Pietro Cucina Italiana

Name: Pietro Cucina Italiana
Address: 404 N Country Rd, St. James, NY, United States, 11780
Telephone: (631) 862-6129
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.5

4.5

517 Reviews

$30 and under

Italian

Top Tags:

New York City restaurateurs Pietro and Kelly Molendini took over the classic St. James farmhouse turned restaurant. The former co-owners of Vite Vinosteria in Astoria, Queens, who had moved from the city to Centerport, spent the summer renovating the dining room to a modern, clean look with neutral tones and contemporary artwork from Pietro Molendini's native Rome. They also expanded the bar from about four to 11 seats.

Pietro Molendini has spent 30 years in the food industry, with a decade of that at Cipriani and stints at both Bar Pitti and Da Silvano. Along the way, he met chef Fabian Garcia Manca, who eventually headed the kitchen at Vito Vinosteria and now joins the Molendini’s in St. James. Kelly Molendini said Manca and her husband scour the tristate area and beyond for ingredients. "They are never home," she joked, and said that the pair source some of their meat from the Bronx, burrata from New Jersey and dried pasta from Italy and Sicily.
Closed 11/17/2022 for private party

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

May 20, 2024

7:00 PM

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Italian
Phone number
(631) 862-6129
Website
http://www.pietro631.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual

Location
404 N Country Rd, St. James, NY 11780
Neighborhood
St. James
Parking details
None
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Cafe, Cocktails, Full Bar, Takeout, Wine

Popular dishes

Burrata Pugliese$17.95
imported burrata, homegrown roasted peppers, confit cherry tomato basil
Panzerotti Salentini$13.95
two deep fried pockets stuffed with mozzarella, tomato, basil, mozzarella, Italian ham
Cozze alla Calabrese$18.95
mussels sautéed in white wine sauce, calabrian peppers, garlic, shallots, crushed tomatoes
Polpette Al Pecorino$15.95
prime angus beef meatballs, pecorino romano, tomato sauce
Parmigiana di Melanzane$14.95
eggplant parmigiana, tomato, mozzarella, parmigiano, basil
Polpo alla Griglia$23.95
grilled octopus served with potatoes, tomato, artisanal salad, avocado cream
Arancini alla Siciliana$16.95
homemade crispy saffron rice balls with short rib ragu & besciamella sauce
Salumi Misti$24.95
chef's selection of imported cured meats
Formaggi Misti$21.95
chef's selection of imported cheeses

Le Insalate / Salad

Insalata dello Chef$13.95
artisanal lettuce, dry fruit, red wine-aged goat cheese
Insalata Fresca$12.95
string beans, cherry tomatoes, corn, basil
Insalata di Pomodori$12.95
organic tomatoes, celery, basil
Insalata di Endivia$14.95
endive, gorgonzola, walnuts, green apple, organic honey

Le Paste / Pasta

Paccheri di Gragnano$20.95
rigatoni from gragnano, prime angus short rib ragu
Pappardelle alla Bolognese$19.95
homemade pappardelle, traditional bolognese sauce
Gnocchi Verdi$19.95
homemade spinach & potato dumplings, white truffle cream sauce, parmigiano reggiano
Tortelloni con Burrata$23.95
tortelloni stuffed with burrata in butter & crispy sage sauce
Linguine alle Vongole$24.95
new zealand clams, light tomato sauce
Lasagna Rustica$23.95
chestnuts, veal ragu, porcini mushrooms
Risotto of the Day
made daily, ask your server
- Market Price

IL Pesce / Seafood

Salmone Selvatico$32.95
roasted wild salmon, pesto, vegetable ratatouille

Le Carni / Meats

Pollo Arrosto con Patate$24.95
roasted organic chicken marinated in chimichurri, served with roasted potatoes
Controfiletto alla Griglia$37.95
grilled prime sirloin, homemade almond pesto, french fries
Stinco di Agnello Stufato$31.95
lamb shank stew, creamy polenta
Petto di Anatra$27.95
roast duck breast with orange sauce, chickpea pureé

Contorni / Sides

Cavolfiore$7.95
sautéed cauliflower
Broccoli di Rape$7.95
sautéed
Vegetali alla Griglia$7.95
seasonal grilled vegetables
Fagiolini Aglio e Olio$7.95
french string beans sautéed in garlic-olive oil

What 517 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.5

4.5 based on recent ratings

4.6Food
4.5Service
4.3Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Suffolk
Innovative
Suffolk
Great for fine wines
Suffolk
Great for outdoor dining

517 Reviews

WC
WelovegoodfoodCooperCity
Fort Lauderdale
33 reviews
5.0
33 reviews
Dined on May 12, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Fabulous food, ambience and service. We will be visiting every trip to New York!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York City
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on May 12, 2024
1. Overall 1
2. Food 2
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
Mother’s Day dinner regretfully was reserved at this establishment and I use the word “reserved” very loosely. A 5pm reservation resulted in a 614PM seating with little or no communication from the front of the house. Couple that with average at best Italian cuisine and let’s just say I’m sorry i subjected my wife and 2.5 year old to this. Save your money and go elsewhere. Never again.
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D
Dixon
New York City
31 reviews
vip
5.0
31 reviews
Dined on May 12, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Excellent food and service even on a very busy day like Mothers Day. It has become my go to place when I want to enjoy excellent food.
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GB
GinaB
New York City
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on May 12, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Everything was great! Food, service were exceptional. We had a wonderful meal & time
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s
skyblue
New York City
134 reviews
vip
5.0
134 reviews
Dined on April 24, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Always exceptional! Food and Service is impecable.
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SS
ScottS
New York City
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 6, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
First time visit and we were very pleased with the excellent service and the food. Generous portions and excellent presentation! Food was delicious! We’ll be back
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York City
11 reviews
5.0
11 reviews
Dined on March 17, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
First time here and one of the best Italian restaurants. Service and food was great. Can’t wait to go back again!!
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C
Cme42thdk
Detroit
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on March 10, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent food, great service and Pietro was super friendly and visible making sure all his customers were happy. Can’t wait to return!
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FD
FatimaD
New York City
29 reviews
vip
5.0
29 reviews
Dined on March 9, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food is always so amazing and I can’t say enough about the wonderful staff!!
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R
Robertc
Orlando
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on February 28, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
I was here several times over the years and the food is still very good.
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s
skyblue
New York City
134 reviews
vip
5.0
134 reviews
Dined on February 28, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
How to you spell exceptional? Pietro Cucina of course! Staff, food, ambiance is always consistantly excellent.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York City
23 reviews
vip
5.0
23 reviews
Dined on February 25, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Food was delicious Everyone enjoyed their meals and cocktails.
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M
Maybelle
New York City
30 reviews
vip
5.0
30 reviews
Dined on February 24, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Always a delicious dinner. Owner always greets us warmly and the waitstaff is friendly and attentive.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Naples
62 reviews
vip
5.0
62 reviews
Dined on February 17, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Great dinner. Loved my burrata and pasta. The owner is wonderful and always greats you like you are family. Such a wonderful place to dine
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w
wc44
New York City
21 reviews
vip
3.0
21 reviews
Dined on February 15, 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
i will keep my experience private. I emailed management with my feedback and got zero resposne.
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s
skyblue
New York City
134 reviews
vip
5.0
134 reviews
Dined on February 14, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Always an exceptional experience, food,service and ambiance is top tier.
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SB
SilviaB
New York City
11 reviews
2.0
11 reviews
Dined on February 14, 2024
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
Not sure if it was because they were booked for Valentines Day but I felt completely rushed and dismissed and the whole meal. When we got in and waited for someone to seat us (we had reservations) another couple came in that everyone seemed to know. Not one person greeted us and when they did finally see us, they told us to wait and took the other couple to their seat. When we sat down and took a look at the menu, the waiter came and said we had to put in both apps and entrees at once. So we felt very rushed because we only wanted to start with apps. Everything we had looked like they had been cooked earlier and then heated up, so it came out semi warm and not hot, probably due to assuming they’d be busy. I was so disappointed because I had def been looking forward to trying it and just felt let down.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York City
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 10, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Everything about our experience at Pietro Cucina was absolutely wonderful!! The food, the staff, the ambiance all exceeded our expectations! I cannot recommend dining here enough!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York City
2 reviews
2.0
2 reviews
Dined on February 10, 2024
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 2
Food was ok, service was good not worth the price of $$$
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A
Alma
New York City
2 reviews
1.0
2 reviews
Dined on February 4, 2024
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
Utter chaos. No organized check in, overcrowding in expanded seating area. No communication as to how long a wait for a table. We walked out.
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F
Foodie
New York City
35 reviews
vip
2.0
35 reviews
Dined on February 4, 2024
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
What a disappointing meal. Started out great because I loved my white Sangria and the bread was hot and delicious. Then had delicious artichoke salad. So we were excited. Caesar salad was very fishy and I like anchovies. But this was over the top. My husband got the short rib pasta with pappardelle. There was ZERO short rib in it. And I mean ZERO. I got the linguini in a “light” sauce with fresh tomatoes. It was the same thick red sauce like the short rib sauce, very few tiny clams. And was so salty that I couldn’t even eat it. We did not eat our pasta at all. The waiter was embarassed and felt so bad. He offered to have us order something else but we just got the tiramisu and asked for cappucino, which they don’t have!!!! They did the right thing and didn’t charge us for the pasta or dessert. Left the waiter a nice tip, but we will not be back.
1 person found this helpful
l
liketodineout
New York City
31 reviews
vip
1.0
31 reviews
Dined on February 4, 2024
1. Overall 1
2. Food 2
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
Loud, hot and crowded! Such a disappointment. Reservations were for 7pm and we waited until 8:00 to be seated while shuffling around a crowded bar area between servers running around and propane heat lamps! The owner himself knocked into me more than once causing me to spill my drink. Never again will I waste my Saturday on such a stressful, expensive experience!
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s
skyblue
New York City
134 reviews
vip
5.0
134 reviews
Dined on January 17, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Exceptional, food and service. Always a beautiful evening at Pietro's. A favorite of ours for certain.
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b
bgarcia171
New York City
16 reviews
vip
5.0
16 reviews
Dined on January 7, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wish I had found this place sooner! What a wonderful dining experience, and the food was delicious. Staff was so attentive from the owner to the waiter to the wait staff, all top-notch! This will be our new go-to for romantic just-us dinners and special occasions. Leave the kids at home and treat yourselves. You will not be disappointed!
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r
rick
New York City
62 reviews
5.0
62 reviews
Dined on January 6, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Went to the Billy Joel exhibit in Stoney Brook. Picked a restaurant from Open Table for dinner. A shot in the dark that was perfect in every way. Highly recommend.
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B
Barney
New York City
44 reviews
vip
4.0
44 reviews
Dined on January 5, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
First time at the restaurant and was pleasantly surprised. Specials were very good and the attention to detail was very good.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York City
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on January 1, 2024
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
We had a reservation for 2 New Years Eve 2023 for 8:30. When we got there the owner literally gave us a palm to the face as he walked away to go do something else. When he finally graced us with his attention we let him know about our reservation. He nodded and said give him a few minutes. We waited for 40 minutes standing there like idiots. No updates, no offers of drinks, nothing. He did give us dark looks as he raced around. Why take reservations if you won’t honor them?
1 person found this helpful
DM
DinoM
New York City
1 review
vip
1.0
1 review
Dined on January 1, 2024
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
We had a 7:45pm reservation on 12/31. We were excited to try this place out for the first time. We walk in and there is a line out the door of people waiting to be seated. The host or manager (?) was walking around with a legal pad of names of those waiting. I approached him and said I have a reservation. He looks at me and says we are late and would have to wait at least 35 minutes. In actuality, we were 5 minutes early. He then points around the outside patio covered room and says we are very busy. He was very unprofessional, not understanding and indifferent that we had a reservation. I understand waiting 10 or 15 minutes for a table to be cleared and prepared. However, I am not OK with waiting at least 35 minutes. More likely an hour. I immediately called NOCO across the street and they luckily had availability. Things happen the way they are supposed to happen and we had an amazing dinner/experience at NOCO. We will never return to Pietro's.
1 person found this helpful
JR
JimR
New York City
21 reviews
5.0
21 reviews
Dined on December 28, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We always enjoy our dining experience at Pietro’s. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Food is reliably delicious.
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AG
AnthonyG
New York City
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on December 24, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Best Italian restaurant on Long Island !!! Highly recommend !
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s
skyblue
New York City
134 reviews
vip
5.0
134 reviews
Dined on December 20, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
My go to place for special nights or just a casual dining experience. Great food excellent wine list and wonderful cocktails. Staff and service is always beyond exceptional.
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JM
JosephM
New York City
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on December 20, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Every aspect of our dinner experiance was fantastic, from the greeting when we arrived, wine, appetizers, meals, desert and the good night from the owner and staff when leaving.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York City
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on December 16, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Delicious Italian food and a very cute atmosphere. Our waitress was so helpful, letting us know some all time favorites of customers
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York City
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on December 9, 2023
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We dined at 5:30 before a show. The place quickly filled up. The atmospheric was warm and festive. The wait staff were excellent and knowledgeable. It was a pleasure dining without a television present.
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s
skyblue
New York City
134 reviews
vip
5.0
134 reviews
Dined on December 7, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Just and incredible restaurant that makes you feel like home every time you go there. Food and Service is exceptional.
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GJ
GaryJ
New York City
29 reviews
vip
3.0
29 reviews
Dined on December 2, 2023
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
When we arrived we were given the choice of the outer dining room or inner. We chose the outer. When we sat down we noticed the sound level was too much. The loud music made it worse. The drinks were good and service attentive. The food, I thought was in the mediocre range. I had the bone in veal parmigiana. I thought the veal was a little over done and the red sauce was on the sweat side, not my favorite sauce. It was disappointing because we ate here over the summer and sat outside. There was a two piece jazz duo that was fantastic. Food seemed better than too (don’t remember what I had.)
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MD
MitchD
New York City
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on November 26, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wow! What can I say??? I've been to Italy 5 times and the food here is on par with the amazing food in Italy. This is definitely my favorite Italian restaurant in the United States and I've tried many. Pietro is an amazing host as well which just makes everything that much better. The portions are great, the prices are fair considering the quality, the menu is unique and the taste is incredible. I will be back soon!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York City
13 reviews
vip
5.0
13 reviews
Dined on November 25, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Had a great table for two in the corner. Pumpkin Martinis we had to try and they were great. The suggested Burrata app was impeccable as well as our pasta entrees. Great service in a very nice setting.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York City
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on November 18, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Love love love this place… one of my favorites …..
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D
Dixon
New York City
31 reviews
vip
4.0
31 reviews
Dined on November 18, 2023
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
Food was excellent as usual. The specials were special. Service was exceptional. Our every need and want was taken care of. The only downside was the placement of a patio speaker above our table which made conversation difficult at best.
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FAQs

Pietro Cucina Italiana offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (631) 862-6129.

Pietro Cucina Italiana is rated 4.5 stars by 517 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

May 20, 2024

7:00 PM

Order delivery or takeout

404 N Country Rd, St. James, NY 11780

Additional information

Neighborhood
St. James
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Italian
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
None
Payment options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Cafe, Cocktails, Full Bar, Takeout, Wine

Website
http://www.pietro631.com/
Phone number
(631) 862-6129

Pietro Cucina Italiana

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Pappardelle alla Bolognese

Gnocchi al Tartufo

Gnocchi Verdi

Antipasti / Appetizer

Burrata Pugliese$17.95

Panzerotti Salentini$13.95

Cozze alla Calabrese$18.95

Polpette Al Pecorino$15.95

Parmigiana di Melanzane$14.95

Polpo alla Griglia$23.95

Arancini alla Siciliana$16.95

Salumi Misti$24.95

Formaggi Misti$21.95

Le Insalate / Salad

Insalata dello Chef$13.95

Insalata Fresca$12.95

Insalata di Pomodori$12.95

Insalata di Endivia$14.95

Le Paste / Pasta

Paccheri di Gragnano$20.95

Pappardelle alla Bolognese$19.95

Gnocchi Verdi$19.95

Tortelloni con Burrata$23.95

Linguine alle Vongole$24.95

Lasagna Rustica$23.95

Risotto of the Day

IL Pesce / Seafood

Salmone Selvatico$32.95

Le Carni / Meats

Pollo Arrosto con Patate$24.95

Controfiletto alla Griglia$37.95

Stinco di Agnello Stufato$31.95

Petto di Anatra$27.95

Contorni / Sides

Cavolfiore$7.95

Broccoli di Rape$7.95

Vegetali alla Griglia$7.95

Fagiolini Aglio e Olio$7.95

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

FAQs

Does Pietro Cucina Italiana offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Pietro Cucina Italiana restaurant rated?

Is Pietro Cucina Italiana currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information