Piccolo's Italian - Lenoir

Great little italian joint! People were fantastic and friendly, food was pretty damn good. Ive had Lous before and this was right up there. The thin crust was very good as well. The restaurant tiself is filled with antiquities and Chicago paraphernalia and keeps you busy while you wait for your delicious meal. They deliver so Ill be eating more of their pretty large menu in the future. Our waitress told us how much she enjoys working there. They treat her like family and she loves her job. Looks like everyone there loves their jobs, and it shows. The only down side id say is the cost of extra toppings. Sliced meatball and a few others were 6$ extra charge. The sausage and olive were 2$ each extra. So a 10$ pizza can end up costing 18 and up depending on what/how many toppings you choose. The Calzone was average sized, but it looked pretty stuffed, and my friend said it was delicious.

Super friendly owner, authentic Italian gentleman who owned this NC location as well as his restaurant in Chicago for 24 years. Lots of Chicago and antique items all over the place. Pizza was terrific. You can special order Chicago Italian Beef also for home preparation.

Solid 3.5 stars. The staff make all the difference. Super friendly and welcoming people. We walked in after a day of hiking, never been there before. Someone noticed the look in our eye, and asked if we had ever been there before. When we said no, they explained everything we need to know about how the restaurant works and what to do. Basically it's counter service to order and then someone brings the meal to your table when it's ready. We shared a salad, bread, and a pizza. It was tasty. I've had better and I've also had much worse. The restaurant is full of knickknacks from Chicago, which make it fun and interesting, but it also makes it a dust trap, so that was a little unnerving, but overall the experience was great. The service made it exceptional and if I'm ever in that area again, I will definitely be a patron of this restaurant.

As a lover of Chicago style pizza and a frequent traveler to Chicago (think Ginos, Lou Malnatti's or Giordanos, I had high hopes. However, I was very disappointed with the Chicago style deep dish pizza. Chicago style is a more buttery flaky crust and not just around the edges but also on the under carriage of the pie. This was just a pound of cheese on a bland crust with sauce that tasted like someone just slathered tomato paste on top. My wife and I could only eat half a piece each disappointing. To note, the other couple we were with offered us a slice of their thin crust and it was good (not great). So if you love authentic Chicago style, this is NOT the place to get it stick wiht the thin crust. The service was good (nice people) and the atmosphere was pretty cool. But I doubt we will be back. Food: 2 Service: 4 Atmosphere: 4

Very warm and friendly staff. The pizza was amazing. Our grandson made his own Mickey Mouse pizza and loved the experience. Kid-friendliness: Kids can make their own Mackey Mouse pizza. Service: Dine in Meal type: Dinner Price per person: $1–10 Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5 Recommended dishes: Chicago Style Pizza