Dining

Piccolo Buco brings century-old pizza experience to Schaumburg

Posted June 15, 2026 9:42 am

Rick West

Piccolo Buco, a century-old Roman pizzeria known for its unique tall crust, is set to open its fourth U.S. location on Monday, June 29, in Schaumburg. Courtesy of Piccolo Buco

A slice of Rome is headed to Schaumburg.

Piccolo Buco, a century-old Roman pizzeria known for its unique tall crust, is set to open its fourth U.S. location on Monday, June 29, at 1340 E. Golf Road.

Cooper’s Hawk founder Tim McEnery first encountered and fell in love with the pizza on a trip to Rome in 2019. He partnered with chef/owner Luca Issa to bring it to the U.S.

Piccolo Buco’s pizza menu is divided into red, yellow and white offerings. Courtesy of Piccolo Buco

“The first time I sat down with Luca at his original restaurant in Rome, I knew I had come across something very special. The pizza was incredible, but it was Luca’s passion, hospitality and sense of community that really stayed with me,” McEnery said in a news release. “I immediately started thinking about how we could bring that experience back home.”

Issa grew up working alongside his father in the Roman pizzeria, founded in 1916 and located steps from Trevi Fountain. He took over the family restaurant in 2015.

The U.S. eateries have suburban locations in Naperville and Oak Brook and one in Tampa.

The crust is what sets Piccolo Buco’s pizza apart.

Built on three ingredients, the dough is made with Italian-imported flour, sea salt and extra virgin olive oil, which creates a tall, cloudlike crust with a crisp, substantial rim when baked.

Pizza is cut with scissors tableside at Piccolo Buco. Courtesy of Piccolo Buco

When the pizza is presented to the table, the server will then cut it into six or eight slices using special scissors so the rim doesn’t collapse.

While pizza is the centerpiece of the Piccolo Buco experience, the rest of the menu follows the same blueprint of keeping things simple, with a focus on execution.

Mezzi rigatoni alla vodka is one pasta option at Piccolo Buco. Courtesy of Piccolo Buco

Roman classics such as Mama Luca’s meatballs, crispy stuffed squash blossoms, cacio e pepe, truffle fondue cappellacci, braised short ribs and Mama Luca’s tiramisu highlight the lineup. The lunch menu, served until 3:30 p.m. daily, offers toasted Sardinian sandwiches made with the restaurant’s pizza dough.

Piccolo Buco built its wine program around complementing the pizza. The list starts with wines made in Italy exclusively for Piccolo Buco in partnership with Italian winemakers including Chianti from Tuscany, pinot grigio from Northeastern Italy and Buca Riserva, a Super Tuscan-style blend.

Every dish on the menu carries a pairing recommendation, and the list includes Cooper's Hawk’s signature offerings.

You can sample several wines with the Gusti di Vini experience at Piccolo Buco. Courtesy of Piccolo Buco

The Gusti Bar draws from the Italian tradition of small wine tastings called Gusti di Vini. It offers eight pours on a rotating theme at the bar, with a four-pour version of Classico, Bianco, Rosso, Dolce and Cantina available tableside.

Happy Hour runs from 2 to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday featuring select $15 pizzas, $8 wines by the glass, $5 draft beers, and $8 cocktails and wine slushies.

The new location in the Crossroads of Schaumburg development will seat 158 diners inside and 30 on the patio, with a large tasting bar at the entrance. Cooper’s Hawk Wine Club members will receive points and preferred pricing on retail bottles.

Hours will be 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday.

“Pizza is serious business around here, and Piccolo Buco is unlike anything else,” McEnery said. “It’s a little slice of Rome, built around great food, great wine and bringing people together. We can’t wait to open our doors and welcome the Schaumburg community.”