One of the best places I have visited for brunch and it is truly a Connecticut treasure! It is located in a cool part of New Haven with nice sidewalks and lots of stores to check out. The hostess quickly greeted us and we were seated within 10 minutes. The food was divine! Pancakes, French toast, and the burritos are a MUST HAVE! And our waitress was very attentive and helpful. We will definitely be back! read more

Bella's Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

This was absolutely delicious and will definitely be back! The wait was realistic for a popular Sunday breakfast time. They have a nice outdoor covered waiting area with coffee. Between the specials and the regular menu it was really difficult to choose. Seared tuna and poached eggs on an arepa with a sesame aioli was amazing. The homemade hash and bread also equally delicious. Great service, worth the wait. read more

AMAZING A MUST VISIT WHEN IN THE AREA!! My mom and who family friends had an amazing meal here! The restaurant has a wonderful homey feel and kind staff. Mom loved her cheesesteak. It looked so good and was a great portion. And if you enjoy sweet potato fries, the ones here are super crispy and so good! I loved my strata!! It had artichokes and sundries tomatoes and spinach and it was huge!! I couldn't eat it all of my life depended on it. I definitely recommend this if you're not sure what to enjoy. The ladies had chicken salad on cranberry walnut bread and both loved it. They said to try it for sure. And the table of us enjoyed the chocolate French toast. It's perfect for sharing!! So yummy. Bring from Long Island this is a long way for me, but 1000% worth it!! I would come back here in a heartbeat if someone said let's go. Everyone should try Bella's food! read more

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We ordered the Italian bread French toast and Oscar Benedict. All portions are large. The French toast was good. A nice mix between and more crisp outside and softer middle. The Steak on the Oscar Benedict was ordered medium well and arrived well and a bit dry. This is my only complaint. Overall the dish was amazing as the crab sauce was filled with crab and seasoned well. Definitely a nice brunch spot. read more

I wish there was a 0 star option. Food is good probably one of the best places in the area. I've been many time but I'll never be back. Employees are horrible. I've literally never have a waitress argue with me because I'd like to pay for my drink and leave after never even being served by the waitress for close to an hour. She literally wouldn't hand the check to my husband. . To get drinks we had to flag down a different waiter. When "our waitress" brought our drinks she left them the table didn't say anything to us and walked away. . When we tried to leave she began to yell and tell us to get out and cause a scene and call us liars and said that our food was on the way out. Manager comped our food and offered for us to stay but instead the waitstaff decided to literally throw everything in to go containers making the food a mess and our order was wrong so even being free was ridiculous. I can almost guarantee every one star review with bad service has to do with this same waitress from yelp to google. read more

Bella's cafe was absolutely amazing I will definitely be bringing my greedy ass back here lol . The service was pleasant the food was great the decor had a old vintage vibe going on . One con I must say is you would have to be at Bella's super early anytime after 9am you will be waiting a while . So glad I found this gem . The menu had various amounts of dishes to choose from which I loved . A girl loves options haha . I would recommend any of the French toast dishes . The mimosa 's were the bomb I can't wait to see what Bella's has to Offer for Brunch because I will be back read more

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Sometimes you wanna go...where everybody knows your name... feels like your in mommas kitchen! I absolutely love love love Bella's! A New Haven who's who of culinary. read more

Bella's has become a staple in the Westville community. It is a quaint little place but the food is delicious. I get there early, and be prepared to wait because there is always a line. You can always do takeout but they take time to prepare your food and make sure presentation is on point. I do recommend Bella's , I've been there several times and I think that you will enjoy it. read more

This breaks my heart to say this but today was rough at Bella's. We ordered the French toast, egg sandwich, steak and cheese omelette, and one special off the brunch menu. The food took a while but we had hope because it's always worth the waits then our food came and it was missing our sons French toast. We saw the server discussing it and it looked to us she forgot it. That took an additional ten minutes. They brought out the wrong toast for my husband, and it took them about 10 minutes to get the right toast. Then my husband started to eat his omelette and he bit into onion skin and not a little bit it was a huge piece that he spit out. We told the server and she did not say I'm sorry, she said she would let the kitchen know. We did not get a manager coming to apologize, and nothing was taken off the check. The server did not come back and ask if everything was ok, we told her about the onion when my son got his food. We waited 10-15 minutes for the check having our card out on the table. My husbands omelette was not seasoned and was just ok. My food was good, the breakfast sandwich was delicious, and my sons French toast once we got it was amazing. As a chef and as a person in the food business I was so so taken back that no one checked in on us after the onion skin in our food. It was a rough time. I really hope that it was just this once and does not represent what Bella's is becoming because you have been our favorite for a long time. On a good note glad to see the new renovation an additional tables! New read more

There's a new chef, apparently, and a newly expanded dining area, and neither is working for the restaurant. Our wait time (an hour) was double the time we were told it would be. We then waited over an hour for our food, watching customers who were seated after us receive theirs first. When we politely requested a discount, it was refused. I've loved this place in the past, but since the remodel, it's not the same. read more

I think this was the best breakfast I experienced in New Haven. Bella's is a pretty small but cozy place like most restaurants we ate at. We went pretty early to avoid the rush and based on reviews that was a good call. I ordered one of their most popular dishes, the shrimp and grits and boy was I satisfied. I added hot sauce to mine to give it an extra kick of flavor. It came with plenty of sausage mixed in and a huge warm biscuit to help soak up the juices. So yummy!!!! Service was great as well. Our server kept our glasses full, provided good suggestions and came by frequently to see if we needed anything. Couldn't ask for a better first time experience! read more

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This was my first time at Bella's. My friend got the autumn sticky bun French toast and I got the salmon and spinach eggs Benedict. The service was a little slow at first but the food was delicious. Probably the best breakfast potatoes I've ever had. The eggs on the Benedict were a little overcooked but it was all around delicious read more

Bella's Cafe - Salmon eggs Benedict - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

The chicken salad sandwich is NEXT LEVEL!! this place is my favorite whether for a business lunch or long lazy brunch with their giant cappuccinos. Always a hit when I bring someone here! read more

Best Breakfast around!!!Bayou Omelet Andouille Sausage and French Toast. Always a friendly environment and staff read more

Bella's Cafe - French Toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

This is my absolute favorite breakfast spot in all of Connecticut. Expect a wait, but it's worth it to stand outside even if it's raining or cold. I usually get the orange juice (freshly squeezed, so delicious) and shrimp and grits. I'm from the south and very particular about my shrimp and grits and these are THE BEST! They make the grits with milk and cream cheese ... YUM! Check out the specials, there's no wrong choice. Scrambled eggs are always cooked perfectly (not runny and not burned). Pictured is the Coconut Creme French Toast with a side of scrambled eggs, potatoes and toast; Blackened Shrimp Broche; and cappuccino. Great spot for mimosas, brunch, heavy breakfast, brioche/French toast, or to please a foodie. read more

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This spot is a VERY busy restaurant so if you do plan to dine here make sure you are not in a rush. I waited over an hour to be seated but the food was well worth the wait! The pistachio iced coffee was delicious. My kids ordered the pancakes and the portion was large as they come by the stack. I ordered shrimp and grits and it was good as well. I would recommend read more

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Terrible brunch experience!I wish there was a zero-star option to rate Bella's Cafe in New Haven. The hostess was incredibly unpleasant and rude, ruining our day with her disrespectful behavior. Not only did she treat us poorly, but her attitude towards other guests was equally unpleasant. Her constant scolding and impolite demeanor made the atmosphere uncomfortable for everyone. Adding to the discomfort, the tables were tightly packed, leaving guests to squeeze between them and the chairs.When other guests were being seated at the table next to us, the hostess commanded me (rather than politely asking) to adjust my chair to accommodate them. Despite explaining my knee injuries, which prevented me from bending my knee, she insisted in a very rude manner that I adjust my chair, even though it was already closely positioned to my table.When I spoke with the manager about her behavior, the hostess continued to be confrontational and disrespectful, even yelling at me and accusing me of lying. Shockingly, the manager did not intervene, instead defending the hostess's actions by suggesting she was upset. This encounter with the restaurant staff was incredibly insensitive and disrespectful.However, I want to commend our waiter, who provided excellent and considerate service. It's clear that the behavior of the hostess does not reflect well on the restaurant. My advice to the owner is to reconsider the layout to allow for more space between tables and to ensure that the staff represent the restaurant positively. Satisfied customers are crucial for business success, but unfortunately, we will not be returning. read more

What a delicious brunch spot! It was very busy but there is an option to call ahead and reserve a table. Good for smaller parties and although it's kid friendly it's a bit small for toddlers. The menu has an array of options and the fish and grits were phenomenal! The atmosphere is casual great for girls hanging out or coworkers day off. read more

Bella's Cafe - Dining area - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

I was visiting New Haven for the weekend and was looking for a breakfast place. Found this on Yelp. Oh my goodness!!! The staff was awesome. Friendly and they were calm as they went about their job. Their eggs and corned beef hash was spectacular. I'm spoiled for life. Street parking so be prepared. You will not be disappointed. Coffee was fantastic and the orange juice is fresh pressed read more

I called Bella's around 1130am for a table for 10 people at 1pm. They do not do reservations. The guy on the phone told me what I could do was come at 12:40pm before a potential rush and request to be put on the waitlist and I should be able to get a table for 10. So that is what I did. I left the baptism early and missed out on a lot to obtain the table. When I walked in the hostess looked at me as though I was mad. She said we close at 2pm we wouldn't be able to host your party. I informed her of what the guy said on the phone and she went "looking" for him for 5 minutes. Just to come back and say yeah we aren't doing that because we close at 2pm. I do not suggest this place for a large gathering. Save yourself the stress and visit a business that wants to accommodate large parties and is truthful and helpful to all patrons. It was clear we were not seated because the hostess was afraid of staying at work past 2pm. We really need to stop giving our money to ignorant businesses. read more

This place is wonderful! Atmosphere is quaint and comfortable. The food was fantastic from the mimosas to eggs Benedict to the bananas foster french toast. Our server was friendly funny and accommodating. We will be back! read more

Yelp says 30-40 minute wait time. The hostess told us 45 minutes. After an hour of waiting outside, I asked the hostess how much longer and she told me she really couldn't be sure. Can't speak about the food or service because I seriously had not budgeted over an hour wait to be seated. I find it rude for an establishment not to give accurate wait times. read more

This is an updated review for my previous experience. I've come back 3 times now since my original trip looking for some kind of critique in this place, I couldn't find any! The food is delicious, the drinks are amazing (tried coffee, hot chocolate, bellinis, and freshly squeezed orange juice. If I had to complain about anything it'd be how many good items there are on the menu, making deciding difficult! Each time I come there are new delicious specials like the cubanos, fried chicken/ mac and cheese, cajun fish dishes and more. I've had my fair share of brunches and this is a must visit restaurant not just for New Haven residents, but anyone in Connecticut should make the trip! Bella's is slowly becoming a weekend tradition for me! read more

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We did not get a chance to eat staff was very rude and told us we could not have a baby stroller in there establishment.

When searching for a sweet brunch in New Haven, we hit the motherload. Bella's cafe had a great menu of choices and although we were looking for sweet - it looked like great savoy breakfast options also. We opted for the banana french toast and blueberry pancakes. The portions were huge! We had to go home with boxes and were rolling out to the restuarant. Overall, a great little brunch and loved the fresh squeezed orange juice! The wait wasn't too long for a saturday morning. Definitely recommend if in town! read more

Bella's Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

My best friend was disappointed we couldn't make it to celebrate Mother's Day Sunday. So surprise, we went to see her today. We let her pick the spot and she decided on a place she goes to a lot. That place was "Bella's Cafe." Parking wasn't easy because it was curbside. But nevertheless we found a spot and we were in. Inside I loved the spring colored walls and every corner drew your eyes attention. The place was very fun, but not that big, but this place has a lot of heart. We took out seat and the wonderful wait staff was at our disposal. We placed our orders and then we waited on our food. Before it came we drank the fresh squeezed orange juice, that was delicious. When the waiter brought our food, I couldn't wait to dive in. I had the Philadelphia omelette and nearly passed out with excitement. The omelette had the right formula to make it great. The main ingredient was cheese (Did I ever mention I love cheese?). The potatoes also also had a unique flavor to it. All said and done I was one hundred percent pleased. I was impressed when my brother picked up the check and paid (Show off). I definitely plan to come to Connecticut again to try other items off there impressive menu. If you're in the area, I suggest you stop in for a bite. read more

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Bella's Cafe is my go to spot for brunch in New Haven, CT. All I have is praise for this wonderful establishment that keeps my stomach happy every single time I'm able to venture down Whalley Avenue. Bella's is known for their unique, flavorful brunch offerings. I always order the shrimp and grits, but everything else I've tasted (from other people's plates) has also been great. Their shrimp and grits are spectacular though, and deserve a standing ovation, so I'll detail that experience now: Your stomach rumbles as you anticipate gulf shrimp and whipped grits in your mouth. Your waitress arrives with a hot skillet filled with gigantic-jumbo shrimp, chorizo sausage, decadent sauce, and warm, whipped grits. On the side, you note a large honey hued, butermilk biscuit. You dive in, and the unique flavors coalesce into an explosion of glee inside your mouth. Your life is complete. In addition to that amazingness, Bella's also has fresh squeezed orange juice, great lattes and coffee selections, and a warm personability that makes you and your guests feel like you're part of the Bella's family. The wait times can be long, especially during peak times on weekends, but the food and the experience is well worth the wait. I'm always down for a trip to Bella's so if you're trying to try it out, order me some shrimp and grits and I'll be on my way! :) read more

Bella's Cafe - My usual! Shrimp & grits! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

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I dined at Bella's Café this morning to enjoy breakfast with a friend. I hate to rate so poorly for a place with so much potential. My friend and I came in at 8:00am and were seated promptly. We ordered around 8:10am but did not receive our food for over an hour, receiving it at 9:20am. We were in a time crunch and had to leave by 9:35am, so we were forced to quickly inhale half our breakfasts, box the rest, pay, and rush out the door. My friend had eaten here two times with better experiences, so we're not sure what the problem was or why the service was so terrible this morning. The tables were occupied in the place, but there were no large parties in the venue at the time, our order was not complicated, and we have no idea why tables that came after us received their food before we did. My biggest problem was with our waitress. I would have been much happier with my experience if she had visited our table and/or updated us on the status of our order. We were directly in her path, between her other tables and the kitchen, but could not get her attention. She would bustle past us without making eye contact. On a positive note, the food was good. I ordered the Dutch Baby, which is on their seasonal menu. It is a soufflé pancake, served "deep dish" style in a skillet. It contains pear and walnuts, and is topped with 2 slices of Brie, whipped cream, and a caramel maple syrup. It is a high calorie breakfast, but was very good and offered a complex and complimenting pairing of flavours. I would rate the food as good, but the service was poor. Had the service been merely acceptable, I would have been happy to return. Verdict: Based on this experience, I wouldn't recommend this establishment read more

We went here for breakfast and figured we would try lunch. As luck would have it, Groupon had offered a $30 deal. For as many reasons as we liked the breakfast last time, we hated it this time. The slow service and food were just unbearable. We went there the afternoon of 8/30/13 and the server was so inattentive and unpleasant it really ruined the experience. If it were busy, I could've overlooked a few things, but it wasn't. I had the turkey burger which was good except it was over spiced. So much so that all you tasted was spice. Tasted weird, actually. The roll tasted like it was stale -- not overly stale, but that "left out overnight" taste where it's just flaky from being maybe a day or so old rather than flaky crust from baking. Sweet potato fries were great, though. My girlfriend had the portabello sandwich which she said was good. Paying with the Groupon was, well, interesting... Same "charm" (being sarcastic here folks). Our order came to over $30, but apparently because the food portion wasn't quite $30, the Groupon couldn't be used. So, we just added a iced coffee to go and that was that. Wouldn't have minded -- but it was just the attitude that we got -- like the "Oh, you're a Groupon" person that really turned us off. I mean, why offer the Groupon if you aren't glad to see the customers? And, yes, we did tip on the pre-Groupon amount. Not sure if she's a regular server there... I sure hope not, because her lack of attentiveness and lack of friendliness were anything but desirable.. we won't be regular customers, at least not for lunch. A tip for Bella's: Your front of house staff can make or break a customer's experience.. in this case, they broke it. read more

I had previously rated Bella's higher, but as a new parent - I've got to drop them to 2 stars. The restaurant t is always crowded with families on the weekend and I guess the expense of 35-50 dollar for more high chairs is to much. You inevitably sit with a youngster on your lap or you attempt to bird dog a high chair and grab it before someone else. Really, its not worth the trouble. If you don't have a high-chair kid, by all means go. Its good food. If you have a young one stay away until their older - it isn't worth the drama read more

Terrible service AND they were out of exactly half the brunch specials (which happened to be all the ones I wanted). I doubt I will be back here again. read more

I got up early this morning to enjoy a nice breakfast. I'm totally appalled at the way I was just treated. I just left your establishment Sat April 22, 2023, approximately 9am after not being seated because I was a party of one. I asked politely if I could be seat somewhere else due to my back and hip issue. The attended refused because your policy stated that a party one must be seated at the counter. How inconsiderate of persons with disabilities. As a frequent patron with friends I will not be returning. Why should I patronize a business that is so inconsiderate. read more

1.) To warm you up: This place has great friggin' breakfast/brunch! OMG! Presentation, taste, and service are A+ 2.) What your eyes may see: Clean. Looks like a very nice breakfast/brunch/lunch type spot. The menu has a very extensive omelet list. 3.) Food: a.) Bayou Omelet - andouille sausage, shrimp, cheese and a few others. It was great. b.) Short order of French toast served with whipped cream. It was very creamy, very yummy, very enjoyable. c.) Creme brûlée latte. They were able to add extra espresso. It was good. 4.) Service: Oh my god my server was a sweetie pie, very warm, smiling and helpful! She was very genuine. The presentation of my food and all other food coming out was spectacular. 5.) Impressions: I will always come here for breakfast/brunch when in New Haven. read more

Bella's Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

Atmosphere: cute and decorative. Not something I expected to find in New Haven, CT. The wait: wasn't too bad when we got there on Friday late morning. We were immediately greeted and seated. And then the line started to grow. Drinks: mango bellini and a peach mimosa! Yummy! Do either of them! Both are good. The peach mimosa wasn't as sweet as I've had them at other places which is a plus in my book! Food: I had the shrimp and grits. Hubs had the lemon French toast. Let's start with the shrimp and grits! Hubs doesn't like grits most of the time but he may have been converted. If you were out the night before and need a hangover meal this would be it! The homemade biscuit that comes with the meal is perfect to dip. Not too crumbly... just the way biscuits should be! The lemon French toast tasted like lemon pound cake made into French toast. Yum. A bit sweet for me but still scrumptious. read more

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Recently had a chance to visit Bella's for brunch. We got there pretty early to avoid the crowds so our wait wasn't too bad maybe between 30-45 mins. So let's get to the good part... the food!! My friend and I both had blood orange mimosas, yummy! We then started with the jalapeño hushpuppies which were probably the best hushpuppies I've ever had! Crispy on the outside and moist and delicious on the inside. Next I decided to have the shrimp and grits which again may be some of the best shrimp and grits I ever had. Delicious! My dad would love this dish! My friend being a sweet breakfast person had some Devine challah French toast which she loved! My only downside is that they seemed not appropriately staffed as the waiter at the counter took almost 15 minutes to come by. Hoping with their expansion they'll get the wait times down and service times better, but looking forward to coming back read more

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Best breakfast/brunch in New Haven county. In an area with several choices for breakfast, this place stands out among the rest! I cant give this place enough kudos to do it justice. Everything is great and she has a terrific specials menu if you are looking something new and exotic :-) I'm a fan of french toast and here they do it many different ways...and its always very very good! Its a small place so get there very early or be prepared to wait on the weekends. Definitely absolutely check it out!!! read more

Great spot for a fresh and delicious breakfast. Lots of good options and the portions are generous. Friendly staff. read more

Bella's Cafe - Corned beef hash with eggs over medium and rye bread. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

The BEST place for brunch in New Haven. One of the BEST Brunch places of all time on my list. The stuff they do here is amazing. It's always fresh. The menu changes every week. When I absolutely loved a special on one weekend, I would visit Bella's the next weekend only to find out the said special was replaced by something equally as delicious. I've been here countless of times, and should have written this review a long time ago. Food (9.5/10) = Like I said, this place is truly special. The flavors are amazing. Weekly specials. I can't count how many times I visited Bella's during my one year internship at Yale, but I have never had anything that I didn't think was "holy wtf this is incredibly delicious." Their menu is always changing, so there's no point in mentioning any of the dishes I've had because it probably won't be available to you when you visit. That said, you can't go wrong with anything on Bella's menu. The specials are always the best. You can always check their website for updates on the latest menu. Ambiance (8.5/10) = cool small place tucked away in West New Haven. Place is tight and always packed with customers who know the deal. Service (8.5/10) = always good. Despite how busy this place is, the food always arrives promptly and our waitresses/waiters have always been attentive. Note, unless you get to Bella's when the doors opens, there is always a wait to get in (a sign of how good this place is). Overall Opinion = Hopefully this review convinced you that Bella's is a sure win. It is the BEST brunch place in New Haven. Everything is DD! (DAMN DELICIOUS). Look at all the yelp pictures of Bella's dishes. Just absolutely beautiful. Quickly skimming through the reviews already written for Bella's, it looks like the owner(s) really care about what customers think of their food. That's just awesome. In all my years of yelping of restaurants in the US, you rarely see such care and response. Another sign that Bella's will not disappoint you if you've never been YET. When I visit New Haven again, a trip to Bella's will be at the top of my list for places to eat. read more

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Went to Bella's Cafe on Saturday at around 12-1pm. There was a 30-40 minute wait, but there was outdoor seating for waiting. The place is really small and I'm amazed how they fit so many people. The kitchen looked small too, but it's a very cute cafe. We ordered the pitcher of Sangria which is around 2-3 drinks each for 2 people. The sangria was really good and had great flavors. I ordered the Bella's Sicilian Benny which was cooked perfectly and all the ingredients worked together well. The portions are pretty big here and you get your monies worth on the food. Awesome place for Brunch :). read more

Bella's Cafe - Bella's Sicilian Benny - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

What a ripoff. $98 for 3 people!!!! That's ridiculous. Overpriced. Overrated. Omelet was cold. English muffin on Benedict was hard as a rock. Try capturing someone to bring you coffee. Bring flares so they see you. Coffee was cold. Awful. I guess they figure if you pile the whipped cream high enough you won't see the shitty food underneath. Much better food and service right across the street. read more