My goodness talk about good homemade Italian food! This reminded of the type of Italian food that…read morean Italian grandmother would make at home for u. Everything I tried tasted real good. I tried their liver, eggplant "aubergine" parmigiana, simple arrabiata penne pasta, and mushroom risotto. The downside of this place is that it is by reservations only, and they hardly answer their phone. Forgot a $600 sunglasses in there and couldn't get it back. Other than that, it's worth a try and I think it's hands down the best Italian in town!

Charming Italian restaurant in a quaint part of the city. Food and decor is authentically Italian…read moreand prices are decent too. Highly recommended.

The pizza and salad I ordered were fantastic! I loved the quiet and relaxing atmosphere too. Will…read morebe back.

For Norwich, this is a very nice dining establishment. I've been here twice without…read moredisappointment. The pasta was always fresh and well-prepared, perfectly al dente. The flavors are great and atmosphere is casual without being snooty. Wine list is decent. I really enjoy that your food comes via a dumbwaiter from the kitchen.

Had a date night dinner at Paolo's, conveniently located on St Giles in Norwich City Centre. The…read moresignage is easily spotted, and the interior dining room is spacious and ambient; a decent amount natural light enters through the windows. Various table sizes will accommodate couples and groups alike. I made an evening reservation, but upon arrival it wasn't busy yet. To start, we ordered Garlic Bread and Bocconcini Al Forno for sharing. The latter was probably the most flavourful and filling dish of the evening, as the plate of Parma ham-wrapped mozzarella and rocket salad was a significant portion, even for two. For our mains, we had the Penne Ai Gamberoni (with white wine and tomato cream sauce) and Pizza Calzone. Though the main menu features many typical Italian dishes, the kitchen provides just that, typical Italian fare. Pricing is as expected, especially because of the prime location, which no doubt pulls in a lot of foot traffic. Service was fine, if not slightly inattentive. I've only been to Paolo's once, so the previous reviewer's account seems to give more sufficient general information about the restaurant.

Paolo's restaurant neighbours the famous Norwich Market Square, with large windows installed on the…read moreside facing the public, so you can glance at the vibrant city life as it passes you by. Besides such a view, the majority of the interior offers just as much that is pleasant to the eye. Italian music is played on speakers, which adds to the authenticity of the Italian flavour of the restaurant, as does the Italian staff that serve you. Booking in advance is possible by telephone as well as on the website, but booking on the day is advisable by telephone. However it seems the restaurant does well to cater to spontaneous custom as well. Portion size at Paolo's ranges from generous to normal-sized, it seems. When ordering the bruschetta for two as a starter, you are served four slices of toasted bread, topped with mountains of tomatoes and garnish, very well seasoned. Just one will suffice as a starter, if the intention is to order a main course as well. If other starters are similar in size, then pricing is fantastic at Paolo's. The number of variations of dishes cooked for main courses reflects the traditional nature of Italian dishes - simplicity over over-loading a dish with ingredients, allowing for greater diversity in the menu. The gnocchi are very well prepared and served piping hot, with servers offering both parmesan and pepper upon serving the dish. While servers are attentive with regards to any requests, unfortunately this potentially can not be said to the same extent about dish prep. One course was served on a plate that was stained from previous meals, or during preparation. A further gripe, if only a minor one, is that only house wine is served by the glass. For those who enjoy different but sophisticated tastes in wine to their partners, the house wine will not do, but the bottles are too steep in price to consider. In conclusion, there are many elements at Paolo's that give it a comfortable air, but perhaps the staff itself has gotten a bit comfortable themselves, when being alert would be the right reaction.

The second Prezzo in Norwich resides in a beautiful Georgian house right by Norwich Cathedral. Many…read moreseats with window-view look out on what can be the busy neighbourhood of Tombland, but the walls inside of the restaurant are equally as pleasing to look at. Decorated with posters and prints of David Hockney, and with a walk-in wine cabinet with a window for guests to peek in, the house has been adequately modernised to suit Prezzo's du-jour style. Portion sizes at Prezzo are very generous! Plates full to the brim with pasta you are sure to get value for the very reasonable price you pay. Not just serving pizza, but also Italian classics like calzone and risotto, you are sure to get a good impression of Italian food - though naturally the chain-restaurant element polishes this to a degree that the appearance of your food is more refined than an authentic experience would be. Several menu items also have the choice of "going light", meaning your portion size is reduced and a side salad is added to the dish, for just another pound. Yet still a "light" portion can be so filling as to leave left-overs! Waiting staff at Prezzo are very friendly, attempting to answer any queries you have. If they are unable to help, they are happy to bring in the manager in order to assist. Service isn't the swiftest, though you must bear in mind that there are two floors to cover, and tables are spread in various areas. The bathrooms look clean, but are upstairs, so it is uncertain what provisions are made for people with disabilities. Overall, there are many charms to dining at Prezzo. Meals are worth the price paid, served hot and fresh, and staff is friendly and always keen to make it the best service possible. With interesting bonuses like advertising to offer take-away, this surely is a good pick for date nights, eating with friends, or ordering a meal to pick up on the way home from work.

This place is fantastic. Friendly service and amazing food with good presentation. I come here…read moreoften to eat and it's all ways a charm this Italian restaurant is an easy 5 star rating never had any better service from any where else :D

Rustic enough with kind staff. The wine we had was fantastic and the food was decent. To be fair;…read morewas vegetarian when I went (on Tuesday's and Friday's due to religious reasons) so can't say anything on behalf of meat. Definitely decent and pricing is fair.

If you're looking for an authentic Italioan atmosphere this is the place to go. Good food and a…read morenice atmosphere, but not too expensive.

We went to Bella Italia just prior to going to the Theatre Royal for the pantomime. 4 starters and…read more4 mains, mostly very good, although frozen sprouts on a Christmas carbonara is a doubtful move. When our mains were delayed we were immediately offered a 20% discount. A pleasant place to go for a meal with a good atmosphere and a friendly service.

This is a very good Italian food chain. The food is always good quality, and if you find this…read moreparticular restaurant full, just keep looking, there are 3 others in Norwich City centre!! Went armed with Tesco vouchers, and although they are not meant to be used for drinks aswell, there was no problem. It was particularly busy, a Sunday night, and probably a particular favourite dine-out night! The service did suffer a little, being a bit slow. Plus, I did order some bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar that never arrived (it was not billed either). Never mind. Try to Minestrone soup, sooooo nice! And the pasta are very good. Not sure I would be rushing back without Tesco vouchers to be honest, the portions are not massive. Overall, pretty good though.

Italian food from a chain that operates 80+ restaurants around the UK. The menu is pretty much…read more"classic" Italian with dishes like Pollo alla Griglia and Spaghetti Carbonara, plus a selection of pizzas and salads. For some reason, I was experiencing a craving for spaghetti and meatballs. There was no logic to it, but it could not be ignored. I've already been in the Frankie & Benny's across the way, so I am here in Bella to see if it's better, worse or the same. It's right near the rail station in a shopping/entertainment plaza. Warm greeting and a table in the back, I was pleased to find an electric outlet as my laptop was near dead after two hours on the train from London. The hostess cheerfully brought me a Peroni and started the pour. Peroni's a good brand for Italian beer, and it got me warmed up to study the menu, finding the Polpette Americano. No idea why they call it that, it's spaghetti and meatballs. A decent portion with meatballs that had to be cut in half to be eaten politely, my craving was satisfied. I opted to skip dessert, but perhaps you'll try The Godfather or Banoffee Italiano with a coffee and let me know how it turns out.

Whole experience took less than 20 minutes. Starter was bland. Main was clearly microwaved as…read morecame up immediately starter dishes were taken away piping hot. What should have been pasta and chicken with a creamy sauce and cheese topped with (some sort of meat) turned out to be pasta with a couple of bits of bacon type meat thrown on top. I had to put my glasses on to find the meniscal pieces of chicken. The sauce was non existent. We were rushed and the food was bland. I did write and complain but they haven't even had the decency to reply. Never again. Not worth the money. Could have cooked better at home. Chrissy H