Italian Restaurants in Whitley Bay
Picasso’s Restaurant & Pizzeria
2 Claremont Crescent
Whitley Lodge Estate
Whitley Bay
NE26 3HL
Tel: 0191 2513110
Email: judycartledge@btconnect.com
Web: http://www.picassosrestaurant.co.uk
1 | Colleen Brown
Really relaxing – great atmosphere and excellent food – didn’t feel rushed or anything – recommend for night out with friends! Prices to suit every pocket – what’s not to like?
2 | Victoria Meehan
Picassos is a great place to go out to meet up with friends for a little get together, or to eat out as a family on a special occasion. I often go here for a night out with a group of friends, as the staff are very friendly, and the prices are great for school students like me. £7.95 for starter, pizza or pasta and coffee or ice cream is ideal, being available all night monday and tuesday, and from 5:00 – 6:30 every other night. Definitely would reccomend the Bruschetta for starters, i love the pastas like Matriciana with the tomato and bacon. Equally, for a litlle bit extra, the desserts are great. Love the restaurant, i agree with Colleen, what’s not to like?
3 | Claire Willis
November 17th, 2009 at 7:05 pm
Great family orientated where you are treated as an individual and not just a customer. Great food to suit all ranges of taste and budget and always served in a friendly manner. Colouring competitions to keep the kids happy and no rush for you to finish.
Wonderful staff and fantastic quality food. If its good enough for Zoe Tyler (Fame Academy and Loose Women fame) its good enough for me!
4 | GB
December 14th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
Are you a parent of a young child? If you haven’t been treated like a third class citizen yet and feel you are missing out, then why not try a visit to Picasso’s Restaurant in Whitley Lodge. Whitley Bay!
Marketed as a “family friendly” restaurant (i.e. a promise to do everything they can to make you and your family feel comfortable and welcome), turn up with a pushchair to feel the coldest possible welcome you will ever have felt from a manageress who clear doesn’t understand the meaning of the phrase “family friendly”. Family friendly in her eyes was “you were welcome when you had no children and when you were pregnant, but now you have children and they talk, play and cry occasionally …” The family friendly theme continues inside with highchairs but no changing facilities and a notice telling customers not to dispose of their nappies! A slight contradiction in terms.
Picasso’s really need decide if children are welcome or put a sign up saying “no children under 10”.
My wife was very upset by the whole experience and the ranting and ravings of clearly delusional manageress.
The moral is, if you have children, think VERY CAREFULLY before paying a visit to this restaurant! There are plenty of other family friendly restaurants in the area!
5 | tonycartledge
From Tony Cartledge, co-owner Picasso’s (co with the ‘clearly delusional manageress’, that is!
I would not wish to be drawn into any direct argument from one of your posters; however, since we took over this restaurant five years ago, there has only been one itime when we questioned whether it was a good idea if children from a particular family came in.
This I’m afraid was after prolonged noise from their table, on previous occasions, that led to other customers complaining, and in some cases leaving the restaurant, presumably to get some peace.
I leave your readers to form their own conclusion about the circumstances – especially given the other comments above.
6 | Judy Cartledge
With response to Mr & Mrs Browns remarks (alias GB No 4 )
Can I ask the question to Mrs Brown as you are a nursery teacher ‘If a mother brought her child into your nursery and it was ill, and cried all the time and upset the rest of the children, and the next day she brought it back again, what would you do?’ I know what any normal person would do.
I have a business to run, and a duty to make sure all my customers enjoy their meals without the sound of screaming misbehaving children crawling around the floor.
May I take this opportunity to let everyone know that lunchtimes are more enjoyable now, so for those who left us when the Brown family where in, you can all come back now and enjoy your meal.
Judy Cartledge – who welcomes well behaved children and normal parents which is probably 99% of families in the area.
7 | chris Anderson
Both as a customer and nowa regular waitress at Picassos, i would like to comment on our constant drive for customer satisfaction. I have worked for Judy (not a delusional manageress for nearly 4 years now) Our aim to to make every visit to picassos an enjoyable one for all our customers. We have a high number of regular customers, both with and without children who help keep the business the success it is by returning week in and week out and on some occasions more than once a week.
It is sad that that there should be such a persona attack on the manageress, as made by 4GB. The restaurant provides great food a welcoming atmosphere, and it is perhaps inappropriate in my opinion to use this forum to condemn the good work of all the staff in the restaurant, and it’s loyal and valued customers.
8 | Rhona Tindale
February 18th, 2010 at 3:47 pm
Just had a lovely lunch at Picasso’s with a friend, after reading these reviews I was interested to see the reaction when we went in with our clan of four children (ages 5 and under).
I must say the welcome was very warm, and the service was perfect! The lady (i assume it was the manageress mentioned above) came over after a few minutes with colouring in and crayons, and was lovely to the children.
In my experience it is a lovely family friendly place, I will be back!
9 | Andy Sherrin
I have used Picasso’s over a number of years and over the last eleven with young children. I have always received a warm welcome particularly towards the children from the various proprietors. I would strongly suggest that the above poster gets a life and eats somewhere else!!!!
10 | Dode
Food is always good at Picassos, staff are brilliant and I know from my own (ahem… drunken) experience very tolerant!
Would recommend to anyone!
Wine selection is good and the management know how to recommend a good one!
Very reasonably priced too!
11 | Mrs Smith
Food lovely, however very expensive, happy hour for 2 Adults and 2 Children £56.00 Not to happy when leaving with a bill like this, beware drinks bill very expensive! Much cheaper and better quality nights out in Whitley bay can be found. Its our first and last visit!!
12 | Sharon Wetherspoon
Had fab time on Sat night so thought I would let everyone know how great Picassos is. Was surprised to read the review from Mrs Smith regarding cost of happy hour. I think the drinks are the same price as everywhere else. The only prob I have is my husband enjoys the Perroni on draught too much which is what boosts the bill up, but on whole part of enjoying a night out. Will defo go back.
13 | Rachel and Family
I thought the Scottish waiter was very friendly but there were some distinctly sour faces amongst the other staff members. I thought that the food was rushed and everything seemed a hassle for the waiters who were flying around the place. My pizza was inedible. The children enjoyed their pasta. I felt ripped off and it was the first time in 11 years that I have not left a tip. I eat out twice a week. Make of that what you will. I will never go back.
14 | MrsM
November 16th, 2010 at 2:05 pm
We actually went here earlier in the year and since it’s about five minutes walk from our house, we though it would be super to have an Italian so close and planned on going regularly.
That was until we actually ate here. Now I know we went for the Happy Hour and it was cheaper, but not only were we met with sneers when we ordered from the Happy Hour menu, the gentleman next to me bought the exact same pizza a la carte and it was so much better than mine.
My pizza was an empty joke, supposed to be seafood but really skimped on. In the restaurants I go to normally for happy hour, the food is the same as normal, only the price is cheaper. Here, the food is cheaper too.
I was unimpressed with the service, unimpressed that we were not treated well because we ordered in happy hour and unimpressed most of all with the food.
Needless to say, we have not been back, despite it being so close. There are much better places in Whitley that don’t depend solely on the fact that they’ve cornered the market of an afflent housing estate.
15 | tonycartledge
November 22nd, 2010 at 7:45 pm
As the co-owner of Picasso’s I’d just like to say I’m sorry Mrs M had a bad experience.
In fact all our pizzas are exactly the same – whether served during happy hour or outside that time.
So, the gentleman sitting at the next table couldn’t have ordered an ‘ a la carte’ pizza – his dish would have cost exactly the same, and should have been the same.
I’m also sorry if you got the impression we don’t welcome happy hour diners ; we do – our happy hour menu is now on every lunchtime, all night on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and between 5 and 6.30 on Friday and Saturday. That means we’re busy – and we’re pleased to see everyone, including our many regulars, whatever time they choose to come, and whatever they choose to eat.
16 | Claire
December 29th, 2010 at 11:52 am
Me and my family have been visiting Picasso’s for many years now. We have always found all staff reallly friendly and welcoming especially towards my 8 year old son, this is his favourite restaurant. The food is of very good quality and at a very good price and the house wines are also reasonably priced. Well done Picasso’s keep up the good work!!
17 | Mrs H
Just been to Picasso’s for a birthday meal for my 8 year old daughter. The staff couldn’t have been more friendly and accepting of children, in fact there was another large party in with a table of approx 8 children all sitting together.
We told the staff that it was our daughter’s birthday and when they served her her dessert they turned down the lights, played happy birthday through the speakers and three of the waiters/waitresses sang Happy Birthday to her.
We had her 4 year old brother with us and as soon as we were sat at the table a poster and colouring crayons were brought over to keep them both entertained.
The food was incredible, I have not been for over 6 years, so it is now under new ownership and can definitely say that the food is a good now as it was then.
I can’t see how this place has had bad reviews as above, as I can’t recommend this place highly enough.
Definitely a nice friendly Italian Restaurant, well worth a visit.
18 | Jim Routledge
February 26th, 2011 at 3:31 am
My family and I have been to Picasso’s many times over the years and I have always, yes always, found the food, staff and the ambience to be most enjoyable, in fact I would suggest that in terms of a really good night at the coast, this establishment will not be surpassed.
19 | Mr Snaith
My family and I paid our first and last visit to this restaurant. We ordered from the happy hour menu and the majority of our party ordered Potato Skins, they came without a side salad, the first time this has ever happened to us in a restaurant.
The pizzas were described as salty and mushy with very little topping. One of our party did order the Lasagne which was described as ‘alright’.
The drinks were very expensive two lemonades cost £6.40!!
As I stated, I will not be going back to this restaurant and I will find it very hard to provide a positive recommendation to friends and family.
20 | kao
I’m very surprised at the negative comments. My family and I have been to Picasso’s on a regular basis for the last 10years and we have never had a negative experience. Also, we’re not ‘known’ and not friends with the owners, but we still get a very warm welcome.
We are going this Saturday to celebrate my parents joint 60th Birthday.
The food is lovely, and most certainly not overpriced at all.
The staff are very friendly, and warm and make you feel welcome from the moment you step in the door.
We will continue to go for at least another 10 years!
21 | Sarah Teoh
I wanted to add this review, especially having read the rant by GB. I go regularly to Picasso’s with my family and my friends and have been going regularly since we moved to the area 8 years ago. The staff have always been so delightful, even when our children were tiny. All of our birthdays (children and adult!) are celebrated at Picasso’s even if the party has been elsewhere; that is how lovely the place and the staff are! I would recommend it to anyone!
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