You cannot get a more gourmet meal for a better price! The first time we ate here, I actually thought there had been a mistake on the bill because I couldn't believe we had gotten this level of food for the price. The food at La Bella Pearl is thoughtfully created and beautifully executed, with French and Cajun influences woven into a farm-to-table, mountaintop dining experience. Every dish feels intentional without ever feeling fussy. The restaurant itself is set inside a beautiful old home, which makes the experience feel less like going out to a restaurant and more like being welcomed into Chef Tom's home for an incredible meal. The service and atmosphere are warm, relaxed, and unpretentious. You could absolutely dress up for a special date night, but you would feel just as comfortable coming in casually. They do not sell alcohol, but you are welcome to bring your own bottle, and the corkage fee is one of the lowest I have ever seen. La Bella Pearl is a true gem. From the moment you pull up, it feels as though you have stumbled upon the pearl inside an oyster, tucked away on the mountain and waiting to be discovered. Do not sleep on this place. It is easily one of the best dining values I have found anywhere, and the kind of restaurant you almost want to keep a secret. read more

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Great food with a wonderful wait staff friendly and experienced Fast service Wonderful cocktails read more

I have been here several times since my first review and each time the food is prepared fresh and it's always delicious. The chef has several daily options to choose from and tonight I had the salmon. The Monteagle area has some great dining options and this is definitely one to check out . read more

La Bella Pearl - Salmon - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Sewanee, Tennessee

Our first stop at La Bella Pearl did not disappoint! Lovely spot with a pretty view of the scenery. My husband & I enjoyed entrees only today but are looking forward to coming back for the antipasto, waffle and omelette bars. Service was above expectations. read more

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The ambience walking in is amazing! Very well decorated. The server was very nice and very attentive! The salad bar is amazingly fresh! Everything there was beautifully cooked! read more

La Bella Pearl - The Villa was cooked amazingly and that wine sauce just put the cherry on the top! Potatoes were aso delicious with the vegetables. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Sewanee, Tennessee

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My husband and I are new to the area and La Bella Pearl was our first date night destination since we've moved. Right away, we were so charmed by the ambiance. We got a window seat with a beautiful view of the forest outside. The restaurant itself is in a house that has been renovated into a full service restaurant, so the dining room has the vibe of a cozy intimate dinner party. There are real candles and flowers on the table and complimentary fresh bread with tapenade. Very romantic for date night. I read on Facebook that it is BYOB, so we picked up a nice bottle of wine to share. When our server saw this, he brought us a bucket of ice water to chill the wine and a towel to dry off the bottle while pouring. He was so attentive and friendly, and helped make sure my husband's entree (duck breast) was gluten free. One part of our night I can't get over is the prices! When I saw filet mignon with shrimp for $35 I thought we had accidentally been given a menu from 2010! We were so pleased with how reasonably priced everything was. Especially considering how high quality all the ingredients were and how immaculate the plating was. We love fine dining and this is some of the best we've seen. We left the restaurant with a new happy memory and very satisfied palates. La Bella Pearl made an excellent first impression and we'll definitely be back! read more

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Cute little place on top of Monteagle Mountain. Professional waitstaff, amazing plating, food was great. Downside... it took 1 hour and 15 minutes to get a salad. Went for Valentine's Day. Had reservation for 6:30. We finally left at 8:45 after requesting to have the main course, dessert, and check all delivered at the same time. read more

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Made reservations a month ahead for the night of 09 August 2025. These were confirmed. After driving 4 hours from Memphis, we arrived at the restaurant and it was closed. No notice, no e-mail.......nothing. shows they don't really care! read more

Lovely, intimate atmosphere; gracious, friendly, attentive staff; wonderful delightful dishes! Chefs Cynthia & Tom always make dining here a world class experience. The "culinary cruise" theme special events are especially fun! read more

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This place should be packed every night! We had a reservation but probably could have gotten in without it. Don't skip the antipasto bar. It changes periodically so the selections are always an interesting treat. I've tried 3 different entrees and each was as good as what I can get in any big city. The dessert menu looked great but we were just too stuffed to continue. Best part- it's BYOB so you can bring in a couple of bottles of your own and use the saved money to try those desserts. read more

Dining at it's finest! Sunday brunch is exceptional with fix prixe menu that rivals any big chain franchise. Service was exceptional, as was the quantity and quality of the meals. Most surprising, was the subtle Caribbean (Jamaican) influence to the menu. An awesome surprise and very satisfying. And now for desert! read more

La Bella Pearl - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Sewanee, Tennessee

Always a great choice for a good meal. Friendly staff and big portions. If you get the special you get to go to the salad bar which has a great selection! If you want to drink you do have to bring your own because they do not serve alcohol. Only thing is I wish the menu would change / expand because there are very few options. read more

This was our first time at La Bella Pearl. I read all the reviews and was a little worried, but OMG were those reviews WRONG! We made reservations. We were seated immediately when we walked in. Service was exceptional! The best service I have ever had. We had the antipasto bar, steaks and my husband had the chocolate lava cake while I had the gluten free almond, pistachio, chocolate ganache cake. Y'all, that was the best cake! All the food was fantastic. Great ambiance! It felt like we were having dinner with friends and family in a cozy house. Definitely will go again! read more

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Stopped in for Sunday brunch with my brother while in town for music at the caverns. We got there about 1 and they removed items from buffet station well before 2. The entree's were ok but WAY overpriced. I believe it was $100 for the 2 of us after tip. No mimosas or bloody's here. It's a BYOB situation. The brunch menu was limited. The beef dish was ok but not worth the spend. Entrees seam to all get mash potatoes (hints of truffles) and a side of veggies. Super lack luster. I get it's in the middle of no where but they claim things that aren't happening. Can't recommend this spot. Spendy and food was meh at best. Odd dining area, literally music overhead interrupted by adds. Very strange. I've worked back of the house at some nice spots and this is no French Laundry. Keep rolling and try the next spot. read more

This has become a go to restaurant for us over the past few years. Just when I thought I could not be any more impressed here I find myself wanting to write a review and I'm not really into writing them. we tried the brunch for the first time and I was pleasantly surprised that it came with the omelet/ waffle bar. both were perfect and the lunch order was so good that it brought a grin to my face. I live an hour away in Scottsboro, AL and we are happy this place is close enough for us to visit often. read more

SO thankful that La Bella Pearl's was recommended to us! We went for Sunday brunch last weekend, and to say that we were absolutely blown away at the entire experience is an understatement! From the moment we walked in and were greeted by Joe, our server, to the fabulous omelet and waffle bar where we met Cynthia, and the antipasti bar, to our amazing entrees, and yes, we got dessert too--EVERYTHING was fabulous! Tom, and Cynthia, the owners and chefs, came to chat and made the whole experience just incredible!! You MUST visit this gem of a resturant, and we will most certainly be back!! read more

We had an excellent dinner here after a sporting event at Sewanee. The anti-pasta bar was excellent and everyone raved about their entrees. We topped off dinner with the bread pudding which also was delicious. read more

I found this wonderful place by Cha. I am so glad best food everytime. I have not had a bad experience since we started going. After a year of our frequent visits. I think the price is rather appropriate for the quality and great service. Highly recommend. The price is cheaper then fastfood if you consider how much food you get and what is on the menu. The only thing I wish they had was reservations that could be made online read more

We really enjoyed our experience here. These guys work really hard to provide great food and superior service. read more

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The food was amazing! Service was extremely slow. 30-45 minute wait between each course (4 courses), so it made for a very long night. No alcohol onsite, you must bring your own. Suggestion: when ordering, ask them to bring out 2 courses at a time. read more

Not only was this place recommended by the B&B for lunch, it was so wonderful decided to have dinner there as well. Menus were very different for these two meals, but equally delicious and the wait staff was outstanding. Sat outside for dinner and the night was perfect. Won't be the last time! Evening server Joe was great. read more

The most amazing little gem in the area! Best customer service and incredible food!! After meeting & thanking the chef we found out that he's been at many of our favorite, upscale restaurants over the past 25+ years!! Whaaatt!? So good. This place is a MUST!! read more

La Bella Pearl - Dessert - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Sewanee, Tennessee

A lovely place to enjoy a special meal. Was perfect for celebrating Mom's birthday for lunch with a few friends, and taking clients for an excellent dinner. read more

I was in town for the Trails and Trilliums weekend... first get away in two years (Covid. Argh!) ... and wanted to splurge on a fancy dinner. Once I got past the pretentious descriptions on the menu (caressed by, soothed with, stuffed with the joys of...) it wasn't too hard to decide on an entree. Duck is a rare find on a menu. It was amazing! Cooked perfectly. Even more impressive? The vegetables. The chef (who came out a couple time to inquire about my meal) nailed them. I can't remember the last time I had perfectly cooked vegetables. Here they were in that sweet spot, perfectly al dente...not nearly raw and not overly cooked and soft. I topped it off with made-from-scratch coconut cake. I love coconut almost as much as I love chocolate. I nearly swooned with the first bite; it was that good. This was an awesome, decadent, indulgent dinner, worth every penny!! read more

La Bella Pearl - Canard a la Marseille - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Sewanee, Tennessee

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My quest grew up in Cyprus so he was very interested in having a Mediterranean Meal in the middle of Tennessee. In short he was not disappointed and has already started making plans to go back. The Nicosia appetizer was as good as any my quest had had living in Cyprus. The chef special that night was a marinated rib eye, that was cooked to perfection the way it was ordered (charred on the outside, and rare in the middle). The crusted red snapper was very good. Wonderful desert and coffee to round out the meal. If you want fast food, chain food, basic hamburger, or not into a food experience, this is not your restaurant! The restaurant is cozy, and the service excellent. Great experience, superior food! It is BYOB, but the corking fee was very reasonable. read more

La Bella Pearl - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Sewanee, Tennessee

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Terrible customer service. We made a birthday dinner reservation a week in advance. Subsequent to that the owner of the restaurant rented the entire building out to a private party for our reserved date. They never reached out to us to let us know. We didn't find out until we called on the day of the reservation that they had discarded the reservation. read more

We went to La Bella Pearl for dinner tonight. The menu offerings looked amazing. We had a reservation at 7:30. The wait staff was clearly struggling when we arrived. They didn't seem to have a grasp of what to do. It was very odd. At 9 pm when we still hadn't received our food when several tables who arrived after us had not, we left. When we informed the hostess/waitress that we were leaving she kind of shrugged and said sorry. Worst restaurant experience ever. read more

The almond encrusted snapper was excellent as was the salmon. The server, Aaron was on top of everything There is some confusion about the old restaurant and new. It appears on line that they are closed or only offer carry out. They are open for dine in and it's worth the trip. Give La Bella Pearl a try. You won't be disappointed. read more

So happy I came for lunch... food was delicious! Will come back. The new owners have a lot of charm and quality. read more

La Bella Pearl - Alfredo with shrimp and chicken - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Sewanee, Tennessee

I have heard about this Restaurent before but never had a chance to visit till today! One of the best Restaurent hands down! Mediterranean inspired menu!! Pleasant surprise! The food was so good and the service was great! The chef actually came out and made sure we were happy with our meal! The deserts were out if this world! I have eaten good food in many Restaurent's but thus is one of the best! Highly recommend! read more

La Bella Pearl - Caramel Leche cake!! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Sewanee, Tennessee

Visiting from Nashville and I'm wondering if some of the other reviews are just local supporters or just some people here have terrible taste buds but the food is WORSE than Chick Filet, not even joking. The service, terrible. Had to wait over 35 minutes for appetizers to arrive with no waitress even giving us a heads up, then another 20 minutes for our $50 "Special of the Day" entree. Let me tell you when that sorry looking plate arrived that I agreed to pay $50 for, I was just stunned how we just got scammed by a fake "high end" appearing restaurant in the middle of God knows where in Tennessee. It had 2 different seafood items on the special, mussels and oysters and let's just say I spat it out right away to avoid throwing up the spoiled tasting MUSH! Don't come to this place expecting to get great food/service for a pretty penny. Go to a local diner here or that Goats Marketplace here that gives you far better value and food that actually is fresh, not spoiled and taste good. read more

Great atmosphere and a good selection of menu items. The service was excellent. The food was exceptional and everyone in our party was very pleased. The only negative is it's BYOB. We do hope they get their liquor license shortly. read more

We had a delightful meal at La Bella Pearl. The cuisine is Mediterranean inspired. We enjoyed a caprese salad, red snapper and roasted chicken. The prices are very reasonable. Although we did not have dessert, we saw a chocolate lava cake delivered to a nearby table that looked fantastic. They do not have a liquor license, so plan to bring any alcohol you want with your meal. The owners are friendly and gracious. read more

We celebrated my Mom's birthday on their back porch today and it was EXCELLENT! The food was amazing, and we enjoyed seafood, chicken, salads and their burgers. The staff was great and attentive, but not overbearing. The decor is nice, so go and enjoy a fantastic meal for a romantic evening, or a memorable meal with friends and family. read more

Excellent, Excellent, Excellent!! YAY for Sewanee to add such a gem!! Meditteranean antipasto to start was amazing, followed by two mouth watering delicious lamp chops. We will be back...100%. read more

Amazing service. Delicious food. Portion sizes are perfect for anyone looking for a large yet light meal. The chef is amazing and cooked the thyme salmon I had to absolute perfection! The atmosphere is quaint and homey and every staff member I talked to was more than happy to accommodate any request. I recommend the outdoor seating. read more

My husband and I were in the area for a quick weekend away. We chose this restaurant based on its location and menu. First, the service was great. No complaints there. They were attentive and accommodating even when we were not happy. When we left, it was raining and the hostess insisted on walking me to our car with her umbrella. The food was the issue, particularly the entrees. I got the pork loin which was thinly sliced and super tough. It also has a tomato sauce on it plus a brown gravy which did not taste good together. When I told our server, she was very apologetic and asked if I wanted something else. I asked for a plate with just vegetables as the asparagus and squash were good. The chef came out and apologized. He then fixed me a veggie plate which was ok. My husband got the filet which was not butchered well. Lots of gristle, fat, and tendon. He liked the sauce and veggies. They offered me a comp dessert which I appreciated. I had the whiskey bread pudding which was amazing. My husband also liked his chocolate lava cake. So points for service and dessert but I don't recommend the entrees for the price. read more

My wife and I arrived right at 6pm and waited for about 10 minutes for a hostess to come and seat us. We asked to be outside because it was a nice evening and because Covid still lurks. Eventually our waitress appeared and we were able to order dinner. Another longish wait brought us our appetizer, Lombardy. This dish consisted of Ricotta filled tortellini with a Kasseri Alfredo sauce. It was quite good and we had high hopes for the meal itself. The restaurant is BYOB and we'd brought a bottle of decent red and felt we were off to a promising start. Another long wait and out came our entrées. My wife's Le Montagne, which was ordered rare/ medium rare and described as "a grilled lardon wrapped beef tenderloin sensuously skewered by a garlic prawn with kisses of Moscato thyme reduction" was in fact a well done bacon wrapped filet plopped into a bed of mashed potatoes with a reddish salty liquid of no definable origin as the sauce. Some steamed vegetables lurked nearby. My Villa Romano, purporting to be "Scallopini of pork loin sauteed in clarified butter and crowned with Pancetta, Pomodoro, Asiago, Mozzarella and Parmigiano," arrived as an overcooked slab of pork with a topping similar to Ragu that had some Mozzarella and Parmigiano thrown on top. It too was plopped into a bed of mashed potatoes and relatives of my wife's steamed veggies once again lurked nearby. We had been at the table for an hour and forty-five minutes at this point and the thought of sending either meal back was out of the question. We made the best of it and chewed away. And chewed. And chewed. More water helped as the wine was now gone. We declined dessert and escaped $100 poorer but wiser. The slow service was easy to forgive. The two servers were running hard with a full restaurant, but the kitchen's efforts were inept. The entrèes were pathetic and the would be charming descriptions on the menu do not make a meal. read more