Insalate Caprese at Piccola Cucina Uptown
Jerome Levine
You don’t need a passport or a parka to feel the spirit of the Milan-Cortina Olympics right here in New York.
Piccola Cucina has added a series of limited-edition dishes to its menu that showcase the culinary heritage of Milano and Cortina d’Ampezzo, available now through February 22, 2026.
Chef and owner of the Piccola Cucina Group, Philip Guardione, shared the inspiration for the new menu items in an email interview: “We see the world’s attention being drawn to our native country as a great excuse to spotlight regional dishes that haven’t yet arrived stateside.”
These dishes, like others on the menu, reflect the chef’s passion and skill in curating a menu of authentic dishes that showcase the regional diversity of Italian cuisine.
Gold Medal Dishes at Piccola Cucina
Olympic rings at Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium in Val di Fiemme during Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics
NurPhoto via Getty Images
The soul-warming dishes available on the Winter Olympic-themed menu at five Piccola Cucina locations include:
Ossobuco di vitello alla Milanese, braised veal ossobuco, saffron risotto, lemon and rosemary gremolataAsiago & beet-filled ravioli, butter and parmesan sauce, toasted hazelnuts and poppy seedsPear strudel, Grappa-infused vanilla sauce, and Radicchio semifreddo with thyme and vanilla sauce
“Americans are familiar with risotto, of course, perhaps not the classic Milanese style, with lots of saffron and hearty ossobuco,” said Chef Guardione.
The three other Olympic dishes reflect the traditions and Alpine ingredients typical of Cortina d’Ampezzo, located in the Veneto region of northern Italy, he said, explaining that while they may not immediately “register” as Italian, the region’s cuisine is heavily influenced by Austro-Hungarian traditions. “Beet root, wild berries and poppy seed are all traditional ingredients of the area,” he said.
The Authenticity of the Piccola Cucina Experience
Regional Dishes from North to South at Piccola Cucina
Piccola Cucina/Noah Fechs
I’ve been warned many times to never bring an Italian visitor to an Italian restaurant in the United States because they’ll likely be disappointed with their meal.
After dining at Piccola Cucina Uptown a few times, I defied conventional wisdom and invited Sicilian friends to lunch several months ago, and no one was disappointed.
The menu is Sicilian at heart because the Chef Guardione hails from Catania, Sicily. Not surprisingly, his arancini, mozzarella in carrozza, melanzane alla parmigiana, maccheroni alla Norma, and cannoli siciliani are standouts.
But the menu certainly isn’t exclusively Sicilian. Food enthusiasts will recognize other regional specialties like Ligurian focaccia di Recco, Roman bucatini cacio e pepe and caserecce alla carbonara di carciofi, and Tuscan tagliatelli verdi con ragu di cinghiale.
Chef Guardione explains that New Yorkers are especially fond of southern Italian cuisine because of its historical association with Italian immigration.
“But our goal overall is to stay steady and consistent, to be an ambassador of not just Sicilian cuisine but of Italian cuisine overall,” he says. “Italy’s culinary patrimony is incredibly rich and diverse and it’s always fun to introduce new regional dishes to our diners.”
Despite tariffs and importing delays, the Chef aims to source as many ingredients as possible from Italy. “I am adamant that starting with great ingredients is essential to creating a solid base for a restaurant,” he says.
The sun-ripened heirloom tomatoes in my insalata caprese were so tasty and juicy that they seemed hand-picked from the farm (despite the winter chill outside).
Creating A Taste of Italy in New York
Sicilian-born Executive Chef and Owner Philip Guardione
Piccola Cucina/Noah Fechs
The setting at Piccola Cucina is warm, colorful, and lively with attentive, professional, but unpretentious service.
”I want our guests to feel as comfortable as possible, to feel at home, and to pamper them with the best food and service possible,” says Chef Guardione,
“In short, I want to recreate a taste of Italy in New York.”
Chef Guardione’s formula for success appears to be a winning one. The chef began his career as a teenage apprentice in European kitchens, rising through the ranks to become Executive Chef at the Four Seasons Milan.
In 2008, he moved to the U.S. to open Piccola Cucina Enoteca. The immediate success of his first venture abroad spurred the opening of four more locations in NYC, along with outposts in Montana and Ibiza, with plans for a new restaurant in Madrid.
I asked the chef what would come next? “On a personal note,” I’m looking forward to a vacation back in Italy,” he said.
Do stay for dessert: Tiramisu from Veneto
Jerome LevineWhere to Find the Piccola Cucina Olympic Menu in NYCPiccola Cucina Osteria, 196 Spring Street, SohoPiccola Cucina Enoteca, 196 Spring Street, SohoPiccola Cucina Estiatorio, 75 Thompson Street, SoHoPiccola Cucina Uptown, 106 East 60th Street, Upper East SidePiccola Cucina Casa, 141 Nevins Street, Brooklyn
Dining and Cooking