Santa Fe’s best-kept Italian secret is hiding in plain sight — and locals wouldn’t have it any other way. 🍝
Tucked off the beaten path on the corner of Agua Fria and Siler, Piccolino Italian Restaurant is the kind of place that makes Santa Fe feel like home.
A family-owned gem serving up generous, New Jersey-style Italian comfort food, this unassuming spot has quietly become one of the most beloved restaurants in the City Different — not because of flashy marketing, but because the food simply speaks for itself.
How Piccolino Won Santa Fe’s Hearts
Owner Olga Tarango-Jimenez arrived in Los Angeles from Chihuahua, Mexico, and took an extraordinary path to restaurant ownership — starting as a housekeeper for an Italian restaurant owner who taught her English, then climbing the ladder through cashiering, serving, delivery, catering, and finally, management.
It was on a casual vacation to Santa Fe that fate stepped in: Olga spotted a restaurant space for rent and, together with her extended family, took a leap of faith and signed a lease.
They named their restaurant Piccolino after an Italian restaurant back in Los Angeles where family members had once worked — a tribute to the place that shaped them.
The name itself, which translates to “little one,” couldn’t be more fitting for a restaurant that began its life in a humble space that had previously housed a Church’s Chicken and, before that, a gas station. 😂
What started small has grown into something enormous in the hearts of Santa Fe diners.
Everything on the menu is made fresh — sauces are prepared every morning, vegetables are freshly cut, ravioli is made in-house, and so is the focaccia and most of the desserts.
That commitment to freshness, combined with gargantuan portions at wallet-friendly prices, quickly earned Piccolino a fiercely loyal following among locals who love that a single plate often means two meals for the price of one. 🙌
The accolades followed naturally: Piccolino has repeatedly won The Santa Fe Reporter’s “Best of Santa Fe” award in the Italian restaurant category — nearly every single year, with only one year placing it in the “Top 3” rather than at the very top.
It’s the kind of record that isn’t manufactured — it’s earned, plate by plate, year after year, by a family that simply refuses to cut corners.
Food Highlights
The menu at Piccolino is nothing short of ambitious — spanning pasta, pizza, ravioli, veal, seafood, baked dishes, calzones, and more. Here are the must-try dishes fans keep coming back for:
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Focaccia Bread with Marinara: Pesto-studded, house-baked focaccia served tableside with marinara — warm, herby, and dangerously good. 🍞
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Stuffed Eggplant: Eggplant rolled around ricotta and herbs, baked and smothered in marinara and melted cheese — a vegetarian crowd-pleaser.
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Sausage and Cheese Pizza: Fennel-forward sausage over a thick, bready crust with generous tomato sauce and melted mozzarella. 🍕
- Meat Lasagna: Layers of house-made pasta, seasoned ground meat, ricotta, and marinara — rich, hearty, and built for serious appetites. 🫶
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Cannelloni: Ground beef, spinach, carrots, and ricotta rolled into pasta tubes, topped with marinara and melted mozzarella — the signature dish locals keep coming back for.
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Crab Ravioli: House-made ravioli filled with crab, finished in Piccolino’s signature pink sauce — delicate, creamy, and absolutely worth ordering. 🦀
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Salmon with Pasta: Tender salmon in a bright butter, lemon, and caper sauce, served alongside pasta and vegetables — light and zesty. 🐟
Atmosphere
Piccolino is unabashedly warm, casual, and communal — the kind of place where conversations spill from table to table and strangers leave feeling like neighbors.
The dining room is compact but thoughtfully arranged, and a recent remodel added new comfortable chairs and approximately ten more tables without losing the cozy, family-friendly feel that made it famous.
Locals and out-of-towners mingle effortlessly here, united by huge plates of Italian comfort food and a staff that treats every guest like extended family.
With checkered tablecloths, chatty regulars, and a kitchen buzzing with the sounds of a family working in sync, Piccolino feels less like a restaurant and more like Sunday dinner at someone’s house — if Sunday dinner happened to come with a drive-through window. 🏡
Bottom Line
Piccolino is a Santa Fe institution: family-owned, freshly made, generously portioned, and endlessly beloved.
Come for the award-winning Italian comfort food, stay for the warm atmosphere, and leave with enough leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch.
It’s the kind of honest, soulful dining that Santa Fe visitors rarely stumble upon — but once they do, they never stop coming back.
Address:
2890 Agua Fria St, Santa Fe, NM 87507
📞 (505) 471-1480
🕔 Open Mon–Sat, 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM (closed Sunday)