Cucina Picarelli – Online Menu
Long Beach, CA 90804
562.494.5118
Tuesday – Thursday 5:00pm – 9:30pm
Friday – Saturday 5:00pm – 10:00pm
Sunday 4:30 – 9:30pm
Closed on Mondays.
Reservations recommended Friday through Sunday for dinner.
There are many great Italian places in Long Beach, but one of the best is Cucina Picarelli, located on the corner of PCH and Clark in a little yellow house with a beautiful covered patio. I have had the pleasure of eating here many times and have always been impressed. The service is always on the ball, the portions are always filling and tasty, and Joe (the owner) is there to shake your hand and make sure that you have a wonderful experience.
I had dinner there with my girlfriend Dianne the other night and the meal was out of this world. We sat down, were greeted right away, ordered a bottle of wine and started to check out the menu. They have everything from spaghetti with meat sauce to all different preparations of veal and chicken. I am a pasta man myself and love their tri-tip meat sauce, a Picarelli exclusive that takes a wonderfully thick and flavorful tomato sauce, adds an abundant amount of tri-tip, and then cooks it for just the right amount of time that the meat falls apart throughout the sauce and just melts in your mouth. I opted for the rigatoni baked with mozzarella and meat sauce, and I also had them cut up a few meatballs to spread around. The dish was perfect and pleasing. Dianne had the Gnocchi with marinara. Picarelli’s Gnocchi, little potato dumplings that are boiled and served like pasta, are made fresh and man are they good.
The main courses are great, but while you have the menu in front of you make sure to explore the other options. The soups are all made from scratch with the love and care that you usually only taste from your grandmother’s stove (my Italian grandmother was a master of the kitchen). I had the Pasta e Fagioli, a bean soup that is totally mouth watering. The broth is almost like gravy and is complemented by the bread and an abundant portion of grated parmesan cheese.
Picarelli is a truly excellent Italian restaurant. Whether you are a connoisseur or just someone that likes pasta you need to make it over to see Joe and his staff. I guarantee that you will have a wonderful time and remarkable food. If you have the option to sit on the patio, get a bottle of wine and just make an evening out of it.
Until Next Time, Keep Eating Long Beach,
Cliv