No need for Little Italy...

Another West Village Gem (located off Abingdon Square)

To dine at Piccolo Angolo is to be invited to dinner at the home of the Italian grandparents you never had. From the moment you speak to Renato, the (adorably charming) patriarch of this family run spot to make a reservation, until you stumble out the door, totally stuffed and carrying leftovers, Piccolo is going to have you smiling.

Cozy.

When you step into Piccolo Angolo, prepare for sensory overload. The brick lined interior is small, packed and operating with the volume turned all the way up. The single room with open kitchen in back greets you with delicious smells as you survey the surrounding tables for visual assistance selecting your order. I highly recommend making a reservation in advance to avoid a long wait if you're planning to dine during peak hours.

Order the meatballs. Seriously. Do it.

The (very reasonably priced!) menu at Piccolo is impossibly awesome and even better is that the kitchen is happy to get creative. You want to share one of their ENORMOUS meatballs as an appetizer? No problem! Sub the side order of pasta for linguine with clam sauce? For a small additional cost, Dr. H's wish was their command. The meats and cheeses on their antipasto were legit some of the tastiest I've ever had and I'm pretty sure you could drench anything in their red sauce and it would be mind-blowing (it's that good!) Homemade pastas, fresh seafood, decadent alfredo... I recommend heading to Piccolo with a group if for no other reason than to have more plates on the table to share.

Complimentary garlic bread. YUP!

And perhaps even more than the food (perhaps!) the thing I loved most about Piccolo was the family run charm. When your waitress is yelling "Dad!" to the waiter at the table next to you and she sends her brother over to talk to you about your wine selection, you remember that delicious meals need not come with a side of pretentiousness. 

I can't remember the last time I went out to eat with a group of people, all of whom left the table absolutely RAVING about every single bite. Next time you're looking for an Italian feast, Piccolo Angolo is the spot for you!