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The recapitulation says "un poco piu Andante". Does this just mean that it should go a bit faster than the "piu adagio" section? Or is it "piu Andante" in comparison to the initial "Andante moderato"? Is the recap not in the same tempo as the initial section (I guess not - B. could have written "tempo primo" to express that.) If so, "piu andante" is slower than just "andante", right?

I think it is meant in relation to the first andante, so yes, RIGHT! :-)

"Più andante" taken by itself is strange because it could mean either faster or slower, depending on how the composer uses "andante". Many composers seem to see it as one of the slower tempo markings, so it is reasonable to interpret a "più andante" marking as meaning "more slowly". But others seem to understand it as meaning "with motion", so "più andante" would mean with more motion.

So, unless you have some extra, outside evidence of what the composer really meant, it is basically a judgement call. In this case, I think Brahms probably meant to play with more motion, or speed, than the immediately preceding section. But that's just my opinion...