10/19/2026
To our many loyal guests and dear friends of Piccolo,
It is with a heavy heart that I write this message-one I don’t think I’ve fully processed yet. After a long, crazy 10 years, it’s time for us to move on. Effective immediately, Piccolo is no longer open to serve guests in any manner.
We have to vacate our location within the next two weeks. Despite our best efforts to keep the restaurant open here, it just wasn’t meant to be. On November 1, a different restaurant will be taking over the space. I wish them nothing but the best.
I’m sure there are already rumors and speculation about what happened. For now, all I want to say is that we did everything in our power to save the restaurant. It truly just wasn’t meant to be at this time.
I don’t know whether Piccolo will reopen in a different location. It’s possible, both with my involvement, or possibly without. I’ve discussed this possibility with a couple of people, but nothing is set in stone.
As for me, I’ve put everything I had-mentally, physically, emotionally, and financially—into Piccolo for the past 10 years. I really don’t have anything left, especially financially, so I’m going to take a step back and try to regroup for a while. I don’t know if I’ll have the same fire to open another restaurant that I had 10 years ago.
Many of you know that my life has changed greatly over the past few years. I don’t share this as an excuse, only as the truth: I lost both of my parents, and then my wife. As much as I wish I didn’t have to say goodbye to the restaurant, I’d give anything to have them back in my life. I also don’t want these losses to come across as excuses for any of the problems the restaurant may have had. Their support—especially my wife’s—would have made things easier, but that’s life.
If you would like to know what marked the turning point for the restaurant, without a doubt, it was the accident a year ago. The stress of being closed for so long, along with the financial mess caused by dealing with insurance, created an obstacle we ultimately weren’t able to overcome.
I’m grateful that the local prosecutors office has begun working to help us recover some of the financial losses caused by the accident. Obviously, it may be a long time before we see anything from that—if we do at all—but I truly appreciate their efforts.
I’d also like to thank the many people who have been part of our staff over the years. Without your support, hard work, and love for the restaurant, Piccolo would have never become what it was. You helped make it a place people cared about—and one they’ll remember.
For now, this may not be goodbye, but simply “see you later “. And if it is goodbye, we had a really good run. Take care, and maybe we’ll see you again sometime soon.
Steve D’Arpino
