this summer with fantastic Italian Cuisine , what an experience! Thank you ! read more

overpriced pretentious food...service is good, staff is polite. Food sucks for the price. Red Lodge needs an Italian place worthy of its location. read more