Piccolo Mondo
- Food served: Mon–Sat noon–2.15pm, 5.30–10pm. Closed Sun.
- Pre-theatre times: Mon–Fri all evening with reservation
- Number of wines sold by the glass: 20
- Private dining: Up to 18 covers
- Also offers: Gluten-free options, Children's portions, Wheelchair access, Pre-theatre menu
- Music on stereo: Instrumental piano muzak
- Capacity: 70
- Largest group: 70
- Open since: 2006
Tell us more about this place.
- Average price:
£12.50 (set lunch)
£26 (evening meal) - Pre-theatre price: £15.50
- House wine: £17.50 per bottle
The 2012 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).
This review is taken from the current (2012) edition.
Family-run with a considerable legacy, the period interior and elegant furnishings make you feel you are wandering onto a Fellini set with velvet drapes and statues lining an airy corniced dining room. If you can book it try the 'celebration menu' – outstanding value including a cocktail and an excellent wine selection. A colourful Caprese salad is refreshing and light and the Scottish mussels taste straight from the sea. The lamb jigot is off the bone, fantastically tender and perfectly seasoned with Tuscan herbs, while the salmon fillet is lightly poached without losing texture and retaining natural flavours enhanced by a cream sauce. Classy service from stylish staff is conscientious without being overly formal. A light and delicate tiramisù brings a consistently high-quality experience to a close. There's also an express lunch, offering exceptional value for a treat when shopping, and 20 wines by the glass will keep wine-buffs happy on the inevitable return visits. The city restaurant has a buzz to it and tables often turn around quickly though the quality of service means this shouldn’t be an issue. However, the recently opened Renfrew Piccolo Mondo has a bar that allows an aperitif or post-meal drink to extend the experience making it worthwhile for city residents or an excellent option for out-of-towners. A luxurious and enjoyable experience that does credit to the restaurant’s history.
- High point: Unique style makes you feel like you're in a movie
- Low point: Noise from through the wall – but barely dented a fantastic atmosphere
Reviews of Piccolo Mondo (344 Argyle Street, Glasgow)
- 2. Glasgow Loves Food Blog, Glasgow – 1 February 2011, 7:52pm
Piccolo MondoReport -
A lunch appointment with a business colleague Brian brought me to the middle of Argyle St to Piccolo Mondo on a Wednesday afternoon.
As I walked through the door I was greeted by a smart waiter with bow tie and waistcoat and quickly walked through the dining room to the back where my dining companion was already seated.
The dining room is kitted out with red plush carpet, leather backed chairs, brass fittings and the odd Romanesque statue dotted around for Italian authenticity one presumes!! Not what I expected on this part of Argyles St.
We opted for the Executive 2 course lunch menu at a reasonable
£12.50 per head. It has a decent choice of starters and main courses from soups, antipasto and shellfish to start to mains of meat,fish and pastas.The waiter came round with a free basket of Italian bread and butter then described the special additions to the menu for the day. A nice touch I thought especially with a set lunch menu.
I opted for the special soup of the day a Pasta & Fagioli soup while Brian chose the minestrone. The main course I ordered the penne princess with my colleague ordering capri chicken. The starters arrived in piping hot bowls with mine having a couple of slices of garlic bread on the side, the soup was a traditional tuscan soup of barlotti beans, potatoes, pasta and cured ham in a light broth with herbs and vegetables. As far as soups go this was up there with the very best I've had. Judging by the silence at the table my fellow diner had no complaints with his minestrone.
With the starters finished a brief 5 minute wait and the mains arrived again on piping hot plates. My pasta dish was very good served in a rich creamy tomato sauce with large chunks of chicken with a generous helping of Parmesan and pepper dished out by the waitress on delivery, a really tasty dish. Brian had no complaints with his Capri chicken although I did find it odd that it was served with both potatoes and rice.
With cleared plates removed from the table the waiter presented the desert menu (£4.00 supplement) with a reasonable choice of traditional Italian classics like tiramisu and pannacotta we both chose the not so classic hot chocolate fudge cake with cream and ice-cream. This was probably one of the few dishes on the menu which was not home made and was probably my first ordering mistake of the day. It was fine but not in the same league as the previous courses.
All in all If you are looking for an old fashioned dining experience with traditional Italian fayre then piccolo mondo certainly ticks the boxes. I would think nothing much has changed from the original Piccolo Mondo Renfrew Institution of the 70s and 80s.
All in all a fantastic lunch with a couple of soft drinks and coffee for a very reasonable £40.00.
- 1. Cassandra – 4 June 2009, 11:45am
Piccolo MondoReport -
I love Piccolo Mondo, after visiting with a friend one afternoon for coffee I decided to return for the festive menu on our Christmas night out. The menu had a great choice, and there was a number of options for vegetarians.
Offering great value for money with the menu ment we could splash out on a fabulous bottle of Barolo.
The meal was great and the service attentive but not intrusive. There was a wonderfull buzz about the place, cosy and intimate.
We returned again for my Birthday dinner. Tony and his team remembered us and made it a very special evening.
A lovely little find!
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