There are stupid things. There are unbelievable things. And there are unbelievably stupid things. 

Piccino does not have ice. They were squeezed for space and “the icemaker didn’t make the cut” according to the guy behind the counter, who doubled as our server. That’s unbelievably stupid.

No iced tea. No iced coffee. No iced water. No ice to pour Coke over. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

But let’s forget that it was stupid to not make space for an icemaker. Let’s assume that they really don’t have enough room. How about an insulated cooler? You run by Safeway once in a while, you pick up some bag ice, you dump it in the cooler. Voila! Ice. How hard is that?

Mackie’s telling me to chill on the ice already so on to the food.

Asparagus salad with wild arugula, bacon and parmesan ($8.50). Nicely cooked asparagus, thinly sliced lengthwise (seems like it would be hard to do that), mixed with the arugula and bacon. Tossed with a light vinaigrette that clung to the veggies but didn’t pool on the plate – perfectly dressed. Topped with finely grated cheese. “Adult flavors,” Mackie said. Really good. The grump in me could have used more bacon crumbles – the salty crunch was apparent in too few bites – but still really good.

I ordered the pepperone (their spelling) pizza ($10.00) while Mackie went for her usual Margherita ($9.50).

The pizza was interesting (in a good way) because the whole was greater than the sum of the parts. The pizzas were oversauced and under cheesed. The crust was limp in the middle, perhaps from too much sauce (my opinion is that pizza crust should stick out like the end of Dilbert’s tie). I could have used more pepperone, Mackie’s needed more basil (my opinion, not hers).

But the pies were great. The crust was thin and crunchy to the edge. I ate all of my crust, which is saying something. The flavors were excellent. One of the better pizzas I’ve had in the city. Ironic, given that I found fault with so many of the elements that the overall effect was so good.

Mackie noted the paucity of cheese when she saw another pizza being served and asked for a bit more on hers. The staff cheerfully obliged. When I go back, I’ll make the same request and also ask that they cut back on the sauce.

We ended the meal with the lemon tart ($6.00) and café lattes. The tart was excellent. Do yourself a favor – if you order it, ask them to include some whipped cream. It’s not standard with the serving but is needed to offset the tartness and acidity of the lemon.

The latte was my first experience with Blue Bottle coffee. Good but not a big deal. Our server told me that I missed out on the full experience because I had decaf. Bummer, but I like to sleep at night. I should have tried some of Mackie’s. She liked it.

The service was very friendly and good. We didn’t have this problem but I noticed some pacing issues at a neighboring table. Salads came out before they were done with their salumi, pizza came out before they finished their salads.

It was a perfect late lunch, sitting outside on a cool, sunny day, the heaters above compensating for the chill in the air. We departed feeling full and satisfied but not uncomfortable.

Piccino is not a bargain. The total bill for salad, two pizzas, two Cokes, dessert and two lattes was $57.83, including tax and tip. Worth it on occasion but not something I’d do every day.

The restaurant is really small (The Tablehopper reports 700 square feet) so virtually all of the seating is outside. Remember this if you plan to go during inclement weather.

The dishware is very, very cool. According to our server, it's handmade by the husband of one of the owners. I rarely notice things like this, which reinforces its uniqueness.

Parking in the neighborhood can be tough but we found a space right away and it looked as if there was enough turnover that no one would have had to circle during the time we were there.

Piccino is worth checking out for lunch or an early dinner. Now, if they’d just get some ice…

Piccino
801 22nd Street
at Tennessee Street
San Francisco, CA  94107
415-824-4224
Map
Web site
Food inspection score: 98
Symbol of Excellence: Yes