Picasso's Gourmet Deli — Restaurant in Modesto

Unfortunately, I have to inform and alert those who have family or friends who are special needs or have mental disabilities, the owner of the shop will not allow them to sit and have lunch in their restaurant if they’re not making a purchase. Which in some cases would be understandable, however I made a purchase and asked my students to sit with me while I have my lunch as well at the restaurant. The owner approached me while I was waiting at the cash register for my order and told me my students were taking up too much of his space. Although, there was plenty of seating at the restaurant considering it was not during a busy lunch hour. My students were very confused and disappointed in his response to us and so was I. As a business that wants the support of their community they did not earn it with the rudeness of his comments that more of my people needed to buy and my hard earn money was not enough. It was very unfair to my make students feel like they aren’t valued and are burden even in a place of business. So to the owner of this establishment,...

I tried this place for the first time today with my spouse. Let me just say... I was truly blown away .....with this entire experience. Yes... it’s an experience, and definitely one that every local should try! This is now a top 10 of my favorite places to go in my town. The beautiful eclectic art on the walls in this artsy bistro place doesn’t stop there, it literally flows into the food as well.... AMAZING FOOD. I had the roast beef and a tomato bisque soup with little pesto sauce leaves that looked painted in my soup, down to the details they looked like floating little leaves. It was gorgeous!!! I sat there in silence savoring every bite, truly amazed by the simplicity and explosion of flavors that I tasted that were enhanced by the homemade croutons that had great texture and flavor. I wish I had thought to take a pic to share with all my fellow Modestrians but I think I will go back on Monday to do this same dish. That was just the soup and I will stop there cause I can go on and on about the...

I used to be a regular but I moved 😔. As much as I have seen Downtown Modesto change, I hope Picasso’s stays for as long as possible. Everything they make here is fresh daily. The owners, Jordi & Margarita as well as the staff, put so much love and thought into this business. They are the heart of it. It is more than a gourmet deli. It’s an art gallery (if I’m not mistaken, Jordi has hand crafted much of the art that is on display. Even the tables!), local lunch spot, and if you get to know them, they really make you feel at home.

Now let’s get to the food 😋: the lunch specials are the best. Any sandwich you get is going to be amazing. On this day, I ordered the portobello panini. It was so flawless. The cheese was melted, the portobello was the perfect temperature and texture, and the veggies were crisp. It paired perfectly with the tomato soup. I also ordered an iced white mocha to get me through the day. I will always recommend Picasso’s for lunch if you are...