So disappointing. we came here for my boyfriends birthday. Some of the worst Italian food I’ve had in nyc. My chicken was rubbery and inedible. Sauces were tasteless.
Reuven Ilyayev
Staff wad fast and friendly. Drink orders were taken within minutes of our party sitting down. Bartender individually brought over each drink. No one had any complaints and really enjoyed the cocktails. We pulled the trigger on both appetizers and entrees together, but the restaurant did not bring them out all together which we appreciated. All the food was amazing and tasty with great portions. Dessert was absolutely fabulous. Overall would recommend to a friend as well as would dine here again in the near future.
Kendra Book
My husband and I got married in the area and were looking for a cute, causal, comfortable place to have our rehearsal dinner. Once we found Bella Gioia, we knew we had a winner by ambiance alone, then when we tried the food, we knew Bella was it. We and our guests had the BEST experience. Chef Nico and his team were a dream to work with and gave us great menu and drink options for the event. Our guests were blown away by being given aperol spritzes upon arrival and by the quality (and quantity!) of the food. Everyone raved about the fried burrata, scallops and steak. Thank you Bella Gioia team!! We'll be back :)
Sherry D.
Bella Gioia, it has been nearly a year since I've been to your restaurant, but I still dream of all the items on your menu and I'm not sure that I will ever find a restaurant quite like yours. This restaurant has set the bar for some of our favorite foods and that's what we look for whenever we look for a new Italian place to try. I think I've tried almost everything on this menu, but there are a few items I come back to that are must-haves. 1) Meat and cheese board: Every time we have friends in town or are craving comfort food, we come to Bella Gioia and start with this platter. The gorgonzola and prosciutto are my personal favorites! (Random tip: warm bread usually comes with any order and my SO would, without fail, save the bread for the board and make little meat and cheese sandwiches. I haven't tried this myself but he always seems pleased with the results.) 2) Gnocchi (Rustica): I think I've had all of the pasta dishes on their menu and they're great (special shout out to the pappardelle) but this gnocchi is life. If there's something I could eat every day, it's this dish. The gnocchi comes piping hot on a pan and you literally get warned by the servers to not burn yourself because of how fresh from the kitchen it is. Once you dig in, it's just potatoes, tomatoes and cheese pulls. After a deeply delicious time and being so stuffed that you have leftovers for continuing this glorious gorging, head home and take a nice nap. Then bring someone to do it all over again next week! (Another tip: Barclays Center attendees looking for an Italian meal post-game/show end up at Patsy's and it's packed there, so come to Bella Gioia to get your fill :) )
mikeywow
The vibe here is so low key. With dimmed lights and decent size for a small party. Out party was size of twenty people. The waiters were so helpful and kind. They start off with warm bread dipped in oil.They spoke Italian too. The food and pizza here was small portions but very filling. The bartender made the most delicious drinks I heard. I definitely recommend this place to anyone who wants to travel to Brooklyn for something different.
Tracie Phillips
Its always an excellent experience here at Bella Gioia. From cocktails to the tarte everything is delicious, the servers are warm and carw about your experience. Chef is often seen and comes by about half of my visits to make sure my experience was good. I'm pretty sure he hasn't recognized me yet, but it doesn't stop him for treating everyone like family.My favourite entree is the oxtail ragu Parpadelle, and the gnocchi are also delicious. You really can't go wrong here, though. Try everything!
NYCouple
We really loved Bella Gioia! We hadn't been before, and it was a great choice. We were there early on a Monday evening and it was very quiet, which was a nice bonus. The food was fantastic, everyone loved what they ordered. Of particular note was the amazing butternut squash soup which everyone agreed was the best they'd ever had. So rich and creamy and delicious. Since it was not too busy we had a few nice conversations with the chef, and he explained that the butternut squash, and most all of his vegetables, come from his father's farm in upstate NY. Other notable dishes were the deep-fried burrata appetizer, the beet carpaccio salad, a special of pappardelle with wild boar ragu, and the succulent short rib. Easy to get to, it's right across the street from the R train station at 4th Ave and Union St in Brooklyn. We can't wait to go back.
Rose S.
I came here for my birthday with a group of friends. We enjoyed every bit of our night. The food and drinks were both excellent! The staff was so friendly and helpful. Our waiter gave perfect suggestions from the menu. I will definitely be coming back soon!
Cheyenne B.
Came here for a friends birthday party. The restaurant has a very cute ambiance of a den or cave. Lit lowly with candles. Our waiter and the staff that helped was great, they were attentive and fun. Our waiter even gave us a round of shot and a nice dessert for the birthday girl! What was a little lackluster was the food. We ordered meat and cheeses, burrata, and calamari all of which were good but not amazing. I had the lemon chicken with string beans and the truffle fries, both were great. I didn't taste any truffle on the fries and the string beans weren't seasoned at all. A friend ordered an arugula salad, with mozzarella and heirloom tomatoes, they buried under loads of lettuce. I've heard this place is best known for the pasta, so I don't know if that's good. If I went their again, I wouldn't order what I had for sure.
There's definitely a smell when you enter the restaurant which is probably due to the wood decorations. The oxtail pappardelle was very good. However, the gnocchi were very disappointing. A pan full of tomato sauce with a few gnocchis hidden under a solid layer of cheese. If that's your thing, you may want to share it as the portions were huge. Overall a good dinner but we will try other places next time.
Excellent food in a cozy and inviting environment. The owner is a gracious and attentive individual who gave us a wonderful background on Sicilian wines of which we finished off a bottle that was excellent. The oxtail pappardelle and veal piccata were cooked to perfection. The fried buratta appetizer was also delicious. Don't let the modest exterior of this restaurant fool you. Inside you will find authentic Italian cuisine prepared and served in a setting perfect for any special event.
Barnet Sherman
A phenomenal find of a Brooklyn restaurant. Genuine and down to earth.. The N'zalata all Eoliana is a perfect salad. Fresh, thinly sliced fennel, a handful of pine nuts, briny black olives, a smattering of tangy capers, and a topping of crumbly ricotta all combine into a crunchy blend of flavors melding into a crunchy-creamy goodness, each bite refreshing and complex. The Pasta Cu Sarde shouldn't work. Sardines, raisins, pine nuts on freshly-made bucatini pasta? Sounds weird--tastes unbelievably good. The toothy crunch of the pine nuts, soft sweetness of the raisins offsetting the sardine saltiness over the perfectly prepared fresh al dente pasta with a dusting of bread crumbs is the ultimate comfort food. Forkful after forkful of this ultimate goodness...you can't stop. But try to so you can save room for the Viteddu Marsala and green beans. The veal is swathed in a smooth Marsala sauce, with a creamy polenta sharing the plate with the perfectly cooked green beans. Three words: Oh. My God. If you have any room left, go for the Tiramisu and a piping hot glass of cappuccino for dessert. Eh, even if you don't have room , get it anyway. It's delicious spoonful after spoonful of this expresso coffee infused classic. The service is impeccable as it is friendly. What are you waiting for? Go already!
JenniTS
O. M. G. This is amazing! We stopped in because it was cold, close to our hotel and had a nice menu. We weee not disappointed! The ambiance is wonderful, relaxing and smells divine. I had the beet carpaccio (so nicely done) and NY strip steak ...perfectly cooked and the Gorgonzola sauce a perfect add. The fries??? YUMMY! Hubz had the fennel salad (I'm gonna have to try and replicate), the sardine pasta and veal piccata. He was blown away,. The wine list very good and the service wonderful. Next time in Brooklyn we will be back! On the side, the chef came out to answer questions and couldn't have been more sweet. Seriously GO TO THIS RESTAURANT!! We
Angel cooks amazing food all the time. The staff knows the menu and can give great recommendations too. The place is great for dates where you enjoy talking since the ambiance is romantic and with low background music.
BrianW
We went here for New Year's Eve dinner. Food was excellent with generous portions. Tables were well-spaced out. The service was outstanding. We felt like we were guests in their home. It was a lovely evening with good food and good company.
So disappointing. we came here for my boyfriends birthday. Some of the worst Italian food I’ve had in nyc. My chicken was rubbery and inedible. Sauces were tasteless.
Staff wad fast and friendly. Drink orders were taken within minutes of our party sitting down. Bartender individually brought over each drink. No one had any complaints and really enjoyed the cocktails. We pulled the trigger on both appetizers and entrees together, but the restaurant did not bring them out all together which we appreciated. All the food was amazing and tasty with great portions. Dessert was absolutely fabulous. Overall would recommend to a friend as well as would dine here again in the near future.
My husband and I got married in the area and were looking for a cute, causal, comfortable place to have our rehearsal dinner. Once we found Bella Gioia, we knew we had a winner by ambiance alone, then when we tried the food, we knew Bella was it. We and our guests had the BEST experience. Chef Nico and his team were a dream to work with and gave us great menu and drink options for the event. Our guests were blown away by being given aperol spritzes upon arrival and by the quality (and quantity!) of the food. Everyone raved about the fried burrata, scallops and steak. Thank you Bella Gioia team!! We'll be back :)
Bella Gioia, it has been nearly a year since I've been to your restaurant, but I still dream of all the items on your menu and I'm not sure that I will ever find a restaurant quite like yours. This restaurant has set the bar for some of our favorite foods and that's what we look for whenever we look for a new Italian place to try. I think I've tried almost everything on this menu, but there are a few items I come back to that are must-haves. 1) Meat and cheese board: Every time we have friends in town or are craving comfort food, we come to Bella Gioia and start with this platter. The gorgonzola and prosciutto are my personal favorites! (Random tip: warm bread usually comes with any order and my SO would, without fail, save the bread for the board and make little meat and cheese sandwiches. I haven't tried this myself but he always seems pleased with the results.) 2) Gnocchi (Rustica): I think I've had all of the pasta dishes on their menu and they're great (special shout out to the pappardelle) but this gnocchi is life. If there's something I could eat every day, it's this dish. The gnocchi comes piping hot on a pan and you literally get warned by the servers to not burn yourself because of how fresh from the kitchen it is. Once you dig in, it's just potatoes, tomatoes and cheese pulls. After a deeply delicious time and being so stuffed that you have leftovers for continuing this glorious gorging, head home and take a nice nap. Then bring someone to do it all over again next week! (Another tip: Barclays Center attendees looking for an Italian meal post-game/show end up at Patsy's and it's packed there, so come to Bella Gioia to get your fill :) )
The vibe here is so low key. With dimmed lights and decent size for a small party. Out party was size of twenty people. The waiters were so helpful and kind. They start off with warm bread dipped in oil.They spoke Italian too. The food and pizza here was small portions but very filling. The bartender made the most delicious drinks I heard. I definitely recommend this place to anyone who wants to travel to Brooklyn for something different.
Its always an excellent experience here at Bella Gioia. From cocktails to the tarte everything is delicious, the servers are warm and carw about your experience. Chef is often seen and comes by about half of my visits to make sure my experience was good. I'm pretty sure he hasn't recognized me yet, but it doesn't stop him for treating everyone like family.My favourite entree is the oxtail ragu Parpadelle, and the gnocchi are also delicious. You really can't go wrong here, though. Try everything!
We really loved Bella Gioia! We hadn't been before, and it was a great choice. We were there early on a Monday evening and it was very quiet, which was a nice bonus. The food was fantastic, everyone loved what they ordered. Of particular note was the amazing butternut squash soup which everyone agreed was the best they'd ever had. So rich and creamy and delicious. Since it was not too busy we had a few nice conversations with the chef, and he explained that the butternut squash, and most all of his vegetables, come from his father's farm in upstate NY. Other notable dishes were the deep-fried burrata appetizer, the beet carpaccio salad, a special of pappardelle with wild boar ragu, and the succulent short rib. Easy to get to, it's right across the street from the R train station at 4th Ave and Union St in Brooklyn. We can't wait to go back.
I came here for my birthday with a group of friends. We enjoyed every bit of our night. The food and drinks were both excellent! The staff was so friendly and helpful. Our waiter gave perfect suggestions from the menu. I will definitely be coming back soon!
Came here for a friends birthday party. The restaurant has a very cute ambiance of a den or cave. Lit lowly with candles. Our waiter and the staff that helped was great, they were attentive and fun. Our waiter even gave us a round of shot and a nice dessert for the birthday girl! What was a little lackluster was the food. We ordered meat and cheeses, burrata, and calamari all of which were good but not amazing. I had the lemon chicken with string beans and the truffle fries, both were great. I didn't taste any truffle on the fries and the string beans weren't seasoned at all. A friend ordered an arugula salad, with mozzarella and heirloom tomatoes, they buried under loads of lettuce. I've heard this place is best known for the pasta, so I don't know if that's good. If I went their again, I wouldn't order what I had for sure.
There's definitely a smell when you enter the restaurant which is probably due to the wood decorations. The oxtail pappardelle was very good. However, the gnocchi were very disappointing. A pan full of tomato sauce with a few gnocchis hidden under a solid layer of cheese. If that's your thing, you may want to share it as the portions were huge. Overall a good dinner but we will try other places next time.
Restaurantji Recommends
Excellent food in a cozy and inviting environment. The owner is a gracious and attentive individual who gave us a wonderful background on Sicilian wines of which we finished off a bottle that was excellent. The oxtail pappardelle and veal piccata were cooked to perfection. The fried buratta appetizer was also delicious. Don't let the modest exterior of this restaurant fool you. Inside you will find authentic Italian cuisine prepared and served in a setting perfect for any special event.
A phenomenal find of a Brooklyn restaurant. Genuine and down to earth.. The N'zalata all Eoliana is a perfect salad. Fresh, thinly sliced fennel, a handful of pine nuts, briny black olives, a smattering of tangy capers, and a topping of crumbly ricotta all combine into a crunchy blend of flavors melding into a crunchy-creamy goodness, each bite refreshing and complex. The Pasta Cu Sarde shouldn't work. Sardines, raisins, pine nuts on freshly-made bucatini pasta? Sounds weird--tastes unbelievably good. The toothy crunch of the pine nuts, soft sweetness of the raisins offsetting the sardine saltiness over the perfectly prepared fresh al dente pasta with a dusting of bread crumbs is the ultimate comfort food. Forkful after forkful of this ultimate goodness...you can't stop. But try to so you can save room for the Viteddu Marsala and green beans. The veal is swathed in a smooth Marsala sauce, with a creamy polenta sharing the plate with the perfectly cooked green beans. Three words: Oh. My God. If you have any room left, go for the Tiramisu and a piping hot glass of cappuccino for dessert. Eh, even if you don't have room , get it anyway. It's delicious spoonful after spoonful of this expresso coffee infused classic. The service is impeccable as it is friendly. What are you waiting for? Go already!
O. M. G. This is amazing! We stopped in because it was cold, close to our hotel and had a nice menu. We weee not disappointed! The ambiance is wonderful, relaxing and smells divine. I had the beet carpaccio (so nicely done) and NY strip steak ...perfectly cooked and the Gorgonzola sauce a perfect add. The fries??? YUMMY! Hubz had the fennel salad (I'm gonna have to try and replicate), the sardine pasta and veal piccata. He was blown away,. The wine list very good and the service wonderful. Next time in Brooklyn we will be back! On the side, the chef came out to answer questions and couldn't have been more sweet. Seriously GO TO THIS RESTAURANT!! We
Angel cooks amazing food all the time. The staff knows the menu and can give great recommendations too. The place is great for dates where you enjoy talking since the ambiance is romantic and with low background music.
We went here for New Year's Eve dinner. Food was excellent with generous portions. Tables were well-spaced out. The service was outstanding. We felt like we were guests in their home. It was a lovely evening with good food and good company.