TAKEOUT REVIEW: Last week, my husband picked up dinner for us from Bella Italia. We ordered eggplant parmesan dinners to-go, one with a salad and the other with pasta. So tasty! The dinner comes with bred and butter. We had leftovers for the next day (eggplant still holds and is still delicious). I called in the order over phone. My husband picked up the order and paid at the restaurant. On the phone and in person, they are friendly and nice. Bella Italia is a gem for locals! read more

This place has been around for a long time for a reason. Their service, food and old school ambience is always amazing. My table ordered Mozzarella En Carozza to share then Veal Parm, Chicken Savoy and Shrimp scampi ending with the Lemoncello cake and Cappuccino. Please don't overlook their home crafted cocktails and great wine selection. Can't wait to go back. Ciao Bella Italia!!! read more

See all

Every visit just reminds me of what a great restaurant this is. We went there to celebrate our anniversary and they made it memorable. The food was excellent. The wait staff was friendly and helpful and the restaurant was pretty. One of my favorite places. read more

This place was higher end than I expected. The place gave me fancy Italian vibes and had nice staff working there. Good size place and had a parking lot which is rare in the area. Food was good and they also had a coat check read more

See all

I attended a function just a few weeks ago. The food was phenomenal. Very tasty and well done. The ambulance was was beautiful in spot on.. Service was excellent. Our server was there every moment to take care of her needs highly recommend. read more

Myself and my extended family have been loyal customers of this restaurant for years, and I am disappointed to be writing my first negative review. My recent experience was unsatisfactory from start to finish. The bread served was stale and hard, which was dismissed by the hostess as simply being a 'baguette.' Then, our pitcher of white sangria arrived with what appeared to be a bug in it. The server (Jasmine) removed the object from the glass and returned the same drink, assuring us it was 'safe to drink.' A more professional response would have been to replace the drink or the entire pitcher. To make matters worse, the server had an unprofessional attitude throughout our meal. We wanted the Veal Parm sandwich with bread on the side only to be told use the bread on the table ie the 'baguette' stale bread. The Veal Parmesan, a dish I've had many times before, was not up to its usual standard. It was dry, with very little sauce and only a sprinkle of cheese. After our meal, we had to ask for the check twice. Ultimately, a member of our party had to get up and find the server to pay the bill. The most upsetting part of the experience occurred after I returned home. While eating the leftover Veal Parmesan, I bit down on a bone in boneless veal. I would like to consider this a one off after many years of great service from other servers; also they may have been overwhelmed due to a party upstairs or new cooks in kitchen. Overall, this was the worst experience I have ever had at this establishment. The decline in food quality and service with this visit was deeply disappointing. read more

Best Italian food in Essex County, imo. Vodka sauce, lemon chicken, every pasta, Chef's kiss. Sal is always cool to work with, always accommodating. Please try their homemade vanilla ice cream, too! It is sooooooooooo good. read more

I celebrated my 30th wedding anniversary in this place. Salvador was our hosting and was amazing, helpful and cooperative making my party a great memory for my friends and family. Food was excellent!!! read more

See all

The food is good the location is good the staff is great if you enjoy Italian cuisine then this is the place for you

I've had (2) of my mother's milestones birthday events here and have never been disappointed. The food is fabulous, the atmosphere is beautiful and the service is impeccable! I highly recommend Bella Italia!! Rebecca J read more

This place was so accommodating and delicious. Staff was so friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. Food delicious and drinks great. Our waitress was Anita and she was wonderful! Thank you! read more

See all

Nothing but excellence. I rented the venue for my 30th high school class reunion and it was AMAZING! From the staff to management. Sal, help me coordinate every detail. Everyone loved the food and suggested we come back for our next reunion in five years. Much thanks to Bella Italia for accommodating Newark Tech Reunion- Class of 1993. read more

See all

Yes, it was my first time there nice place will definitely return food was great also

One major sticking point with me is that I HATE to waste money! That's what my dining experience at Bella Italia sums up to. We were warmly greeted and promptly seated. As we perused the cocktail menu, I remarked to my sister that they have a really great drink menu and we need to come back for drinks. The major letdown started with the service. We were a party of seven celebrating two birthdays. Norberto was our waiter. I only knew that because I had to ASK his name. We were all seated and given menus. Let's say 10-15 min later Norberto comes in and says to the two people closest to him, "Are you ready to order?" No, Hello, my name is... Tonight, we have such & such specials, drink recommendations, does anyone have questions about the menu?... Nothing. Norberto never offered to fill our water glasses, either initially or after, we asked for a refilled pitcher. As norberto starts to take drink and appetizer orders is when I asked his name. The appetizers and drinks come out fairly fast. About 20 minutes later, norberto comes back and asks are we ready to order, as he goes around the table he gets to one of the birthday honorees, my moms best friend, an elderly woman and shouts at her.."LADY ARE YOU READY TO ORDER?! REPEATEDLY as she's still looking over the menu.She responds no and he goes to my sister the other birthday guest and asks the same. My sister had questions about the menu and was assisting my elderly dad with his order. Norberto goes back and forth with my sister, hurriedly answering yes &,no, clearly not listening, causing confusion to which my sister responds annoyed "can you give us 5 minutes we're not ready"! As he walks away, my sister responds that she's not ordering a meal because she feels rushed by Norberto. I was already disgusted after he shouted at my moms friend and decided I wasn't paying for anymore of this horrible service. The only reason we stayed is because my mother extended far more grace than I! So, my sister and I only had appetizers and a cocktail. In terms of food, none of us were impressed. I ordered the portobello taormina that states on the menu that's its a portobello STUFFED w/crabmeat, a top 1 shrimp in a garlic reduction sauce. I received the mushroom covered in spinach with red bell peppers, a crabcake and 1 shrimp in garlic reduction w/pink sauce on the side. Ok? As I take a bite of the crabcake, the bottom is burnt BLACK *I wish i had taken a pic, as i only have a pic of the corrected order. My neice and her friend ordered lasagna that they dumped the entire contents of the parmesean shaker for any semblance of flavor. Everyone who ordered a meal responded with a meh. I can honestly say the only item I enjoyed was my drink. THE ONLY reason Norberto received a tip was because it was COMPULSORY! Our experience definitely reflected an attitude of guaranteed tip, HORRIBLE SERVICE! read more

Bella Italia - My second go at the portobello taormina. The first came out with a burnt crabcake bottom. - Italian Near Me - Orange, New Jersey

Maybe a hidden gem. One of those places that are tucked away in a neighborhood. The sauce probably makes everything. It is great. Got the side dish of meatballs for an appetizer. Best I have had in a while reminds me of my mother in laws home made. You have to dip bread in the sauce. Could be dinner all by itself. Got the ravioli for dinner. Was so good I was half done before I remembered to take a pic. Wife got cavatappi and broccoli and loved it. Was so big could not finish it. You have to end with a cannoli. Very good. Wife said was the best shell she's ever had. Offstreet parking too. read more

See all

The food was really good but our server ruined the experience for us. There were 3 other tables in our area of the restaurant one of which was being handled by another server. She came over to our table to greet us and was all flustered and out of breath saying she was so busy. The place was nearly empty. Asked us for our orders but then told us to wait because she needed to get out her portable fan to put inside her shirt to cool herself off. Then had to repeat our orders back to us twice. She was pretty brusque with us and a little rough for a restaurant like this. Handed us our plates instead of placing them down in front of us. At the end of the meal she asked if we wanted anything else and then seemed annoyed when we ordered coffees. She seemed like a grouchy diner waitress - which is fine when you're in a diner, not a better dining establishment. read more

We had a party at Belle Italia lAt night. Food great. Service great. Sal was the best from start to finish. We have eaten there before, the food was always fresh and delicious. The staff courteous, professional. Last night over the top with everything. Our next party will definitely will be there. Pricing very reasonable. read more

Decided to try this place after seeing several photos of the "Lobster Cocktail." This is a 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lb lobster stuffed and bakes with crabmeat. It is a mix with some imitation crab, which is minced finely so it is palatable. The drawn butter is perfect, not too salty nor does it taste like warm, hello oil -it's perfect. Tip: remove the meat from the claws after you have eaten some of the stuffing, pile it on the remaining stuffing and drizzle the butter over it. Now, that is like starting the meal all over again. The portions are great. I went here twice in one day. Met with my bestie and then went back with a business partner for more. Hey, this way I can give maximum details. The calamari was tender, not chewy and the marinara sauce was delicious. During the second visit I had the shrimp scampi, not a fan of the sauce but the shrimp were large and fresh! The salad was nice and healthy as well. All in all I will probably make this my go to local spot. The outdoor dining is good, but bring some mosquito spray as they start to bite after 4pm. Luckily I had some in my car and that took care of the little pests. Our waiter Chris was pleasant and funny, which definitely helps make the dining experience great. Give them a try! read more

See all

Catered off premise for my mother's 98th birthday. I cannot say enough good things about this place ... everything was superior. Excellent food. Outstanding service. Extremely generous portions. Quality food at reasonable prices. Sal, the owner, was very accommodating and attentive to my food preferences. Will definitely make Bella Italia my new catering service. Charlene Good Bloomfield, NJ read more

Ive been here twice and both visits were decent. Today my husband and I visited and ordered the Eggplant Parm and Chicken Murphy. Wow! These portions are huge. Our waitress Nicole was a real Gem and she made the entire experience even more pleasant. I would definitely return and bring my appetite next time. read more

Was fortunate to have a few special events here. The time frame between my events was about 4 years and yet the service, food and price was just as great! For my last event, I had about 40 ppl. I did the sit down lunch option and had the dining room area. The room was spacious enough to have all my guests sit at a distance, backdrop with cake table along with tables for a seating chart, game prizes and more. Waiters were on point all around. Sal is the manager whom I booked my party with and can not express enough how great he is every time. To see him on the floor working like the rest speaks highly of this restaurant. Having to deal with covid restrictions and so forth, Sal made this a delightful experience all around. I did return for Mother's Day lunch. Reservations were made in advanced for a party of 8. I must admit the price when I first saw the menu was a bit on the high side as I compared the size portions to the portions provided for a booked event. Then all of a sudden these huge plates started to roll onto our table and we could not believe our eyes. I don't even think I made a dent in my meal. This is a place I'd recommend to have an event and even a simple lunch/dinner date. read more

See all

For years I use to pass bella italia all the time but never went in because I thought it was just a banquet hall. I went to dinner with a friend for their birthday and it was a lovely night. The food are huge portions which is great. Their bread was nice and warm like it came fresh out of the oven and i loved their salted butter. My wine was chilled which i loved. My penne was good but it was supposed to be spicy and it wasn't at all. Flavor wise, the pasta was okay but the chicken was seasoned well. The homemade apple pie was delicious. The staff was nice & friendly. They literally let you sit and talk as long as you want and do not rush you. They have a parking lot that you can park in with no problem. The demographic for this place does seem to draw in alot of older adults . My friend & I seemed to be the youngest there but crowds may differ depending on the night. But honestly I think it's a nice wholesome place to have dinner with friends/family. read more

See all

Our company had our annual holiday party at Bella Italia. A wonderful affair, the food, service and venue were top notch from the beginning to the end! Sal and his team run and excellent establishment. we will be back again for sure. Thank you for a great event! read more

Fine dining Italian food. The staff dress to impress and cater to your needs. Beautiful scenery for all types of occasions!

I reached out to Sal for our family repast. The food was amazing. The experience was wonderful. The service was exemplary. The staff were polite, responsive and accommodating. I cannot thank Sal enough for being very supportive at this time. Thank you from the Russell family. read more

We recently booked the Bella Italia for a Funeral Repass. It was book under very short notice, as in days. The food was very good, the staff was very inviting and professional. The room was nicely decorated. There is an extensive catering menu to choose from and being my family is Caribbean they prepared set ups for the cultural dish that was brought in without issue. I would highly recommend they for any occasion or just lunch or dinner. Very pleased. Cost was very reasonable. read more

I've to Bella Italia for banquets. They do a great job with the presentation of the dishes & provide "to go" containers. read more

Bella Italia - Banquet room - Italian Near Me - Orange, New Jersey

Have been here for lunch several times and love the place! Trouble is I almost always get the same thing, which were great my first visit. Seafood salad is terrific, as is the stracciatelle soup. Service always great and friendly as well. My only gripe is their limited wine selection, both on their list and by the glass. That keeps review at 4 stars vs 4.5. Great value for high quality food and lots of it! read more

I attended a banquet and everything was delicious . Baked ziti, calamari with cocktail sauce, veal Marsala, lemon chicken, meatballs, and ice cream. EVERYTHING was better than good! The servers were friendly and our needs were met, at least mine were. Looking forward to another at Bella Italia - the food is really good read more

Bella Italia - Veal Marsala, lemon chicken, fish, salad, garlic bread and bake ziti. - Italian Near Me - Orange, New Jersey

Last weekend my son was making his communion, the weather had me scrambling on friday night to find somewhere to have it inside. Someone recommended i try bella italia ! i called, the owner met with me 20 mins later. he was amazing! he worked with my budget, the menu i picked was family style and had so many options to pick from. the day of my party the room looked beautiful, linens on the tables, music playing and servers waiting for us. my whole family is still talking about how great the food was a week later. if you are in the area and looking for a nice dinner spot or someone to host a party for you, bella italia is the place. BTW they have the best apple pie ive ever had !! read more

I had my baby shower here on 6/25/2022, and I have to say that my guest and I had a really great time. This was my first time at this venue, the location, staff and menu was excellent. I will definitely have other events here. read more

See all

The family and I were looking for a place to hold my grandfather's 100 birthday party. We searched around and finally found Bella Italia. Honestly, this is the best place ever. The management team (Sal) was amazing. He responded to our every need and provided much needed support during the process. The day before the event, we were surprised by being provided with the largest room which assisted tremendously with the amount of guests expected. The placed was simply beautiful. The staff were polite, responsive and accommodating. Let's not forget the price. Super affordable with amazing food. I cannot thank the crew enough for their assistance. I will definitely return to Bella Italia for our next party. Thank you again for everything. read more

We stumbled in Bella Italia today on a random trip to NJ from NYC. This place was totally great! The food was delicious. We had the Chicken Nodino and the Chicken Francese. The portion sizes were generous, but most importantly, the meals were fresh and cooked with care. The pasta with olive oil and garlic was cooked exactly the way we always wish it would be when we've ordered it at other places. Belle Italia is a gem! Great ambiance and Jasmine, the waitperson, was attentive and friendly. All of the staff made sure we were comfortable and felt welcome. We are a lesbian couple, and there were many people of color there, and many ages. Everyone was very friendly. I mention this because a meal is always that much nicer when you know everyone is being treated well, right? Bella Italia showed a LOT of hospitality to everyone. We tried the Lemoncello Mascarpone Cake. Highly recommend it. Great way to end your meal! Definitely go to Bella Italia! read more

OK, this place was fantastic. How did I not know about this sooner???? I wouldn't have expected to find a place like this in Orange, but damn, it blows away the Italian in Bayonne, even. The place is decorated like a Tuscan villa with Sinatra piped in. Hilariously old-school Italian but in a very good way. My husband, son and I went for lunch so my son could show us his new car. My husband started with the escarole and bean soup, and said it was even better than my Great Aunt Josie's. Blasphemy, but he was right. I ordered the broiled snapper, my husband ordered lasagna, and my son ordered fettuccine bolognese. None of us were disappointed. Everything was perfect. My husband wound up bringing half of his lasagna home, and my son brought half of his. I ate all my fish, eschewed the sides (although the salad was great and I loved their citrusy vinaigrette. There was so much food that my daughter wound up eating half of Dad's leftover the next day, and he still had enough to add to his dinner. My son, who is about as subtle as a brick, pretty much confirmed that they're going to have my surprise 50th at this place after trying it the other day, lol. Try it, you will like it! read more

Bella Italia - Escarole & bean, delicious! - Italian Near Me - Orange, New Jersey

Celebrated my Mother's birthday here. I'm giving it a three because the ambiance and service was good and the fact that our mother really enjoyed herself. The food was really tasteless. If you're going for good food you'll be disappointed. read more

This place is in serious need of an update. Style and decor fairly outdated. Classy though simple. The food was pretty standard here. I ordered linguine carbonara which is a pretty typical order for me. I recall is was decent but not as good as many other Italian places I've visited. I am a pasta fanatic with a loving pallet for Italian food. I had the almond cake which was actually phenomenal. I'd definitely visit again on a dessert basis. This particular area of NJ doesn't have a great selection of impressive, high quality restaurants. However, this can be added to the long list of decent restaurants on the East Orange area. read more

Came here for a wedding rehearsal lunch. Good space for a large party. Food was not the best. It was all super fried or bland. Best part was probably the mozzarella balls I found in the fruit dish. I also ordered a coffee, but the server forgot. I did get an orange juice, but it didn't taste very fresh and seemed way too diluted. The food came out family style. Overall, food was not best here. read more

This place is so overpriced and the food isn't great. I payed $59 for just two orders of shrimp scampi and fettuccini pasta that tasted salty and like if they added vinegar. There's better places you can go to than here read more

I would give this place 3.5 stars if possible. We came here wth a reservation fortunately as it was a busy Saturday night. We had a large group so they had put two tables together. The decor and place settings was very nice, a little over the top but very Italian. The menu has a huge selection of dishes to choose from. We started with the fried calamari and bruschetta which were both alright, not the best. We also ordered a pitcher of sangria which was very good. For the entree I went with the capellini primavera because I wanted some veggies. It had a nice tomato sauce on it and a lot of pasta. The portions for all the dishes seemed very large so you definitely get your money's worth! The prices were about average to high for Italian food. The service could have been a little better but we did have one waitress who was assigned to our table. The only thing was there were about 5 other groups right next to us she was also helping. The food took a while to come out but everyone seemed pleased with their dishes for the most part. The highlight of the night was probably the dessert. We were celebrating a birthday so after reminding the waitress a few times, they finally brought out the dessert menu and asked what we wanted. We went with the chocolate cake and ice cream which was very decadent and came with a candle in it. I don't know if they make their own desserts but I hope so! read more

I have officially eaten here 50 times today! Every single time it has been consistently great! The owner and his Son are top notch and the staff remembers all of your preferences! Serious love to this spot and I hope many more years of enjoyment for myself at this fantastic spot! read more

Bella Italia - Italian Near Me - Orange, New Jersey