Hostaria Del Piccolo Brings Pizza and Casual Italian Fare to SaMo

Phone: 310-393-6633
Status: Opens today
Last night Santa Monica newcomer Hostaria del Piccolo held a pre-launch party, opening its modern rustic digs to friends and media, serving select tastes off its comprehensive menu. Conceived by the guys behind Piccolo in Venice, pizzas are the focus here, with over two dozen on offer divided into two sections, pizza with sauce and pizza without sauce. Toppings range from traditional (tomato, mozz, basil; tomato, mozz, anchovies, capers) to slightly more creative ( tomato, mozz, chicken, avocado, arugula; mozz, butternut squash, gorgonzola, sage), there's even sweet pizzas for dessert (Nutella, banana; strawberry, coconut). On the menu, dishes are marked with icons representing dairy free, egg free, gluten free, celiac friendly, vegetarian, vegan, and handmade, so those with food allergies, this could be a great new spot (that won't make you sick). Aside from pizza, HDP serves pastas, two types of calzone, a slew of antipasti, some salads, and one fish entree plus three meat entrees.

As for the space, there's a full bar over to the left of the entrance, past that the somewhat open kitchen sits also to the left, tables over right, and straight back are a handful of seats for patio dining. The overall aesthetic feels sleek yet rustic with both polished and raw reclaimed wood and metal embellishments.
Additional Reading: Eater Tracking, 11/29; Eater Tracking, 10/20
Additional Photos: Eater LA Flickr Page