Only had one gluten free option while claiming to be able to making all the dishes gluten free and food portions were small and bland
Sonia Rich-Mazzeo
I had the gluten free Fettuccine Alfredo and was delighted. I don't think this is an option anywhere else in Reno/Sparks. My husband had chicken parm, which he said was also delicious. One day later I am not sick. The servers were lovely and helpful. The only other gluten free option was lasagna. I will try that next time. This is an authentic Italian restaurant, so the flavors are different from Americanized versions.Dietary restrictions: Gluten free
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Barb Bartter
Best authentic Italian food in Reno!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tortellini Alfredo, Risotto Parmigiana, Spaghetti Alla Carbonara, Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken
Garrett
The owners were so kind I really hate to give a one star and debated it heavily, but here are my reasons why.The environment gave me a feeling that this could either be good because they skimped on the decor for great food.. or that it would be cheap all around.First, the bread came in a hot dog stand basket and left a bit to be desired in taste.But again, maybe the food will be awesome!Then the main course, my girlfriend's raviolis, looked and tasted good, but there were only about 8 thin raviolis in total. After that, I see my plate of meat tortellini. It looked like leftovers from a family dinner with store bought sauce.. and that was about on par for the taste as well.The owners were very kind the whole time and I didnt feel I could complain but after realizing with out a group on that would have been $70 worth of $30 food I have arrived at my 1 star decision.
Marco G.
Bella Italia is exactly what the name implies. The food is as authentic as if you were in Italy. We went in a party of 5 on a Saturday night and had one of the Best 3 course dinners in Reno. We ordered the Octopus Carpaccio, Vitello Tonnato, and Melone and Prosciutto to start with a excellent bottle of Barbera wine. The second course is the reason we wanted to try this restaurant, They've famous for their Homemade ravioli's, We ordered the Funghi in the cream sauce and the Genovese in the Bolognese sauce, Absolutely excellent. Our main courses we had Vitello Marsala, Risotto Al Funghi, Chicken Parmigiana. Salad with Ham and Cheese. All executed to perfection. Our server was excellent lead us into another bottle of excellent Barbera. The Sweetness hostess was so nice gave us her brothers Sicilian Air BNB flyer as we told her we will be there this October. The unfortunate part of this review is sadly the restaurant is for sale and looking for someone who has the passion to carry on the business. My family and I are Italian. We have owned operated italian restaurants in the Bay Area for 40 years. We understand the business side and wish them the Best in the future. When we make it back to Reno? We will return to enjoy another excellent dinner. Buona Fortuna mi Amici!
Nadia S.
Very good. We ordered a spinach cheese lasagna, which was amazing. We had to order extra bread to dip in the cheese. In true Italian style, the meal can take time. The owner was the only person working, so things weren't speedy. Space was fantastic, I can't remember the last time I saw freshly ironed white linens in a table
Johnny C.
Place is clean, staff friendly, food terrible. Some of the worst Italian food I've ever had. Here is the breakdown:Bruschetta: pretty sure it was made on yesterdays bread. Wife and I both looked like cows chewing cud. Cream of asparagus soup: feels like this was heavy cream + asparagus. Probably the best thing we ate and it was sub-sub-parGnocchi: can't over emphasize how terrible this stuff was. Resembled cheese puffs and red bondo (that stuff used to patch car bodies) and tasted pretty much about the sameCheese lasagna: came in a breakfast skillet--really?! It was so soupy it made sense that a plate was not used. This wasn't lasagna it was some sort of liquid. Sign in the window said "restaurant for sale" which is understandable--definitely time to move on.
A M.C.
I went with my children and parents for lunch. The owner was not kind, friendly, or accommodating. He was visibly irritated when I asked for two high chairs. He only said about 5 words to us and was very annoyed when we weren't sure what we wanted to order after 3 whole minutes at the table.We were the only ones in the restaurant at 1230 ish on a Saturday, which should have been an immediate red flag, but we were exhausted and hungry after a long trip.We ordered (lasagna, risotto, octopus). Food came out hot but seemed microwaved not fresh because of the excessive oil on the sides of our dishes and its texture.When we got our check, the owner made at least 5 comments about how messy and horrible my children were. They are both under 3, and yes, admittedly, they did sauce on parts of the tablecloth, but he was extremely rude and condescending. They never screamed or whined or threw food and were not noisy.We will not be returning.Kid-friendliness: NOT KID FRIENDLY AT ALL. Owner yelled at us and said my children were, "a massive mess."
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
Kit O.
Had a very good meal here last night. Had the chicken piccata with a nice glass of wine, It was a sizeable piece of chicken, very tasty and moist, with wide spaghetti noodles and asparagus, and enough capers to make me happy. Nice wine list-I went for the Barbera since it's more rare on menus.Service was friendly and efficient. I would definitely return but was disappointed to see a "restaurant for sale" sign on window.
Leticia R.
Family owned and operated Italian restaurant in South Reno. The owners were at the front counter to greet and seat us for our dinner reservation and even come back around to check in on you, which is an added nice touch. It is a completely open dining floor plan. Feels very airy and fresh with nice music playing in the background but no booths if you're looking for a little bit of privacy. It's a little pricey. The ravioli sauce was a little watery but overall the food had good flavor. The tiramisu for dessert was the best I ever had. It was an enjoyable experience and would try again.
Bland food. Sorry. The owners seem nice. The restaurant is clean but lacking "warmth", pretty sure it was an old take out Asian restaurant before and they made it "Italian" with posters on the wall... maybe add some plants and some accent table cloths and some mood lighting? Make it more welcoming ambiance? Came in on a Saturday and it was dead... which usually means something. The gusset was ON IT. So props to him for prepping. I also think he might have been bored...
Moez Moradipour
This place is a gem!!! I can't believe it is not a 5/5! The food will supercede your expectations!!! Very good food, great service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Leslie A.
A group of us had dinner there last week. My spicy shrimp was good but the asparagus served with it looked like a bloated drowned body. They boiled the life right out of it, and it was nothing but mush. My friend ordered lasagna that looked like soup. She asked the owner and he was very rude telling her the pasta is in the middle and he could do it differently if she wanted dried out lasagna. It was served in an 8" cast iron skillet and most of it was seriously the consistency of cheesy tomato soup with some pasta in the middle. The eggplant Parmesan was served in the same type of cast iron pan with the same soupy cheesy sauce and had the tiniest amount of eggplant in the middle. No one was very pleased with their meals. We won't be going back!
Bubble Tea
The existence of the restaurant is a solid proof that we need more Italian restaurants in South Reno.
Arthur F.
Atmosphere: 3 (they did give cloth napkins) Service: 3Food:2-3I had the minestrone soup: thin broth, vegetables overcooked and the portion was tiny.My parmigiana was ok but lacked pizazz. Cheese was bland ; so was the breading.. where were the spices ? The fettuccine was overcooked and sauce was awful. The dish came with asparagus: overcooked! I tasted two of the raviolis from my friend's plate: cheese and mushrooms: both were good.Perhaps the pasta was okay but this restaurant disappointed me . Makes you wish for Olive Garden!! My theory: Unless a restaurant can prepare food BETTER than I can make at home, why bother?
Only had one gluten free option while claiming to be able to making all the dishes gluten free and food portions were small and bland
I had the gluten free Fettuccine Alfredo and was delighted. I don't think this is an option anywhere else in Reno/Sparks. My husband had chicken parm, which he said was also delicious. One day later I am not sick. The servers were lovely and helpful. The only other gluten free option was lasagna. I will try that next time. This is an authentic Italian restaurant, so the flavors are different from Americanized versions.Dietary restrictions: Gluten free
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Best authentic Italian food in Reno!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tortellini Alfredo, Risotto Parmigiana, Spaghetti Alla Carbonara, Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken
The owners were so kind I really hate to give a one star and debated it heavily, but here are my reasons why.The environment gave me a feeling that this could either be good because they skimped on the decor for great food.. or that it would be cheap all around.First, the bread came in a hot dog stand basket and left a bit to be desired in taste.But again, maybe the food will be awesome!Then the main course, my girlfriend's raviolis, looked and tasted good, but there were only about 8 thin raviolis in total. After that, I see my plate of meat tortellini. It looked like leftovers from a family dinner with store bought sauce.. and that was about on par for the taste as well.The owners were very kind the whole time and I didnt feel I could complain but after realizing with out a group on that would have been $70 worth of $30 food I have arrived at my 1 star decision.
Bella Italia is exactly what the name implies. The food is as authentic as if you were in Italy. We went in a party of 5 on a Saturday night and had one of the Best 3 course dinners in Reno. We ordered the Octopus Carpaccio, Vitello Tonnato, and Melone and Prosciutto to start with a excellent bottle of Barbera wine. The second course is the reason we wanted to try this restaurant, They've famous for their Homemade ravioli's, We ordered the Funghi in the cream sauce and the Genovese in the Bolognese sauce, Absolutely excellent. Our main courses we had Vitello Marsala, Risotto Al Funghi, Chicken Parmigiana. Salad with Ham and Cheese. All executed to perfection. Our server was excellent lead us into another bottle of excellent Barbera. The Sweetness hostess was so nice gave us her brothers Sicilian Air BNB flyer as we told her we will be there this October. The unfortunate part of this review is sadly the restaurant is for sale and looking for someone who has the passion to carry on the business. My family and I are Italian. We have owned operated italian restaurants in the Bay Area for 40 years. We understand the business side and wish them the Best in the future. When we make it back to Reno? We will return to enjoy another excellent dinner. Buona Fortuna mi Amici!
Very good. We ordered a spinach cheese lasagna, which was amazing. We had to order extra bread to dip in the cheese. In true Italian style, the meal can take time. The owner was the only person working, so things weren't speedy. Space was fantastic, I can't remember the last time I saw freshly ironed white linens in a table
Place is clean, staff friendly, food terrible. Some of the worst Italian food I've ever had. Here is the breakdown:Bruschetta: pretty sure it was made on yesterdays bread. Wife and I both looked like cows chewing cud. Cream of asparagus soup: feels like this was heavy cream + asparagus. Probably the best thing we ate and it was sub-sub-parGnocchi: can't over emphasize how terrible this stuff was. Resembled cheese puffs and red bondo (that stuff used to patch car bodies) and tasted pretty much about the sameCheese lasagna: came in a breakfast skillet--really?! It was so soupy it made sense that a plate was not used. This wasn't lasagna it was some sort of liquid. Sign in the window said "restaurant for sale" which is understandable--definitely time to move on.
I went with my children and parents for lunch. The owner was not kind, friendly, or accommodating. He was visibly irritated when I asked for two high chairs. He only said about 5 words to us and was very annoyed when we weren't sure what we wanted to order after 3 whole minutes at the table.We were the only ones in the restaurant at 1230 ish on a Saturday, which should have been an immediate red flag, but we were exhausted and hungry after a long trip.We ordered (lasagna, risotto, octopus). Food came out hot but seemed microwaved not fresh because of the excessive oil on the sides of our dishes and its texture.When we got our check, the owner made at least 5 comments about how messy and horrible my children were. They are both under 3, and yes, admittedly, they did sauce on parts of the tablecloth, but he was extremely rude and condescending. They never screamed or whined or threw food and were not noisy.We will not be returning.Kid-friendliness: NOT KID FRIENDLY AT ALL. Owner yelled at us and said my children were, "a massive mess."
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
Had a very good meal here last night. Had the chicken piccata with a nice glass of wine, It was a sizeable piece of chicken, very tasty and moist, with wide spaghetti noodles and asparagus, and enough capers to make me happy. Nice wine list-I went for the Barbera since it's more rare on menus.Service was friendly and efficient. I would definitely return but was disappointed to see a "restaurant for sale" sign on window.
Family owned and operated Italian restaurant in South Reno. The owners were at the front counter to greet and seat us for our dinner reservation and even come back around to check in on you, which is an added nice touch. It is a completely open dining floor plan. Feels very airy and fresh with nice music playing in the background but no booths if you're looking for a little bit of privacy. It's a little pricey. The ravioli sauce was a little watery but overall the food had good flavor. The tiramisu for dessert was the best I ever had. It was an enjoyable experience and would try again.
Restaurantji Recommends
Bland food. Sorry. The owners seem nice. The restaurant is clean but lacking "warmth", pretty sure it was an old take out Asian restaurant before and they made it "Italian" with posters on the wall... maybe add some plants and some accent table cloths and some mood lighting? Make it more welcoming ambiance? Came in on a Saturday and it was dead... which usually means something. The gusset was ON IT. So props to him for prepping. I also think he might have been bored...
This place is a gem!!! I can't believe it is not a 5/5! The food will supercede your expectations!!! Very good food, great service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
A group of us had dinner there last week. My spicy shrimp was good but the asparagus served with it looked like a bloated drowned body. They boiled the life right out of it, and it was nothing but mush. My friend ordered lasagna that looked like soup. She asked the owner and he was very rude telling her the pasta is in the middle and he could do it differently if she wanted dried out lasagna. It was served in an 8" cast iron skillet and most of it was seriously the consistency of cheesy tomato soup with some pasta in the middle. The eggplant Parmesan was served in the same type of cast iron pan with the same soupy cheesy sauce and had the tiniest amount of eggplant in the middle. No one was very pleased with their meals. We won't be going back!
The existence of the restaurant is a solid proof that we need more Italian restaurants in South Reno.
Atmosphere: 3 (they did give cloth napkins) Service: 3Food:2-3I had the minestrone soup: thin broth, vegetables overcooked and the portion was tiny.My parmigiana was ok but lacked pizazz. Cheese was bland ; so was the breading.. where were the spices ? The fettuccine was overcooked and sauce was awful. The dish came with asparagus: overcooked! I tasted two of the raviolis from my friend's plate: cheese and mushrooms: both were good.Perhaps the pasta was okay but this restaurant disappointed me . Makes you wish for Olive Garden!! My theory: Unless a restaurant can prepare food BETTER than I can make at home, why bother?