Italian chain Piccolino can be located in Cheshire’s Stockton Heath, on Victoria Square, with a welcoming, hard to miss, storefront. Outside, bistro tables line the walkway, and a striped, old school canopy hangs overhead. If you’re looking for somewhere to enjoy fantastic Italian food, you’ve come to the right place.
Begin with a selection of antipasti, like the toasted sourdough bruschetta with king prawns and confit garlic butter, the thinly sliced Italian carpaccio with a rocket and parmesan salad, or, opt for the Piccolino favourite of fegatini alla crema – a dish of chicken livers with marsala cream, grapes, pine nuts and sourdough. Pasta is made using 100% Italian durum wheat from Puglia, and so you know whatever dish you choose, it'll be a good one. Choose from tagliatelle al salmone with Argyll smoked salmon, asparagus, lemon and herb mascarpone, a classic penne arrabbiata with a hint of spice, and a simple dish of short twisted pasta with seasonal vegetables, cream, matured Italian cheese and pine nuts. Filled pastas include ravioli stuffed with hand picked Devonshire crab and North Atlantic prawns, a rich tortellini with slow cooked beef shin and red wine, and a vegetarian option with butternut squash and toasted walnuts.
Pizzas are made using traditional methods from Naples, and with a dough lovingly prepared by the in house baker. There are almost as many options for pizza as there are for pasta, including all the classics like a margherita and tartufo, and more interesting flavours like the spagna with San Marzano tomato, mozzarella, chorizo, blue goat's cheese and hot honey. If you're feeling something a little lighter, try one of the salads, such as invernale, filled with Italian winter leaves, pear, blue goat's cheese, candied walnuts and a honey mustard dressing.