Piccante

The Verdict

Piccante at Hyatt Regency Chandigarh occupies a well-designed dining space within one of the city's landmark hotels. The restaurant has built its reputation on the consistent quality of its Italian cooking — a menu that spans the full Italian canon from antipasto through pasta to dolci, with a kitchen that imports Italian ingredients where they matter and sources fresh produce locally where it doesn't.

The pasta is handmade: tagliolini, pappardelle, and ravioli prepared daily, with sauces that range from the classical (aglio e olio, all'Amatriciana, carbonara) to more contemporary preparations using seasonal ingredients. The seafood preparations are the kitchen's strongest suit — branzino al forno, risotto ai frutti di mare, and a rotating daily fish special that changes with the market. The dessert menu maintains the Italian tradition honestly: tiramisù, panna cotta, and a rotating tart.

The wine list is Chandigarh's best Italian selection — a genuine effort in a city where the Italian wine culture is still developing. The cocktail programme is sophisticated enough to sustain a pre-dinner drink without embarrassment.

Pricing: INR 1,800 to 2,800 per person with wine.

Why It Works for First Date

Piccante's handmade pasta, Italian wine, and the intimate warmth of the Hyatt Regency's dining room make it Chandigarh's most carefully calibrated first-date choice. The Italian format — multiple small courses, a slower pace — gives a dinner its own natural rhythm. The room is quiet enough for conversation; the food is interesting enough to generate it.

Also in Chandigarh

See our full Chandigarh dining guide. For the First Date cross-city picture, see the First Date directory. Also consider New Delhi, Amritsar, or Shimla.