A reasonably priced Italian restaurant in the heart of the Lanes, serving mainly pasta, pizza and salads. We went to Piccolo's for a weekend lunch with friends. They had a £6.80 for two courses offer, with a range of starters and a choice of any pasta, salad or pizza for the main course. The exterior is a bit bland - it's easily missed (which is why presumably I've walked past it for 10 years without knowing it was here), and the interior is simply done, too - whitewashed walls, marble tables and a bit of artwork. Overall, the experience was a bit mixed. We ordered different starters, and the consensus was that those choosing a side salad had the best result - they were interesting, fresh and good value. Fiorentina potatoes were a bit dull in contrast. Pasta mains were fine but nothing special: smallish portions (though fine for me for lunch) and average quality. But for the price, in the centre of Brighton, it was good value. A plus was that they brought us tap water happily, although the 'Italian Beer' turned out to be San Miguel - which is Spanish! Two courses plus coffee or beer plus tip came to £10 each. More mixed was the service: an astonishingly surly male waiter contrasted sharply with two charming and very efficient waitresses. The kitchen staff waved us an ostentatious goodbye when we left, which was so over the top (especially as we only clapped eyes on them as we were walking out) I wasn't sure if it was meant sarcastically or genuinely. I doubt I'll rush back - there are other choices in the centre of Brighton higher on my list, but if you seeking a quick cheap lunch, then it would fit the bill. read more

Piccolo's is a cheap and cheerful Italian restaurant in the South Lanes. Well, I say cheerful, the manager/owner can sometimes be a bit grumpy, but the waiting staff are always friendly and efficient, though rarely Italian! You can eat in or takeaway, and the restaurant is quite large, spread over two floors. The inexpensive menu is a major draw, and often the restaurant can become quite busy and loud, despite its large size. Entrees include classic Italian pasta dishes, such as spaghetti bolognese, lasagne, tagliatelle gambaretti (prawns) and penne al tonno (which is a personal favourite of mine!). There is also a specials board, which often has seafood options listed. During the week, Piccolos do a set menu, which is a bargain at around £6.50 and entitles you to a starter (garlic bread, tricolour salad or prawn cocktail), followed by pasta or a pizza. The takeaway menu is extremely cheap, with pizzas for as little as £2.50. In the summer, I often pick up some pizzas, buy some beers and head down to the beach: a cheap and effortless summer picnic! Although Piccolo's is not the trendiest restaurant in the South Lanes and does not serve the most innovative food, it does what it does quite well- in short, you get exactly what you pay for: tasty, filling, no-frills food. read more

Piccolo - Italian Near Me - Brighton, BNH

The food is still great and well served. BUT DO NOT purchase any sort of deal package prior to visiting ie Groupon or LIving Social deals. They are not honoured as described. read more

I was actually going to go along the line of "you get what you pay for", but in truth, even with the competitive prices, I still feel like I was over charged for the standard of service I received. The décor and ambience are quite basic, and the menu is relatively limited, but at £4.95 for a main meal, you can happily make exception. However, on the two occasions I've eaten there, the service has been severely lacking, and on the most recent occasion, downright rude! I understand it's a budget restaurant, but when two of us go the Pizza Express or Giraffe and spend £15 (with vouchers) we receive much better service at the same price.. I'm giving Piccolo two stars as the food isn't bad for the price - Unfortunately, there just isn't anything else going for the place! read more

Situated at the opening of one of the small alleys into the South Laines it is in a prime location for ending your shopping afternoon (if you do it with a map and itinerary that is). They do a credit crunch busting lunch deal if you get hungry before. The pizzas here are better than average, but perhaps not to the standard of 'Zizzi'. Out of the many Italian restaurants around here I would say this is one of the best value in the quality to price ratio, though the food is fairly standard and it doesn't really stick out for me. read more

Piccolo - Italian Near Me - Brighton, BNH

Independent Piccolo is a perfect spot for a nifty pasta lunch or pizza. They don't mind big groups of you and are equally amenable to kids tearing up the place. The carbonara was excellent last time i was here. Right now there's some really good lunch bargains to be had. The decor is contemporary, the staff Italian, so it actually feels as if you're eating Mediterranean food not unzipping it from cling-film and whacking it in the microwave! read more

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A good cheap Italian restaurant perfect for lunch especially when they have a lunch offer on. We just wandered in one sunny weekday lunch and were warmly welcomed and given a window seat. Service was a little erratic but by no means awful and the food was cheerful, cheap and fine. The ingredients were obviously cheap and that is reflected in the lack of real quality taste but for the price it is OK. The pleasantly Italian atmosphere is enhanced by the, er, dynamic management style with plenty of shouting and arm waving interspersed by moments of calm and pleasantries. It is as well to relax and enjoy the show. I'd go back for lunch but perhaps look for somewhere classier for dinner. read more

I am italian and I wasn't impress with the food. Service was good when I ate there, but it wasn't a busy night. Probably no in my top 10 read more

If you ever need to try Italian food then this is one place to try, freshly made as you watch the pizza man behind the counter. Staff change frequently but are cheerful. Not bad for parties upstairs or a private corner behind to get more intimate from the window scene. The food is fair and the prices are okay, as they say you would need to pay for quality and this place has it. read more

Nothing special is two words I would use to describe Piccolo. Reasonably priced main courses - grabbing a pizza to eat-in for just over £3.50 isn't bad at all; comparing to the more pricey food in the area - however it wasn't anything special, and hardly the 'authentic Italian' I was looking for (the tomato sauce used on the base was okay to begin with, but left a strange aftertaste.) "Strange aftertaste" goes for more than just the food also, the service was lacking severally; we waited for 45 minutes to get the bill after asking on several occasions, I thought we could quite easily walk out without anybody batting an eyelid. Overall, Piccolo is okay. Nothing more, nothing less; just okay. Go in with any higher expectations and be prepared to be disappointed. read more

Very good swordfish and mozzarella in breadcrumbs, the rest average; poor dessert choice; really good price in this location; they have tables outside, inside friendly and buzzy atmosphere, you're quite squeezed there; service nice but not professional at all read more

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Really friendly restaurant that is always busy. Has a really vibrant atmosphere at all times. Allow large groups in. Set on two floors they have managed to cram in as many tables and chairs as they can ! Also a few tables outside in the summer (provided you don't mind every shopper who walks past gawping at your dinner !) Food is Italian. Menu consists of basic pastas, pizza's and salads. Prices are really reasonable and they usually have offers on a set menu at both lunchtime and in the evening. Is right in the centre of the Lanes. Lots of great bars nearby for a pre or post dinner drink ! read more

Cheap food in a prime location..... décor is a little basic and the service can be hit or miss. Male waiters would rather look out of the window at the beautiful female tourists walking by and smiling at each other, than concentrate on customers in the restaurant. read more

Piccolo is a great place to grab a quick bite of pizza. Bang in the heart of town, the restaurant offers quite a big seating area, an extensive Italian menu and wine list, and also does delivery (sometimes) and take away. The garlic dough balls are an excellent way to pile on the calories, and you can always get rid of any guilt by ordering a side salad to go with them. The the pizza selection takes up the main bulk of the menu, and although it's very cheap, it's authentic, surprisingly tasty and fresh. There's also other Italian dishes such as lasagna, ravioli, gnocchi and spaghetti bolognese. Piccolo offers a very reasonable lunch time deal, and if you get a take away two people can eat for between £5-£10. The restaurant doesn't feel like the cleanest of places, and it's hardly decorated to the standard of the surrounding South Lane restaurants, but if cheap pizza is what you're after then it's the right kind of place. Plus you can always take away! read more

This restaurant is one of a string of Italians in the area (Pablo's, Picasso's, Donatello's...) and provides another offering of fairly standard Italian-style grub for a very decent price. The restaurant is often busy so I'd reccomend booking if you plan to come with a group at the weekend. Food also seems to take a while too. The selling factor is the price, with a mid-week set menu for under £7. The specials are often good here, with some tasty seafood, although if cheap and cheerful is your main concern, then I'd rank neighbouring Pablo's a little higher. read more

I ordered food from Piccolo the other day - food from this restaurant can be ordered and eaten on site, or delivered to your home -, and found it a surprisingly good experience. The products here are exceptionally cheap - perhaps the cheapest in the area -, which caused me to think that they might be a tad rubbish, however, the food arrived exceptionally fast, the man who delivered it was very friendly, and the pizza, doughballs and garlic bread with cheese, which I ordered, was very nice indeed. If you are a student, like pizza, and are too lazy to eat out, this is definitely the place for you. read more

Hmmmm. I actually read the reviews for this restaurant whilst sitting there eating and I really felt that many people had done this very pleasant, excellent value for money place a real dis-service. The staff were especially friendly, the food tasty and the price was fantastic. Central venue, nice atmosphere, non-chain environment & a two course lunch for £6.80. What do you guys want?????? I wish my home town had a place like this!!!!!!!!! Brighton is a fantastic place. Really fantastic. I feel that some (ONLY SOME!) of you locals are perhaps too spoilt & should be grateful, not moany, about the sheer variety and value of eateries you have. Go visit!!! read more

I love Piccolo's. Not only are the waitors really nice and good looking, the service is quick and the prices are great. Me and my friends often take away from here and its great. Only one niggle is that the pizza can sometimes taste a bit salty at times. read more

My friend and I found this place pretty average, to be honest, but it was very good value compared to other places in the Lanes

a small cosy restaurant with authentic decor inside. the manager in there is lively and friendly. Take-away pizza is also available for a very low price, which is good for people on the move read more

My wife and I have been here three times in the past 2 weeks: we've lived in Brighton all our lives and have somehow missed this little gem. We went in by chance early one evening in June, and were bowled over by how welcoming this little restaurant is, and how laid back and effortless eating here is. You feel really at home here: as far as we're concerned you can keep Strada and Zizzi, and the rest of them! If you're too far up yourself then don't come here, but if you enjoy a relaxed Italian meal, with friendly staff who look as though they enjoy their work, then eat, drink and relax at this lovely little restaurant. read more

Cheap & cheerful. Service pleasant. Food very quick - too quick! Tasted ok though. Tiramisu below average & didn't taste home made. Stick to 2 courses. read more

I have been visiting Brighton on a regular basis since family moved there 20 years ago. Ate at Piccolo's for the first time, great food, lovely waiting staff, nice atmosphere. Very reasonably priced, don't know why we haven't visited before, will be calling in again next tine we're in town. Strongly recommend :-) enjoy read more

I specifically asked if the main course- vegetable lasagne and if my partner's pasta course was vegetarian- not sure if the waiter fully understood english but he said yes and took our order. So then I was quite shocked to find they served me a meat lasagne! Luckily I know what it looks like and was able to point it out to the waiter who brought it over (different person), and he was very apologetic and brought me a new one. Unfortunately my partner had to wait with hers going cold until they could bring me what I asked for. Don't be fooled by the good prices on the menu or the fact that it says service not included, gratuity at YOUR DISCRETION. They added 10 % onto the bill and said it was MANDATORY with no option given to pay it separately. I wasn't even going to leave any gratuity after I almost ate meat but had to, I paid but will never go there again. I did question it and said I was not happy with the service nor the meat lasagne but still had to pay the service charge. I expect to pay MENU PRICES not 10 % on top, when your menu says OPTIONAL. In other restaurants I leave a CASH tip so the waiting staff get it, and I can chose how much, rather than being forced. I visited the bathroom and there was no toilet paper in one of the stalls, on the wall there was what may once have been a hand dryer except it was taped up with a warning 'do not touch, dangerous' and there were no paper towels provided as a replacement. We had drinks with our meal and one of the glasses had something stuck to it, they need to take better care with washing. The food was OK, not amazing- it also did not look that appealing. I have had better food from pizza hut, I would expect something better from an 'authentic Italian' restaurant! The only 'good' thing was how apologetic the waiter was with the error which was not on his part. I will not go again and definitely do not recommend it. I sincerely hope someone from this establishment reads these reviews, as something has to be done! read more

Piccolo offers exceptional pastas and some nice pizzas. You get what you pay for, the value is pretty good, especially worth noting the lunch menu pack for £6.50 of a soup (mushroom creme is very nice) and a pizza/pasta. It is pretty busy most of the time, although not exceptionally noisy. Some waiters are less friendly than others. read more

I used to go to this place a lot, not because the food is very good but because it's quite cheap and they do decent pizzas for £2.50 takeaway. I don't go there any more because the service is very bad and some of the senior staff are appalling. The last time I went there it was to get three takeaway pizzas which me and two friends were going to take to the beach and eat. After waiting for about half an hour we finally got two pizzas and a pasta which we didn't order. When we pointed this out to the waiter he started shouting at the cook who shouted back and they got into a filthy verbal exchange while we were watching. Finally the cook agreed to make our pizza but told us it would take 15 mins. We then asked the waiter if it would be OK for us to at least start eating the two pizzas since they would get cold by the time the third was ready and since the whole thing was their fault we thought we were justified in our request. This made him very angry and we were issued a refund and asked very rudely to leave because in his words he did not have time for this kind of shit. read more

I would agree with the last two reviews and say that this restaurant is absolutely nothing special. I'm not sure where they get the 'real Italian dining' line from as i've been to Italy many times and it's definitely anything but Italian. It's probably perfect for the weekend stag/hen brigade. read more

We were hit by a huge storm as only can happen in Brighton and took refuge in this lovely eaterie. We ended up having a £6.50 set lunch menu and a glass of wine each. I had prawn cocktail and chicken avocado salad which was very good value and my friend had garlic bread and lasagne. The service was excellent - this little gem was a welcome surprise especially given the circumstances. The house white wine wasn't great, but we were on a budget and got what we paid for - also the lasagne was very heavy on the cheese. Nevertheless we're pleased we found Piccolo's and will be back. read more

once again we went to piccolos restaurant with a couple of friends, we have been going here for years the bill came to just under £40 such good value for money, the staff were so friendly with really good location was really convenient for us to have a drink after. no complaints about the food at all. read more