Piccino will soon be expanding their menu to a new meal: breakfast.
(Lillian Fuglei/Staff)
After 23 years, a few names and several owners, Piccino Wood Oven Pizza is changing once again: the restaurant will soon serve breakfast.
When Ryan Jackson took over Piccino last July, he was looking for a change of scenery — somewhere, as he joked, “with all four seasons.” Jackson previously lived in Phoenix, working in the restaurant industry. He worked in a variety of positions before deciding the next step in his restaurant career was ownership.
Before taking over, Jackson tried Piccino a few times and discovered that there “wasn’t a single bad thing on the menu.” To him, it felt like a sign.
“The previous owners opened the door for us to just move right in and just keep doing what they had been doing before,” Jackson said.
Jackson has enjoyed stepping into the business, getting to know the regulars and community Piccino has built over 23 years.
“It’s been great getting to know all of the regulars who are here,” Jackson said. “They have their order. I take pride in that if I see someone coming in, I know who they are and the day that they’re coming in.
“It’s still the same family recipes that started the business,” Jackson added.
However, a year into ownership, Jackson is ready for those recipes to expand. Piccino will soon be adding a breakfast menu, breaking out of their typical lunch and dinner routine.
The breakfast menu is inspired by Piccino’s existing menu, simply switching up ingredients for a breakfast twist. The restaurant will serve breakfast pizza and breakfast paninis, even expanding the sweeter side of the menu with cannoli pancakes.
Some items, such as frittatas and Eggs Benedict, will use the same toppings as the eatery’s pizzas. The expansion will include a variety of coffee drinks as well.
“We’re just offering something a little bit different than just a traditional breakfast here in Littleton,” Jackson said. “Our breakfast has more of an Italian feel to it. We just integrate what we already do with breakfast to give the people of Littleton a different option.”
Breakfast will arrive at Piccino by the end of September, with a soft launch. Jackson says that to start, breakfast will be served Thursday through Sunday, with breakfast available 7 to 11 a.m. Thursday and Friday, and 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
So far, Jackson says restaurant-goers have been enthusiastic about the expansion, expressing their excitement to try the new menu.
“A lot of people are excited about it,” Jackson said. “We’ve heard a lot of ‘we already love Piccino, so now we have to come try out breakfast.’ I’m hoping that that buzz and hype will still continue even after we’ve introduced it.”
For now, Jackson is excited to finally get the new menu out. It’s been in the works for six months, but he said it’ll be worth the wait.
“I want to do it right, so I don’t want to just rush it,” Jackson said. “I want to make sure that it’s done properly, so that way it’s a mainstay in Littleton for years to come.”
Dining and Cooking