As I've mentioned in other reviews, Italian food is probably my favorite, and has been since my childhood. Pizza was a staple at any "kid's party" I ever attended. When places like the original Umberto's and Luna's still existed on NYC's Mulberry Street, it became a regular haunt for me. My birthday was always celebrated with Mom's homemade lasagna, up until old age and infirmity made her unequal to the task. If I were ever to be erroneously convicted of a capital crime and sentenced to death, my last meal request would be an Italian dish (not sure how hungry I'd realistically be at that point, but I'm hoping I never have to find out!). Even now, I can dine out at one of the endless "red sauce" Italian places that proliferate in NJ, and enjoy myself. (Hell, I even came to like Olive Garden in my old age!) But..occasionally..I grow weary, and look for something different. So, last week, when an old friend asked if I wanted to take a ride with him to the DMV, and then maybe get a bite to eat, I figured we were going to partake of Italian cuisine. "Different" for him means an Italian restaurant on the west side of Somerville, or an Italian restaurant down the street heading east towards Bound Brook. I wasn't motivated enough to argue against it. He mentioned Cafe Picasso. He had never eaten there, and I had never heard of it, and we agreed to give it a go. Located on Main Street, it's a narrow, dimly lit establishment, with an open kitchen on one side of it (a nice touch, although it reminds me of the old Macaroni Grill), and artwork on the wall opposite (I'm not enough of an art student to know whether they're actual Picasso reproductions or Pablo Picasso "inspired" imitations). We were seated, presented with menus. A word about my old friend; the charitable would call him "parsimonious." It's inevitable that'll he complain...volubly, and at high volume...about the prices on a menu. I'm not exactly a spendthrift; I seldom have enough money in my pocket to qualify as such. But my reaction is usually-- "We're here, we're seated, let's just enjoy the experience. If the meal isn't worth the expenditure, then we can consider it a one-and-done, ok?" Just casually glancing at the menu, I saw a dish listed at 40-plus dollars (it involved fish). My friend was uncharacteristically subdued; I think he may have been in a state of shock. He mumbled, "Maybe...we should get up and go." I replied, "What do we say? How can we exit gracefully? 'I'm sorry, but we've made a horrible mistake...'" Further perusal of the menu revealed some..although not too many..dishes that were more moderately priced. We decided to suck it up and stay. We were given glasses of water, and fresh bread, with oil. Inevitably, I'll order pasta fagioli and lasagna, but I was feeling strangely contrary, and decided on something "outside of the box." The menu offered a cup of pasta fagioli and a bowl of pasta fagioli, which went for something like $14. My friend ordered a cup. Figuring "in for a penny, in for a pound," I ordered the bowl. Turns out, the "cup" resembled what most people would consider a bowl. My "bowl" resembled a bucket. The quantity was extreme. All I needed was to attach a feedbag to myself and slurp it up like my equine namesake from TV. But...no...I ate it like a human being. Was it the best pasta fagioli I ever ate? No, but it was hot and tasty. And..God knows..there was certainly enough of it. My friend broke precedent by ordering lasagna. I ordered something called "Rigatoni Genovese." (Pasta, sausage, greens.) (I was tempted to order it as "Rigatoni Vito Genovese," but I figured it would be meaningless nonsense to them, or they'd know to whom I was referring and be offended. A slight, "humorous" digression-- Another old friend, an Italian-American employed as a psychiatric social worker at a nearby university, vehemently objects to the stereotypes of Italians, and despairs at my fascination with organized crime. But he's not without a sense of humor. After one discussion about one of my favorite movies, "The Godfather," he sighed, and asked, perhaps rhetorically, "Why is it in every movie the Italian is either a mobster or a boxer? Ever notice that?" Trying to distance myself from the thought that I might be someone comfortable with stereotypes, I agreed he had a point, and then defensively mumbled, "Well, at least they're not portraying them as barbers! Anyway, I'm more interested in the Irish mobsters. Mad Dog Coll, Dean O'Banion, Legs Diamond..." He frowned, and said, "What? You prejudiced against Italians?" Well..I thought it was humorous. Anyway..) My dish was quite good, but..again..there was too much of it. I ended up taking a good portion of it home with me in a "doggie bag." My friend was impressed with the lasagna. We split a tartufo and called it a day. Good food, lots of it, but none of it cheap. I spent the rest of the week eating cereal and soup until my next paycheck came in. You've been warned. read more

Appetizers were good, mains were ok but what drives the ratings is the service. Started with them making us feel that they were doing us a favor. But what really got us on the wrong foot, is how they dealt with plating. First they rudely let us know that they would charge $4 for sharing mains which we can understand. But what made me write this negative review is when they chose to charge the $4 to the person who ordered the entree. So basically $8 additional to share a dish. Will not recommend this place. Lot of friendlier places around. Btw: servers were just as rude as we left despite a 20% tip. read more

I ordered rigatoni a la vodka (+grilled shrimp) and a caesar salad for pickup, and it was $55. What?! I understand inflation is making food costs rise (everyone sees it at the grocery store), but I still think it was a lot considering it was 3 pieces of jumbo shrimp. I did like how they included some garlic knots and bread with a house salad for the pasta, but the vodka sauce was too watery and the pasta wasn't al dente. Maybe I'd try it in-person next time, I did see a sign posted for a Thursday night date nights deal. read more

Amazing food and amazing service! Would go back there again without a doubt! Lorenzo and his staff were very accommodating for our large party of 45 and our guests couldn't say enough about the delicious food! read more

The moment I opened the menu I knew it wasn't going to be anything spectacular. Almost like a diner menu. So many dishes to choose from and I bet all of them are just going to be average at best. My veal alla Saltimbocca was a tough piece of shoe leather with thickly sliced dried prosciutto and was that store bought pre-grated mozzarella melted on top? One not to complain, I choked it down and called it a night. I just read some the reviews. Maybe we just had an off night. Maybe I have different expectations but of the four dishes on our table, nothing was that special that we'd come back for or even recommend to others. There is better food in Somerville. Review purely on the food. Service was fine. Ambiance fine. Cleanliness fine. read more

We are in Somerville all the and wanted to try Cafe Picasso, and it didn't disappoint! Was very impressed walking in, a great atmosphere! The staff was amazing and our waiter was great. Great lighting and the paintings are very interesting. Love how the kitchen is right next to you, hearing the flames and you can see how things are done. Had the fried calamari and it was good, wasn't chewy at all. The sauce was amazing! For an entree I had rigatoni in an awesome bolognese sauce, loved it! My wife had gnocchi Alessandra which she said was very good. They had a nice variety for my son who had the chicken fingers and fries and it was a good portion, all our meals were good portions. Had a cappuccino and chocolate moose cake which were very good. Over all loved it here and would absolutely come again. Wish we lived closer. read more

LOVE LOVE LOVE!! We came here on a Monday night but almost everywhere was packed, including here. However, they were still able to seat us right away and the staff was incredibly friendly. I wish we knew our waiter's name because he was fantastic and so understanding of our dietary restrictions. It's BYOB here as well, so we brought our own wine. The bread here is to DIE for and their tomato dipping sauce is incredible. I look forward to it every time. I wanted a farfalle dish but it had dairy in it, so I asked if there was any way I could change the sauce and add some vegetables in it. The waiter came up with a great suggestion that I LOVED! Pomodoro with lots of different vegetables, no onions because I'm allergic. I ate the entire thing! My boyfriend ordered penne vodka (his favorite) and loved it as always. Their portions are HUGE but so affordable!! Our dinner was only $24 together! Which meant we were able to give a 50% tip - they deserved it. Will most definitely come back here - be sure to try it if you haven't already!! read more

Cafe Picasso - Farfalle Pomodoro w Vegetables - Italian Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

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If you love Veal Saltimbocca, this is the place for you! The Gelato is a gamechanger! It's worth a destination trip to come here - though I live 5 blocks away. It has great ambiance in the back. In front you can see the chefs making your dinner. It is bring your own- with a wine store across the street! One of the owners may even sing for you. read more

Boy oh boy. Where do I start? My co worker found this place during lunch and I am so happy that he did!! I orderd the lobster ravioli once and it was okay. The game changer was the seafood pasta!!! It was simply delicious!! Charred seafood (shrimp and scallops) in a pink cream sauce. We always get the lunch special which is more than enough. I am able to make this into 2 servings. You also get bread with it. I always add a salad as well. This place is delicious. I am only upset that I was unable to try the lasagna, but I was like addicted to the seafood pasta. Once I find something good it is kinda hard for me to waver from it. If you are in the mood for authentic italian this is definitley the place to go! read more

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Hands down one if my favorite places in the Bridgewater Somerville area BYOB which is always a plus read more

Absolutely best dining experience in Somerville. Lorenzo and Michele are brothers & are truly gems. The rest of the staff is also amazing and incredibly sweet. If you catch a night of either of them singing, either in the kitchen or on the karaoke machine, you're in for a treat. They're wonderful people and make absolutely delicious homemade meals. The specials are always amazing and change frequently so you know they're fresh. But the lasagna, or rigatoni alla vodka (+ blackened chicken if you're a pro) are classic staples of their menu that we constantly go back for. The portions themselves are generous, to say the least. Every meal comes with bread & olive oil, and a salad to start. The dressing is deliciousssss. Then for the entree .... I've never been able to finish a meal, no matter how bad I don't want to stop. Lunch or dinner - you'll be sure to leave happy and full. Another perk, is it being BYO... with a liquor store located next door. Can't go wrong with this place, service, experience, food 10/10 read more

Cafe Picasso - Italian Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

I have only come during lunch time and the portions are very hearty! I wonder what it is like for dinner ;) The place is very cute inside, nice Italian/Mediterranean (?) theme. You can see some of the cooking done while seated, lots of flames! It is usually a little warm/stuffy inside so prepare accordingly. I have gotten the pastas, the salads, and sandwiches. I highly recommend for a fancier lunch on Main Street. read more

Fabulous from the moment you walk into the restaurant. Greeted by the hostess with a big smile and sat at our table within 5 minutes of arrival. Our waiter Mason was terrific and attentive the entire night. The entire staff went above and beyond. When I shared with Mason it was our anniversary he gave us our cappuccino's on the house, we were too full for dessert. Highly recommend for anyone looking for exceptional Italian cuisine, friendly professional staff and beautiful ambiance. read more

This place was delicious!!!! Beautiful decor and lovely interior. Super sad i'm not from the area bc would love to come back here more often. We came on a Tuesday, when they have a special past deal. Amazing price for what you get!! got the nice bread before the meal which was delish. Got a nice fresh salad before the dinner. And the two pasta dishes were unbelievable!! Both of them!! Wish i could remember the names but can't :/ The first one we got was a clam pasta in a light white wine and garlic sauce. Amazing and so light. Did not feel heavy at all and the pasta was cooked perfectly. The second pasta we got was in a creamy rich orange sauce!! Omg this sauce was beautiful and so RICH. so flavorful with tomatoes and mushrooms. If i came here again I would order both pastas again. I hate but also love it when a restaurant is so good, you want to try other things on the menu but you enjoyed a dish so much you can't imagine going there and not ordering that again!! read more

Cafe Picasso - Italian Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

My mom and I ordered the Zuppa De Pesce hot to go and my mom kept saying how fresh the seafood is and how they really hook it up and put a lot. We even got garlic bread on the side. The only thing is if you get hot, it will be spicy! Maybe next time I would get the one that is not as spicy. Regardless, it was amazing pasta and I will be back. I ordered when it first opened and it was ready in about 20 minutes. read more

I've come here on several occasions and have always left satisfied. The menu is huge with plenty of options for everyone, and it's BYO. The portions are HUGE, and all the dishes I've tried are quite heavy. I'm not sure if I'd consider them to be authentic Italian, but the food is good nonetheless. Prices are reasonable considering the size of the dishes, and the service is quick. The ambiance is okay, it's quite dark and not very inviting, and I've never seen the restaurant packed. I'd recommend stopping by for the plethora of options. You'll definitely leave super full :) read more

Cafe Picasso - Four cheese penne with added chicken - Italian Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

Consistently good Italian fare at the heart of Somerville. Open kitchen for those that like to watch their meal be prepared. Charming building with history and exposed brick lend to the charm of this establishment. Special deals throughout the week make it even more appealing and it is BYOB! read more

Been coming here forever, like the menu as well as L&M. Always have been happy with our meals as well as our servers. Only once was one of our meals burnt out of the hundreds we've had...so that's something to say about consistency. Nice ambiance although it can get quite loud. read more

Since my first ever review we've never missed more than two weeks going back to Café Picasso. From the Hostess when you arrive, to the wait staff when you sit down and to the cooks when you eat, everyone is remarkable at this restaurant. Today would be the first time I have ever walked in for take out but as soon as I did I was recognized by one of the wait staff who takes care of my family and I like we were his own. When he sees my daughter at the table he makes a custom cup of fruit which he knows she loves and puts her penne and butter order in right away. When her meal comes it comes with extra fettuccine sticks because once again he knows that's what she likes. I really cannot say enough about everyone at this restaurant but when someone describes going to dinner at a restaurant where are you feel like family this place defines that. Thank you read more

Cafe Picasso - Veal DeLuca entree.... the sauce is stunning and the veal wrapped around the awesome Picasso sausage stuffing - Italian Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

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Arranged a work holiday party here for 45 people & everyone enjoyed it & had a splendid time! Mind you this was the third time I've attended a large party at this restaurant & they pull it off flawlessly every time! The Location: Parking is tough, I am not going to lie. I personally park in the Shop Rite parking lot behind it and walk a little bit. The Setting: I've always been in the large back room - intimate lighting, tables are set without crowding people, & the area is clean and perfect for large parties including a table to store drinks/gifts, etc. The Staff: Everyone was great to work with, organized, & efficient. I was able to change up the menu to what we wanted no problem. The Food: OMG it was yummy - mozzarella & caroza, eggplant rollatini, & calamari with a fantastic spicy sauce! Entree's - you need to try the penne vodka - sooooo good! I recommend this place for parties & one day I need to get there for dinner!!!! Ciao! read more

We had a wedding celebration at Cafe Picasso for 50 guests. From the moment we walked in to the very last minute, everything was absolutely outstanding. The private room was perfect for our gathering and made us feel like we were extra special guests. Lorenzo and the staff accommodated every request and executed it perfectly. Every guest commented about how great the food and service was. We chose a selection of appetizers and entrees and everyone was more than pleased with their choices. All of the meals were brought to the table hot and no one had to wait for their choice. The kids had their own meals to choose from which made them happy, but not as happy as when they were able to go to the gelato bar! All in all, we can't say enough about how great the experience was and would recommend Cafe Picasso to everyone! read more

Thank you very much Michael and Lorenzo ~ Rudy's 70th surprise birthday celebration was a great success. All our friends enjoyed their dinner immensely. Absolutely delicious! See you soon read more

My family and I LOVE this place. First of all, it is quite pricey. However, we usually on visit on a Wednesday in order to receive the special of half-price chicken. This food is outstanding - it's hard to get food as good as this outside of Little Italy or Italy itself. All in all, DEFINITELY come here. This is the gem of Downtown Somerville. read more

Cafe Picasso - Chicken Francese - Italian Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

The best Italian restaurant on the planet Wonderful food, impeccable service and lovely Italian ambiance! read more

Lorenzo, Michael, and the entire family and staff did another outstanding job on Mother's Day. Thank you so much for the outstanding service. GOD BLESS Yours Truly John read more

I'd like to start by saying this is absolutely one of the best restaurants around. I have been coming here for years and have never been disappointed. I know both Mike and Lo-lo... The place is very clean, the service and atmosphere are amazing and well like I said food is great always. My advice to you both is to lower your prices and bring back the portions. Recently having dinner here it was a bit of a shock to see the smaller portions and high prices. I get the whole covid thing, and economy yada yada, but if anything else I'll stay home or make this a special occasion place. Too bad guys.. read more

Visit started off weird - tried to make a reservation for 6:45 and was told they "don't like :15 & :45...so make a 6:30 and just show up late" 4 adults - we ordered 2 appetizers ...fried calamari (the breading was very thick/crunchy)...and the cantaloupe wrapped in prosciutto - the melon was rock hard, but the prosciutto was delicious. All four adults enjoyed their mains, nobody was able to finish as the servings were quite large. I had the Risotto alla Pescatore ($34.95) - it was great...lots of seafood covered the risotto - a risotto that properly held its shape (wasn't runny). Total for 2 apps/4 mains - $125 plus tip. BYOB by the way. read more

We have frequented this restaurant for many years but tonight was just horrible. They sat us near the bathroom and had someone mopping the bathrooms as we were eating our meal. When I asked to move our table, the so called manager told me he was off the clock and could not help me, go talk to the hostess. I can not believe how rude he was!! There were gnats flying all over the food and around us. the restaurant seriously needs an exterminator for insects! Such a shame, this was one of our favorites but it has gone down hill! read more

Service was good, polite and attentive. Food was good. My only complaint was the acoustics in the restaurant made conversation a little difficult when there is a large crowd. read more

We had a family celebration, about 20 people. We had a fixed menu with a couple appetizers, salad, and a choice of 3 mains. The first appetizer was quite good - sausage, beans and escarole. I was thinking "so far, so good". Unfortunately it went downhill from there. The eggplant rollatini was so salty I couldn't believe it. I was amazed that went out of the kitchen. The house salad was uneventful. The mains were chicken marsala, salmon, and rigatoni bolognese. I chose the rigatoni. It was not good. This was not a bolognese sauce, more like some red sauce with some meat thrown in as an afterthought. And very salty. Wife had the marsala, which wasn't good either. Bland, with no Marsala wine flavor. This place came highly recommended but to me it was a real disappointment. read more

I'm new to the area, and my husband and I stopped by to grab lunch while house hunting. The restaurant had a great outdoor set up and social distancing for Covid restrictions and the food was amazing! The puttanesca was the best I've ever had, and I'm excited to return! read more

Cafe Picasso - Pasta Spaghetti alla Puttanesca Pan Seared Anchovies - Italian Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

I've been going to Cafe Picasso for years (it used to be in the strip mall behind main street where Shop Rite now is) You can always count on a solid meal from them. It's Italian comfort food done well. Portions are good and their red sauce is very good. Favorites of mine are their lasagna and other pasta dishes with red sauce (rigatoni genovese is great). The entrees come with a salad and a basket of bread and garlic knots. The bread is ok but is enhanced with the olive oil and garlic. The prices for dinner are a little on the high side, however, they have half price pasta nights and chicken nights Monday through Wednesday. Going on those days is a much better value. Their lunch menu is really underrated and prices are for lunch for very reasonable. Overall, a good Italian spot in Somerville. read more

We had the lasagna and the fettuccine Alfredo. Both were great. Big servings, old-school Italian vibes.

Cafe Picasso is nothing but a superb restaurant. I have gone to many, many restaurants and nothing compares to the food, amazing service and the treatment we get from Miquel and Lorenzo. The consistency and the quality of their food is top notch! We love you guys, you never disappoint us. Sue and Eric read more

BYOB Italian restaurant. Service is awesome! Food it's tasty but okay, but definitely not for the price. I guess because it's on Main St Somerville. I have tasted better Italian entrees at other much cheaper Italian restaurants. I'd prob go back but wouldn't be my first choice. Liquor store right next to the restaurant ! read more

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I have been coming here for years. Started off unbelievably awesome but over time the food has become less and less. I hate to say it because I really do enjoy the environment of the restaurant. It's still some decent food but has definitely dwindled in quality. read more

Beautiful restaurant and so clean! The bathroom was spotless. The interior is beautiful. We had a group of 5 and made a reservation ahead of time. Saturday for lunch, it was not busy! They first gave us garlic knots and bread both warm and tasty. I wasn't a fan of the oil to dip it in, didn't taste like anything except just oil. It is byob. They had wine glasses on the table and offered to open the bottle for us right away. I ordered the gnocchi pomodoro. The sauce was really tasty and fresh. My boyfriend got the chicken Francese, the breading was super soggy from all the sauce. The sauce itself was tasty though. It comes with a small amount of mashed potatoes and veggies . My boyfriend wished instead it was just rice because it came with a ton of sauce. Server was very friendly and attentive. read more

Cafe Picasso - Gnocchi Pomodoro - Italian Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

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Stopped in on a Saturday night, no reservation. Ordered Pollo Michelle and Rigatoni Vodka. Everything was wonderful, portions were huge and BYO. Highly recommend! read more

IN RESPONSE TO LO D. dropping to one star because this is exactly how they treat their customers. My review was NOT fake news. I take time to write my reviews and I posted that at a later time then when it had occurred. Very rude and disappointing. Wouldn't be surprised if Lo D was the waiter who scoffed at a regular returning a dish for the first time. BYE! read more

Everything about this place is 5 star. Food is on point! The service is great. The Ambiance is cozy.