As part of the Blowfish hospitality group, Piccolo Mondo is owned by the same proprietors who own several other restaurants in the area, but this venue is probably the most popular. The restaurant bills itself as Italian, but like many other restaurants around the region, it actually serves a wide variety of dishes, most likely in an attempt to lure as much business as possible.
Photo by Grant Martin
With that said, dishes here are reasonably well reviewed, with selections ranging from beef Bolognese to smoked salmon and mascarpone. Costs here are a bit higher though, likely to keep the riffraff out, with entrées in the 3000-5000 Naira range.
What patrons are really paying for, however, is the exclusivity and atmosphere. The dining room at Piccolo Mondo is dark and flashy, with blue neon lights under the bar and surreptitiously placed around the room. The bar is long and outfitted with leather seats and a disco ball overhead and the back corner of the venue has a room decked out solely in white leather couches and designer chairs.
As one could infer, Piccolo Mondo turns into quite a party on Friday and Saturday nights, with many of the wealthier local youth (and a good selection of international visitors) building up to a dance party from around 11pm. The crowd is generally pleasant and young, with most in their mid-twenties.
Make sure you also bring a chip-based credit card or cash – though the Blowfish group will take an international credit card, you may have to walk down to the hotel to make your transaction, which can be an irritating distraction.
Piccolo Mondo is refreshingly easy to find on Idejo Street in the heart of Victoria Island. Keep an eye out for a pink restaurant with a grass awning and a Japanese restaurant (Izanagi) above.
