Restaurant Preview: Piccolo Italian Gourmet

A menu showcasing butternut squash gnocchi and pan-seared scallops in a mango glaze is sure to bring in a crowd.

The bulk of West Harrison resident Peter Neglia’s occupational experience may be in county government, but his ownership of Piccolo Italian Gourmet is a way back to his first work experiences as a teenager, when he washed dishes at his family’s Brooklyn restaurant, the defunct Christopher’s Supper Club. Neglia works Piccolo’s 24-seat front-of-the-house, while Chef Stefano Gentile, previously opening chef at Le Sirene in Larchmont, heads up the kitchen.

Panini are the specialty at Piccolo, made with artisan breads from Port Chester neighbor Good Bread. Among the 20-plus panini to try are the Pisa (with crumbled sausage, pesto, and provolone) and the Bari (chicken cutlet and fresh mozzarella in a vodka cream sauce).

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Also on the menu are myriad salads and a selection of entrées, such as butternut squash gnocchi and pan-seared scallops in a mango glaze. Many items are under $15; most are under $20, except for a few specials. Don’t miss the house-made tiramisu.

Piccolo, which opened last spring, is in the space that formerly housed zeppoleme.

Mozzarella Caprese is a beautiful representation of the Italian flag (Photographs by John Bruno Turiano)

A grilled chicken panini with prosciutto and fontina

321 N Main St, Port Chester
(914) 481-5678;
www.piccoloitaliangourmet.com