Tonight was our first time visiting Bella Italia and I've had it on our list to try for awhile so I was excited to finally dine here. First impressions: it's located in a strip mall with other businesses and when you enter the front door you see generic white walls with some pictures. A nice touch to add some warmth would be to do something with the back wall like a huge mural or even some temporary wallpaper if it's a lease and they can't permanently do anything to the wall. If they can do something more permanent, making the room look like a wine cellar by adding rock veneer to the back wall and floor to ceiling wine racks on the others would really add to the atmosphere. It just feels very generic the way it is currently. For dinner choices we started with a Caprese salad, which was good, and chose manicotti and mushroom lasagna for our entrees. I like pasta to have more pasta than sauce and cheese so I can taste it but I know there are people that want the sauce and cheese to drown out the pasta, and you would probably love these dishes. For me I had trouble finding my manicotti because there was so much cheese and sauce and the heavy butter/oil residue on the top was not appetizing to me. My husband said his lasagna was similar with less noodles than he liked but the red sauce his came with was really good so he enjoyed it. If I returned I would probably order a steak or chicken dish or the spaghetti but not something that was baked in the skillet. I want to emphasize the dish I had was not bad but just something I wouldn't order again. The standout for our meal was the tiramisu which was lighter than usual and still so flavorful. Sometimes this dish is so soaked in liquor and espresso that it feels heavy, but this one was delightful. Also our service was very good. read more

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There's potential, but unfortunately, it is unrealized. There are a few things they absolutely need to address, the layout and tables are cute, but the white walls and the lighting are atrocious. It felt like a doctors office waiting room. They really should to paint the interior a darker color and Reduce the brightness in the interior. Further, The music needs to be a tad louder, it was eerily quiet. Now for the food, we ordered a ravioli sampler and the chicken parmigiana. The chicken was very good- tender and delicious. The vegetables were perfectly cooked. I modified my pasta to be a fettuccine Alfredo, which was very watery and not flavorful at all. My wife ordered the ravioli, sampler with the spinach and ricotta, the formaggi 4 cheese, ravioli, and Ravioli Giuseppe. First of all the sampler items all ran together with their sauces, and they were watery and flavorless. It was so bad we sent them back. Unfortunately, they didn't even try to make things right by removing it from the bill. The price was outlandish, but we did spend $60 on wine just to get through the dinner. Overall, we won't go back unless they make some major changes. read more

We where excited to try this Italian restaurant. We where let down the minute we walked in do you have a reservation? Why no we don't okay well we will just shove you in a corner and forget about you. No friendly smile no checking on our table no Happy New Year nothing. Spaghetti i ordered was nasty I gave the rest to my husband never bothered to offer if we wanted extra drinks nothing oh and the wait for food is long. We won't be back unfortunately..it has potential but needs Gordon Ramsey to see it...lol read more

To say the experience here was a disappointment is an understatement! Upon entering the restaurant I was underwhelmed by the atmosphere and ambiance. Plain and open, bright intense lighting, white walls with no personality and a few pictures, white table cloths, and tables just arranged in every which way. Just upon first glance it is uninviting. The hostess/front desk area is right as you enter the door and just a little bulky and awkward. There is a neon OPEN sign hanging in the huge windows that have zero coverings or decoration. This restaurant lacks charm in every possible way. We were greeted and seated quickly, but to say the staff was friendly is a stretch. They were polite but not overly welcoming or warm. Once seated a young man brought us water. A woman came next and asked for our drink order. Again little to no greeting from either of these services members. Next we received bread and our wine, and without any mention of specials or conversation we were asked for our order. We ordered a mozzarella caprese salad to share, an order of gnocchi with Gorgonzola cream sauce, and eggplant parmigiana. We had to ask for olive oil and or butter to go with the itty bitty slices of bread we received. This was promptly brought out. The bread was like sliced sourdough from a loaf, and seemed that each piece was toasted individually as if in a toaster, so it was kind of dry. Now, let me tell you about this "olive oil" or mystery oil if you will.... Yikes!!! It was either rancid or such poor quality oil, it actually tasted like old fashioned homemade play dough. I've never! Good lord I wouldn't want to serve that to a guest ever! Good olive oil is not hard to come by. This was very off putting. We received the mozzarella caprese quickly.... Again, what a let down. 4 slices of very unripe tomato topped with a little bit of fresh mozzarella and a blob of pesto on top. Yup that was it no fresh basil and the presentation was nonexistent. I've made a prettier caprese for a midnight snack! Despite the lack of presentation and barely pink tomatoes, it did taste decent. It had good flavor and the cheese was fresh and soft. Next, the entrees arrived! What was presented to me was not even close to what anyone would expect for eggplant parmigiana. I received a dish that would be used in a Mexican restaurant for queso dip... but filled with a soupy cheesy mystery meal! I actually said "I ordered the eggplant parmigiana" and was given a weak smile and nod as if to say yep here it is! I could not believe my eyes! My friend's gnocchi at least was recognizable however, it was literally swimming in sauce! Now let me interject that I'm from Italian heritage, my Italian grandmother ran restaurants all her life, and was a fabulous cook raised by her native Italian parents.... My dad is an excellent cook, I'm a very good cook, and we have family friends that are Italian chefs that run other restaurants. So, I know I may have high expectations, but ultimately I just expect to receive something that resembles what it's called! This eggplant whatever was an abomination of eggplant parmigiana! The eggplant was slimy and stringy, the sauce was overflowing like a soup, it was creamy for some reason rather than a simple marinara, there was such an abundance of melted mozzarella (not fresh just shredded mozzarella) that all I even tasted was cheese! I admit, I love cheese but this was overwhelming and there was zero other flavor. Aside from the general texture, the dish was so bland it was unreal! I e never eaten anything this messy and soupy that was supposed to be a standard dish on a regular plate. My guts are bubbling! The gnocchi was mediocre. Not awful but definitely not great. It had a mealy pasty texture. The sheer amount of sauce on this dish was also surprising! Just absolutely drenched in sauce! If this place reduced their saucyness by 50% the food would taste better and have better flavor balance in addition to cutting supply costs! The sauce tasted good but again it was bland not much Gorgonzola flavor but so so much cream! Throughout the entire experience my friend and I were shocked by the poor experience. She kept saying..."I knew it from the neon OPEN sign in the window"! The prices are average for Italian food but the quality is so poor it was disappointing to pay that much. I really wanted to like this place since the chef/owner is a long time local and I've read the news stories about his history here. He also has the same first name as my great grandfather which feels nostalgic to me, but the experience was quite unfulfilling. I'm giving 2 stars only because the service while not very warm was at least prompt and courteous. The wine was good, and while the food was unexpectedly over saucy, it was edible just not what I'd call Italian cuisine. read more

Bella Italia - Eggplant parmigiana...if you can call it that, I surely wouldn't! - Italian Near Me - Reno, Nevada

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So let me start by saying we aren't picky when it comes to food. That being said portions are too small for the prices. I got a spinach salad as a main and a bruschetta as an appetizer to share. My salad came before everyone's food so I had to wait to eat until their food came. Second the presentation was horrible. Like if I want a a slice of ham on a plate of lettuce I'll have that at home. My husband got a veal plate and let me tell you my son that's 2 years could have finished it without help. Again presentation horrible. My son shared a plate with his sister of Alfredo pasta they liked it. It tasted good could have used more seasoning still. Service was good. No changing table or kids but they do have high chairs. I would not come again. read more

My husband and I decided to go to Bella Italia after watching a local news segment about this establishment and we were glad we did! This was tucked in the same shopping center we normally pass by and close to home. We called before coming as we didn't make reservations and it was a Friday night. The gentleman on the line told us they had availability for a table for 2. We walked in and noticed it was busy! Most of the tables were taken except the 5 along the wall. There was a little bit of a wait but it was like seeing a well oiled machine as there was a lady who was taking orders and bussing tables and a man who was delivering their drinks and giving checks to those who were ready to pay at the end of their meal. Both of them were also delivering the food orders as well. It was a breath of fresh air because of their work ethic, you don't normally see nowadays. You can't help but assume they were the owners of the restaurant! After a few minutes we were able to be seated and were given the menu. I was craving chicken parmigiana so I ordered that. My husband decided to order spaghetti with meat sauce and meat balls. We also wanted to try their tortellini with chicken broth. We were given a bread basket with oil and vinegar while we waited for our orders. As soon as we got the soup, we were excited to try! You can tell the tortellini was homemade and made al dente which was perfect. The chicken broth tasted homemade as well. Chicken parmigiana was delicious! The chicken was moist and the breading was thin! The sauce was light and flavorful; normally what I've had in other places sauce is all over overpowering the chicken. This one was a good balance. The pasta was also home made as well and went well with the chicken. The spaghetti was really good as well. My husband described the sauce on the sweeter side with carrots and possibly cinnamon. The meatballs were flavorful too, He ate it all! At the end of our meal, we were offered the dessert menu and we noticed they had panna cotta but different flavors! We asked our server what her recommendation was and she replied amaretto was one of her favorites so we went with that. That did not disappoint. It was smooth and the amaretto was so good! This is definitely one of the better local Italian restaurants we've been to and are happy it is only 10 minutes away from our home! We will definitely be back! read more

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Still love Bella. The old folks are still putting out the recipes you love. And that's why people keep coming back. I mean Italian classics by a legit old italian? What else you want huh? We love the cream sauce and their risotto is spot on. read more

Just ate there as friends told us a couple years ago that it was really good. There is no way the same people can be running it. We started with bread that was toasted I am assuming because it was stale because who toasts the bread you are suppose to dip in oil? Caesar salad was some romaine with dressing. Chicken parm looked like it was leftovers. Rigatoni with Bolognese was fine. read more

The family dinner is huge and easily feeds 3 instead of two. I love their raviolis. They always have fresh prepared food. The prices are high but they are everywhere now. read more

I just love the owners as well as the food. They make lasagnas of many types for Parties or large gatherings. read more

Bella Italia is exactly what the name implies. The food is as authentic as if you were in Italy. We went in a party of 5 on a Saturday night and had one of the Best 3 course dinners in Reno. We ordered the Octopus Carpaccio, Vitello Tonnato, and Melone and Prosciutto to start with a excellent bottle of Barbera wine. The second course is the reason we wanted to try this restaurant, They've famous for their Homemade ravioli's, We ordered the Funghi in the cream sauce and the Genovese in the Bolognese sauce, Absolutely excellent. Our main courses we had Vitello Marsala, Risotto Al Funghi, Chicken Parmigiana. Salad with Ham and Cheese. All executed to perfection. Our server was excellent lead us into another bottle of excellent Barbera. The Sweetness hostess was so nice gave us her brothers Sicilian Air BNB flyer as we told her we will be there this October. The unfortunate part of this review is sadly the restaurant is for sale and looking for someone who has the passion to carry on the business. My family and I are Italian. We have owned operated italian restaurants in the Bay Area for 40 years. We understand the business side and wish them the Best in the future. When we make it back to Reno? We will return to enjoy another excellent dinner. Buona Fortuna mi Amici! read more

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This is a little gem. I've been a few times. I like this gnocchi with cream sauce. The servers are good. It not usually packed at dinner time, but it is at lunch read more

Place is clean, staff friendly, food terrible. Some of the worst Italian food I've ever had. Here is the breakdown: Bruschetta: pretty sure it was made on yesterdays bread. Wife and I both looked like cows chewing cud. Cream of asparagus soup: feels like this was heavy cream + asparagus. Probably the best thing we ate and it was sub-sub-par Gnocchi: can't over emphasize how terrible this stuff was. Resembled cheese puffs and red bondo (that stuff used to patch car bodies) and tasted pretty much about the same Cheese lasagna: came in a breakfast skillet--really?! It was so soupy it made sense that a plate was not used. This wasn't lasagna it was some sort of liquid. Sign in the window said "restaurant for sale" which is understandable--definitely time to move on. read more

Bland food. Sorry. The owners seem nice. The restaurant is clean but lacking "warmth", pretty sure it was an old take out Asian restaurant before and they made it "Italian" with posters on the wall... maybe add some plants and some accent table cloths and some mood lighting? Make it more welcoming ambiance? Came in on a Saturday and it was dead... which usually means something. The gusset was ON IT. So props to him for prepping. I also think he might have been bored... read more

Had a very good meal here last night. Had the chicken piccata with a nice glass of wine, It was a sizeable piece of chicken, very tasty and moist, with wide spaghetti noodles and asparagus, and enough capers to make me happy. Nice wine list-I went for the Barbera since it's more rare on menus. Service was friendly and efficient. I would definitely return but was disappointed to see a "restaurant for sale" sign on window. read more

Family owned and operated Italian restaurant in South Reno. The owners were at the front counter to greet and seat us for our dinner reservation and even come back around to check in on you, which is an added nice touch. It is a completely open dining floor plan. Feels very airy and fresh with nice music playing in the background but no booths if you're looking for a little bit of privacy. It's a little pricey. The ravioli sauce was a little watery but overall the food had good flavor. The tiramisu for dessert was the best I ever had. It was an enjoyable experience and would try again. read more

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We have been coming since just after they opened kind of stumbled into this gem of authentic Italian food. We love the food and have tried so many different dishes and can't believe how great it always is! read more

Food was great. Service was very food. Nice Italian music in the background. Lots of room.

I went for a wine dinner with Italian wine. We had a nice mixed salad. Mushroom ravioli homemade style with tasty mushrooms. The Brassato was tender and had a nice sauce. It was a fun event. read more

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I was under the mistaken impression that they have paella here, I must have made an error in my notes. I almost made a mistake and walked into the insurance office next door, It appeared to be the entrance not seeing the wall separating the restaurant. We found out that they will make zabaglione on evenings that have less traffic but most likely not on friday, saturday and sunday evenings. The owners said to just call ahead on a weeknight and let them know and they will attempt to honor your request. I had the clams and pasta, I would have preferred linguine and not the spaghetti they used. I also don't think they had home made pasta, the pasta was unimpressive and they didn't have capellini/angel hair pasta tonight neither. The dish had a good amount of clams in a oil and garlic sauce, the dish could have used a lot more pasta in my opinion. The dish was rather pedestrian, nothing real outstanding just ordinary, a bit of parsley was not even present. For the price, more attention to presentation would be warranted. This restaurant wasn't bad but just a little overpriced for basic pasta. read more

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I loved the entire dining experience! The food is delicious! My friends and I shared a ravioli appetizer... incredible... I have never cared for mushrooms and loved the mushroom ravioli, to be clear I love all the raviolis I tried! ;) I had one of the specials for lunch and the fish was perfect. Crispy in the best possible way. Affogato for desert. Again, delicious! I felt privileged to go with friends who are regulars... and love the warm and friendly folks who work there and own this business. Don't wait to try this fantastic restaurant, go eat there this evening. You'll love it. read more

An absolute pleasure. Visiting Reno for a few days I was introduced to Bella Italia. It was lunch time and the place was empty. What the hell is wrong with the locals? Do they spend all their money at the casinos? Yes, probably high cost for a lunch, but what a lunch! Coming from Tucson, where finding any veal is a lost cause I was thrilled to see veal on their menu. I picked veal marsala. The dish actually had two large (for veal) pieces in a great marsala sauce accompanied by fresh pasta and grilled asparagus. Service was good and personable. Also, I had to try their gellato, also good and apparently made in house. Unfortunately the owner is retiring and has the restaurant for sale. A real loss to Reno. read more

Hands down - our favorite Italian in Reno! Authentic and fresh every single time. The mushroom + truffle raviolis, arrabiatta, parmigiana never disappoint. The service is on point; at times you may wait a few minutes for the food to arrive but worth every second! It's a small, cozy space in a strip mall but when it fills up with patrons it feels like we're back in Florence. Just get in there! read more

I wish I would have read the reviews before coming here. Picked up lunch for the husband thinking it would be an awesome treat, and I'm so disappointed. I didn't get bread or oil or anything. Had to ask for a fork. The food lacks flavor. Alfredo was so soupy. Mushroom ravioli meh... I've had better. But anyway. This is what you get for $53.00 plus tip. To go. read more

Bella Italia - Mushroom ravioli and Alfredo. - Italian Near Me - Reno, Nevada

Very good. We ordered a spinach cheese lasagna, which was amazing. We had to order extra bread to dip in the cheese. In true Italian style, the meal can take time. The owner was the only person working, so things weren't speedy. Space was fantastic, I can't remember the last time I saw freshly ironed white linens in a table read more

Atmosphere: 3 (they did give cloth napkins) Service: 3 Food:2-3 I had the minestrone soup: thin broth, vegetables overcooked and the portion was tiny. My parmigiana was ok but lacked pizazz. Cheese was bland ; so was the breading.. where were the spices ? The fettuccine was overcooked and sauce was awful. The dish came with asparagus: overcooked! I tasted two of the raviolis from my friend's plate: cheese and mushrooms: both were good. Perhaps the pasta was okay but this restaurant disappointed me . Makes you wish for Olive Garden!! My theory: Unless a restaurant can prepare food BETTER than I can make at home, why bother? read more

VERY DISAPPOINTED with the over dinner we had last Friday night. We were the only ones there,, that should have given us a clue. Meals are expensive,, and they don't even include a simple salad. My meat ravioli had little flavor,,, could have been hotter,,, it may have been homemade,,, but sure didn't impress me. I was hungry when I left. read more

A group of us had dinner there last week. My spicy shrimp was good but the asparagus served with it looked like a bloated drowned body. They boiled the life right out of it, and it was nothing but mush. My friend ordered lasagna that looked like soup. She asked the owner and he was very rude telling her the pasta is in the middle and he could do it differently if she wanted dried out lasagna. It was served in an 8" cast iron skillet and most of it was seriously the consistency of cheesy tomato soup with some pasta in the middle. The eggplant Parmesan was served in the same type of cast iron pan with the same soupy cheesy sauce and had the tiniest amount of eggplant in the middle. No one was very pleased with their meals. We won't be going back! read more

Delicious food and great customer service and the restaurant is neat and nice. The employees and owners are very kind every time I go there.

For being located in a strip mall I was surprised how nice it was. The husband and wife owners are simply delightful. They work their rears off to satisfy their customers. The menu is extensive and very comprehensive. I choose the mushroom lasagna. Presentation was nice. I had never had yellow cheese along with mozzarella cheese on lasagna. It was quite tasty. I could not finish as it was a bit too much cheese for me. My husband and I split the amaretto panacotta. After one bite I told him to order one for himself. It was so silky smooth. EXCELLENT!! We will be coming back! read more

I have been here a few times and it is absolutely delicious. This is authentic Italian food and all fresh. It is a little pricey, but absolutely worth it. The owners are Italian and visit Italy often! read more

My wife, daughter and I went here prior to going to the Pioneer Center to watch a musical. My daughter spent a year in Italy as an exchange student so she knows authentic Italian food and she proclaimed after dinner that Bella Italia does serve pretty authentic Italian food. Having said that, she and my wife and I, were not overly impressed. The bread was really thinly sliced and fair in flavor, also a bit burnt. The Spaghetti Alla Carbonara was the best of the three dishes by far, except, it could have used a bit more prosciutto. The Spaghetti Alla Vongole, while it had a lot of clams (yeah), it was a bit bland. A little parsley, or some other herbs would have brightened it up. My dish, the Pollo Alla Valdostana was meh. The prosciutto was more like thinly sliced ham, the fontina cheese was bland, the pasta was fine but the asparagus was over cooked. For the price, they really need to step things up. The owners were pleasant enough and the restaurant itself is really nice, especially with the white real tablecloths. While authentic, it wasn't enticing enough to want to go back. It isn't bad, but its just okay. There are better Italian restaurants in Reno. read more

Watery artichoke soup. Tiny serving $10. Two pieces of bread .. not enough to satisfy a lunch for anyone

This place is pretty bad. I have been there twice and I believe it is the owner who is a complete jerk. The second time I was there, he was in Mexico and he had a friend covering and so the service was much nicer. The food is pretty bland and not the cheapest. I had the Carbonara and it was ok at best. It was like fettuccine Alfredo with pancetta. I would definitely recommend going to La Strada instead! Their carbonara is incredible! The ambiance was ok. It is very basic and boring with only a few pictures of Italy. read more

So disappointed.. $18 for very underwhelming, very small bolognese with barely any sauce and $21 for by chicken valdostana with what was supposed to have prosciutto on it but had like lunch meat ham on a very small slice of chicken...? Love supporting local but will not be back. read more

Bella Italia - Rigatoni all's bolognese & pollo alla valdostana - Italian Near Me - Reno, Nevada

From the off the wall negative reviews to the shining star reviews I thought, I have to go see for myself what this place is about. First off, I'd like to take a second to acknowledge the comical complaints about this place....tasteless decor, grumpy owner, bad service, food that tastes like it came from a can...if you made one of these complaints, you're an idiot. This small intimate restaurant has no need for so much decor you can't think when you look around. If your complaining about this, you might just not like the company you keep and need the clutter to drum up conversation. The owners are working. That should be a great signal that everything will be top notch! They don't miss a thing. Handmade authentic food, made by the owners? What would be bad? Nothing. It was FANTASTICÓ! We enjoyed the bruschetta, yes, the bread is crunchy, that's authentic! The caprese salad was deliciosó with a splash of balsamic on top. My husband ordered the same thing he always orders when we eat Italian...fettuccine Alfredo...he said it was the most amazing Alfredo he's ever tasted. I went out of my comfort zone and went for the Triple Ravioli, spinach and feta, artichoke, and for the third, I asked the owner for his favorite. He recommended the squash. Oh...my...goodness! The artichoke was definitely my favorite, but the squash, delectable! It had a slight sweetness to it that made it almost dessert like. Ok, so dinner was incredible, I will definitely be back! Then dessert! A handmade cannoli! So delish!!!! Now the technicalities. It does seem as if the owners are the only ones working, but, they are very attentive. We definitely weren't waiting around for anything we needed, even though the restaurant was relatively busy. The pasta is HANDMADE! I mean, if you'd rather go to a big box Italian place for the fancy decor and "your just a number" service, than by all means, do yourself a great disservice and go. Or, have a little heart and some common sense to understand that these folks are trying to share their love of food with people that enjoy it. Be positive. Be humble. Be kind. Thank you Bella Italia! We will be back for more of your fabulous pasta! read more

Fantastic!!! Easily accommodated our party of 9 with no reservations. The food was incredible, as was our service. Very clean environment. Thank you very much!!! read more

Not very impressive. We took my dad here for his 76th birthday and it was a flop. 2 stars for the euro-feel of the place. Owners were working the dining room and the old guy was consistently curt throughout the night. Even after trying to make a small joke with him he'd scoff and walk off. After we sat down and the owner came up to our table a few minutes later his first words, as he starred down at his notepad with pen in hand, was "go ahead'. Not Hi or how's everyone doing tonight but "go ahead". I thought at first he was trying to be funny but apparently not. Anyhow this carried on throughout the meal. So five stars in terms of consistency in being short! But the worse part of the night was the gnocchi was super dry. Tasted like eating a piece of cold pizza crust. I'm not a picky eater by any means but man this was really bad! Others at the table had the raviolis which I tried and those tasted just okay but not good enough to make up for the crappy service. Anyhow would not recommend and personally will most likely never return. read more

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We had a terrific meal two nights ago. We started out with the charcuterie board. Everyone had the prosciutto salad. It was dressed lightly with lemon juice. I would say that if you dine here, this is authentic Italian. This isn't commercial chain, Italian food. We ordered the arrabbiata with sausage, the mushroom raviolis, the tortellini, and a few other pasta dishes. They were all prepared nicely, and everyone enjoyed their meal. We'll be back. read more

Stopped in here while traveling for work after a coworker recommended it. The food was amazing!! I had the wild boar pappardelle and was impressed. The boar was incredibly tender and full of flavor. The pasta was hand made today and had spinach worked into it. To make everything even better, staff was exceptionally polite and helpful. read more