MORNING REVIEW ONLY - There is a lot to love about this place, but -- WARNING -- the coffee is consistently disgusting. The kids working there have no idea how to pull a decent shot and keep it from turning bitter. Owners: Train them! It's not that difficult. Seriously, I go there all the time because I like (some of) the food, the vibe and the atmosphere and I want to like the coffee, but it's terrible. The lattes, anything with espresso in it -- YUCK. There is no wireless signal because they don't want people camping out on their laptops, but I take mine in anyway with my handy-dandy Sprint USB Internet thingy and it works just fine. So there. Great bartender next door at the Luna Lounge, BTW. He really rocks! read more

Always one of my top choices for coffee, pastries, lunch or a light flavorful dinner! Bella Bru is full most of the weekend. I finally figured out that they had internet, and was one of the only people working on my computer during the week, which was nice since no one else was slowing the internet connection. Coffee is always great, and so is the staff. Friendly and helpful, they always smile and do a great job making you feel like your in your own living room. For other girls who get cold like me! Bring an extra sweater, even in summer, the air is on full blast! Try their salads. All are amazing. read more

After trekking out to Natomas a couple of times and loving it, the husband and I decided to try this location because it's a wee bit closer to our house. What a mistake. The eggs benedict was the special, and sounded promising (EB is my favorite!) and we both ordered that for breakfast and took a seat. It was pretty crowded as to be expected at 9ish on Sunday morning. Our breakfast arrived and right away I noticed that they had (apparently) not cooked enough potatoes for two portions as I had a small (but fine for me) amount, while my husband had about 10 pieces of potato on his plate. Looked pretty skimpy and I have a hard time believing that wasn't obvious to the chef, the server, and anyone else who might have looked at the plate prior to it reaching our table. I put my fork on my egg, and realized my eggs were over cooked. WAY overcooked. Basically hard boiled. My husband had one egg that was sort of soft, but the other one was the same as mine. There was no one around to tell except the person taking orders, and with 10+ people in line I didn't want to wait and we had an appointment at 11. So I ate it anyway. Major bummer about the eggs, because the rest of the dish was pretty good. Then just as we were finishing a woman came in with her full grown lab. Now, I'm a dog lover, but it is REALLY inapporpriate for someone to bring their huge dog into a restaurant like that. I mean, there is an outdoor seating area and large bowls of water outside for your fluffy kids. My husband asked if it was a service animal and was completely ignored, which we took as a no. It is SO, SO worth the extra 5 minutes to drive to Natomas. That place over there is amazing. This place, not so much. read more

Bella Bru used to be the spot to hang out. The demographic is now..shall we say...middle aged and spandex wearing cyclists who can apparently afford to pay 10 bucks for crap on a plate? Maybe they just don't need to try that hard because of their convenient location at the crossroads of upper middle class suburbia and the American River Bike Trail, but wow. I paid 10 dollars for a large coffee, two eggs, a literal handful of unseasoned potatoes and (the saving grace) 3 slices of bacon. The eggs were supposed to be over medium and they were slimy. Inedible. I was still hungry when I left. You have such great potential! Be better! read more

This is a review specifically for the dinner menu. Before I go any further, I understand that the staff is under a lot of stress being open during Covid. For many years I have enjoyed salads from Bella Bru, all which have been delicious. Tonight, for the first time, I ordered dinner. I got the mushroom pizza with truffle oil, the calamari (if you really want to call it that), a Caesar salad, and the Alfredo Bella Bru with prawns. Every item with the exception of the salad was incredibly disappointing. The pizza tasted like plastic. There's no other way to explain it. (Pro tip: order the mushroom truffle oil pizza from Matteo's instead. It's INCREDIBLE!) Onto the Calamar-ish. It was 70% fried vegetables & 30% actual calamari. Waste of money. The Alfredo with prawns (by the way, they charge over $2 per prawn) was bland and watery. The prawns looked like the frozen kind from the grocery store. Blegh! Thank goodness they got the Caesar salad right because that's what my bf & I ate for dinner tonight. We spent $60.00 for a Caesar salad with a side of disappointment. read more

Bella Bru Cafe - Mushroom & Truffle Oil Pizza. Tasted like plastic. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Carmichael, California

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I just came to this restaurant to pick up an order and the manager who was ringing me up was really rude Karson S. Not friendly at all and seemed really racist toward minorities.I won't be coming back here for any order ever again, not with customer service like this. Beware if you are a minority you will not be treated with the same customer service as others. read more

Love the selection off beer and Clam chowder is awesome In summer I get the tri tip salad with champagne vinaigrette . Place is a nice cafe especially after working out next door read more

I can't support this place anymore. What kind of restaurant serves warm food on cold plates? It's way too expensive for such a poor practice. read more

Breakfast today was excellent; they even split our outstanding mushroom/spinach/pesto/goat cheese omelet in the kitchen. Cranberry scone was great too! We were glad to know that they offer free brewed coffee refils at the counter...just ask! We did not expect much from table service at breakfast, but they did clear our dishes as we lingered. We'll return! read more

Had a expensive super chicken salad that didn't fill me up. The champagne vinaigrette was also a little on the acidic side. Samples of the french toast and breakfast burrito seemed pretty tasty though. read more

I enjoyed my stop at Bella Bru. It's in the middle of suburbia and stuck in a strip mall next to a gym, but once inside you can easily forget about that. I was meeting a friend for coffee and the first to arrive. Having just come in from the 100° heat I stood in line at the counter, melting. When it was my turn to order I noticed the cashier/barista looked like he was melting, too. That didn't stop him from being friendly, polite, and helpful, though. I ordered a special mocha they had on the menu that came with almond flavoring and topped with shaved almonds - iced. Looking around I spotted a booth and sat down to wait for my friend. While nibbling the yummy little slices of almonds I enjoyed the AC and took in my surroundings. There were a lot of older people - seniors sipping wine and eating cake, middle aged couples having what looked like boring conversations in low tones over salads and coffee, and random men and women on laptops or with file folders spread out before them. I could see there was a hallway leading to a bar (Luna Lounge?) which seemed to be the place for cougars to prowl (nothing wrong with cougars - you go, Ms Thang!). Behind the counter I could see what looked to be quite a selection of wine, and if I read the menu board correctly eight beers on tap. I also noticed the many salads and other dishes on the board. There was a dessert case with cakes, pies, cookies, etc. I was still full from lunch, though, and managed to avoid temptation. My friend arrived and we chatted, sipped our drinks, and had some laughs for about an hour. It was pretty relaxed and no one gave us the stink eye. I noticed they started prepping the room for dinner at around 5pm. Judging by the cloth napkins and silverware they were putting on the tables I assumed evening meant it went from typical cafe to wait-service restaurant. Time for us to go. I doubt I will come back to meet a group, or bring one of my brothers here, but it's a nice place to relax and have a quiet drink with a friend. read more

I love this place! Everything is so good. From the fresh baked sweets from their own bakery, to the delicious food I just love it! They have changed chefs a few times in the past few years, but now that they have David Boswell there as their chef, the food has become top notch. Have you tried their soup? I come here as often as I can just for that! Well, not just for that, but I always look forward to seeing what soup the chef has for the day, since it changes almost daily. And is always something AMAZING!!! Last time I had the spring garlic soup. It was a puree, so soft and creamy. Maybe you'll get lucky and he'll have the fennel puree soup. The menu prices are unbeatable for the quality and flavors of the food, and by this I mean DINNER!!! You must try any of the specials that are always changing. Risotto with short ribs for like $12. And not skimpy on the portions either. I love the Pinot Grigio Braised Chicken with orchiette pasta. And the handmade Polpetini with white beans. And even though I don't like clams, I do like the Cherrystone Clams dish. You can eat the clams, and I'll have the broth that they reside in when served mixed with chorizo, tomatoes, toasted garlic, basil and accompanied with bread. So good!!! I have been a fan of Boswell's cooking since he was the executive chef and original creator of the menu at Lounge on20 when they first opened and he opened their kitchen. So I was excited to learn he came here to do his magic once again and make the food awesome!. And rumor has it that he plans on starting a charcuterie program in the near future, with house cured meats. Yummy! The breakfast and lunch menus here have not changed too much since the regulars that have come here for years like the breakfast and lunch options., but again, TRY THE SPECIALS!!! If you want to eat here for a memorable meal, or haven't already tried the new dinner choices, have dinner. Your pallet will thank you. Or if not hungry for dinner, have cocktails in the Luna Lounge and order something delicious off the small plates menu. read more

I ordered a smoothie and a garden burger - both were very good. But, when I looked at my receipt, I realized I had been charged about 20% more than the menu price. When the food was delivered, I questioned the waiter and he explained that there had been a price increase but the prices weren't shown on the menu. A strange way to do business...... read more

My family and I go to Bella Bru with some regularity for breakfast because it's in our neighborhood but the food is never great. We went last night for dinner and my salmon was burnt on the bottom. I ordered spaghetti for my daughter (2 yeas old) and the sauce was spicy. My husband's $12 sandwich was missing avocado and was described as having house-carved turkey but clearly had deli counter turkey on it. I've never been glad I went to Bella Bru; the food is always disappointing. We won't be back. At least the wait staff is nice. read more

How have I never written you up until now? Bella Bru, you have been a staple in my life. You are literally around the corner from my house and during my high school years and even now when I come home to visit my family, I know you will always be there offering some pretty good coffee and some pretty tasty food too. They have their outdoor tables and tons of tables inside too, and all of their food is made fresh and for some reason it seems so relaxing to just come here and hang out with friends either just for some coffee or a glass of wine, or to share some of their sandwiches or breakfast items. Mmmm Bella Bru is always a good way to start your day or week, and they stay open late enough too for you night owls out there like myself who truly enjoy a late night cup of joe. I sincerely hope that Bella Bru is always in this location forever, because I think without out, my little neighborhood wouldn't be the same. It is always packed with customers, so clearly a lot of people in this area have great taste. So hats off to you Bella Bru, for your amazing bacon, tasty coffee, cheesy flatbreads, fresh sandwiches, and of course those random glasses of wine that seem to find their way to my table. read more

Walked in right at 4, when prices jump up and restaurant offers full table service. Friend and I each had tuna melt (over $13!!) with one slice avocado only .. she ordered side soup, which understandably costs more. My fries had odd spice on them - not sure what / why. Sandwich fine - her soup so very oily, sent back for different choice - still so oily. She did not eat - I thought server indicated he'd remove from the charge - did not - very disappointed in quality - esp for the price of $30 for 2 sandwiches.. def will NOT return for late lunch choice! read more

This place is around the corner from my in-law's and sometimes my husband and I don't want to make breakfast, so we grab a bite here. The staff is always nice (he seems to know everyone since he grew up in the area) and I like how low key it is. Order at the counter and sit anywhere. Their breakfast is good, I usually just get the basic bacon and eggs and they know how to do that right so I can't complain. read more

This makes me sad. I like Bella Bru..I really do. I have received bad service here when I was sitting down having a meal...twice in a row. I was ignored the first time and had bread and water thrown on the table and was ignored most of the time after that. I had to get up and go to the counter to have my water and ice tea refilled. The gal at the counter didn't even bother to ask me why I would be doing that myself. I am not a fancy person so maybe the staff is wowed by the fancy clientele? Anyways, it sure didn't feel good to be treated like that. I have to say the food is what saved them for me. The Mahi-Mahi and Tuna/Avacado sandwiches were sooo good!! Ironically I met the chef guy at a Yelp Elite event and he was really nice. I have stopped by other times for some to-go fare, and things were ok so I would like to try the sit down service maybe again. Update to follow... read more

Ugh. Yep, that's my review of this place. I lived in the area (Near Bella Bru) for about 5 years before moving to Midtown, I always saw it but I never went in. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because Yelp is basically my bible (the written word) for food/entertainment/drinks, etc. and this place holds 3 stars (which let's be honest, isn't great). I don't normally give one star to places, however; if I hadn't been with good company who happened to like some of their food that day, this place would be taking a one-star ding. Let's start with the experience from the beginning. We walked in at about 10:55 on a Monday, however, it was New Year's Day (so let's treat it like it was a Sunday). It took us a minute (our group of 6) to figure out exactly where to go. This place has multiple entrances with different names of entrances, why places think this is a good marketing strategy is beyond me. You can wait in line to order your food on one side or be seated on a patio outdoors on the other. We were hungover (to say the least) and wanting to relax and eat our food, so we opted for the outdoors. When we finally sat down we were told we couldn't order breakfast anymore because it ended at 11:00. 1 minute prior to this conversation. Normally, I wouldn't think twice about this, but COME ON people, it's New Year's Day and you KNOW people are going to be hungover. After the server told us about no breakfast and asked us if we wanted anything to drink (we ordered drinks) it was 10-15 minutes before we saw anyone again. Because I was so hungover, when I got my Iced tea, I decided I wanted a Diet Coke. The iced tea was pretty awful but more so I just wanted caffeine, sugar, and Carbonation to aid my awful decisions from the night before. Unfortunately, it was another 15 minutes with no server after the drinks were dropped off. Someone comes back, I ask for a diet coke, another 10 minutes and no one... so my boyfriend goes inside with the Iced Tea and asks if we can have a diet coke instead. They tell him they'll be right out. One of two servers we've seen now comes out with TWO diet cokes. Gives me one of them and asks who the other is for. We try to explain that we only ordered one but it took so long that someone came in to ask for it again. He was still confused and walks away with the second diet coke. Finally, he comes back to take our order. Everyone orders (our two friends who got breakfast burritos before the cutoff are nearly done with their food by now as it's been over 30 minutes before we got to order). I order (very clearly) The Burger with no mayo and no onions with a side of fries. I make sure to say no onions twice as the guy taking our order has a tendency to get confused. Everyone else orders and another 30 minutes goes by. We get our food. My burger has onions on it. Not just raw onions you can take off, slimy, sautéed, caramelized onions that have soaked into the bun on both sides. So ten mins later the server comes back and I let her know to please just bring me a new bun. I don't need a whole new plate, just want a fresh bun. Another 15 mins and nothing. So my friend goes inside to ask for a new bun and they bring one out 5-10 mins later. At this point my meal is cold and everyone is done eating. I let the server know I don't want it anymore and hand him my full plate. He looks confused. Doesn't ever apologize for the mistakes until I've had enough and give him my plate. The girl helping was clueless. We also overheard the table of 5 across the patio complaining about the girl not knowing what she's doing and taking 30 minutes to refill their water. Let me clarify this as well, this place was NEARLY empty. It was just us and one other group on their patio. We had 3 servers helping our table at one time, none of them communicating with each other. They were NOT understaffed, they were not busy, they just have seriously low standards for customer service. Needless to say, I'm not even giving this place a second chance. They get 2 stars instead of 1 because my friends liked their breakfast burritos. WOMP WOMP. Thanks, Bella Bru for being my first bad experience of 2018! read more

This is my go-to spot for breakfast on the weekends. They have a good variety of food to choose from and everything is always fresh and delicious. My favorites are their veggie omelet and bacon and egg breakfast bagel. The soy chai latte is also a favorite of mine. Service can be a little hit or miss, especially on busy weekend mornings, but I've never had any major issues. read more

Coffee was great- love their Mango Iced Tea! We recently moved to this side of town and found this place to satisfy our weekend morning outings. They have Daily specials that seem to work, have also had their soups and club sandwich for lunch a few times now and they were pretty good as well. Seemed to be older crowd mixed with bicyclists in their professional gear. read more

The food is delicious and specific inside the variety of California cuisine. The owner has executed a stunning job in the decor of the vicinity - the issue is that it's far one huge room so can be very, very loud. i've friends who like it due to that. We move right here for the food at some stage in off hours or sit down at the patio to avoid all the noise. A superb area to devour. read more

Disappointing that the menu is different here than at the Natomas location. Just a heads up, they also don't have wait service at this location. Was craving the awesome Cuban nachos (Natomas) and since they didn't have that as a menu option, went with the veggie pizza. It was ok. Not a ton of flavor, and very VERY greasy. Would hate to see how greasy the pizza would be if it had meat on it. Pretty bummed considering this one is so much closer. Well worth the drive to Natomas though. read more

I came here for lunch and had their Turkey Tuscano. It was greasy. Greasy. They butter their bread prior to toasting to add flavour but I didn't feel as though it added anything to the sandwich other than leaving my fingers with a coating of butter. The sandwich itself was okay but the pesto mayo seemed to be all mayo. It was underwhelming. My husband had the club sandwich which also came on the greasy side but he liked it nonetheless. He had it paired with the chicken vegetable soup, which we both liked. Overall this place was okay but I would try another cafe next time. read more

Awesome selection of sandwiches and drinks This Bella Bru has a fantastic outdoor patio for you and your friends to enjoy. The breakfast and lunch is really good and has lots of healthy and tasty options for foodies. I loved the salmon salad with the salmon cooked perfectly to my liking. The cookies were delightful and the iced soy chai latte was not too sweet, just perfectly spiced. Also, bonus points for super clean bathrooms! Love! read more

First and foremost they are pet friendly. 100 brownie pts for that. Coffee is very good, better than Starbucks IMO. I had the tuna melt and it comes with a green salad that really I wasn't crazy about buy hey I got to have my furry companion sit with me. Mind you they aren't allowed inside though. We always like going here and so far have not been disappointed. read more

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It's an ok cafe I was there on Sunday was pretty crowded had to wait forever, the cake tasted old. Food is just ok and overpriced, relaxing atmosphere but no waiter had to look for someone to get service. What I liked is they have wine delicious coffee. read more

Bella Bru Cafe - Whiskey cake - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Carmichael, California

Came here for DINNER on a Friday night after a walk along the river. PROs -Dog friendly patio -Pretty nice dining area overall -Service was attentive CONs -Food was just okay for the price. Nothing to rave about. They had a happy hour with some discounts on wine, although we weren't there at the right time for that. ____ Came for BREAKFAST on a week day + Good breakfast for the price. _____ I would definitely come back to enjoy a breakfast meal here, but will probably not be back for dinner. Main draw here is that I can bring my dog along. read more

I love coming here, especially after a nice morning run on the American River trail. My fave is the breakfast bagel with cheese & veggies. It is HUGE too, so it's very satisfying after a long run. read more

Bella Bru Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Carmichael, California

I love this place... My friends and I comes here every Saturday morning for brunch. The people that work here are very friendly and food is great. Would be really nice if there's a FREE wifi. With that being said, I'll give it an A- read more

If your looking for great food and a super comfy and relaxing environment then look no further. BB is the one and only place to go in Carmichael. Luna Lounge the bar is awesome as well and you have to try the Meza plate. Mmmmm my favorite. read more

Bella Bru Cafe - Walkway in front of restaurant. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Carmichael, California

Ordered 2 pizzas to-go. NOT impressed. The pizza dough was very tough and both pizzas had an odd taste. Wont order pizza here again. I have ordered other menu items multiple times and they were very good. Maybe pizza isn't their thing. read more

Ah, yes, there is way too much spandex here, but don't take it out on the star review of the restaurant; just judge them secretly in your head. Besides at least they're trying to be healthy. We used to go here often for mochas before they expanded, but my waistline also started expanding so we stopped for a while. Several years ago we discovered they had added a dinner menu with delicious fine dining plates. Who would have guessed that one of the best steaks in town could be had at a coffee shop? They also make a perfectly cooked pan fried chicken. The menu changes with the seasons so the side dishes vary, but they are always really well prepared. The charcuterie plate is also good as are the salads. I still love their coffee and they have a good selection of desserts my favorites being the chocolate cream cheese brownie and the cake that I think is called chocolate decadance. If you want a fine dining meal but don't want to get all gussied up, this is a good choice. But you can also just come for morning coffee, treats, or a quick lunch, which is not the fine dining style, but is still pretty tasty. read more

What happened to customer service? My husband and I decided to go to breakfast and decided on Bella Bru. It was actually pretty packed, but not a full house. No one acknowledged us as we stood and waited to be seated. No "We'll be right with you" from the 2-3 staff who walked by. After five minutes of being ignored, we decided to leave. Apparently, they had enough business to not be concerned with losing ours. We've experienced this before and let time pass before we give it another go and each time Bella Bru disappoints us. There are so many breakfast options downtown, but since we live in Natomas, we tend to want to contribute to our local businesses. I shared my experience on Nextdoor and surprisingly, many of my fellow neighbors experienced the same poor service and described the quality of food as mediocre at best. I've given Bella Bru a fair chance and this was my last attempt. read more

This place has a nice ambiance but food is ok usually, except for the last time I came in. Unfortunately, that will probably be my last time here. Why? Bugs in the food. I bought a meal and cookie here on 9/26/19. When I received the cookie from the cashier, multiple BUGS came crawling out of the cookie. It looked like a flying insect (fly? Larger than a gnat) had laid its eggs in the cookie and they had recently hatched. She saw them too and apologized. Surprisingly, I had to tell her I didn't want the cookie and ask for a refund. I think this should be the automatic response. I still paid full price for the rest of my meal but had a very hard time enjoying it. I think the staff could have done more to make things right. read more

Decided to try a new place for breakfast so we headed to Bella Bru. It was really crowded on a Friday morning, but it was New Year's Eve. It's super casual, seat yourself, and you have to order at the counter. Their breakfast selection is pretty standard, omelets, french toast, pastries. I got a bagel with eggs, cheese, and bacon and a white mocha. My parents got a couple of the specials, mom got the chicken apple scramble, and dad got the Greek omelet. My bagel was really good, nice and toasty on the outside and soft on the inside. The cheese was nice and melty. The mocha was super delicious. Dad's omelet looked good, but I didn't try it, I'm not a fan of feta cheese and tomatoes. Mom's scramble and potatoes had good flavor, but everything was stone cold. Not ok, plus it took forever to get the food in the first place, hence the three stars. Their pastries and cakes looked good and there were some interesting things on their lunch menu, so will probably go back eventually for lunch. read more

'Bout time I wrote a review for such a favorite place as this is. Husband and I enjoyed their flatbread pizzas today, for a little Father's Day celebration. Asparagus and Artichoke with leeks and cheese is smooth and fresh-tasting with the veggies. Wild Mushroom and Pancetta is rich and smoky. Both are luscious. Both are huge - guess you know what we are having for dinner tonight! We splurged, calorically speaking, on cake. The carrot cake is served as a pretty big slice, and it is chock-full of nuts, coconut, and raisins. It is NOT heavy on icing, but it has enough to finish every bite. I find many Red Velvet cakes to be too dry. Bella Bru's is delightfully the most moist version that I can remember in a long time. This place is a winner every time! read more

I've never had a bad meal here! We come a lot- breakfast, lunch, and dinner- and are always impressed. My go-to is the bacon avocado omelette and the Cobb salad. Both very delicious! read more

Coffees good but their opening time is misleading. They open early but coffee and pastry only. Breakfast isn't until 7. Kind of a bummer when you arrive at 5:45 am. read more

Excellent!!! The staff was so friendly and the manager, Theresa, had great costumer service skills. Also, the food was really good. I had the spinach mushroom omelette with pesto hollandaise which was delicious. I will definitely be coming back! read more