Lawrenceville is quickly becoming my favorite area around school. After spending time at CMU I was convinced for so long that there were no fun options in Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, I never ventured far from Craig Street. You’re telling me there are other places than Starbucks, Subway and Union Grill? Crazy.
Lawrenceville has a lot of great spots. But my latest favorite is Piccolo Forno. Think amazing pizza, pasta dishes (order the lasagna…trust me), and yummy appetizers like bruschetta and meatballs. The pizzas are made in a large brick oven and in my opinion, taste like the one’s straight out of Italy.
I studied abroad in Florence last semester and this restaurant is now my go-to whenever I start missing my Italian way of life, i.e. hearty meals, a slow pace of life and classwork that revolved around fashion and short stories. The restaurant seems to always be full of happy patrons, sipping wine and munching their Italian goodies.
The entrée’s are around $15 each, but you’ll have another meal thanks to the leftovers (and then some). If you’re not craving pizza or pasta there are several sandwiches on the menu as well. Each sandwich is served on cibatta bread—try the caprese Panini or the Fiorentina, salami, artichokes and cheese.
Piccolo Forno doesn’t accept reservations, so you should plan to head out there on the early side; shoot for around six to ensure there’s not much of a wait. Also, it’s BYOB so grab a bottle of wine on the way.
Buon Appetito!