There is something effortlessly cool about Pici, its hipness helped along by a beautifully short and affordably priced menu (most dishes are under $25), dark and brooding negronis, and offerings of dense-yet-bouncy carbs slicked with slinky sauces on distinctive blue-and-white-enamel plates.

The restaurant has been holding court in a compact spot at the entrance to St Kevins Arcade (as well as our hearts) going on four years now. As this tiny space fills up quickly, we recommend booking ahead. Its signature dishes — pillowy soft focaccia, thick worms of the eponymous pici in cacio e pepe sauce, and a slab of cheesecake drizzled with grassy olive oil and sprinkled with crunchy finishing salt — still satisfy the lustiest of appetites. It’s probably wise, and no real imposition, to eat a salad of bitter leaves with salted ricotta and orange vinaigrette on the side, just for appearances and to ward off scurvy. This well-balanced meal, eaten in a cosy window seat, is ideal for a second date or to line the stomach before a night in town. 

More recently, we’ve been pleased to see the team extend into the neighbouring site to open Tappo, a wine shop and bar where a well-chosen selection of snacks from the Pici kitchen can keep hunger at bay while you wait for your table. Thank goodness.

Pici feels like it was born for Karangahape Rd, but also born of it. Right time, right place, right vibe.