West Village Bids Farewell to Beloved Italian Restaurant Piccolo Angolo After 30 Years

On New Year's Eve, Piccolo Angolo, a beloved West Village Italian restaurant, served its final meal, closing the chapter on a 30-year legacy of family, community, and authentic cuisine.

Since opening in 1992, the 44-seat eatery had been a neighborhood treasure, celebrated for its welcoming atmosphere and Ligurian recipes passed down through generations. The late Renato Migliorini, the restaurant’s founder, was known for his hospitality, often mingling with guests and ensuring everyone felt like family.

“This was his legacy, this is something he started, he wanted to keep it going,” Renato's daughter Maria Cintron said in an interview with ABC7 Eyewitness News. “So Peter and I tried. We kept it going for 10 long years after he passed away.”

After Renato’s passing, his children, Maria and Peter, took over the business. Maria managed the front of the house while Peter ran the kitchen, continuing their father’s tradition of serving recipes inspired by Liguria, a region in northwestern Italy.

Peter, who began cooking at Piccolo Angolo when he was just 19, spent more than three decades in its kitchen.

“It was a lifetime in that kitchen,” Peter said. “I started working here when I was 19, and I’m 52 now.”

The restaurant earned a loyal following over the years, even being featured in one of Eyewitness News' first "Neighborhood Eats" segments 20 years ago. Local patrons and visitors alike were drawn to its hearty dishes and familial warmth. Eyewitness News reporter Lauren Glassberg noted that her family were longtime customers, reflecting the personal connection many felt to the restaurant.

Despite its popularity, rising rents and the increasing costs of operating a restaurant in Manhattan made it unsustainable to keep Piccolo Angolo open. Maria and Peter made the difficult decision to close the restaurant, acknowledging the financial pressures of the current restaurant industry.

“It’s the circle of life,” Peter said. “My dad opened this place in 1992. This wasn’t his first restaurant. And we’re going to go figure something out and do something special again, somewhere else.”

The closure marked the end of an era for the West Village dining scene. Many patrons shared their memories of milestone celebrations and cherished meals at Piccolo Angolo, expressing gratitude for the Migliorini family’s dedication to the community.

On its final night, the restaurant hosted a heartfelt farewell. Guests filled the space one last time to celebrate Piccolo Angolo’s legacy and express their appreciation to Maria and Peter.

“We're going out with a big bang,” Maria said emotionally.

While the closure was bittersweet, the siblings remained optimistic about the future. Although they had not shared specific plans, they expressed a desire to carry on their father’s legacy in a new venture.

For three decades, Piccolo Angolo was more than just a restaurant—it was a gathering place that brought people together through food and hospitality. As the West Village reflects on the loss of one of its cherished institutions, the memories created at Piccolo Angolo will undoubtedly endure.