***1/2 Hartford Courant
“Excellent” New York Times
2005 Award of Excellence Wine Spectator (5 years-in-a-row)
2005 Best Dinner Hartford Magazine
2004 Best Italian Hartford Magazine
 

Peppercorn's Grill and Piccolo Arancio are owned and operated by the Cialfi siblings, Sal, Dino and Tina. Brothers Sal and Dino purchased Peppercorn's Grill in 1989 and they, along with younger sister Tina opened Piccolo Arancio in 1994. This generation of Cialfis' has added modern creativity and personality to traditional Italian cuisine, while retaining the classic and traditional strengths of their Italian upbringing.

Sal and Dino were trained in the art of Italian food at their uncle's restaurant in Rome. When their uncle felt that that the two brothers education was complete, he helped them to open their own restaurant, in Rome, Piccolo Arancio. After only one year, Piccolo Arancio became an internationally acclaimed restaurant and Sal and Dino knew that it was the right time to bring their successful recipe back to this side of the ocean. Now run by Sal and Dino's cousins, the original Cialfi owned Piccolo Arancio is still open, near the Trevi Fountain on Viccolo Di Scanderberg.

Upon returning to Connecticut, Dino and Sal searched for a new location, and purchased Peppercorn's Grill in Hartford. After many months of hard work, Connecticut diners were thrilled to welcome a true Italian trattoria to Hartford. When the time was right to expand, younger sister Tina Cialfi Autunno seized the opportunity to join the family business. In 1994 Piccolo Arancio opened in Farmington, where Tina brought her personality and unique passion to a proven recipe for success.

Both restaurants produce award-winning cuisine and continue to receive high honors and awards. This May marked the fifth consecutive year that both Peppercorn's Grill and Piccolo Arancio received the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence