Have been to Picolino's but didn't realize that this cafe is separate and open during the day! Went for lunch w/ a few friends on a nice summer day so we got to sit outside in the peaceful garden in the back -- such a hidden gem! Can't beat the relaxing atmosphere. This place is counter service and then you take your number to a table (be sure to indicate if you want to sit in the garden when you place your order, so they know to look for you there). I ordered the Italian Trio Baguette as the cashier mentioned it was pretty tasty. It was just ok. The bread was too hard/crusty and the sandwich was a bit dry (I would have liked a bit more Italian vinaigrette flavor. It wasn't terrible but not something I'd order again. Maybe next time I should stick w/ a pizza, as I have heard pretty good things about them. The pastries in the case looked really tasty, so I think next time I'll come back and order a pastry (or quiche) and coffee. Definitely a cute neighborhood spot that I want to like, so hopefully the next time will be better! read more

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Why have not been here before? A step up for coffee and brunch dishes. It's more a sit-down restaurant though - food orders are prepped by the Picolino kitchen, I think. read more

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The cashier was very nice and they let us take two dog treats. Delicious food and kid-friendly (and dog).

I was in the neighborhood for one night when I was house sitting for someone. Since I had some friends with a dog coming later, I asked the staff if the cafe is dog friendly when I stopped by for breakfast. The cafe is indeed dog friendly - they allow people with dogs indoor if they're just getting something to go, and dogs are also allowed inside their patio/garden in the back. The cafe has a huge outdoor seating area in the back adorned with plants, which made the space feel comfy and relaxing. I had the scone for breakfast - there were like four kinds of scones. I went for the blueberry scone and it was really good! So good that I think about going back there for the scone. Because there is only one cashier, there was a line but everyone's pretty nice and the wait is really not too bad compared to other places in downtown Ballard. When returned to the cafe for lunch with my friends, I had the spaghetti bolognese lunch special going for like $15 - it came with a salad and I thought that was quite reasonable. The pasta dish was great and I also liked the cute presentation. Overall, it was a great find in the neighborhood and I'm excited to go back when I'm there again. read more

Pico Cafe - Spaghetti bolognese - Bakeries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Cute neighborhood spot in a cute area. Service was good and the hot chocolate was yummy with sprinkles. You can't go wrong with that! read more

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Lovely neighborhood corner cafe and hidden gem! Great place to go for a pre-Golden Gardens latte, snack, or meal. About 1 mile from GG. Snuck in an hour before their closing time to squeeze in some work. Wifi was reliable - maybe a bit slow? It was cozy and quiet although staff and patrons were talking. Ordered their soup of the day (split pea and ham). It was nice. I'm more impressed with their wine in stock. They had $8 wine from Slovenia and Italy. There were other wines around the $10-20 range There's also a punch card so you can grab a free latte after ordering 10 times or so read more

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Their pizza, hands down best pizza ever. I prefer this over the restaurants pizza no doubt there. I think this cafe is so cute. The outdoor seating is to die for, and it's fast service. % recommend. read more

Love their drip coffee, service was friendly and fast. My husband really enjoyed his Greco scramble and I had their turkey club small sandwich which is a large portion. Both excellent. Go check them out. read more

Oh my god this place is amazing! Seriously do not pass on this, the pastries are divine! Came in today around 9 AM and there was a few open spots left for indoor dining. I was stuck on either the empanadas or the sausage roll and they had recommended the sausage roll. The first bite I took was so flaky and soft in texture, I couldn't believe how good it was. Bonus for super friendly stuff. I definitely will be back! read more

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This is a lovely hidden gem, delicious food especially bread. I would give it 5 stars if they offered table service but it's an order at the counter and then they bring it to you system. I guess I'm a lazy butt but I love being waited on. The Italian soup the day I was there was fabulous, very flavorful. And the people working the counter were friendly, the food delivery was timely. Everyone in our small group was pleased with their lunch. read more

Cute place, good vibe, espresso is good... ...AND if you want your pizza uncut, your salad missing ingredients and a short light colored hair in your caesar this would be even a better place for you to go for a meal. They would do "Extra Better" next time was what we were told when we called to tell them we were missing salad ingredients and our pizza was uncut. I don't think we'll return to give this place a go to experience the extra betterment promised. My husband may drink a flat white there, but that's about it, because it's near our house. read more

Pico is the perfect place for a weekend afternoon, preferably in summer. The outdoor seating is best, though the rough and well-shaded tables fill quickly. Inside, the lights extinguished to guard against heat, filtered sunlight traces the wooden beams of the high ceiling. It feels Italian and also pleasantly Californian, elegant yet at ease. The coffee is very good, as are the pastries. My favorite is the scone with strawberry-rhubarb jam, sweet and tart. read more

Pico Cafe - Interior table looking out. - Bakeries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We happened to be staying at an Airbnb right around the corner from this place. We stopped in around 9 on a Sunday morning and there was a small line of what seemed like regulars. They were quick and efficient but also took their time with each guest. When it was our turn the lady was incredibly friendly. We grabbed a few pastries (it was hard to narrow down because everything looked amazing) and a sausage roll. The sausage roll was so unique. I expected a breakfast sausage link, but it was more like a homemade sausage with a bit of black pepper, not too spicy, but good flavor. It was wrapped in a flaky, buttery pastry. So delicious! My daughter loved the apple tart, she devoured it before we could steal more than a bite. I'm a danish kind of gal and their apricot danish was the stuff of dreams. It was flaky around the edges, the cheese in the middle was flavorful and the apricot was the perfect pop of sweetness. A+ I'm super jealous of the regulars because they get this little gem in their neighborhood. Definitely give it a try if you're in the area. read more

Food was awesome. Fee was reasonable. Great environment too. In the garden area in the back, really peaceful location to enjoy a meal and quiet conversation. No rush either, relax and chat. Great place. read more

The food is so good....love their egg dishes! Their cookies and pastries are delicious, too. I want to try one of their sandwiches or salads next time. It's nice to sit outside on the sidewalk, as weather allows! read more

Enjoyed a cup of drip coffee, chai tea latte and an almond croissant this morning from Pico Cafe. We are huge Picolinos fan and the cafe is very good as well. read more

Loved it! Delicious food, pastries, and coffee! We decided to take home breakfast for the next day before we left because it was so good!

Feels like at home, but with perfect baked goods and coffee! Very cozy and warm inside. Scone was the best I have had in Seattle. Would go back for other flavors of scone and coffee. read more

Pico Cafe - Scone, coffee and quiche - Bakeries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I decided to take the bus to Ballard for no reason in particular. I had been walking around for a few minutes before I realized that I had forgotten to eat before I left, and there's not that many places to eat between 24th ave and the water. I stumbled upon this cafe looking for a non-committal snack and was surprised to walk into a well-kept cafe with a huge pastry case and menu full of Italian dishes that I can't pronounce at all! I asked about their flavors, and the barista pointed out the largest shelf full of assorted flavors that I've ever seen. After expressing my awe at this outwardly unassuming business and placing my order, the barista handed me a mug that intentionally matched my sweater and asked if I'd like to eat inside or in the garden. Yes, there's a garden. Ignoring the 50-degree weather, I wandered back into the garden not expecting much at all. I was so surprised to see a huge tent with a bar (what?) and tables, and a door leading out into a private garden (WHAT?) with more tables. I honestly couldn't believe my eyes; I had lived a few blocks away in Ballard for 2 years and had no clue that this hidden gem was here! The garden was so quiet and it wasn't busy at all for a Sunday morning- there were also a few heaters outside. I will freely admit to being easily pleased, but Pico exceeded my expectations in every way. The staff were so friendly and seemed genuinely glad to work there, the building itself is spotless and gorgeous and the garden is something out of a fairy tale. Oh, and the food was incredible too, but I came more for the vibe than anything else. read more

Pico Cafe - a plate of food and a cup of coffee - Bakeries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

After recently moving to Seattle, it's my goal to try every coffee shop in Ballard. Pico has stunted that effort because out of the 20 I've tried so far, it's the best one! A 2 shot 16oz americano is how I test the coffee. Theirs is the best. Whether it's the lighthouse beans or their gentle Italian learned expertise + some love added in, I'll never know. But I do know that every time I go here, I get the best americano in Ballard. I've always found the staff to be lovely. Chatty if not busy, professional and courteous if they have less time. The pastries are baked fresh daily, and they are absolutely gorgeous. I don't usually eat pastries, but I enjoy looking at them, because they are works of art in themselves. The outdoor seating is lovely - And the ambiance and decor is delightfully Italian and cozy. I love Pico Cafe, and I would go here every day if I could, but alas I have the Ballard coffee shop experiment... read more

I really love Pico Cafe! It is a beautiful indoor and outdoor space with delish pastries and quick service and good coffee. The scrambles and pizzas are also really tasty! Love it read more

This is what my house would be like if I had a fabulous bakery attached to it. And an espresso machine. I think you get the idea.

Such a wonderful semi-hidden gem. I knew that Picolino's was a lovely, upscale restaurant but until pretty recently I didn't realize there was a cafe that was open during the day, and that you could access the gorgeous and serene "garden" seating when eating there. Great coffee and pastries, and some lunch options too (I'll be honest--my salad was a little lackluster but the ambience made up for it). Staff was friendly and helpful and on a Monday afternoon it was surprisingly bustling but not crowded. I definitely need to stop my more often!! read more

Iced americano and latte Lighthouse Roasters Coffee Bean's Amazing ambiance/feel in the cafe/seating Menu looked amazing Baristas were kind and welcoming We live near by and just thought we would check this place out and grab coffee. We were incredibly impressed and are already planning to back for coffee and breakfast next time. The atmosphere and the space alone sold us on the Pico Cafe experience. To top that off service was great and the coffee is made with one of our favorites in the Seattle area, Lighthouse Roasters. Great place to meet someone, study/work, or hang out. Everything offered looked fresh and many people around us had ordered the large cinnamon rolls that looked quite good. This place has adorable seating outside and would be great in the summer. Already looking forward to going back! read more

Pico Cafe - Ran into Pico Cafe for coffee ok this gloomy Seattle morning! - Bakeries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

After a cozy dinner and great service at the restaurant I couldn't wait to check out the cafe. The restaurant and cafe take up a good portion of the block with a welcoming exterior. It's homey upon approach with lots of foliage and wicker chairs, decorated inside with nick nacky ceramics and silverware but with classic Italian accents of oak, granite, and a warm yellow palette. The menu has the classic coffee shop beverages of lattes, teas, cappuccinos, etc., but they also serve beer, sparkling sodas, and have a large selection of wines due to being adjacent to the sister restaurant. The menu includes breakfast croissant sandwiches, soups and salads, grilled sandwiches, and pizza. I came here to check out the pastries and the chicken curry empanada and cappuccino did not disappoint. Good crust, perfect seasoning, and outstanding quality coffee. Other pastries and baked goods included cinnamon rolls, croissants (fruit filled, chocolate, plain, almond), tarts, muffins, cookies, quiche, brioche, granola, pb gluten free cookies, and empanadas. Fresh breads available: French bread, ciabatta, rustic country, walnut bread, kalamata olives, and smoked Gouda. This is the classic European-style bakery cafe that could be the envy of most neighborhoods. On a Tuesday at 11am half of the place was filled, by noon there were no tables left and a line of 5-7 other customers. Somehow it's ideal for people of all ages, couples, people on their laptops, family with kids, meetings--they nailed creating a place that clearly feels like community with delicious food and a great ambiance. read more

A truly perfect place for a long, leisurely morning of pastries, coffee and conversation! The outdoor seating behind the restaurant is HUGE, featuring both a covered courtyard *and* an uncovered patio, with dozens of semi-private seating configurations. Live climbing plants gives the space a garden feel. Perfect for long conversations with your bestie or a first coffee date. The pastries are excellent, too; the fruit is real fruit, not cloying sticky fruit goop. Just be cautious as you feed the birds your crumbs; they get excited! All in all, this is a real gem for Ballard! read more

Pico's cafe has: 1) good coffee, 2) a rude, older red-headed lady for a barista, 3) hit and miss sandwiches and soups, and 4) great pastry. The decor and seating is ok. My problem is with the fact that there are a lot of places to have great coffee around here (this is Seattle, after all) where you can get excellent customer service. So, to pay premium prices for java and be served by a disinterested, grumpy pants barista time and time again, they will eventually lose business. Guess we'll see if anyone's paying attention to the Yelp reviewers who are mentioning this issue repeatedly. read more

Amazing selection of fresh baked breads, delicious pastries and sweets and more! Great coffee drinks, too.

Decent area near the water with lots of dog lovers. Decent coffee and pastries. Comfortable place for locals. Dog wandering under my table now, cute. Nice they add apple to their cinnamon rolls. read more

Dropped in for a quick lunch with our toddler. We ordered two sandwiches, the kids grilled cheese, one iced coffee and two biscuit cookies. Our total came to $44 plus tip. The wait staff seem to be inconvenienced by taking our order. They were less than enthused that we had our 15 month old with us and were extremely unhelpful. Our meatball sandwich was lukewarm and the cheese was not melted. The kids grill cheese had hard unmelted cheese in the middle (not very kid friendly) and the Italian sub was sloppily assembled. Not worth the $48 bucks bonus bad service. The build has a great decor and outdoor seating. But I would have much rather spent less for lunch at grab and go cafe with fully cooked food. read more

Delicious baked goods and egg scrambles! The staff is friendly and the food came out quickly despite coming during a busy time Sunday morning. We love this spot! read more

Went here for a business meeting. The Cafe is extremely cute and the restaurant looked amazing. I was saddened by the food though. The quiche looked delicious so we ordered that. Then I saw the quiche go into the microwave and that made me so sad. I don't own a microwave. We ordered an empanada...and it came out kind of dry. Then I ordered the cream of mushroom soup. It tasted like water with bits of mushrooms. I was looking for the salt to put into it and I gave up and just stopped eating the soup. On a good note, the bread was delicious..soft inside and crispy outside. I won't be going back to the cafe but i'll try the dinner side at some point. read more

Stopped here yesterday for lunch and visited again this morning. Both times encountered friendly staff, great food. We got a bottle of bubbles and Cesar salad for less than $30 and sat in their cute outdoor patio. Think this is my new favorite place. Definitely going to become a regular. read more

Great Caesar salad and champagne. Liked the coffee shop atmosphere. Feels more homey than a Starbucks.

My daughter and I came for lunch this week. The outdoor patio was lovely. As first-timers, we didn't know to pick up our own menus and order up front as well as get water and cutlery. Soup and pizza were delicious but the salad had way too many composted greens. read more

Best plain croissants in the city hands down. They are crunchy on the outside, fluffy on the inside and I can't stop thinking about them! Staff are super-friendly and they do good coffee too. read more

I had heard that Picolino's had recently opened up a cafe that is connected to the restaurant. Being that it's in Ballard and I hadn't been there yet, I made the trip over this morning for coffee. I was pleasantly surprised to find a fabulous looking little patio with big red umbrellas and tables out in front this morning as I walked up. Upon entering, you immediately notice their lovely pastry case, filled to the brim with fabulous fruit tarts and biscuits, croissants, quiches, brownies, cookies.. even ruglach. It took every ounce of strength I had to pass these bad boys up- they are truly lovely and I'm sure they taste every bit as good as they look. The barista was very nice and made me an excellent Americano. The concoction of caffe Umbria beans & a little bit of Vitasoy soy milk were absolutely delicious. I should also note that I would love, love, love to spend some time just lounging in here sometime. The space is warm and inviting and there are lots of windows that allow in the bright morning sun... Good stuff. I happily stamp Espresso Picolino's with 4 star seal of approval. read more

My friend and I walked here after visiting the Nordic Heritage Museum. Cute little place which is the cafe part of the restaurant next door. You order at the front and then they bring the food to you; they have salads, pizza, and I believe sandwiches. The girl at the counter was really sweet and helpful and suggested items for my friend and I to share. We ended up deciding to split a pepperoni pizza and a caprese salad; my friend got a coffee and since they had several flavored sparkling waters I chose from that, ending up with a blood orange flavored one. We ordered a full salad which was only four stacks of tomato, mozzarella, and basil. It was a good amount but still felt kind of small for the biggest size salad. It was pretty good. The pizza was delicious and surprisingly quite filling! My sparkling water was so refreshing that I could easily have downed two cans. They have outside seating as well, and behind the building is a gorgeous view of the water and Mt. Rainier. They have street parking only but plenty of places to sit inside, along with fun decorations. read more

What a gorgeous little espresso shop! The barista was wonderful (she made my friend a new beverage when her overly exuberant golden retriever knocked the first one out of her hand the second we got back outside) and there were day old red velvet cupcakes on sale. Delicious, perfect lattes. If I hadn't had a Besalu croissant earlier that morning, I would have gotten one of their many pastries, some of which, the barista said, are made in house at the Picolino bakery. Check out the great big sign inside featuring the two Italian Greyhounds mentioned in my review of the restaurant! I love it. read more

I've been to the cafe twice, so this review is based on two separate experiences with slightly different products each time. I score all my reviews on multiple criteria then average out the score for a final tally. Location: If you happen to live in this neighborhood the location is great since there aren't many other business areas here. If however you live further south in Ballard the location is a bit out of the way, and does probably not warrant a trip here. Still I think the location deserves a good rating. 4 Stars Appearance: Outside the building is super cute and inviting. The building looks to be from the early 1900s and is in good shape and well cared for. Inside the facility is quite nice and as others have said there is a very nice "backyard" patio. Once disclaimer however, this DOES NOT make you feel like you are on a cliff overlooking the Mediterranean. It does make you feel like you are in a well landscaped Pacific NW backyard. The inside is a tad mediocre however. Could be spiffed up a bit. 4 Stars Hours: The coffee house is open early, but the deli does not open until 9:00. I came here the first time around 7:30 expecting to have a coffee and a breakfast sandwich and was disappointed that you can't get a sandwich in the early hours. This is a bummer for me as most of the time I get a morning coffee with breakfast is well before 9:00. 3 Stars Customer Service: I've never been treated rudely nor have I been welcomed warmly. In general the people have been indifferent and the service I get from the employees I've interacted with, makes me feel like I am at a chain. 3 Stars Coffee: There are many reviews on this site mentioning Caffe Umbria. I don't think they use it any more however, which is a disappointment. I am not sure what brand of coffee they are using now, but either way the delivery was average at best. I had a latte the first time I was here and an Americano the second time. The shots pulled for my first latte were way too fast and had a thin bland taste. The milk was heated but not fluffed and also tasted thin and boring. My Americano was a tad bit better, with decent shots, but still not great. In my mind there is no reason to come here with far better coffee in and around Ballard. 3 Stars Pastries: I've only had a croissant. I am not sure if I had one on a bad day or if the croissant is not the thing to get here. It was soggy and super greasy and no flakiness at all. Plus it was giant. It reminds me of those giant packaged Costco croissants. Very disappointing. With Besalu in the neighborhood I can't see a reason to get pastries here. 1 Star Sandwiches: Best part of the experience, but again not close to the best sandwiches in Ballard. Maybe top 10, but not top 5. I had the Italian Sausage on a baguette. It was good. Lots of peppers, good bread and decent sausage. It was a good size (it could have been a tad smaller) and was a fair price. Still it is not a sandwich I'll remember for the rest of my life. There are better sandwiches near here. 4 Stars Overall rating: 3.14 (Pi?) rounded down to 3 read more