I've had the privilege (and maturity!) to dine in restaurants all over North America. Many meals were enjoyable, some outstanding and once in a while, memorable. My dinner at Piccola was memorable. My order began with the octopus on a bed of arugula. The serving was beautifully presented on a lovely, long white dish. The octopus was flawlessly prepared; tender, consistent and delicious. Arugula salad was dressed with a complementary vinaigrette that enhanced the flavor of the octopus. My main course was their special, spaghetti with a Parmesan sauce with shrimp and lobster. Again, gorgeous presentation, the dish was hot and so rich, I saved half for the following day's lunch. Superb. Dessert was their gelato cappuccino. Two generous scoops and lush. Service was as expected in a restaurant of this caliber; impeccable. The venue is charming, relaxed and immaculately clean. This was an incredible experience. Thank you again to everyone on Piccola's team who created this memorable evening for me, Bill read more

So we were in red lodge passing through and were told this is the best Italian food in montana. Got here on a Sunday afternoon and it wasnt busy at all. Sat rather quickly. Server was alone, but managed great. I ordered the gnocchi and my wife ordered the carbonara. The bread that came complimentary was great and the butter and oil that was provided was tasty. My wife didnt really enjoy her carbonara because the noodles were too al dente however the flavor and sauce was good. I thought the gnocchi was a little bland as did my wife. However what was great was that ragu sauce with it. The sauce was amazing and I wish I had gotten that with pasta noodles. The reason for the low stars is because while the food tasted great, there were things that were lacking. Most crucial on the review was the fact that we had a direct view to the kitchen where we saw the chef on his phone the entire time. Several poses, bent over, hunched over and just standing there. We also watched him put several items in the microwave so we wondered how fresh the items were. Maybe this was a worker just reheating what the head chef made last week? Id give it another go, but recommend that the owner put up a curtain so we cant see the staff on their phone the entire time. read more

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Great atmosphere and menu with generous portions and fine service. It's an unexpected gem in a town of this size and delivers high quality experience read more

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I was never one for Italian food intil I ate here. The service was great. The decor was simple and I was told by my daughters it was right on since they had been to Italy. The food was excelent. It changed my mind about Italiian food. This is a must visit restaurant in Red Lodge. read more

Piccola Cucina is truly the best restaurant in town. After a long day at Yellowstone Park a friend asked a police officer about a good place for dinner and he didn't hesitate to name Piccola cucina. He said, "it is the best place here, and it is also good for a large group". What a great recommendation, and I'm going to do the same for you. The service here was excellent, everything came out of the kitchen perfectly and in a timely manner. Keep in mind we were nearly 30 people. Everything was done to perfection. The food options are incredible and portions are huge. I just took a few pictures but anything you pick will be delicious. The pasta was al dente and the seafood was delicate and seasoned perfectly. Prices are moderate and according to most in the area. The wine list is not pretentious and has good wines. The dessert, tiramisu, was made table side and it was incredibly delicious . Always a good choice. I strongly recommend coming here, you will not be disappointed. read more

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My wife and I stopped in at Piccola Cucina for dinner tonight. It's as good as the other reviews I seen. My wife started with the caprese salad and I the Cesar salad both were great . The caprese had a ball of mozzarella the size of a tennis ball. The Cesar had a great flavor. My wife's tortellini in a red sauce was excellent. It was cheese stuffed and had good flavor. I had the carbonara with lots of bacon and a great cream sauce. Our server Edwin was great. He had full knowledge of the menu. The cafe reminded me of a cafe we ate at in Rome. read more

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Excellent food, excellent service. Worth the drive. Table side Tiramisu is excellent.

Piccola Cuccina is a very worthwhile dinner destination with some very small reservations. We made a dinner reservation for 5:30 but we ended up showing up earlier and the hosting staff were flexible and accommodating. The interior is beautiful and feels very Mediterranean with blue and white decor, chandeliers, and a single candle on the table. The music was club-type remixes of songs and was honestly a little overbearing in volume. We ordered two glasses of wine, and decided to go straight to the main course. The complementary bread offering is very small, three slices of toasted bread with butter and oil for drizzling. But the generous portions for the main course more than make up for it! My wife ordered the paccheri which comes with a pomodoro sauce, shrimp, and arugula and cherry tomatoes. This was the star dish for us, the depth of flavor in the sauce and the way the elements come together was truly delicious. I ordered the ricotta ravioli, with bison ragu. No complaints there, if a little less complex than the paccheri. Dessert was a tiramisu that they prepare table side, dipping the ladyfingers in espresso and building it right in front of you. It was a perfect size for sharing and they have a full espresso bar to enjoy coffee with your dessert. Overall, large portions and delicious pasta. read more

We make the 156 mile drive from Bozeman to just to dine here. EVERYTHING on the menu is amazing and the ambiance is that of a traditional cafe in Italy. My Italian born husband always enjoys conversation over an espresso with the manager in his native tongue. Make reservations well in advance. This place is popular. read more

GO NOW! Food is amazing, service is amazing, interior is cute, this is a must do. I wish I could remember the name of the pasta dish I had but it was incredible. It was green linguini style noodles with wild boar ragu and let me tell you- the flavor was amazing! My hunny had the tomato soup- creamy and delish. For dessert we had some kind of swirled vanilla, pistachio, and chocolate ice cream that was yummy. I highly recommend this place. read more

Beautiful Italian place with delicious food! Great atmosphere with great service! Enjoying dinner! read more

Piccola Cucina - Just walked up to the restaurant! - Italian Near Me - Red Lodge, Montana

Tasty authentic Italian food in the middle of Red Lodge, MT - great stop for friends and family alike! Quick service and a beautiful local really brings in the customers, and the food keeps them coming back. I recommend the Carbonara and the Gnocchi - the gnocchi was so good, it was inhaled before I could even take a picture. That said, I was not a fan of the lasagna as the sauce tasted too much like chef boyardee... and an Italian restaurant without a good tomato sauce is reason enough to bring down a star for me. I'd come back again though for the gnocchi. read more

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5 stars for food, 1 for service. Writing this story because frankly it's kind of unbelievable for me. We popped in at 4pm on a Saturday after driving up from Yellowstone. No reservation, so I had low expectations of getting in but figured we were early enough to give it a shot. While waiting to speak to the host, talked to the woman in front of me, her family had done the same as us but 30 mins earlier and were just about to get seated. Maybe I have a chance. Host takes one look at me and goes "7:45 is the earliest available" and then straight up brushed me off to take the next person in line. I'm like "Hey no wait, I'd like to put my name in for the 7:45 please." He rolls his eyes and takes my number. At this point I could tell exactly what was going on. We walked down the street, about 5 mins later I call the restaurant to ask about getting in. Same guy says "Can you hold on a minute?" as soon as he answers, to which I say "Sure." He doesn't place me on hold, he just sets the phone down so I can hear the whole restaurant. 15 minutes after that, we're walking back towards Piccola...and I'm still waiting for someone to pick up the phone. So I tell my wife to go in and ask about getting in, because there are multiple tables of our party size still sitting empty, and they had been empty since I inquired. Naturally, she gets seated in under 5 minutes and I go in with our other 2. Unfortunately the table service wasn't much better. We got our order in pretty quick and the waiter kind of split our order up in a weird way: our kid's spaghetti (props for realizing that was a priority), our calamari appetizer, and one of our mains (carbonara), said he would bring the tuna special and my gnocchi as the mains. We were like "That's great feel free to bring whatever whenever it's ready." We didn't get served bread which I had to ask for to placate the kid in the meantime. Anyway the first 3 dishes came out in 10 mins or so, but then we waited about 45 minutes for the mains - maybe the waiter was thinking we were slow eaters and was just trying not to rush us? Not sure. --- The food was pretty much out of this world. Calamari appetizer - shaved zucchini fried in with the calamari was a wonderful touch. Super fresh seafood in middle of MT is black magic, but the calamari was perfectly tender. Carbonara - we all agreed it was the best we had ever had. Thick, creamy, and delicious bacon. Kid's spaghetti - noodles and sauce, but honestly I tried it because it looked so amazing, and they are some of the best noodles, and best sauce, I have ever had. So simple but so amazing. Tuna steak & asparagus - thin spears perfectly braised topped with a steak of tuna the size of a freaking ribeye. I mean it had to be 14oz after being cooked. And it was cooked to perfection. Shrimp Gnocchi - this was my least favorite of everything, and that's saying something, because delivering 4 out of 5 plates of perfection is a feat in and of itself. It was still great, but dish just felt a bit busy with the spinach and almonds, and overall the flavor profile was...just OK. I think maybe a slightly heavier sauce to tie it together and maybe some chili flakes instead of the almonds. But let's be clear: I'm some fat white dude, not Chef Guardione from Sicily. read more

food was great not much service celebration for my dads 91st birthday they didn't care. food to table slooow not enough help Very disappointed for me trying to celebrate my dads 91st birthday being born here and all of his children born here 91 COME ON. We should have had way better service. No dessert for my dads 91st birthday. should have went to a local place. Red Lodge Cafe Regis Marlies. We would have had way better service. read more

You'd have to drive twelve hours to get better Italian food. Incredible staff, incredible food. Highly recommend the Cacio e Pepe and Tiramisu. read more

We didn't have a reservation but the host graciously sat us immediately. Diverse menu but would have liked to see more of some traditional Italian dishes such as chicken franchisee. That aside, the caprisi salad was on point. My wife had the Cacio de Pepe that was made table side and I had the tortellini in a ragu. Both dishes were very good. read more

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I know you won't believe me, but this is one of the finest Italian restaurants I've ever been to. Turns out the owner/chef has 2 other restaurants in Manhattan, and one more in Ibiza, Spain. Seems that a patron of his brought him to Red Lodge, MT, to support him in opening this "pop-up" restaurant that's only open from April until November of each year. It's quite amazing that when you travel through Red Lodge (Montana's next Aspen? (But not filled with dweebs:)), you find yourself in the midst of some Michelin-like dining. Who knew? (As Granny would ask). Our server Zane was a local, but almost every else working there was from "The City" and was brought in for the short season to see how those cowboys like that there Eye-taleean food. The answer? Pretty darn much. read more

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Great service. Plenty of staff, which is unusual these days. Our apps came incredibly quickly, which we were grateful for. The pulpo dish is outstanding. Also the grilled vegetables side dish was delicious. Tiramisu and bruschetta also very good. Gnocchi dish not fantastic. Loved the Microgreens!! read more

Piccola Cucina - Pulpo - fantastic and a generous portion - Italian Near Me - Red Lodge, Montana

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Excellent food, service, presentation and interior design. Strongly recommend it to anyone seeking a pleasing dining experience day or night. read more

Made a reservation, confirmed it. Arrived early and was welcomed despite being 30 minutes early. Decor is bright Italian blue, sparkling lights. It went downhill from there. Our waiter, a tall spindly guy, was cold. I asked for a gin and tonic and he looked stunned. I repeated myself, and then he said they offer beer and wine only. He rattled off the by-the-glass selection talking over our heads. I asked him to repeat the list which he smuggly did. I selected one and received a short pour. The droll waiter took our ordered, never mentioned the specials. It's ala carte. My spaghetti dish was good, the other - lasagna- resembled a ready-to-eat refrigerator meal and tasted like it. The caprese salad was good, but the question if it was big enough to share went ignored by the waiter. He never reappeared to ask how the meal was. The bread basket was beyond skimpy. We asked for a refill and received three slivers. The excellent maitre'd responded to our dessert inquiry and delivered. Gelato was excellent, cannolis were marginal and three miniscule pieces. No waiter returned, so had to flag down the maitre'd for la cuenta. He had a welcoming disposition while the skinny had none. Of note, and I understand it, the locals were celebrated and schmoozed while walk-ins (like the couple next to us) were essentially ignored. $150, including tip. Skinny guy should not be allowed to work here. Worth it, no! read more

Ok, I know 4.3 stars. Hobart could it be. The atmosphere was comfortable. The service was great. The food not so much. Our appetizer was octopus. Both couples ordered the same. Dry, tough, overcooked and tasteless. It was presented nice. The Carbonara was another fail. Prosciutto was not pan seared. I hano idea what was used in the sauce bout it wasn't parmeasan. There was no taste. The pasta was al dente though. Where was the egg garnish? The other meals were seafood paste. No taste. No seasoning . Garlic? Salt? No one ate more than 20%. Save your money and enjoy the other local selection. read more

It was our second visit to Piccola Cucina, with the first visit being excellent. However, this visit was a disappointment. It was the food hands down although the loud music didn't help at all. The calamari was delicious and unfortunately the only dish we truly enjoyed. Our ceasar salad dressing was so overpowered by vinegar I couldn't eat it. Our main entree was the Tagliatelle Gamberi e Burrata was so bland with only a few small mini shrimp. I was born and raised in New York. I love good Italian food. Last year When dining at Piccola Cucina I thought I had found my piece of heaven. I so hope they figure out what's going wrong and fix it. I would start with the music. read more

2 for Food, 1 for service. My wife and I had gone around 2-3 p.m., so we were one of the only ones in the restaurant. We had sat there for around 4-5 minutes not knowing if its self-seating as theres no sign. I had ordered the cacio e pepe and my wife the gnocchi. The cacio e pepe was unbelievably salty, I mentioned it to the waitress and she had just said that 'yeah, its rich'. I only ate 2 bites as it was way too salty, to which my wife agreed. I didn't get a to go box, and left hungry for an overpriced noodles and cheese. My wife really liked her gnocchi, however. Given that I had mentioned twice that the food was way too salty and that no resolution was offered for something that was inedible I'm definitely not returning. (also, $3.50 per soda can is crazy expensive) read more

I went in with high expectations and they were BLOWN AWAY. Amazing service, food was incredible. I had the ribeye special and others had the lasagna. Everyone agreed this was five star. Will be back again for sure. read more

Excellent service and unbelievably delicious food. Make reservations! This is a can't miss restaurant.

Incredible food, phenomenal and quick service, reasonably priced for the quality and quantity! What a gem in Red Lodge- highly recommend it to anyone traveling through! read more

Piccola Cucina - Italian Near Me - Red Lodge, Montana

Great, handmade Italian food. It is a wonderful oasis of finer dining in Red Lodge. Reasonable prices and friendly staff as well as a cute ambiance make it a fun as well as delicious place to eat. If you have kids, they have the best butter noodles we've tried. read more

Great location but it's a little tight and crowded. Food is good but needs more traditional Italian choices on the menu.

Montana is not a restaurant paradise but I have done my best to eat everywhere. Piccola cucina at Ox Pasture is THE BEST (and only) serious Italian restaurant in the whole state. We're not talking about spaghetti and meatballs or pizza but, rather, delish X2 epicurean food. I went for Thanksgiving dinner! We have NO seafood in Montana 'cause it's really hard getting it here. Piccola flies in daily seafood from Spain...and the pulpo (octopus) was splendid as an appetizer. Then, 'cause I was curious, I had the Branzino intero (the whole fish...) alla griglia...Yum! Great staff and a wonderful experience; priced well and highly recommended. Go to colacucinagroup.com and see the other restaurants they have. Splendid! I'm coming back for Christmas. Elliott Oppenheim Jerusalem, IS and Billings, MT read more

Absolute must! Me and my husband went here on my honeymoon and we thoroughly enjoyed it. We didn't have reservations but waited maybe 5 minutes, the staff were ultra friendly and made us feel welcome and at home. To top it off the food was exquisite.. truly the best lasagna I've ever had. We also got the Caesar salad as an appetizer and I would highly recommend you do the same. We will be back! read more

Around Christmas I went here for food with friends and family. Last time I had been there everything was decent, the food was good and all that. I had ordered my usual, Arancini, and when it got to my table the inside was cold, I didn't think much of it and asked for it to be remade. As they took the food they went back into the kitchen and put it in the microwave to heat it! It came back with that mushy texture that stuff gets when it's microwaved. Besides the horrible food and service, the music they play is so loud. You have to yell to talk to someone who's sitting right next to you. Honestly a horrible place, I would never go again. read more

An upscale Italian place in red Lodge. Service was great and the food was delicious. The price is a little high, so brace yourself.

This place is a hidden jewel...NY city italian food in a quaint Mt city...Pablo is absolutley the best!!!! You won't be disappointed.

Great food! great service! the place is a little small. Mt boyfriend and I ended up sitting next to someone who was making racial slurs pretty loudly. That alone made the experience and environment uncomfortable. we drove 5 hours just to eat there. read more

Some of the best Italian in unlikely place! We walked in because of the beautiful, unique decor and were surprised to hear lots of Italian being spoken in a mountain town in Montana. The food did not disappoint- the gnocchi and the meatballs were perfectly cooked and seasoned. The lava cake was perfectly chocolaty without being too rich! Would definitely come back and recommend! read more

Piccola Cucina - Gnocchi and meatballs - Italian Near Me - Red Lodge, Montana

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Amazing food! Amazing service. Amazing atmosphere. I highly recommend Piccola Cucina at ox pasture, absolute must stop in Red Lodge read more

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.

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

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