I always enjoy going to Piccolino when I'm in Santa Fe. It has that simple, unpretentious family restaurant feel that makes you feel comfortable right away. The food is consistently good, with generous portions and classic Italian dishes that really satisfy. Nothing overly fancy--just solid, flavorful meals that you can count on every time. It's the kind of place you go when you want a relaxed, easy dining experience with dependable food. Definitely a local gem for a casual Italian meal. read more

My first visit to this restaurant was June 6, 2026. There is a lot of available parking. The sign is small and a little bit hard to see on your first time there, but my GPS took me right to the place. Friendly staff; I was seated immediately. The menu has many choices, and today on Saturday there was a list of specials to choose from also. The decor is casual and the feeling is relaxed. There is very nice ambient light. I opted for the seafood pasta that included shrimp, scallops, peas, and sun-dried tomatoes with an olive oil based sauce with garlic. A delightful balance of flavors and textures. Very nice sized scallops and shrimp. The focaccia appetizer is exquisite. A nice crust and a very soft interior crumb. It came with a very tasty tomato and basil sauce. I concluded my dining experience with a very tasty pistachio gelato. Prices are excellent. This is very fine Italian food. I will go out of my way to eat here again. read more

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I wasn't expecting to come across such good Italian food in Santa Fe but here we are. We got the chicken Parmesan, Chicken Marsala, and the Pesto Garlic Cheese Bread. Everything was absolutely DIVINE!!! Their red sauce in particular, really stood out and was definitely some of the best I've ever had anywhere. Service was absolutely top tier and we were taken care of wonderfully! We still got served quickly even thought the restaurant was super slammed, as to be expected for a place with such amazing food. Piccolino had a nice small family owned feel to it and it was obvious the owners take great pride in their restaurant. They had an award wall up at the entrance showing that they consistently win 1st place year after year for having the best Italian food in Santa Fe. read more

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First time here and wow I was impressed, was between this or a bbq spot. Was visiting from California and was looking at options in Santa Fe that were open a little later in the day. Tried the special of the day "pesto garlic bread" they also serve their own house bread which comes with marinara. The sauce was phenomenal! Tried the chicken parm and the chicken Marsala Liked the parm more both were good, noodles and vegetables were on point flavor wise. Lots of dessert options but I didn't leave room for that. They have inside dining as well as a drive thru which I don't see normally at Italian restaurants. Parking lot decent size, service was quick and staff was nice. Great little spot for a solo meal or date night idea. They had a wall of awards from various years and after eating here they definitely earned them read more

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It was a rainy Monday night, we were tired of Mexican food, and we just wanted somewhere close to our hotel to eat. After extensive searching, we finally found Piccolino. They were super busy, and we were told it would be a 20 minute wait, but we actually only waited about 5 minutes. It is way bigger inside than it looked from the outside, with almost non-stop table turnover. Our server was very busy, so we were ready to order when she stopped by. The fresh focaccia bread with marinara dipping sauce she brought with her was delicious. We split a Chopped Italian Salad to start with consisting of greens, tomatoes, carrots, mozzarella, cucumbers, garbanzo beans, and zucchini, with Italian dressing. It was good - and huge - and we took our leftovers back to our suite. Food came out quickly, even though they had a full dining room, plus a steady stream of takeout orders. I ordered the Pescatore, because a table nearby got it and it looked delicious. It had calamari, clams, steamed mussels, shrimp, and fish in a soupy broth, served with pasta. The seafood was good, although the broth was pretty thin, and did not stick to the pasta at all. No room for dessert, but a great dining experience all around. read more

Piccolino - Pescatore entree. - Italian Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

Just got back home after a lovely dinner at Piccolono. I couldn't finish it all. Note to self: do not fill up on the wonderful bread and marinara. Pasta cooked perfectly I thought the sauce was average however, the meatballs were OUTSTANDING!! I was very happy with my standard Spaghetti and 2 meatballs. It's how I judge an Italian restaurant. Now I'm too full and very content. I'll probably be back next week. read more

Came here to celebrate a family member's birthday. I have been looking for good Italian food around Santa Fe and this place did not disappoint. The customer service was excellent, and the meat lasagna was delicious with flavorful sauce and perfectly melted cheese. Overall, the ambiance was great, the restaurant was clean, there was plenty of seating, and the parking lot was convenient. I highly recommend giving this place a try if you are in the area. read more

Piccolino - Meat lasagna - Italian Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

First-time patron, dine-in experience. Extensive menu for all your Italian-American cravings...but let's be clear that it is Italian-American and not Italian. Giveaways included: 1) Grated Parmesan and ground black pepper on the table; 2) Cream-based alfredos; and 3) At least one chef who's way heavy-handed with the salt. To be fair, I enjoy Italian-American food when it's done well, but giveaway #3 kinda spoiled my carbonara. Too bad because service was quick, and I liked the casual dining room. Don't think I'll be back. read more

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This was a find in Santa Fe. Both my bestie and I were kind of tired of Mexican food, so we went looking for something different and found Piccolino. When we got there, they told us there was a 20-minute wait, but it was really more like 5 minutes. What a busy restaurant! They have a drive-through that was always busy, and lot so of folks coming in to get their to-go orders. We started off by sharing a Chopped Italian salad, which was very fresh and tasty, and more than enough to share (we took about half of it back to the hotel). The focaccia bread with warm marinara sauce that was brought to the table was so good. She ordered the Pescatore and loved it. I ordered the Shrimp Parmigiana and it was outstanding! It came with a side of spaghetti and marinara sauce that was very good and seasonal veggies that had too much pepper for my taste. The servers were friendly but the place was hopping and they didn't get back to us very quickly. The food came out in a timely manner, but getting the check and then our cards back took a while. Nonetheless, this was a great choice for dinner and I highly recommend it. read more

Came here with a group for a birthday. I got the grilled salmon and the table got both house bread and garlic bread. The house bread was so good we all went "oh no, that garlic bread's gonna be amazing" and it was! The salmon was perfectly cooked, nice and tender and juicy with a delicious caper sauce. The veggies were pretty lacking, but I had both the caper sauce and the pasta's red sauce to help so overall the dish was pretty good! read more

Piccolino - Grilled Salmon - Italian Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

9/6/25 While visiting family here in Santa Fe my wife and I were brought to this fine establishment. I enjoy the local non-chain restaurants. There was a friendly greeting at the door and then shown a window seat for the four of us. Found many choices on the menu along with the daily special sheet. What's not on the menu is the fact that they serve alcohol (beer and wine). I had the seasonal beet and goat cheese salad which is very filling and the tuscan wedding soup. That left no room for desert. Bummer as the deserts looked great. The dishes that the rest of our party had looked and smelled great. We will come back on our next visit. read more

Piccolino - Beet and goat cheese salad. - Italian Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

We arrived around 6:30 and we got our name on the waitlist. We were told it would be a 30 minute wait, but I don't think we waited more than 15 when we were seated at a table. The place was simple in style, but their food spoke volume's. They brought out some bread and some marinara sauce, and their sauce was so dang good. They had such a large menu that it was hard to decide on one thing. Our server was attentive to our dining needs, she quickly brought out our drinks, and she took our food order. I decided on the pistachio crusted halibut, and I was glad I did. We finished our meal and then we decided on some dessert. We ordered a flourless chocolate cake and a carrot cake. We ate every bite. The restaurant was full, it clearly is a popular joint. Although it was full, we didn't have a problem hearing each other. I did visit the restroom, and it was clean besides a few pieces of paper on the floor. I will definitely come back here when I visit Santa Fe. read more

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Very good, not the best I've ever had, but very good. Cute, quaint place presently under construction with signs around stating their contractor can't be trusted and you park at your own risk. Came in at 2pm on a Friday and was surprised at the number of people in the joint (almost full). Waiter indicated that we were lucky to arrive when we did, as they had been jammed all day. Nonetheless, I ordered the chicken parm, as I'm on a chicken parm craze to find the best on the planet. This one was interesting. Flavorful chicken, though not overly crispy, and light on the red sauce over the pasta. Nice cheesy top and the sauce on the bird was very good. Came with mixed veggies, and that's a first. Was hoping I could swap that crap out for a salad, but was told that was a bozo nono. Ordered a side salad anyway which was very well done. We also ordered the cheesy garlic bread which was outstanding, not to mention the house garlic bread with pesto and marinara was most outstanding. The daughter had the backed penne, which was covered with a very nice blanket of mozzarella, as well as a good amount of veggies and ricotta mixed in. It was basically a lasagne with penne pasta, but don't let that deter you from the dish. It was excellent! Had the house cab. The glass was a typical Italian wine glass (small), but the wine was actually pretty good. I could tell they have a large following of locals, which speaks well to their reputation. read more

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Our server was kinda dorky and awkward, but he took good care of us. Portion sizes are generous and prices are not too expensive, considering how much food you get. I got apple gorgonzola salad, and pasta carbonara. My partner got shrimp and scallops over pasta. My sister got the pistachio crusted halibut. All three of us thoroughly enjoyed our meals. On a weekday night, the place was nearly full--not loud but definitely busy. read more

Small nondescript building, a smidge off the beaten path. We were in the mood for something different on our way to the Plaza. We were quickly seated and the service was fast and friendly. They bring out marinara sauce with focaccia bread as an appetizer (they have others listed on the menu as well). I chose the chipotle chicken lasagna. It was GIANT and came out sizzling (think fajitas). Definitely has a kick and tons of cheese and chicken. We were stuffed so we didn't get to try the desserts but they have a nice array of desserts to choose from. We will be back! read more

Piccolino - Chipotle chicken lasagna - Italian Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

My wife and I think best in town but we don't want you to go because that could make a longer wait for table

Ah Italian food - another favorite. Of course being raised in an Italian household it takes me back. So I have an affinity for Mexican food holes in the wall. I have to say this one of the Italian variety. Our server brought pesto garlic bread with marinara. Bread was warm and marinara tasty. Small menu with a lot of choices - hmmm... I decide on the Veal Parmesan. It came with spaghetti & veggies. The veal was delicious- lots of cheese. Although a little overdone on the edges the rest was tender. Didn't eat much of the spaghetti or vegs. The veal was plenty. We also had the chicken chipotle lasagna. It came out of the kitchen still bubbling. Excellent flavor without being overly spicy. Plenty of food, the lasagna went home. There was a well stocked dessert case that we passed on. I Good independent Italian places are few and far between - this one is in that category. Looking forward to going back. read more

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Got lasagna. It was cold in the middle. Also no sauce anywhere but the outside. The people were nice enough but the lasagna was kinda garbage read more

Food was pretty decent but nothing to write home about. Staff could be replaced by statues as not one was friendly or welcoming. They could certainly benefit from some training from wait staff in Abq. or Rio. Probably won't be back as price trumps quality and ambiance. read more

I came here with a friend and was not disappointed. She told us that we have to go early as it gets busier and she was right! We waited about 15 min before we got sat which was worth it! Service was great and food was delicious. When I'm back in Santa Fe, this restaurant is definitely on the list to eat at again. read more

Piccolino - Italian Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

Food was amazing and friendly service. Great pasta and calzones. I've been twice and will go back again. read more

Piccolino - Piccolino picture - Italian Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

Three of us had dinner and all three meals were fantastic. Lobster ravioli with mushroom cream sauce was the best! Then, we had three different desserts and they also were amazing. Service was outstanding. It's not a "fancy" restaurant, but it was wonderful!!! read more

I ended up eating in this mostly locals place three times in one week on a recent business trip. Although often packed, it is well worth the wait. Great food, excellent prices, an extensive menu and large portions. I have had the lamb shank special, the veal francese and the pork shank twice. All fabulous. I love the spinach salad with apricots, walnuts and feta. Great ice cream too, read more

Piccolino - Pork shank on risotto with mixed vegetables. - Italian Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

Excellent Italian food in a casual setting. Their pizza is very good and you can pickup take-away in their drive-thru.

Two words - lasagna bolloco. This is a super tasty lasagna variant with layers of lasagna noodles, chicken, green chile, provolone, mozzarella, and alfredo sauce. It was recommended to me by a local while waiting for our table and by our waitress. It's Italian meets southwest - totally unique and totally works. It's not a light dish. I took half home and am looking forward to lunch tomorrow. All the other food at Piccolono is great, too. Others in our party enjoyed spaghetti with clams (linguini in white wine sauce, lots of garlic and clams in the shell) and shrimp scampi (6 or 7 large shrimp with pasta and veggies). The pre-meal bread is delicious. It has a simple spice rub on top that tastes mostly of rosemary and salt to me. No butter or olive oil dipping necessary. We shared slices of flourless chocolate cake and lemon meringue pie. Both very good. Our waitress was awesome. Very friendly even though she was obviously super busy. Really love this place and will return to try other dishes...if I can resist the temptation to order lasagna bolloco again! read more

People keep raving about this place, so we checked it out today. Once inside, we saw all the Best Of banners! The basket of garlic bread started us off on the deliciousness train. So good! We both ordered ravioli. I got the wild mushroom ravioli in Alfredo sauce. They also offer a red sauce, but I was in a creamy comfort food sort of mood. My companion tried the spinach ravioli, in Alfredo sauce. We shared. Both were delicious. They offer several varieties of ravioli filling. I'll be trying some of the seafood options next time. Portions are ample. At the tables near us, we saw spaghetti, calzones, and fried calamari. Everyone seemed delighted with their selections. Before leaving, I brought an order of linguini and clam sauce to bring home. There is plenty of parking and room enough for groups to enjoy a great Italian food experience. The staff is attentive and helpful with menu questions. We will be back to work our way down their menu. read more

Piccolino - Wild mushroom ravioli - Italian Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

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We finally ate at Piccolino. It is a very low key kinda place. The restaurant has a drive thru and a small dimming area inside. It is very casual. The food is outstanding. We started with some drinks and a fried appetizer plate. Everything had great flavor, crunch, and was cook just right. I ordered the lamb shank, which was a great choice. My guest had the seafood pasta. Both dishes had great flavor and were good portions. The pricing was not bad at all. The service was attentive and professional. I would definitely recommend this place for Italian in Santa Fe. read more

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Great food!! There were 4 of us and we all enjoyed our meals. Friendly, attentive service.

I had heard about this restaurant for some time. When my colleague invited me to lunch, I thought, let's give it a try. I drove into Santa Fe from Albuquerque and the gps got me to this Italian hot spot. The parking lot was already full and it was just 11:30am. It looked as though they were expanding as construction was going on. When I opened the doors it was a little unclear about either waiting to be seated or find a seat. I went to the back counter where they instructed me to find a seat. The room is wall to wall tables and filling up with patrons. The menu offers specials and some regular dishes. Some around me were riding pizza and it looked delicious. I ordered the artichoke ravioli. While my guest ordered the linguini. We were given some bread with marinara for starters and did not have to wait long for our meal to arrive. The food looked made to order and from our seats you could see the cooks working away in the kitchen. My dish was enough for two people. It was very tasty and filling. I definitely will be back to try something new. The locals seem to know about this hidden gem away from the plaza and if anything, the addition to this space will make room for new patrons like me! read more

This was our first time visiting since the remodel and we both enjoyed the updated dining area and expanded parking. Service was great, our waitress was very attentive to us. My Ravioli de Mare was delicious! This was my first time trying this dish and I would definitely order it again, I enjoyed how light the Pomodoro sauce was and how the the shrimp was perfectly cooked. The ravioli itself was good as well, it was thin, cheesy and it paired perfectly with the sauce and shrimp. read more

Piccolino - Ravioli de mare, cheese ravioli in a Pomodoro sauce topped with shrimp. - Italian Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

The 11th Commandment in Italy is THOU SHALT NOT OVERCOOK SPAGHETTI (however you say that in Italian). I have never had overcooked spaghetti in Italy--it's out of the question. But in my last two visits to Picolino the pasta was overcooked. "From overcooked spaghetti to Olive Garden is but a step!"--Napoleon Bonaparte's chef. Otherwise this is a pretty good restaurant; I hope they return to form. read more

Even during a weekday there's a wait during the lunch hour because this place has a long list of loyal customers. The ambiance isn't great, but it's clean and spaced out well between tables...annnd you don't need great ambiance when the food speaks for itself. We ordered fried mozzarella sticks, a Greek salad, veal and eggplant Parmesan, spaghetti and meatball, and the green Chile Alfredo lasagna. Lots of food on each plate with all the flavors coming through every bite. I really enjoyed my Parmesan since veal and eggplant are my two favorites when eating Italian! I wish more places offered this combo. My wife had the green Chile Alfredo lasagna and she had it before..she really enjoys it! Will definitely return when visiting Santa Fe. read more

Piccolino - Veal eggplant Parmesan - Italian Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

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We just ate here. Family owned restaurant and all was fantastic!!! The main dish, Seafood Canelloni, is to die for. The spicy sauce was not too spicy and really flavorful and we love it. Lots of seafood inside and great lunch meal. We took home a homemade tiramisu and it's so soft and tasty. We wish we bought one each instead of splitting it... The service was also very good. God amount of parking space for our big truck. read more

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You don't come to Piccolino's for atmosphere (or you'd pay for it). You come for fantastic food (I can't get spumoni like this even in Denver!), and a drive-thru to match in case you can't sit-down with friends. Service is speedy. And a great (huge-size) sculpture museum a block away. Double-nice!! read more

We were there on Halloween. The young guy, checking in people was extremely rude and judgmental. We asked if we could sit somewhere else because it was too cold at the table for two located at the entrance door. He told us that the other tables were for parties of four or six but to our surprise, several couples who arrived after us and looked different than us were taken to the same tables and given choice, to be seated inside. We felt like we were treated differently for obvious reasons. He seated us at the table in the front of the entrance door where the cold brisk air kept coming in and we were miserable. The service was subpar and we had to get the attention of our server several times because she failed to check in on us. The food was 5.5 out of 10 at best. We will not be returning. Please read all the other 1 and 2 star reviews. read more

Amazing! The homemade food, the employees there were very courteous as well! The desserts were so delicious! Pasta, Calzones, can't wait to try the pizza" no wonder this place has been open for almost 30 years! Highly recommend this restaurant if you plan to be in Santa Fe read more

Visiting from Louisiana, found this very out of the way little restaurant. Nothing fancy, but the food is delicious. We shared the chopped antipasto salad and a small pizza. The pizza crust is one of the best we have ever had. The crème brûlée was just so good, as good if not better than what we have had in some very high end restaurants. The Sea salt caramel gelato reminded me of gelato that I enjoyed in Italy. Very well done, if you're in Santa Fe and you want REALLY good Italian food, this is the spot. read more

Even though they were very busy on a Friday evening, they seated us as quickly as they could and service was prompt. Pasta and garlic bread ingredients were fresh and assembled with care. read more

good lunch today. hubby had a sausage sandwich and i had calamari and clams. calamari was okay but the clams which i was skeptical about was surprisingly good. read more

Piccolino - calamari and clams - Italian Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

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Cute little place off one of Santa Fe's main drags. The restaurant was clean and wait staff attentive but not very friendly. The menu is quite large which should have been a red flag for me as when this is the case it often means that shortcuts are taken in food prep / freshness. My wife ordered the pasta primavera which was angel hair pasta with mixed veggies of broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, cauliflower and summer squash done in an oil and garlic sauce. The sauce was lacking in flavor and the veggies tasted like they had been previously frozen. I had the Victor Chicken - I expected Chicken to be the star of the dish but unfortunately it consisted of mostly penne pasta in a pink garlic and oil sauce with broccoli, grilled eggplant chunks less than 6 pine nuts and a very few pieces of small chicken. Again, the sauce was tasteless, the veggies tasted of previously frozen, the chicken was scant and not of good quality / not juicy nor freshly prepared and the penne was also not freshly cooked and certainly not Al dente. We also ordered a margarita pizza which was tasteless with the crust not approximating freshly made dough. Overall a disappointing meal given other reviews but perhaps being from east coast originally, my expectations and standards for Italian food are just different. Sorry but will not return when next passing through Santa Fe. read more