Cafe Nicolas: Like eating dinner in your living room - with Spongebob.
Written: Oct 15 '03 (Updated Jun 17 '05)
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Pros: Comfy dining area, good service, reasonable prices, above average food.
Cons: Can be hard to find, limited parking very close to restaurant.
The Bottom Line: Cafe Nicolas is a step above your average pizza joint and is a nice addition to the neighborhood.
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| modernmarvel's Full Review: Cafe Nicolas |
We first got hooked on Cafe Nicolas by ordering delivery. The pizza tastes great and the menu is broad enough to appeal to everyone in our family. Having driven by the Newton location, it never occurred to me that Cafe Nicolas had a dining room. From the front, it looks like your basic take-out joint: just a counter and a kitchen. The fact that it is next to an auto garage and lot filled with damaged cars didn't help its image.
THE HIDDEN DINING ROOM
We finally decided to eat at Cafe Nicolas when a friend recommended we try it and told us about the hidden dining room. We entered. There was the menu posted on the wall, counter and kitchen. However, when you proceed past the kitchen and down a rather lengthy hallway, you find a very charming dining room. There is a gas fireplace, several tables spaced far apart, a small table for little kids, a really large screen tv and lots of artificial plants. It truly feels homey enough to be a living room. The only downside is that the big screen tv dominates the room and, on our last visit, SpongeBob was on. My kids loved it, but it definitely detracted from our dinner conversation.
SERVICE
We also expected that we would have to order at the counter. However, Cafe Nicolas offers real menus and table service. The service was pretty good and the waiter was accommodating with all special requests.
AMBIANCE
This is as casual as it gets. Most patrons were families with kids. There were paper napkins but real silverware and china plates.
MENU AND PRICES
Cafe Nicolas has a very broad menu. The pizza is your basic pizza. The crust is not ultra thin or too thick. The cheese has just average flavor. The best part is that they offer a great variety of toppings including baby shrimp and BBQ chicken. A 16 inch pizza goes for $9.50 and toppings are extra.
In addition to pizza, there is wide variety of subs, salads, calzones and pasta dishes. Many of the pasta dishes are $6-8 but there are some House Specialties including Chicken Marsala and Shrimp and Roasted Garlic Ravioli for around $12.
We usually get the pizza and occasionally subs. The subs come on very fresh bread and the ingredients are also fresh.
CHILD FRIENDLINESS
There is no specific childrens menu but there are lots of options on the menu for under $5. They didn't do the crayons at the table thing many other restaurants do but the food came quickly enough that the kids didn't get bored.
LOCATION
740A Beacon Street, Newton, MA
(617) 969-1118
Cafe Nicolas can be a little hard to find. It is up a hill off the main drag. There is very limited free parking right near the restaurant and loads of meter parking within a 10 minute walk.
Cafe Nicolas is right in downtown Newton with lots of shops and restaurants. The green line T (Boston's Trolly) has a stop about a 10-15 minute walk away.
OTHER INFORMATION
The restaurant is handicapped accessible.
Vegetarians will find lots of options.
There is another location in Brookline.
Pizza delivery is reliable and timely.
They sell a limited selection of wine and beer.
The takeout menu has loads of coupons.
FINAL RECOMMENDATION
Cafe Nicolas is a better than average pizza joint. The dining room is a nice option for an inexpensive, tasty meal. I have mixed feelings about the large screen tv but would return for the warm, casual ambiance and consistently good pizza.
HUNGRY FOR MORE? TRY THESE BOSTON-AREA RESTAURANTS:
BOSTON: Radius; Caffe Vitoria; Excelsior; Jacob Wirth; Cottonwood Cafe.
BROOKLINE: Mr. Sushi; Fugakyu; Takeshima; Tsunami; Anna's Taqueria; Zaftigs Delicatessen; Bangkok Bistro; Golden Temple.
NEWTON: Appetito; India Paradise; Blue Ribbon Barbeque; Ice Cream Works; Baker's Best; Bill’s Pizzeria; Union Street; O’Hara’s; Yeradi’s.
CAMBRIDGE: S&S Restaurant; The Japanese Mall; Jasper White’s Summer Shack.
WEST ROXBURY: Cafe Misono.
BRIGHTON: Tasca.
ESSEX: Woodman’s.
SAUGUS: Kowloon.
CHAIN RESTAURANTS: Not Your Average Joe’s; Bertucci’s; Legal Sea Foods; Cheesecake Factory; Rainforest Cafe; Fire & Ice; Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse; Friendly’s; Bruegger’s Bagels.
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: Yes
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations The pizza is pretty good, they honor special requests.
Best Suited For: Kids and Families
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modernmarvel
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