Omaha Exploration

In the last few weeks, we explored the history of Caniglia’s Bakery which turned into Original Caniglia’s Pizzaria and Steak House. In this post, we’ll talk about a grocery store opened by Joseph Piccolo that ended up becoming one of Warren Buffett’s favorite restaurants.

Arriving in the United States from Carlentini in 1909, Joe worked as stone mason. He would eventually open a grocery store at 714 Pierce St in Little Italy. By 1924 he also purchased an old blacksmith shop turned bar at 2202 S 20th St and added a one-story addition on the south side of the building. From this location he operated both a grocery store and soup kitchen. 

Joe first attempted to sell the building during the Great Depression in 1931. Likely unable to find a buyer, he ultimately turned the space over to his son Anthony. After marrying Grace Caniglia whose father operated the Caniglia Bakery in the neighborhood, they would turn the grocery store into a nightclub called Piccolo Pete’s. It made sense as prohibition had just ended after 13 long years and Americans were thirsty. To fulfill their vision they would add another one story addition to the north side of the building. 

Interestingly, neither Joe, Anthony or Grace were piccolo players. The inspiration for the name of their new enterprise was a popular song at the time. They added a beer garden out back which at the time was referred to as the most beautiful beer garden in the city. The new club provided their patrons with the opportunity to eat, drink and dance the night away. It quickly became “the” club in South Omaha. Joe even began referring to his original grocery store back in Little Italy as Piccolo Pete’s which had since become his nickname. He operated the original store until the mid-1940’s. 

Anthony converted the nightclub into a full fledged restaurant in 1937 at which point they began offering steak along with traditional Italian dishes. As the couple were busy raising their family upstairs in addition to running a popular restaurant, Grace’s brothers were busy converting their father’s bakery into Omaha’s first pizzeria in 1946. The Caniglia family was full of entrepreneurs as her brothers would eventually follow Grace’s lead and go on to open restaurants of their own including Venice Inn and Mister C’s. Joe passed away in 1956 before he could see his other son, Sammy, open a restaurant of his own in Millard in 1962. Sammy would eventually move his business and convert it into Piccolo’s Bar. 

By the 1960’s the owners remodeled Piccolo Pete’s but continued to bring in a band to play on Saturday’s to allow customers’ to dance under the giant disco ball. As the times changed, the dance floor went away in 1970 in order to make even more room for seating at the restaurant. By this time its iconic neon sign of a piccolo player had been installed. 

Piccolo’s remained a family owned business after son Anthony Jr. took over. He had experience in the restaurant business having first worked for his grandfather and uncles at Cangilia’s Pizzaria. Junior would eventually turn the restaurant over to his sister’s Donna Sheehan and Dee Graves. The restaurant was well established by this time and earned its place among the city’s most popular old school Italian steak houses. Like many restaurants at the time, the steaks were cut on premises, tenderized, seasoned and grilled. While its most popular dish was its prime rib, they also offered chicken parmigiana, spaghetti, lasagna, ravioli and mostaccioli. 

The addition to the west side of the building where I suspect the beer garden was once located was added in 1985. By this time the restaurant had nearly 9,000 sq ft and enough seating for over 400. Anthony continued to remain active in the business until he passed away in 2000 as did Grace who lived until 2008. While Gorat’s tended to get most of the publicity, Warren Buffett was also a big fan of Piccolo’s. He took a number of high profile people to the restaurant including Alex Rodriguez and Bill Gates among others. He was even known to take college students who arrived in town for a Q&A with the “Oracle of Omaha” to Piccolo’s. He said that it reminded of a neighborhood tavern where the people were friendly, the food was great and the prices were good. In fact, it was the low prices that really set Piccolo’s apart from its competition. 

The increased exposure that came along with being a favorite of one of the richest men in the world allowed it to remain open. It was even featured on Travel Channel’s Food Wars in 2010 where Piccolo’s faced off with the Caniglai’s Venice Inn. Eventually business slowed as competition from other restaurants increased. That ultimately led to the closing of the restaurant in 2015. 

The great grandson of Joe Piccolo, Scott Sheehan, opened a Piccolo’s food truck in 2014 followed by a smaller version of Piccolo Pete’s in downtown Papillion in 2021. While they continued the name and tradition for a while longer, they both closed in 2022 due, in part, to the mechanical issues, rising food costs and the pandemic. Of all the restaurants started by the Caniglia’s, Piccolo Pete’s was the first to open in 1933 and the last to close in 2015.

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