At Caffè Pico, you don't have to choose between "drinks" or "dinner." The menu is made for stacking: a few small plates, a pizza in the middle, then something hot or just something fresh. The pace is relaxed, but the choices are clear. You immediately sense that this is not just another Italian running on routine, but a place with a line of its own.
What you eat here: pizza and pasta, but not according to the standard script
The pizzas are paper-thin and tightly constructed, with classics you recognize and toppings that take just another turn. There is also a weekly special, so the menu lives with what comes in and what the kitchen is in the mood for. In addition, there are pasta dishes that don't linger in "safe Italian," but rather show that Pico likes to chafe a bit: combinations with spiciness, umami and more excitement than you'd expect at your average trattoria.
The small dishes do the same thing. Think of plates you share easily that work just right with wine: salty, creamy, sour, crunchy - each time something that makes the next bite make more sense. This makes your table feel complete quickly, without the need for large portions.
This is the kind of Italian where your table naturally fills up without ever feeling heavy.
The wine is not an afterthought, but part of the plan
Caffè Pico is open about what they are proud of: a wine cellar meant for special occasions. That says enough about how they look at wine: not "with it," but "with it." It often makes the evening here better if you think in glasses and bottles rather than one set pairing. You order something small, you take a glass to match, and you move on.
Why this works in The Pipe
De Pijp has enough places for quick bites and enough places for formal dining. Pico is right in between: you can start light and end with a full table, without it becoming ceremonial. It's modern, but not aloof. Italian, but not predictable. And above all: made for people who see dining together as an evening activity, not a compulsory number.