Two different people in Lexington told us this was the place to go for our one dinner in Lexington. My mom and I had a 7:30 reservation. Travis was one of the best servers I've had. He paced our meal perfectly. He offered good suggestions and was adaptable to modifications. He refilled our wine glasses throughout our experience. Chicken dishes and pasta dishes were both really good. The bread and herb dipping sauce was amazing. The $3 Caesar salad add on was huge, fresh, and delicious. I will definitely come back next time I'm in Lexington. read more

I absolutely LOVED Bella notte. We started with the Fritto Misto. Perfectly fried mozzarella, calamari and zucchini with an abundance of tasty sauces. My favorite of which was the dill shallot aioli. My husband had the baked rigatoni Romano, full of beautiful spices with a tiny bit of heat. I tried the penne kalamata that did not disappoint. Tart olives paired perfectly with a luscious butter sauce. But my favorite part was the bread! Served with an herb oil. Phenomenal. Service was quick and our waiter was so kind and full of great recommendations. 10/10 would recommend. read more

Great food. Great service. Decent prices. Would definitely eat here again. We didn't have reservations and had to wait about 45 minutes to be seated. read more

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Authentically Italian!! It was a bit of a wait but worth it. Salad was as fresh as I've ever had and the lasagna was amazing with a very pleasant portion. Will definitely go back! read more

With so many delicious choices, I implore you to try something from the spring menu. I had the pesto risotto with sweet peas, asparagus, and basil pesto. It was oh so good! It takes skill to properly cook risotto. Too long and it's mushy, too short and it's like uncooked rice. The key is to add the warm liquid slowly. This was perfection, al dente', so it was firm but not crunchy to the tooth. Visually, it's the most beautiful spring green color with a generous drizzle of lemon yellow olive oil. The chef clearly knows how to make a great basil pesto as well. With the large shavings of Parmesan cheese and a healthy grind of black pepper, I practically licked my plate clean! I usually pass on dessert, but I couldn't resist trying the lemon buttermilk cake. What a fantastic melange of spring flavors with the strawberry jam and lemon curd. The scoop of zabaglione marscapone gelato is so much more creative than your plain Jane vanilla ice cream. Marscapone is an Italian soft cheese made from cream and resembling cream cheese. It's coagulated by the addition of acidic substances such as lemon juice, vinegar, or citric acid, resulting in a slight tartness. And zabagloine is a concoction of whipped egg yolks, sugar, and Marsala wine. The combination of the two will make your mouth dance! It's a good thing I made healthy choices for breakfast and lunch, because I totally indulged at dinner!! read more

Bella Notte - Fabulous spring green pesto risotto. - Italian Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

A local farm to table restaurant that is a pillar in the Lexington community. There are no televisions, jazz fills the air, and the ambiance is a touch more upscale. This atmosphere is so hard to find, welcoming, and classy, making it such a gem to have. The food was absolutely spectacular in every facet, served with joy and respect to the dishes created. Everything was perfectly balanced in flavors, textures, and portions for a gourmet experience of all senses. You dine with live jazz playing in large, comfortable seats, drinking cocktails in beautiful scenery, smelling fresh bread and olive oil through the meal. As effortlessly as the night was handled for the volume of people coming in, the hosts and waitstaff handle any and all disability and allergy accommodations with knowledge and ease, ensuring that your time there feels just as lovely as everyone else's. Exactly how it should be done. Even though I have only had the pleasure to experience Bella Notte once, it was clear by the bustling atmosphere that was handled with ease, that shows that they are known for delivering excellence for every occassion, on every night. Main Points Needs Reservations: yes Pet Friendly: no Drive Through: no Allergies taken seriously: 10/10 Atmosphere: 10/10 Disability Accommodating: 10/10 Waitstaff: 10/10 Food: 10/10 Price: $$$ Vegan Options: 5/10 Vegetarian Options: 10/10 Pescetarian Options: 10/10 Gluten Free: 10/10 Kosher Options: unclear Halal Options: unclear Reccomendations *the menu is seasonal, many options may no longer be available Drink: Maple Bacon Old Fashion Appetizer: Crispy Cauliflower Salad: Chopped Ceaser Salad Entree: Fresh Catch/sea bass, with seasonal vegetables Dessert: Tiramisu read more

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Great spot for a night out with family or a date night. Love the seasonal specials, drinks included! Highly recommend their pasta dishes. Servers are super sweet and welcoming. Would visit again. read more

I had a truly enjoyable lunch at Bella Notte today. It had been a couple years since I had been here and they had done away with the lunch menu, but there were plenty of nice things to order. If you wanted something later, I chose the salmon salad. It came with a large piece of salmon that was cooked perfectly. The salad had asparagus pie nuts, Gorgonzola and delicious tomatoes all tossed in a yummy dressing. My friend had the pesto pasta. It was a huge serving and she said it was very very delicious. Our server was lovely and we sat on the patio and enjoyed the cool breezes of Indian summer. I will definitely be back again. read more

So I went there on Saturday with a reservation for a party of 8. They sat us down on 2 separate tables far apart. This was funny because I had explained to them that we were all the same family and lived together. Yet, they didn't let us sit together... even though, there was a group of 7 seated together nearby. Anyway, our orders and ranking are as below: Calamari: Good, 3.5/5 Penne Spinachi with shrimps: Good, 3.5/5 Penne Pesto: Really good, 4/5 Lasagne: Below average, 2/5 Penne Fresco: Good, 3/5 Salmon on a bed of sweet potatoes, mashed: Below average, 2/5 At the end as there was a birthday person in our party, the server brought panna cotta which was melt in your mouth good! A solid 5/5 The servers were really friendly, service was a bit slow but that was to be expected as it was pretty full even at 5pm on a Saturday evening. Family serving is good for at least 3 people! Single servings are ample as well. Overall, it's 2 steps above Olive Garden with definitely better tasting food than OG. I'd like to give it a 3.5 for overall experience. read more

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This is one of my top favorite restaurants in lexington. It's hands down the best italian spot in town. The food is incredible. The start off with complimentary, fresh baked bread, and olive oil with spices. Which is to die for. I recommend the zucchini fries as an appetizer! The service is consistently amazing, so friendly and respectful. The best part is the ambiance, they have a tree inside the main dinning area with beautiful dimmed lighting! read more

Bella Notte - Chicken Saltimbocca - Italian Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

Great food and relaxing ambiance, the salmon is always my go to when eating there and it never fails to impress :) The servers are always friendly and quick to help. read more

My fiance and I love this place! It's our spot for romantic date nights! We're excited to come back for VDay to eat the delicious food! read more

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This review is a 3-star because the food was excellent!!! Five-star and then some.. Appetizer, entree and desert were spot on.. The service was, by far, the worst we have had in years!! It was almost as if the objective from the moment we arrived was to get us out of there.. The server sleepwalked through her script and, even though we asked for a leisurely pace, the bill rush was on. Want drinks, want an appetizer, want to order, here's your check? Every dish came while we were not close to finishing the prior one.. Some lady brought my salad and she might as well have just thrown it on the table!! When it can for dessert, I asked for a fork to eat with. When the dessert arrived, we got two spoons. The server told us they did not "have any forks". This is a f-- ing restaurant! And you don't have any forks? She did relent and said they have ONE.. I told her to get it.. Reluctantly she did... We have dined at Bella Notte a number of times over the years and recommended more times than that. Never again. The quality of the food isn't worth the crappy, snooty wait staff. We did have a "managers type wander by and ask if everything was good. We didn't want to address all of the issues in a crowded dining room. But she knew.. If you like the place, enjoy it! If you are a newbie, be forewarned.. read more

Delicious authentic Italian food. Offers family style dining to share dishes. Caesar salad was delicious, also the fried calamari probably the best I've tried. Service was great and the place is very nice. read more

The absolute best. I've lived all over the country but always have to visit this place when I would visit. I currently live her again and go weekly. The service is amazing. The food can't be beat. I highly recommend this gem to anyone local or visiting! read more

Bella Notte is a mixed bag all across the board at least for my family and I. You can dine there and wonder afterwards "why do we not eat here a great deal more" and the next time might be "why in the heck did we decide to eat at Fazzolis at 6 times less the price" Service is hit or miss, food is hit or miss and my eating there due to these inconsistencies will be hit or miss. If I get the good Bella Notte experience consistently I would visit 2-3 times a month. But that never happens so it stays at 4 times a year. Hoping they tighten things up but I doubt it. read more

This used to be one of our favorite places to eat. It had been 10+ years since we have been there and maybe i my memory is off but i feel like it used to be better read more

Bella never disappoints. I recommend it over and over again. It has a lovely ambience and excellent menu options. read more

Bella Notte - Tiramisu. Just the Pick Me Up I needed. - Italian Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

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I think a lot of people forget about Bella Notte and I really don't know why. Every time we have eaten there the food and service have been really good. The food is always very fresh. If you're looking for some good Italian food, this would be a great place to eat. read more

We always love to go to Bella Notte for date night! The interior is a little kitsch, but it fits the space. The pasta options are unique and all delicious - it's actually hard to choose just one. I've tried 5 or 6 of their different pasta entrees and have been pleased every time. The portions are generous and all meals come with fresh, hot bread. Because there aren't very many Italian restaurants in Lexington, be prepared for a wait if it's a weekend. We've gotten lucky a few times and managed to snag seats at the bar so we can drink while we wait to be seated, but they also are pretty reliable with your estimated wait time. read more

Bella Notte - Italian Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

This so easily could've been a five star review! I'll start with everything being absolutely delicious and the staff being super friendly. The subtracted star comes from two things, 1. The $5 brussel sprouts side literally consisted of 3 brussel sprouts. 2. No plastic ware was provided in the bag. Other than that, everything was great! Definitely worth a visit. read more

Bella Notte - Fresh Caprese - Italian Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

I started my dinner with the cucumber pear martini, which is seasonal. It was light and delicious! I ordered the blackened salmon with the green beans and I finished the with dinner the chocolate nemisis cake. Yummy. Would def come back! read more

I love the prices and the service, and while the food is definitely better than Fazoli's, I am not blown away. It's a step above Olive Garden, but not as good as gourmet chains like North Italia, in my opinion. I also much prefer the pasta from Pasta Garage, even for Lexington options. But again, the prices and service are spectacular. read more

This place is great, the food is delicious and the atmosphere is awesome. Just great authentic Italian food. I had some Spicy meat paste and it was perfection. My wife always get the ravioli and it never misses. Not a bad thing to say. It's a great place. read more

This was a whim. But it paid off with delicious food, quality cocktails, and great service. We went with standard fried mozzarella but it was tasty. My Old Fashioned was perfectly blended and my wife's Strawberry Hugo "hit the spot." I am a manicotti fiend and the star was the tomato Basil cream sauce. I used the bread to sop it all up. So good. My wife's Chicken Marsala was grilled and amazing. Nice decor and a fun place with very attentive staff. read more

Bella Notte - Chicken Marsala - Italian Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

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Our bill for three, one was a child, was $60 with tip for lunch, water to drink, a bit pricey in my opinion. Penne Gorgonzola was good, fettuccine with shrimp was good, but $23 for lunch, again a bit much. read more

Bella Notte - Penne Gorgonzola - Italian Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

The food and service here is superb! We are visiting town for the first time and decided to try it out. Beautiful restaurant, cozy and well decorated. The bread is to die for, absolutely delicious. They'll send you home with some too if you ask! We ordered kids meals and entrees, as well as desserts. Our server, Jackson B was amazing! He went above and beyond with us. He made suggestions and made sure to connect with us any way he could. Wonderful experience. I highly recommend it! read more

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This was our first time here but won't be our last! We had reservations and was immediately sat. Once we were seated we got fresh hot bread a WHOLE LOAF and olive oil dip. We got our drinks fast. Staff was really friendly and good atmosphere. Food was great and big portions. We never once had to ask for more drinks our waitress seen our drinks were low and didn't hesitate to refill!! I will be returning and can't wait to try more dishes ! read more

Bella Notte - This is there Penne Gorgonzola - Italian Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

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Kind of disappointing., ok well very disappointing. I got dressed up and went on a date here. There are no reservations day of but they accept walk ins. It was very busy but it moved quickly but we decided to sit at the bar. It looks like a nicer Olive Garden here with a less quality product. I ordered a amaretto sour and without asking what my date wanted first the aloof bartender left to make it and dropped a piss colored rocks drink with a candied cherry on it in front of me. Then my date got to order his Manhattan. I asked the bartender what my drink was and he said "amaretto sour" but I asked what was in it and he said "amaretto and sour mix" "then why isn't it shaken?" Every bartender SHOULD know how to make a sour. WHY did you use sour mix when it requires an egg and lemon juice to make a real sour? WHY didn't you shake it because ANY drink with sour mix requires shaking. He ordered his Manhattan and got a luxardo cherry and it served in a martini glass why didn't mine? He offered to remake it but obviously he only knew presour mix ew. So I went simple for a lemon drop AND of course there was no sugar and it wasn't double strained so it was not great. Bread- hard loaf and flavorless olive oil with a plop of herbs. I had to ask for salt to give it any flavor and I only needed 1 bite to know I was good even though I was really looking forward to bread service. Meals came out and they were quite bland and didn't feel fresh like it was just made to order? No dessert for us we just paid the over price bill for a less than happy meal and experience out for the weekend. I won't recommend this place but I know how to order next time if I do have to go for someone else. 2 stars because the hostesses were kind and its a place to go for Italian food in Lexington and there's not many to goto. read more

I've eaten at Bella Notte 6 times in the last few years and have never had a bad meal. The food is always good. Wide variety of regular menu items and seasonal options as well. The service is always spot on. However...the last time I went there I was a bit frustrated. Why? We were seated under the big tree in the main dining room. It was already chilly in there but when the AC kicked on our table was directly under the vent. You could see the 'leaves' on the tree blowing around. Even with coats on we were shivering. There is no reason for this...I've worked in enough restaurants to know that you can put covers on the vents so that the air blows in a different direction and not just straight down. Also, under our half of the 'tree' there was our 4-top, two more 4-tops and a 6-top...tightly packed as I've seen become the norm in many restaurants nowadays. Even with an open walkway between our table and the line of booths behind us and against the wall, there was a steady stream of servers going between our table and the tree to reach the tables next to us. Since there wasn't much room there were plates of food going over our table and almost over our heads. One server even did this to serve a BOOTH against the wall. But the best was when the 6-top of seniors got up to leave and again...didn't use the open pathway on the other side of our table. They were already unsteady on their feet and a few used canes, but the tight squeeze between our table and the tree meant all six of them put their hands completely ON OUR TABLE to steady themselves and just slid their hands down our table as they moved past. Not only did they shake our table around but...ew...who wants other peoples' hands on their table? Overall, an unpleasant dining experience. read more

The food is so delicious here! I get the mancotti and it's always fresh and delicious! The service is amazing they always make sure you have refills and fresh bread! I also love the tree and star decorations it makes you feel like you are somewhere in Europe! read more

Bella Notte - Fresh Mozzarella Fritto - Italian Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

Me and my husband ate here last week and it was our first time eating there. It was AMAZING!!! The waitress was very kind. The bread with dipping oil was delicious! The bread was hot and fresh and the seasoning in the oil was so good. I ordered the tomato basil soup and I think it was the best tomato soup I've ever had. It had bits of chicken and bacon and it tasted delicious! My husband had a chicken dish which he said was super tasty! We will definitely be back! read more

Portions are so tiny!!! Pasta is very cheap, I don't understand why it would take TWO fettuccini's to fill my husband who isn't an overeater or obese! Their portion control is awful and if I'm paying $18 for Alfredo sauce and noodles I expect it to be a generous portion. Very underwhelming. I do not like anything except the meatballs. read more

Not the best tomato basil sauce...but may be much better dining in (I used Door Dash). Meatballs were excellent. Wish there had been an option for a side salad. read more

Amazing staff! Good food is always consistently good! Great location as well! Menu is accommodating to vegetarian eaters :) read more

We went for a date night last night for dinner and had an excellent experience! We were seated in a quiet, secluded back room that was very romantic. I got the penne spinachi, which is a penne pasta with spinach and nuts in a bleu cheese sauce. It was amazing. I'm not usually a fan of nuts in pasta, but it definitely works here. My boyfriend got the ravioli with meat sauce and loved it. He ate every bite. The bread was very hot and fresh and delicious as well. I got a peach lemon drop cocktail from the summer seasonal menu and it made me sorry that summer's almost over...it was amazing. I was enjoying the food so much that I had to get dessert, even though I was stuffed. I looked for one that would (as I said when I was a kid) "slip between the cracks" and not be too heavy. The panna cotta was the perfect solution. It was yummy and light. My boyfriend (who doesn't think he's ever had panna cotta) isn't a dessert person and had no problem at all eating his half and then some. Our waiter was fantastic...he was just talkative enough to be friendly without being too much. He really helped to make this one of the best dinners I've had in Lexington in a long time. I highly recommend Bella Notte...especially for a date night! read more

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Calamari sauces are good and varied but the calamari itself is just ok. Flour doesn't seem to be seasoned enough and not the most tender, but not bad either. Average to slightly above average for the calamari. C+ to B-. Soup is awesome, highly recommended with the free warm bread (asked for extra bread). A+ for the soup, could be a meal in itself. Good service, can tell there is a smile behind the mask and checked in on us to see how everything was going. Fettuccine Alfredo is tasty and well sauced. Nice chew on the noodle. Wood fired shrimp a tiny bit salty but still seasoned well. A- with shrimp rating and B+ without read more

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Not only did this restaurant have the best fresh baked bread I've ever had, but they kept it coming and when we left our server packed us another to go. My pasta was just as great, I don't live in lex but if I did I'd be there every week. read more

This place has great Italian food and a nice atmosphere. I recently dined with a large group to celebrate a birthday and we had a nice private area of the restaurant where we were able to add a few decorations. Service was good. For my meal, I tried the Rigatoni Crema - very delicious. It was spicy but not too spicy for me. I would definitely order it again. read more

Bella Notte - Rigatoni Crema - Italian Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

The food was phenomenal. We had reservations for NYE. We were taken in on time even though it was a busy night. We loved the food and two of us ordered dessert. It was delicious! read more