Review Cafe Picobella - Melville

A delightful place where one steps from the ordinary world into a little Italy with the blink of an eye! The old wooden floors and ceilings add to the magic of being at the Cafe Picobella. Add good food and good service to good company, and you are at the right place.

Picobella, the local Italian that provides consistently good service and food. It's the perfect place to share a pizza with a friend and catchup over a beer or a bottle of wine. Although I'd reccomend sticking to bottled drinks you know as the cocktails were not my best. Overall a very cozy and welcoming place to be.

One of the only good restuarants left in Melville. Came here few years ago and loved their food. Nothing has changed. Still great food , good prices and a nice place to dine in. It was during loadshedding and they had no problem with any of our orders. Wish I lived closer to visit more often.

Beautiful place for a romantic dinner kind to your pocket. Free Off-street parking (Please tip the car guard). Warm welcome from the entrance. The waiters are well-spoken, always smiling, but not invasive. Options to seat on the terrace with a view of the street, seat inside the house, or outside around the corner if some privacy is needed. been there few times, never been disappointed.

Nice authentic Italian Restaurant. Love the beef Bolognese. They serve oven fresh bread and salat. Also a variety of wine are available. But the best is the desert Tiramisu !!!

My favorite pizza joint. Ambience feels like I'm in a quaint small town, I love it. The staff can be a bit over familiar, but maybe it's because I do frequent. The service is great.

Really a great place in the middle of Melville. Romantic night out? This place is perfect! Brunch after a parkrun? This place is perfect! Loadshedding hit you while you're working from home? This place has great WiFi and a generator so go grab a cup of coffee and a snack while you work! Half price pasta on Mondays and half price pizza on Wednesday, tell me that's not great!!

I visited on a Monday and was pleasantly surprised to find a half-price special on all pastas. The dishes, while tasty, were a tad small for the average appetite. At full price, these portions would certainly feel overpriced. I heard that the meats and pork belly are nice too. The service was attentive, but the wait for food was a bit prolonged. If you're planning to go, I'd recommend trying one of the seafood pastas. As for their pizzas, they're fairly average, with no distinctive dough quality that sets them apart. Decor-wise, there's a fine line between aiming for a traditional, homey Italian ambience and simply looking worn out. Unfortunately, this place leans more towards the latter.

It was a nice dinner out with friends and we chose this place on a whim but we made a good decision. I ordered the melanzane, which I thought was average, but generally, I know their food is great as everyone elses food was amazing. The staff are so friendly and their cocktails are so good.

I popped in for a quick bite before another appointment and was impressed with the coffee milkshake and the pear, bacon and brie salad. Our waitress was most attentive. On a Friday afternoon around 16:00 it is not so busy. Using stairs makes wheelchair accessibility a challenge.

I love walking up those stairs and hearing beautiful music playing. The ambience reflects their lovely food. Their service is fantastic and keeps me coming back time and time again.

Choosing to eat out with a set menu and especially over the festive season can at times be a very hit and miss situation - sure we have all heard horror stories. Happily this is not one of those 😁My Husband and I decided we would just do a quiet Christmas day lunch. So after scouring different menus, we settled on Cafe Picabello for the day. We do go here during the year as well, so we were expecting good things and we were not disappointed! ♥️ From making the booking, paying a deposit to arrival and throughout the afternoon was seamless. The food was to die for, with a lovely selection to choose from for each of the five courses. We relaxed in between courses at our table on the verandah. Our waitress Belinda was a gem, as were all the staff, serving people with big smiles, when they could have been home. Afterwards the Chef, came round to each table to chat. To top it all off, we Ubered there and back home. So no stress and no hassle. Thank you to Cafe Picabello and team for making our day a special memory - I am already drooling about this Christmas. Love Gordon and Kurt ♥️🎉🥂

Picobella is the local go-to spot in Melville. Situated on 4th Avenue, it benefits from being just far enough from the main drag to go incognito in Melville, if such a thing is even possible. The welcome is always warm, smiles abound, nothing is too much trouble, the food is consistently good, beautifully presented and relatively affordable. Vegetarians are well catered for, there's a good wine list although the good stuff costs (as it does everywhere) and the non drinkers generally have a choice of fresh juices. Breakfast is served all day, which is an all too rare thing to find these days. The choices range from simple (eggs florentine) to fantastic (eggs & lamb meatballs in a ragu). They also offer the very American thing of bottomless coffee if you're working from there for a few hours - which you can do on weekdays in the lull between service times. The pizza is legendary and makes the must-try lists almost every year but the real gems are the platters. They come in vegetarian and meat options and are loaded with fresh vegetables, dips, breads, cheeses, olives and a selection of good quality cold meats. Pair one of these with a bottle of South African bubbly, settle back and enjoy the sun going down while people watching and you've got an early evening made. Highly recommended and dearly missed when I'm away.

Excellent food, a local gem. If you want good food in an unpretentious setting, Cafe Picobella Trattoria is the place for you. There are always car guards outside for peace of mind. Service is slow, though.

Picobella is a nice restaurant. We sat outside with cozy candlelight. We had the chicken pesto and Picobella deluxe pizza. My boyfriend described it as one of the best pizza's he ever had. I chose the lime margarita cocktail, but the presentation could be better. My boyfriend was super enthusiastic about his mojito. Thanks for the nice evening!

What an amazing place with amazing service. Came for breakfast with my wife and baby and we were treated like royalty. The food is 5star, very affordable with great portion sizes.

Awesome ambiance and the service was excellent. The atmosphere very relaxed and welcoming on a warm sunny Saturday morning. The menu hasn't changed must since my last visit and I do try and visit often. The menu should contain some paleo/banting meals. I order the french toast with honey and cinnamon, I order some extra bacon on the side as the original meal was dry and lacked taste. I could've suggested a few ideas to jazz up that meal. Some improvement required on that side. I will most definitely visit again. Here's hoping the meals can be more exciting.

Cozy Italian eatery in Melville with fantastically fresh food and flavor! Wood-fired pizza and delicious pasta dishes served perfectly al dente. Wonderful staff attended to my daughters nut allergies. Highly recommend!

I meant to take photos- but I was having too much fun. Sheltered in a corner in the old Melville house, we had the vegetarian platter as our starter, followed by a leisurely bottle of wine and several plenty Stella’s. Then an absolutely delicious carbonara and spinach pizza. (Sorry - can’t remember Italian name!) What an absolutely fantastic way to spend an afternoon. Great ambience. Great food and, for me, a place where it’s all about the company I’m with. Well done Picobella.

A favorite and evergreen gathering place in Melville : perfect for a quick coffee on the delightful patio ... Or a lingering Sunday breakfast with loved ones...love taking guests to Picabello as they always enjoy the experience! Thank you to Dehan and team for all the memories .... And those still to come! Saluté! Christine ���

What a pleasure to visit this staple of Melville, hearty Italian wood fired meals and pizzas, super friendly staff and very affordable, have a cocktail on the veranda or a cozy inside table is all good, love this place and visit them regularly. Breakfast and WiFi for those who need to stay connected but rather switch of and have a chat to the people who frequent this gem...

Well to say that it was a miracle that we had to stop and punch in an address into our GPS right opposite this beautiful restaurant is to be spot on.We still drove on down the road to see if there were any other places we could go but nothing appealed to us. My husband and I agreed that we had to go back to this restaurant as we had both felt the same feeling while parked opposite it. Well were we ever so grateful to God for laying on our hearts that this was where we needed to be. On entering the restaurant I approached Zodwa and explained that I am vegan and asked if they would be able to accommodate me, upon which she assured me they would. We were seated and our adorable waitress Eve went out of her way to ensure my dishes were to a standard any vegan restaurant would have been proud to serve up. I have yet to find a restaurant with a menu that is so versatile... The feeling of being at peace and the food and the ambience and the music and the staff and and and...were exactly what my husband Robbie and I needed at that moment in time. Thank you ever so kindly for an evening of great memories for us. Will definitely be back...

One of my fav spots in Melville. The owner doesn't just care about his establishment, he cares for the community. The pizza's are fantastic But just have one wish. Please bring back your famous pork chops

One of the most incredible meals we have had in ages.... my fiancé and I both had pasta dished as a main and they were delicious! However when it came to dessert we were very dissapointed to say the least, a high price for a poor dessert. Would have loved to give picobella a 5 star ++++++ but the service left much to be desired as did the dessert. Would defintely go back for the food!

Awesome food and ambiance. The place to chill with friends or even by yourself with a bottle of wine!

Divine food, great vibe, just fabulous,..... and the owner is so hot!

Relaxed, friendly atmosphere and great food. The Salmon scrambles breakfast an absolute must try! Mine was delicious �

Felt welcomed and was spoilt to a piping hot Chicken Cacciatore - very good! Waitron could’ve been more attentive...

I brought my left-over banting pizza all the way home to Durban to enjoy for supper tonight as it was sooooooo good. Love this restaurant. Superb ambiance, excellent service, and DELICIOUS food. Thank you for having me again this past Friday night.

Nothing is Italian about Café Picobella. Not the owners, not the management and not the food. The last time I've been there, I ordered a carbonara with pancetta. They had no pancetta and didn't tell me and decided to replace it (without my knowledge) with not bacon, but fake pork rashers with bones. It was just this big rasher dumped on the pasta. Not even sliced. Italians won't serve a dish if they don't have the ingredients to make it.

Quaint spot, feels like you're in Italy. The tagliatelle Carbonara is divine. Great prices too. Will def be back

Picobella is a really great really really spot and has some of the best pizze around. Highly recommended. :)

I was really excited to go there , place looks amazing although the welcoming was not so warm, had to stand to ask for service because our table was not attended and the staff member who served us looked so tired n not so pleased to serve us,my food was great but my partner had complains . I don't think il consider it again

Lovely place, good food and the friendliest waiter Vivianah! Great first time! Will definitely go back.

This amazing place has become a little Italian haven for me & my family! From the good to the servic

The food lacked flavour and flair, I think it is time to rework the menu and presentation of the food.

We went on a quiet Thursday evening. I had the picobella deluxe pizza- which was great with no shortage of toppings. The service was also very good.

Lovely, cozy trattoria for some delicious and well-presented comfort food! Ambience was great and the service was 10/10. I will definitely go back! 👍🏼

Man, I love this place! The food is delicious and always fresh. Great for lazy afternoons, but honestly it's even great at breakfast times. I honestly have no criticisms. Try it!

I’ve mostly had their pizzas, and we keep going back for more. <br/>Why? <br/>Well, if you are into Banting pizzas, their pumpkin base is amazing. Their cauliflower pizza base is also very yummy. <br/>My kids love their normal base Hawaiian pizza and that in itself says something. <br/>We recently also tried their lasagne and penne Puttanesca. The pasta was lovely. The lasagne was perhaps a bit runny but very tasty. <br/>All of these reviews are based on Uber Eats deliveries, and they have always been warm. <br/>

Had a delicious chicken lasagne and the waitress was superb in helping me choose food and being very friendly. Only downside is I ordered an oreo milkshake which was terrible and a marmot let down. Rest of the food was fantastic

Safari ends, and we're back for another night in Jo'burg. There's a sweet Italian restaurant down the street from the Sleepy Gecko, a short enough walk that it doesn't require athleticism, a long enough walk that maybe you can pretend you walked off a couple of carbs. They have a nice red sangria, and it goes with a sizable Pizza. The one with poached pear and Brie is a winning combination. The pancetta sprinkles some savory, nice but not necessary-Brie and pears is plenty.

The restaurant is fab with a true Italian feel. Staff are all attentive and friendly. We came here for brunch and can highly recommend the traditional breakfast with delicious polenta “chips” - the prices are very reasonable and #KevFabFood will be back to try their lunch / dinner menu soon! Be prepared to wait a bit for your food, but with it being freshly prepared, it’s worth the wait. This is a gem and a must try!

This was R108, people. For real. No salad served (like Doppio Zero does) no serviettes sent with our take aways, burnt crust, small portion vs Doppio. I am disgusted and disappointed.

Love this little neighborhood italian restaurant! Great service and delicious food. A romantic spot for 2 and great for groups too. Prices are reasonable. We even order take-away on some nights because we love the food so much!

Honestly not to my personal taste. However, they're not bad. Relatively good service as long as it's not too busy. As far as Italian goes, I have other places I prefer, but to be fair to them it's purely about preference.

I am writing this review a bit late seeing that i was here last week.<br/>I always drove past this place wondering how their food would be and we made the right choice by trying this place.<br/>I had the basil pesto gnocchi which was out of this world. I am usualy not one for a creamy, heavy sauce when it comes to pasta but this sauce was creamy but extremely delicious and not at all to heavy. I love their decor and at times i felt transported to an old house in Italy. The attention to rustic detail such as the salt and pepper pots was something i just needed to take a picture of.<br/>Definately coming back without a doubt.

Please can their menu displayed here be updated. The Spicy Chicken pizza is advertised at R93, yet I was charged R115 for a takeaway. This price is actually for the sit down menu. Good pizza, but not worth that price.

Nice place good atmosphere.. Very bad service took 45minuts to get the food. The food was only o. K... Good potential bad performance. We were dissappointed.

Do not go here,I repeat... Do not go here, while I was eating, a damn rat ran past my table just this morning 09/10/17... I was and am incredibly disgusted by this place. Eat at your own discretion.

We had a ladies night out and oh what an amazing evening! Yes Mother Merry was everywhere. But that was not a problem! <br/>The food was amazing, and I would recommend them to anyone. We sat in a corner at the back as the restaurant was full as we walked in. Later we moved due to the smoke from the oven was too much to handle. Otherwise We loved it and the romantic setting for a cold winter evening. <br/>Thank you for the wonderful service and good quality food!

Lovely juicy breakfast. Came with a really generous portion of large brown mushrooms which is nice for a change and polenta sticks for something g different. The seed loaf has a lot of flavour and can be bought by the loaf.

Mother Mary is everywhere which is pretty in-line with Italian culture, but also quite intense. The service was friendly and good efforts were made, although we had to go inside to pay as our waitress was busy inside. The outside could do with some heating. The bread was great and I especially loved not having to pay extra for gnocchi, which is the usual scenario elsewhere. Presentation was good too- finished my meal with no complaints!

I've been here quite a lot since it's quite close to me. I really like the look and feel since it It feels really homey. I enjoy both their Pizza and Pasta equally. The quality also doesn't vary between delivery or on premise.<br/><br/>My latest dish being the Polpeta Agnello Spaghetti which I found both filling and tasty.

Service could be a bit faster for a slow Sunday afternoon with only 4 full tables. 💯 marks for the lasagna and Mexican pizza. A little more ambience and better restaurant furniture would make this the ultimate Melville Italian eatery.

Favourite italian place in Joburg. Delicious food - Pasta Frutti di Mare a must, great service. Atmosphere lends itsself to lingering over coffee. Highly recommended.

We decided to try this place out as we had the Entertainer App. Wow, did this place not disappoint. My brother and I had the alla arrabiatta pasta with cream as well as half/half pizza being a margarita & spinaci. The arrabiatta was great, just that the sauce could be little thicker for my liking but did not lack on flavour. The pizza was delicious on all fronts: crispy base, decent cheese and toppings. <br/><br/>As with the ambience, dim lights (on purpose) for greater effects of the candle lights. Soothing music. Authentic look for it being a house. However from where I sat, i could see the kitchen which was not ideal view.

Excellent supper at Picobella last night. We shared their garlic prawns starter, which was delicious. My mussels were juicy and fresh, with an intense tomato chili sauce and fresh bread. My husband's chicken liver linguine was creamy and very tasty. Service was pleasant and efficient, tho' our waiter did seem a bit stressed. And so pleasant sitting out on the balcony at the end of a busy week.

In spite of a mix up/misunderstanding regarding a booking I made for Christmas day, the management and staff were incredibly accommodating and rustled up a table in a moment. The restaurant was very busy but service throughout was friendly and attention to our requests was given more than adequately. Being Christmas day the set menu was limited to one of 3 items on each course. The food was good. My calamari with chilli and lime was tender and the chilli was present but didn't linger which is the way i like it. The highlight was my dessert (a chilli chocolate mousse cup)... heavenly - not too sweet and a perfectly sized portion. Pricey at just over R800 for two people and just one soft drink each but still very good food. The leaky ceiling over our table is the reason I'm not rating at 4.

It was tough deciding between a 3.5 and 4 for Picobella, but a few little details swung it towards the 3.5 mark.<br/><br/>Picobella is one of the new restaurants on my businesses "eat to earn travel" programme so I was keen to try it out for a number of reasons. We had a group of 10 of us on a Thursday night, and we'd booked our table for 6pm so it was fairly quiet. From 7pm a steady stream of Melville locals filtered in, which is always a good sign.<br/><br/>Service was average - the waitress wasn't particularly attentive or engaged with the table as far as topping up drinks or clearing plates went.<br/><br/>My partner and I both opted for the creamy prawn and rocket pasta, mine with linguine and hers with gnocchi. Both plates of pasta arrived sans rocket, but the gnocchi was generously sprinkled with fresh parsley. Upon asking about the missing rocket I was told it was "coming now" and was placed next to us in a totally separate bowl - a little odd.<br/><br/>That said, the prawn linguine was delicious - prawns were a generous size and were easy enough to find in the dish (unlike the "find the prawns" dishes in other locations 😁) and the pasta was perfectly cooked. <br/><br/>The gnocchi was fairly good for store bought gnocchi - not over-cooked or stodgy but definitely less preferable to home-made stuff.<br/><br/>Other party members ordered pizzas which seemed to have generous toppings and thin, crispy crusts. Would happily go back here - it's got a great cost ambiance and solid value-for-money delicious food.

I have to give Picobella in Melville 10 out of 10. The ambiance was amazing and really relaxing after a crazy day. The staff were pretty good and did battle as the restaurant filled however the food spoke for itself. I had the Frutti de Mare which was full of flavor and delicious seafood. I'd say it's well priced too! Well done Picobella team!

A perfect place for a special date. The small and intimate interior creates a wonderful atmosphere and the pizzas are always fantastic. The art collection of different Mother Mary's are both impressive and mysterious as to why her face appears everywhere in the small restaurant. We prefer this as our second home during winter.

Came here for a date ,we shared a mushroom risotto which was good and minestrone soup which was quite filling ,they even prepared sangria for us ,lovely place

Wanted a taste of Italy for date night... Had never been so disappointed. Went straight to mains and ordered the prawn pasta. Partner ordered the spaghetti and meatballs. After removing the dozen or more prawn heads adorning my plate I finally got to the head of pasta underneath which required salt and more than the 4 pieces of prawn I got. Sad wasn't even the word. My partner also had to douse the meal in salt and ate most of it out of hunger. We thought we'd give the spicy chicken pizza a try and I'm ashamed to say took it home and finished a bottle of the chicken licken soul fire sauce with it, along with salt... maybe they forgot to buy salt that day? All in all.. Won't be going back

A small on-the-way cafe that's really popular among its patrons but otherwise inconspicuous Italian eatery in the competitive Melville Market. It's easy to see why they've managed to keep the doors open and why their patrons are so loyal about it. I'm a customer who enjoys a vibe and believes the enjoyment of others contributes to ones own enjoyment. This is not what this place offers but friendly staff and tremendous classic food done to an imperious standards. Thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed the chicken lasagna and I couldn't be happier with the quality of the steak I've been served. As a matter of fact it's among the greats (the butcher shop and the like). I'll be back and I would encourage you to do the same if you're trying to enjoy a meal away from the 7th/27boxes/greater Melville area hype. So, so good.

The mussel pot from this place is to die for! I am utterly obsessed with it. Really great comfort food, with a wonderful, homey atmosphere. I keep going back for the food.

This has to be one of my favourite restaurants to work in. They are so accommodating to students or anyone who needs to work on their laptops. My friends and I managed to put a few tables together and sit next to a plug point allowing us to enjoy the Divine bottomless coffee whilst working. The owner is absolutely friendly and so are the staff. I are the macaroni and cheese pasta which was to die for. It was made in the deep dish and was so divine that I couldn't stop eating it even though I was stuffed because it is so rich. They have a little twist with it and add tomatoes to it. It was just so good. Due to its Central location to universities you find many students working hard, or perhaps some what hard. It's definitely a Place one should try. All my friends ate vegetarian meals and no one had anything bad to say because the food was just divine. There is a certain homelyness to this place which makes it all the more better and just a true gem in Melville.

Try their lamb shank when available - it's definitely one of the best this side of Jozi. Service can be slow at times which is particularly disappointing when the place is not that full.

Went there and what a huge variety of italian foods they have. They really do cater for everyone and the service was great! I had a creamy mushroom risotto and it was really delicious. The other 4 people that joined had various pastas and they too were great! Really ideal if you feel like a quick italian bite .

Amazing pesto and gnocchi - possibly the best I have ever tasted. Service good and a lovely atmosphere as well. I wonder if they sell jars of pesto to take home?

I went to Cafe Picobella Tratoria last night for dinner and I was absolutely blown away! Not only was the food excellent but the service was absolutely superb- the waiters could not do enough for us! The ambiance of the restaurant is wonderful and I truly cannot wait to come back again for another visit. Definitely a hidden gem in Joburg!! 😁😁😁

We felt like going out for a relaxed dinner on chilly Sunday night and settled on Picobella. The restaurant has a warm and relaxed feeling with a cosy atmosphere. We tried the mushroom risotto and chicken involvtini. The food was delicious and generously portioned. The pizzas also look delicious and I wanna come again to try them. They also have a diverse wine menu with some interesting wines to try. If you're looking for a relaxed and different experience, then Picobella is the place for you.

Awesome experiences so far at Pico! Nice Sherry and nice pasta! Romantic atmosphere. Definitely a regular visitor. Deserts also different and good.

Another favourite place for hearty simple Italian food. Situated in Melville it offers a cosy unpretentious atmosphere. The creamy salmon pasta is my favourite but today I tried the prawn pasta which is delicious. Their hamburger patties are home made and full of meaty flavour. The prices are also reasonable. Food is 4/5, atmosphere 5/5 and service 3/5.

Today my boyfriend and I bought take out and I was really feeling to have pasta so I had pasta from Cafe Picobella I ordered it was meant to have Italian ham and mushrooms and chilli in the pasta but I got mushrooms and chilli I'm my pasta and wrapped in tin foil I had Italian ham all burnt to perfection. . . This reminds me of the first time I tried Picobella I had plastic bag in my cooked food and I called the waiter to report it and she did nothing about it so I know I will never go back to Picobella meant to be a restaurant that had been around for a long time I think they have lost their touch but not their increasing monetary value of their food terrible experience

The pizza and pasta here is everything. I love this restaurant for the food and the authentic feel it has while dining here. Another point in their favor is that they are pet friendly.<br/><br/>On our most recent visit, to start we had the tapa with cheese and tomato, which was fresh and light. For mains on our table there was a chicken burger, pizza and chicken breast with creamed spinach. The burger and pizza were really good. The burger is huge so make sure you've worked up an appetite for it. The chicken breast dish was found to be rather average and bland. <br/><br/>They were also out of stock of quite a few beers such as castle light and black label on this most recent visit.<br/><br/>Overall, it's a great restaurant with friendly staff and a menu which offers something to please everyone. There are a lot of options for vegetarians.

Cafe Picobella is a reliable Melville gem with a charming, eclectic atmosphere. I've been coming here for a while for reasonable Italian food on nights that I don't feel like cooking, but have noticed a shift in the past few months. The menu has grown more extensive and the flavours more sophisticated. It also happens to be one of the few places constantly open over the festive season in Johannesburg. In future I'll see Cafe Picobella as more than just a friendly local, but a good night out.

If you're looking for a great pasta then you won't go wrong here (Cabonara with crispy pancetta)!! The prawn starter in a garlic sauce is also delicious! <br/><br/>It can get a bit hectic over weekends and I think they made need a few extra staff but everyone is very friendly! The restaurant is pretty big and I love all the different little areas you can sit inside and outside.. :)

Piccobella is so precious - It's a little piece of Rome in the heart of Melville. Had pizza here with the girls last week and we had such a great time. The service was average but the food wasn't. My starter was huge. I was a little overwhelmed at the sight of it but once I started eating, I just couldn't stop. I had the tomato and basil bruschetta for my straters and the Mexicana pizza for my main and the food was loaded with flavour. It was really delicious. I would have preferred the pizza base to be a little thinner. The chairs are also not the most comfortable but the music and the pizza are enough to make you stay a lot longer than what you intended.

Got together with my girlfriends for din-dins last night, and with the wet and cold weather, Pics was a great choice for some yummy pizza. The service wasn't so good. Dirty plates and empty glasses were left for too long at our table and the chairs are painfully uncomfortable. The food was delicious though. My bestie wasn't crazy about their bruschetta, it wasn't crispy enough for her and she thought the portion was way too big, I on the other hand, thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved the pizza especially the spicy chicken with avo. The Mexicana was a bit of a let down. Disappointed by their limited wine menu, I mean what's great food without some lovely wine options to match. Nonetheless it was lovely to be back here, the music was just awesome. Had a great night. Went back today for some takeaway pizza (no summer body here), and indulged again ;-) oh, just don't try their chai latte... Gross but they made up for it with some delicious hot chocolate.

Not really a great spot for Banters, but their pastas are awesome. Setting is very convenient, but parking kind of a nightmare, as street parking is in a tiny road where drivers are maniacs, so it gets a bit dangerous. Staff is not always very enthusiastic, but friendly enough. Bathroom needs an upgrade.

We decided to go for dinner a bit late so we were really starving. As we sat down we told the waiter we were extremely famished so we ordered drinks and main together. I had a grilled halloumi salad, mariilnated mixed pepper and the most beautiful sauce...simple & perfect!<br/><br/>As soon as she brought our drinks some bread followed. And in perfect timing she was back at the table with our dinner. In between she came back to check we were ok & so did the manager.<br/><br/>Cute little place, intimate and perfect for a romantic dinner to a nice dinner just to dress up in something cute & catch up with a friend. And the one thing that makes or breaks a meal in a restaurant for me is SERVICE and they got it right. So bellisimo & Grazie mille tutti!!!<br/>

Lovely little place with even on a Monday night a nice crowd The food is not super adventurous, but lovely We ordered the Haloumi salad to start with, which didn't have that much flavor.Our mains were calamari and a rump steak, which were both very goodThe staff is super friendly, and I would definitely come back here

Stunning ambiance on a freezing winters night - So cozy we ended up having more wine than we should have! <br/>The pasta dishes are unusual and delicious - full of whole fresh ingredients. <br/>Service 10/10 !!

I don't eat out in Melville often and hadn't heard anything about this restaurant before. It's a casual, unpretentious restaurant serving traditional Italian food. I never order salads at a restaurant, but for some reason the pear, blue cheese and pancetta salad grabbed my attention. It arrived as more of a deconstructed salad, which confused me a bit, but to my surprise there was the most generous helping of blue cheese, and real pancetta, which was amazingly crispy. I was half expecting bacon, as most restaurants love to say pancetta on the menu and then when the food arrives it's just bacon! The pear was lightly poached and served as two halves. Tasted some of my boyfriend's calamari, and whilst not the most tender I've ever eaten, it was still tasty and served with a lovely tasting sauce. The pizzas and pastas looked good too and everyone enjoyed their meal. We sat inside, and the decor was a little odd for my taste, but it has a lovely verandah with a bit of a view towards the Melville koppies. Definitely worth a visit!

The staff were very friendly and efficient. The food was great. Good vibes. Good music. Warm atmosphere. Candle-lit. We stayed til after closing time and the staff didn't kick us out :)

Really enjoyed my meal at this cosy spot in Melville. It will definitely remind you of little Italy. They specialize in Italian food so you can't go wrong with any of their pasta dishes! 👌

Very nice pizza and atmosphere to be had here. Loved the quiet and comfortable vibe with the friendly staff too. You get to pay with SnapScan which is always a plus ;)

Eh. A bit of a long wait for very typical Italian fare. The decor was a little too done up for me and confusing, if anything (Medieval art amidst frescas and Italian arches?) I got a cioppino that didn't come with quite enough bread for me to really enjoy and very little seafood. It wasn't bad, but not too impressive either.

Romantic, but also chilled! Nice vibe. Great service. Good food.<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>

This place is an absolute gem. Maybe it is a Melville thing?<br/>The restaurant is very pretty. Simple but yet stands out. Always busy but the wait for food is not long at all. I'm a big fan of their crumbed pork chops, served with crackling (the fat not the drink😂) and delicious veg. <br/>The service is slightly below expectations and doesn't measure up with the rest of the place. However, great food, spectacular ambience, wonderful wine list, one cannot go wrong coming back and coming back to this place. There is also a smoking section for those who crave that.

Café Picobella is located in Melville and has a great ambiance of a warm, homely restaurant filled with paintings of Mother Mary, the dim lighting provides quite a romantic atmosphere. on the many times that I have been to Café Picobella I noticed that the restaurant is frequented by families, couples and friends and the restaurant is fairly full. The food is delicious, I always have a pasta as it is so tasty and they make with all my favourites, being cream and chilli and mushrooms.

Pizzas where very nice, atmosphere was great and service was good. Overall a worthwhile experience and our favorite Melvil restaurant. Finding legal parking is however a problem.

What I love most about this restaurant is the vibe: sitting on the balcony while the sun goes down makes you feel that you're in Rome. The antipasti platter is delicious as are the pizzas.

A perfect way to get that Italian feel. Tasty food, by candle light with a good bottle of wine. Love the vintage setting. Nicely heated in winter and a cool breeze during the hot days. Seriously Italian - best pasta dishes and pizza's. Great datecake malva pudding.

The food seems good. It's not bad. But somehow it fails at the last hurdle. A little extra effort in the kitchen. I hope that works. I would like to go back. Will give it a few months.

A place with a lovely cosy european atmosphere. The food is well priced and tasty. A very good place to enjoy lunch with friends and have long conversations.

Had the panacotta dessert. It was more of a tasty runny custard as opposed to a mold. Manager and staff were friendly. Cosy atmosphere. Didn't order a main but I would definitely eat there again.

Very nice little Italian restaurant in Melville. Their pizzas and pastas are great and their food is well priced. Their drinks (alcohol) and desserts are fairly pricey though. Definitely worth a visit, though.

Had such an amazing lunch today! The pizza and lasagne was delicious and the tiramisu was also divine! The food was reasonable and excellent quality! However, the costs of the alcohol was a bit or a shock. On ordering a double spiced gold and coke, it was found that a shot of spiced gold was R25 each and the coke normal priced, therefore my drink just costed under R70, I was unhappy with this.

Love this place for its cosyness and friendly staff. The food is pretty good. the foldover pizzas are amazing... The parking situation is not great... as with any restuarant in melville, but that can be overlooked thanks to the food experience.

Picobella is like Mamas kitchen! Always full of gorgeous food and fun people - with candles and Madonnas and an awesome vibe! Great basic food made with love! And the wonderful staff know you by name! A must visit!

I've only had drinks at Picobella, but it's a close friend's favorite restaurant. Appreciated the fresh hot cappuccinos and the friendly service. The atmosphere was nice and the restaurant's well located. I look forward to my next visit - hopefully I can grab something to eat next time! Will just have to find an excuse to go out for something special:)

This little quaint place just between new an old Melville is a lovely little spot to pop in at on a Sunday and enjoy a good bottle of wine and pizza. Its small in intricate with a coziness to it. Great if you don't want the hustle an bustle of the bigger / chain restaurants. The food and service remind me of a real mom and pop shop in Italy, with everything being about the patron.

What a wonderful little gem. The food was fantastic and the atmosphere was great. Loved sitting outside, it felt just like being in Europe. We ordered carpaccio starters - a little too much pepper for me but it was still amazing and one of the best I've eaten. Also had the Affetati Misti. Everything on the plate was just superb. And a great portion size as well! Will definitely be going there again

Cafe Picobella has been one of our favourites for a few years now. The food is always good so they maintain that standard pretty well... The Calzetta's are the best! And there's something about sitting outside on the veranda that just takes you away.... <br/>Lately, however, when going to picobella I feel that the food takes an eternity to arrive at the table... So if ur in a lazy mood with loads of time, by all means but if ur hungry, rather give it a skip.

Super delicious breakfast- creamy creamy eggs, crispy bacon and fluffy flapjacks ? service with a smile! Definitely coming back soon for dinner :)

What a gem! It is rare that a restaurant, randomly chosen, delights me. We went wondering through Melville one relaxed Saturday evening and picked pic one'll based on the ambiance seemingly created by its lighting. We were in for a treat! There was lived music on the go, very relaxed and unobtrusive staff and a delightful menu which was refreshingly reasonable! The food was delicious! We share the stuffed calamari, followed by the calzones and vegetable pizza and finally ice cream and hot chocolate sauce. It was the perfect way to spend a relaxed Saturday evening and was a wonderful way to be reintroduced to Melville. We will definitely be back!

Picobella came very highly recommended so I was looking forward to eating here for the first time. I must say I was very disappointed. We ordered our food, a vegetarian butternut lasagne, a spaghetti dish and a starter to share, the butternut parcel.<br/><br/>After waiting for just about long enough to expect our food to come out, we were told by the manageress that they were out of butternut lasagne, so we had to order something else. <br/><br/>When the food came, I asked our waitress where the starter was, and she said "didn't the other lady tell you we were out of stock?" I said I had been told that the lasagne was out, but nothing was said about the starter "oh she must have forgot to tell you" when I asked the manageress why she didn't tell me, she said that no-one told her.. Blimey.<br/><br/>As for the food, my spaghetti was very dry, and tasteless, my wife had a penne pesto, and it was very oily and also had no taste.<br/><br/>There are other restaurants in town that do Italian so much better, in future I will go there.<br/><br/>And on a side note, if you type in Picobella on predictive text, it spells Shambolic. <br/><br/>Can't argue with that.

Picobella is an amazing little spot, I have been there several times and the food and service has always been amazing. Even with a large group of over 20 everything was perfect. The steak is orgasmic!

THE CHOCOLATE CHEESE CAKE. Enough said. Also the pork a la Milanese was good (not mind blowing but still good) and the pizzas were apparently really good so I'll try that next time because there will definitely be a next time. <br/><br/>The coffee is also really good...with the baked chocolate cheesecake.

This restaurant can be very romantic at night. The service was great. The wine selection was also nice. Most importantly the food was delicious.

Intimate and quiet italian restaurant tucked away in a busy neighbourhood. <br/><br/>Picobella is just off the main street in Melville, so it offers more privacy than the other places nearby. The service is quite slow, and for a while we struggled to get hold of the waitress. She was however very quick to apologise and the rest of the night was pleasant. There is only one (not very clean) toilet, and I had to wait for over half an hour for it... <br/><br/>The food is quite nice but not mouthwatering spectacular. I was the only one who finished the food at the table, whereas everyone else had more than half left over. I had the Tricolo, although the walnut pesto was slightly dry, it was full of flavour. The pizza was authentically oven baked, the crust was slightly too thick to my liking and the toppings are lacking flavour. <br/><br/>We were there for a casual business meeting, and Picobella offers a nice and private setting for conversations. <br/><br/>---------- Update, Feb 2015 ---------<br/>Picobella offers a very pleasant setting for breakfast and brunches. The tables around are all very involved in their own conversations, so even though the place is full it is not loud at all. The staff and manger are also very friendly and helpful. It was pouring when we are leaving and the manager found someone (car guard maybe?) to escort us to our cars. The breakfast menu is very simple, but all at very affordable prices and taste good. <br/><br/>Bottomline: Decent, worth a try.<br/><br/>Pros: Intimate and quiet (though busy), decent size-to-price ratio, friendly staff<br/>Cons: slow service

Excellent steaks and seafood. Pica has a large wine selection with a humble atmosphere.

Lovely outdoor terrace but don't order the chocolate cheesecake.

Lovely spot in Melville in in more quiet street. As an italian restaurant they even have breakfast options. Only been once and the veggie type platter was great but will have to try some more traditional italian dishes to revise my rating. So many restaurants so little time...

Stumbled upon this place quite by accident whilst hankering for a pizza, and I was not disappointed! Genuine and fantastic woodfired pizza, with a beautiful balcony, it's almost easy to forget that one is in the middle of Joburg. I shall definitely be returning for more!

I used to frequent this place back in my student days when I needed a quieter place to eat. Food is great and ambience was just right. For a place in Melville this is a prime spot when you need a break from all of the hustle from everyday life. Would definitely recommend this place.<br/><br/>If I lived in Melville this would be my first choice for takeaways.

If you are getting take out (service that they offer) at this restaurant forget getting good service let alone your existence being acknowledged. Been sitting at the bar for about 20 minutes and not one person has even offered us to order a drink while we wait.... not even management. <br/><br/>Hope the food is good cos the service sure as hell sucks.<br/><br/>patricia & raishan

Excellent service and beautiful food would be the opening words for this review. The sandwiches and Pizzas are absolutely to die for. Do not miss the orange polenta cake, it was something that I have never had before. The staff asks your dietary preference and suggest the specials. They are gracious to accept substitutions too.

A small little place to please your appetite and friendly on your pocket....The place has a nice ambiance...You can have a nice romantic evening out here....The food is very tasty and the prices are very reasonable....The Hawaiian pizza and the caprese salad is very tasty...You should also try out other food options,as everything around looked delicious...The waiters are friendly and serve you well...Overall, a nice place to spend your evening...<br/><br/>For more such Reviews, check out my blog http://genesrecoded.blogspot.in/