When you think of a luxurious restaurant in Astoria, most people’s first thought is Piccola Venezia. At one time or another, we’ve all been here for birthday dinners, graduation dinner, engagement parties, or to take our out of town guests somewhere to impress them. It’s an Astoria staple, and some residents have been coming here for generations.

Second generation owner Chris Vlacich tells us there’s a reason Piccola Venezia has stood the test of time. “We started out as a simple, small, neighborhood trattoria. My father Ezio Vlacich created a menu of classic Italian dishes that he loved, and we evolved from there.” The classic feel his father created is still there, and you can regularly see couples that have been coming to Piccola Venezia for decades stop by, dressed to the nines.

The menu is unique, and Chris tells us they serve dishes you can’t find anywhere else. “We have something for everyone,” he says, and the truly do. If you’er a meat lover, they’ve got beautiful, juicy, tender cuts of steak.

For the pasta lovers, their signature dish is the Fusi alla Grappa – Istrian bow-tie shaped pasta with mushrooms, grappa and parmigiana. Another favorite is the Buccoloni – pasta filled with osso bucco.

Their big seller is the seafood – of which they have more than 10 different types every night. You seriously can’t go wrong with any of their seafood dishes, especially the fish and calamari.

As for dessert, you can’t go wrong with the pistachio cannoli, which gets rave reviews from nearly everyone that tries it – and for good reason. The cannoli is such a classic italian dish, but the pistachio gives it a unique flavor that’s unlike any cannoli we’ve ever tried.

The best part of Piccola Venezia is that they make everything in house. From the pasta, to the dessert, the grappa, and even the bread, everything is made on the premises. For someone that values quality and fresh ingredients, this is a huge plus.

Now, here’s why you should stop by Piccola Venezia soon. Like, now. It’s the 41st anniversary, and to celebrate they’ve got a $41 pre-fix menu that is absolutely to die for. So check out the menu below, and while you’re figuring out what to eat, call and make reservations. It is totally worth it.

 

 

You can visit Piccola Venezia at 42-01 28th Ave, Astoria, NY 11103, or call (718) 721 – 8470 for reservations.