Piccolo, situated steps from Venice beach, has become beloved. The Italian restaurant from Vittorio Viotti and chef Roberto Ivan proved to be so popular that they recently doubled in size, and last night, the duo teamed with General Manager Christian Bertoini and Chef Germano Minin to debut their latest concept, the pizza-driven Hostaria del Piccolo, which anchors a new building in nearby Santa Monica.
The contemporary space is fronted by glass and steel. Inside, you’ll find reclaimed Wisconsin wood on the countertops, walls and ceiling. A bar is situated to the left of the entrance, and tables run the length of the long and lean dining room, which culminates in an illuminated wine wall and an open-air back patio.
The large menu features a number of antipasti, pastas and select entrees, but Chef Ivan was most interested in discussing the more than 25 varieties of pizza. “Me and Vittorio never found a good place to eat pizza,” says Ivan, “so we decided to open our own.” He made it clear that the pizza is “not your typical Neapolitan pizza.” After all, Ivan’s from near Venice, Italy, and they’re using an American oven. Still, he said, “We made a dough that’s so light that you can eat three or four pizzas.” Their pies sport 3-4 ingredients, max, so as not to overpower the dough.
Since the restaurant is set a few blocks away from the Promenade, Ivan believes it will be “easy and accessible for the locals.” [The Feast]