Bella Vita

Made a reservation months in advance and delighted that we took the time. We were greeted by one…read moreof the owners (Susan) as soon as we entered the restaurant. Her warmth and friendliness was matched by the staff who made our dining experience so comfortable. We were promptly seated and received outstanding service. Portions were large and meals come with bread and a house antipasto salad. Our meals were exceptional. My wife had Chicken Saltimbocca and I tried Linguine with Salmon. Chicken was flavorful; salmon was perfect; the pasta was 4 star. The food was so good that we even ventured into a dessert (rare for us). We tried a lemon cake with glaze and VERY fresh strawberries; it was wonderful. A small restaurant that is a gem and well worth it. An outstanding dining experience. Exceptional food; the service and atmosphere were amazing.

Ambiance - intimate, cozy, but also loud Service - had two…read moresteaks ordered medium rare but they were undercooked - sent them back and they came back very burnt on outside, still undercooked but closer (photo) and inedible - sent back again We asked for pasta since they couldnt get the steaks right and thought maybe those meals would be comped but not so much. (Rest of the party was long done by the time we got meals). Asked for the manager but our server (Liz?) said she was the manager and tried to fix it by cooking the steaks more - kinda was uncool to sit while everyone else ate while 2 of our party were waiting. Food : steaks (see above), pesto pasta was good. Heirloom tomato salad was very good but star was tomatoes themselves and presentation was odd with dollop of dressing on each tomato - needed some acidity in the dressing. Chicken saltimbocca was OK but very sweet. Nearby places were closed so we ordered dessert. Tiramisu wasn't very good and peach cake was dry but probably also tainted by the experience. They comped the dessert after we ordered. Bill was over $300 for a crappy experience. Wouldn't recommend. We were here 15 years ago and it was really good and we were looking forward to returning - we live 1600 miles away so it kinda was a big deal to return here over La Becasse. Oh well.

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Dirty

Mama Leone's Italian Restaurant

3.4(57 reviews)

25.4 mi

We could not have been more surprised or happier. The food was old school amazing! Everything made…read moreto order and delicious. Authentic old world recipes handed down thru generations of owners. This is an absolute " must go to" on any trip to Gaylord. Family owned, nothing but homemade!

Horrible experience. Stale bread, sour wine, and over salted Veal Parmesan. Yuck. The Chicken…read moreParmesan is horrible as well. Like the Chicken has been boiled.

History

Gluten Free Mushroom and Cheese Pizza

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Dining room

Trattoria Stella

4.4(863 reviews)

44.6 mi

So great! Service was prompt and professional. Menu changes daily and is exquisite. I enjoyed the…read moreseafood tasting appetizer which was amazing, fresh lettuce cups, perfect bitter crunch, fresh shrimp. I did catch a few shrimp shells but otherwise perfect. I did add a bit of lime juice and salt for flavor. The bread was delicious! I met a new friend at the bar and she and I enjoyed splitting the Wagyu beef 8 ounce with risotto. This was delicious and perfectly prepared rare with a chat. The risotto gravy was a bit rich for me. I would have loved a steak sauce but enjoyed adding lemon butter. Wonderful all around night before my asylum tour.

For dinner on our road trip, we headed to a wonderfully unique spot located inside an old asylum…read morethat has been converted into shops and restaurants. Although nothing is explicitly marked as gluten-free on the menu, the service and attention to dietary needs completely made up for it. Our server was exceptionally knowledgeable and took the time to go through the entire menu with us, ensuring a safe dining experience. While they do not have gluten-free bread available, the staff made sure that every single dish set down at our table was explicitly announced as gluten-free for me, which gave me immense peace of mind. To drink, I ordered a mocktail called Spoke of Genius that was confirmed to be gluten-free, and it was so good. For my starter, I had the minestrone soup, which was absolutely to die for and a major highlight of the meal. For my main course, I ordered the gluten-free fettuccine with no lamb. It was cooked very well, though it was a bit saltier than my personal preference. They even offer gluten-free desserts, but unfortunately, we were far too full to try them. Overall, it was a fascinating and delicious dining experience with top-notch allergy safety protocols, making it a great way to end the night.

Dining Atmosphere

Flatbread WHITE PIZZA

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Chef's Table with blood sausage

Trovato at Hidden River

3.6(16 reviews)

23.0 mi

Great place! Love the bruschetta! Will definitely return again. The atmosphere was wonderful, and…read moreso was the staff.

I've been here twice now and both experiences have been perfect. There hasn't been one meal,…read moreappetizer, or drink that's disappointed me. Last time I went, the scallops were outrageously good and it seemed to be the best thing going this time too. The bruschetta is also a must get, it's so fresh and flavorful.

Short rib on polenta

Chicken piccata

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Bruschetta

Spring And Porter Restaurant

4.5(54 reviews)

9.3 mi

The ambience and decor are that of an older mature place that has great food but with a younger hip…read morevibe. The bar is stunning when you walk in the door and ready to serve up anything classy. Staff were all exceptionally friendly (Luke took care of me). I started with the shrimp tostadas as an app. Amazingly, lite, and fresh. It made me feel like I was eating seaside in the Baja of Mexico. Order two, you'll eat them! I was intrigued about the chop and toss salad with smoked blue cheese. That wasn't the show stealer in the salad it was these blanched heirloom, tomatoes, done in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and herbs. The bacon adds to the smokiness, the acidity from the red onion cuts through and then the avocado, adds an extra layer of creaminess. If this salad were an Olympic sport. It would be a gold medalist! Do not leave here unless you order the salad! I saw the two words I have been looking for all vacation... sea scallops? Gnocchi Parmesan delicious perfection! Fresh herbs and interestingly enough a red sauce which was different but worked well the fresh veggies. Only drawback of the dish was there were only three scallops. They were however cooked perfectly! Presentation on food was what I would expect from a true culinary artist! Plates were wiped and not only tasted great but looked great! Get here early. This place gets packed and rockin. RSVP through open table. Doors open at 4. This is a must do experience in Petoskey! It's not cheap but it is a killer experience of class, food art, flavors, and world class service!

So here we are seven days later, I have reservations for two tonight my friend had to cancel at the…read morelast minute, which actually was not a bad thing tonight I was in the mood to just sit by myself and have a nice light meal. So being as my other favorite place is closed on Wednesdays, actually Tuesdays and Wednesdays I chose to come to my other favorite place, which is Spring and Porter. Oh, did I mention probably one of the top servers in the industry nationwide took care of me this evening, or I probably wouldn't have gone there. Thank you, Heidi. You made my evening... Thank you, until next time, see you soon...

Bar area

Sundae

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Wine cellar

Lake Street Market

4.3(89 reviews)

3.1 mi

At the top of the road is one of the best sandwich places in town, and something my husband craves…read moreall year long! They have a variety of sandwiches from healthy to not so healthy but all are delicious and fresh. Their shop has some outside seating but they no longer have inside seating. You can call or go online to place an order, or head to the shop as well. Their menu is extensive and inside the shop they have a selection of assorted sides like chips, crackers, olives, drinks etc. it is fun to peruse and pick up some local kettle chips or a snack to accompany the sandwich deliciousness. On a non-busy day it usually take 10-15 minutes to complete and order, but on a weekend give it 45 minutes so as to provide enough time for your meal to be perfect. The sandwiches are fresh and hand made per order so you get all the goodness of right now packed with flavor. My husbands favorite has chicken, cheese, avocado, mayo, red onions and an assortment of yummy spices that keep him coming back again and again. He honestly tried to make this at home a few times but it never matched and so he decided instead to book an annual trip to Lake Street Market instead! I've tried their Miss Fit Attends Services which is a vegetarian option that is very hardy and full of taste. I also like their salads and assortment of chips! All in all it is a must visit if you are in the area, or worthy of a day trip if not!

Cute shop. Poor attitudes behind the counter. Unhappy workplace; every employee in a bad mood,…read moretrying to avoid eye contact. And they MICROWAVE the "grilled" sandwiches...for like, 2 minutes. That's lazy, fake food. Disgusting. Walked out.

Brownies and pecan bars on a shortbread base, made from scratch. Mmmmm.

Adorable but needs sweeping, broom is there...

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Having a party? This ain't your average veggie tray.

Vernales Restaurant

3.6(208 reviews)

13.6 mi

Party of 4 had, angel hair w meatballs X2, tortellini w vodka sauce, and pesto penne w chicken. We…read morealso had side salads an 1 order of bread w garlic butter and fresh pesto on the side! Yum. It was perfect. All of us loved our meals and brought 1/2 home. Very generous portions. Our server, Joey, was prompt, professional, and had a smile. We brought 2 turtle cheesecake slices home. Enormous! Haven't had it yet, but I'm sure it'll will be as wonderful as the main course. Thank you!

We have a home close by that we stay at in the summer. We've loved this place for years. We don't…read moreany more. We went last Tuesday-party of 6. First disappointment was that the Brussels sprouts weren't on the menu any longer. Bummer, but as a restaurant owner I guess they weren't as popular with others as they were with us.. so we got bruschetta and some potatoes. They were just okay. I got the ribs and wings. Asked for boneless wings but I guess he misunderstood me.. no biggie. I couldn't eat the wings he did bring they were so overcooked. The ribs had too much fat, personal preference so I brought it all home and ended up throwing it away. Sister and niece got pasta. They said it was just okay. Nephew had Mac and cheese with chicken. It sounded delicious but it didn't have much cheese and (maybe he misread?) but didn't expect fried chicken tenders on top. The other two got burgers and again, they were just okay. Overcooked for sure. Another favorite burger is gone too, maybe the Texan? We ordered special martinis for dessert but they were more like a tiny milkshake. Very little if any alcohol. Being a restaurant owner I hate giving a bad review. Maybe we've just been spoiled in the past and the kitchen staff has changed? I don't think we will keep it on our list any more. Too expensive to bring guests and be so disappointed.

John's steak

Bread and pesto

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Fresh water is best

The Flying Noodle

4.5(327 reviews)

43.4 mi

Immediately knew it would be great. Sweet Greeting by Noemi and follow-up with serving us in a…read moretimely way. Made suggestions and the mix of pesto and Alfredo for a creamy pesto delight! We also got the scallop pasta and chopped salad We couldn't decide which was better. It was all 5star delicious ! The restaurant is cozy but yet you aren't on top of other patrons and you can see the kitchen working hard to get the great food out. Which I really liked

Sometimes what you remember most about a place is how you were treated, and not necessarily the…read morefood. My wife and our special-needs son and I were visiting Traverse City for a getaway weekend, and we decided we wanted to have a slightly more upscale meal for one of the nights we were in town. After reading the reviews we decided we would give this place a try. When we arrived we were told that the way would be an excess of an hour, which we felt was acceptable given the weekend/summertime setting. As it happened we went in after it had already been an hour, and they actually jumped into action getting a table together for us. I got the sense that they were a little overrun, and perhaps discombobulated, but it all came together. My special-needs child can be a challenge for a food server, he has a tendency to bark orders and doesn't really have social graces at times. Our server handled his behavior with grace and professionalism, and in the end he was very happy with both his meal and the experience. The food was delightful. The pastas all had a freshly made appearance and texture, and the sauces were rich with carefully chosen ingredients. The room is small, but they make good use of it and it's clear that they're hustling inside to try to turn tables. I would love to come back.

Crispy chicken sandwich

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Vivio's | Italian

3.5(181 reviews)

23.1 mi

My wife and I, my sister in-law brother in-law were all seated , waited on, served and dined really…read morewell. The food was great! The mix drinks were excellent and the ambience was very hunterish. With deer heads and other animals on the wall. We'll be back again.

Excellent !!! Great service !!!…read moreJuly 15 Lg Pizza ( pepp ,GR pepper ,mush. ) 2- Spaghetti with meat sauce Greek salad Fresh Italian dressing Feta cheese Great service Been coming since. 1996

Flare

This is after eating...

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8lb bag, 1/2 pound garlic toast 5$. Nope

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5 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Louise W.

13 years ago

I can see the owners make sure to remove the reviews that are not complimentary. We had a very unpleasant experience at this restaurant. Owners are extremely unprofessional - you definitely had to be one of the regulars to receive any service. Website indicated the restaurant did not accept reservations. We arrived and were placed on a wait list and told we should have made a reservation. When we confronted the owners about this discrepancy we were met with hostility and very unprofessional behavior. After waiting well past our 30 minute time that we were told would be our wait time, we were to told it would still be another 45 minute wait. The owners were angry at us for raising the issue and made no attempt to offer a solution. It appears from another review there was a similar experience with unprofessional behavior from owners. Obviously the owners are not concerned with new customers. Would NOT recommend this establishment. read more

Mackenzie A.

3 months ago

Bella Vita exceeded our expectations! We ordered the tortellini, chicken piccata, and lasagna, and every dish was outstanding. The pasta was fresh, the sauces were rich and flavorful, and the portions were generous. We finished with the tiramisu, which was the perfect ending to the meal--light, creamy, and delicious. The service was attentive, Matt did an exceptional job. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, and we never felt rushed. We can't wait to come back and try more of the menu. Highly recommend! read more

John C.

237

7 years ago

Outstanding Fresh Italian Food. Wonderful antipastos, delicious pasta, great veal, super grouper, and an excellent steak topped by excellent Chianti served well by Christa. read more

M F.

13 years ago

VERY Rude staff!! Probably the most combative situation I have ever encountered.

Judith D.

7 years ago

The noise level is intolerable, I will not eat there!

Bella Vita - italian - Updated October 2026

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