Bella Bella

This was a locals recommendation, we were on a short trip and looking for Italian food. They keep busy, main bar was full, but they also have a second smaller bar on the left side or the main dining. Bartender recommends The Saturn drink and it was really good! Our reservation had a 30-minute wait, but we ended up cancelling and had 2 orders of the famous Bubble Bread - toasted soft bread with cheese and marinara sauce- which was really good! Bartender told us he didn’t serve dinner at the bar, but we made the best of it adding more bread, a Bruschetta and 🍷 . The menu is simple and not a ton of choices, but all freshly made.

One of my favorite restaurants I’ve been to in Tallahassee! Had a date night here and the atmosphere, food, and service were perfect. The bubble bread was my absolute favorite and I can’t stop thinking about it. The pasta was delicious too, I’m sure everything on the menu is just great. Our server was so friendly and helpful, really enhancing the night! The servings were really generous, with plenty of leftovers. Overall, this is a great spot for dates and a perfect local restaurant. I recommend everyone to try this place!

Bella Bella is always delightful! I loooove the braised beef ravioli and get it every chance I can if it’s the special! The Bubble Bread is WORLD RENOWNED! If it’s not, it absolutely should be! Took my daughter for the first time and she got the chicken parm and it was delicious! The Caesar salad is yummmmmm… but the house salad is also really good! I love sitting outside when the weather is nice, and service is always top notch!

My wife and I spent the entire day traveling from the west coast and were looking for a place to eat. Thankfully we located this place. From the moment we stepped in we knew we were at the right place. The atmosphere was perfect. Growing up in New York I felt like I was home. We ate at the bar and Max and his partner were attentive and so friendly and nice. My wife and I enjoyed the delicious food we ordered…. Highly recommend. We will be going back for sure.

The well-meaning local next to me at the bar told me I could have dinner menu items at the bar, so I canceled my spot in line which was a 30-minute wait tonight. Turns out he was wrong, so we just doubled down on bubble bread.... I think it's the best thing that has ever entered my mouth. 🤌🤌🤌🤌🤌🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤

Delicious meal! The red sauce was perfect. Not at all canned tasting, that’s always where Italian places mess up! We were passing through but if we come this way again I’d definitely come back!

Nice Italian restaurant. You walk inside and immediately feel the Italian flair. Staff was prompt to seat you and paid immediate attention. Service was prompt and staff was very friendly. Food was absolutely delicious. I ate the cannelloni which was very flavorful and was served hot. We had a great experience. Worth the price.

Highly recommend! We initially went to a different Italian restaurant closer to our Airbnb, but the wait was over 40 minutes. I am so glad we did not wait because we would not have tried Bella Bella. Everything we ordered at Bella Bella was delicious, and our server and the service were great. It was so much better than any Italian chain restaurant.

From the start this place exceeded my expectations. I love Italian food and I was not disappointed. We were recently in Peru and I saw the pisco sour on the drink menu....hummm I wonder if it could be as good??? Well turns out the bar tender is Peruvian and he made a SLAMMING pisco sour, well actually 3 since they were so tasty. Our server, Reese, was fantastic. Guided us to the bubbly bread, it's a staple here and highly recommended by the others at the small bar. The ravioli special ran out before I could order it but I did order the cannelloni. Very good. The Bella Bella salad was OVER THE TOP!!! Apples, strawberries, blueberries, cantaloupe, mango, watermelon,walnuts, pineapple, kiwi, plum, spring mix greens and damnnnnn Shout out to Reese, the kitchen staff and of course the bar!!!

I finally got to try this place, I'd been wanting to visit for a while. The ambiance was great, and the waitress explained the menu and made helpful suggestions. Here's what I had: 1. Vegetable Soup -- flavorful, it was a great start. (it comes with your meal as a side, salad is also an option). 2. Sicilian Lasagna -- it was served with Parmigiano cheese on top; it was rich, hearty, and very satisfying. (I had half of it because it was filling!) 3. Limoncello -- enjoyed after my meal. 4. Tiramisu -- ordered to share; it served as a cake slice instead of the messy spoon-style we expected. It was good, but didn't meet my expectations. ps: they served a bread basket with butter while we waited for our meals. find me on ig for my reviews: ratingraisin

Excellent food and experience. We ordered the specials: meatballs, and mahi with risotto. The bubble bread was a huge hit and stuffed mushrooms were delicious. We loved the house salad. It is interesting and yummy. Great service too. We will definitely be back.

We don't live in Tallahassee so we rely on yelp to guide us. We looked online and decided we would give it a try. Service was okay. Our server had a mishap with our order and we sat there waiting. Although our meals came with bread we had to ask for it when the salads and soup finally made an appearance. We did order the special appetizer...it was a lobster artichoke dip with pita bread. The pita was very good. The dip was pretty good. Our salads and soup finally came. My friend's son had the Italian wedding soup. He liked it but said the little meatballs were cold. I had the Cesar salad. It was okay. My friend has the house salad. She said it was fine. Our meals came out. My friend's son and I both had chicken parm. It was okay. The food wasn't super hot. My friend had the eggplant rollatini. She said it was fine. We shared a tiramisu that the server didn't charge us for because of the snafu. It was very good and my favorite part of the meal. All in all it was okay. I wouldn't go back next time I was visiting.

Found hair in the peanut butter chocolate pie. We have come here a few times and we love it, thought it would be a regular spot but when dessert came we found a very long and obvious hair in the pie. Waitress was nice and took it off the bill but ruined an otherwise nice meal. When we informed the manager she simply stated she was sorry. We had no problem paying but a coupon for next time or something would've been nice. We won't be back unfortunately :(

Hostess sat us immediately in the bar area at these perfect seats that were high tops but still comfortable. Our server greeted us with waters right when we sat down. We ordered white sangria and bubble bread to start with was perfect! Then we got salads and pasta with sausage and every single dish was amazing!!! Can't recommend it enough-- I think it's the best Italian in Tallahassee.

Got chicken parm with Alfredo pasta instead of spaghetti, suggested my waiter who was great! Bubble bread is a must! Any mushroom fans NEED to try the stuffed mushrooms. The staff is very friendly and the food is delicious!

We were referred by friends while visiting my daughter and definitely worth the trip! The place is super cozy and comfortable. Our server Max was awesome!! We started with bubble bread and stuffed mushrooms. Both were fantastic. If you only get one, it's the bubble bread. Hands down one of the best garlic breads we've had. Jess had Sicilian lasagne and I had chicken parm(of course). We loved them both and shared a little too. Everyone else (party of 8) enjoyed their dinners and took home leftovers. I tried the fettuccine Alfredo and loved that too! We ended with a birthday tiramisu and even that was delicious. Will definitely back the next time in Tally.

Best Italian in Tallahassee. Great specials and their cocktail menu is one of the best in town also! Hard to beat a night out at Bella Bella.

Yummy food!! Love the bubble bread, it tastes just like a really good pizza. Their house sangria is delicious and gives you a nice buzz. I've had dinner twice there and the service and ambience has been great times.

There Eggplant parmesan is Great local owned There bubble Bread is the best and the other bread the Drinks are great too especially the Sweet tea

It is very disappointing to report that December 4, 2024 dining experience was less than what I've grown to expect from Bella Bella. The eggplant rotini was terrible. I believe that the eggplant was either left over from the day before or it was a very old eggplant. Even the take home eggplant was just simply awful and had to just be thrown away. While the ambience was great our server, Sarah was great. I sincerely believe that the oversight of this eggplant was not a mistake. Oh, and the bubble bread usually a favorite had. I believe blue cheese in it this time which did not go well in the bubble bread. However, I will say that the stuffed mushrooms were very, very good.

Super condensed take out review- Bella Bella is great modern Italian and a Tallahassee staple. This is the first time we've had takeout from here and the standard remains the same. What do you want from takeout? I want the food to be freshly hot and ready to go exactly when I'm told it will be ready. I want the packaging to match the food items: not cause the fried food to steam, separate cold from hot, not leak etc. I want the staff to be as friendly as I am. I want the food to be as good or at least close to as good as when dining in. Are my wants unreasonable? I don't know or care. But Bella Bella hits all of them at 95% (even though it was during evening rush) and we will most definitely do it again. Cheers

Bella Bella is a great dining experience. Tonight we went for an early dinner. I think our timing was perfect, as we got there about 4:30 and were seated out on the porch which was lovely. We shared the cannoli meal, plus a bowl of French onion soup. The staff were so kind.They brought a clean extra plate with every dish, so I was impressed.

Great food and service. The Owners are always on site to ensure a pleasant experience. Their commitment shows.

The food was incredible, smaller portions but still very well done. We got there at 6:00 on Saturday and waited an hour to be sat after the host said it would only take 30 minutes, no big deal things happen, it was busy. The problem happens when our waitress doesn't come to table for 10 minutes after we've been sat, she's comes up to tell us the specials... then leaves. it took us over an hour to place our order and get food, she paid no attention to us at all during the meal so much so that another member of the staff stared to refill our waters, take our plates, deliver us our food (which took over an hour to get after we were sat) and delivered us the check.... The place as a whole was fine, not super fancy but better than Panera bread if that makes sense

Everything was divine and will 100% be back ‍ the food, the service, the place ... chefs kiss

We Now live within walking distance to Bella Bella so our first walk to a restaurant for Friday night dinner was here and it didn't disappoint. The food and drink menu had something for everyone but honestly we love a good special and that is what we ordered. We started with French Onion Soup and Tomato basil bisque. I had snapper over risotto with spinach special and my husband had the chicken florentine ravioli. I typically don't enjoy restaurant ravioli but his was delish. We sipped on a bottle of Riesling and ended the meal with a piece of chocolate toffee mousse. It literally melted in my mouth. Mitch was quite the waiter. Very personable and delightful. We sat outside. It was spacious and a perfect spring evening. We will definitely be back. I must try the eggplant.

Took a couple friends. Sat at the bar for dinner as it was packed. Service was good, food was good, space at the bar was a bit cramped but overall a solid meal / experience..

I love Bella Bella! The food is always so fresh. The pasta is awesome. So a great salad starter followed by a fresh pasta dish is a perfect summer dinner.

Best Italian place in Tallahassee hands down. Fantastic drinks, great food, and friendly staff.

One of the best in Tallahassee. Always on point and absolutely slammed on weekends and special occasions. They do well to get everyone seated and served in a timely manor. Nice comfortable setting with a small bar area.

I will compliment the bar as there is some serious skill behind the countertop. Service was a bit too laissez faire for the potential caliber this establishment has and from what I could observe resulted in maybe 2 turns all night. Place is definitely eclectic with a varied clientele. Parking is something to consider. Just not my style.

Food is excellent and the bread appetizer is a must!! Very cute and quaint place. Highly recommend

Genuine local restaurant with homecooked food. So much better than all the fast food places which are almost the only choice in Tallahassee. Daily specials are always changing and posted on a big blackboard wall at the entrance. The owner is usually at the entrance with waiting with a smile and the service is excellent. The place is always full but they are always able to find a table for you even if it's after a short wait. And the French Onion Soup that comes with every entrée is alone worth going for. Definitely recommended.

Came here for dinner on a Saturday night, expect a very long wait. We waited about an hour and a half to be seated, but luckily, they let you get drinks from the bar while you wait. I had the passionfruit drink which was delicious. My only gripe is that they don't take reservations, and also that their waitlist is all done by hand. It would be so much more convenient if they had a texting system like many other places do where they can just notify you on your phone that your table is ready. Saves us the anxiety of fearing that we missed hearing our name called, we were waiting sort of away from the restaurant outside (there was also not enough seating to accommodate everyone waiting.) Luckily the wait was worth the food. I had the grouper special with risotto which was absolutely delicious. I sampled bites from everyone elses entrees and enjoyed each one. Fettucini alfredo, eggplant rollitini, beer cheese soup, it was all very delicious. I did ask our waitress to put together a birthday surprise for my sister in law which was forgotten so that was a little disappointing. Overall, it was a great dining experience that could use some improvements when it comes to waiting.

Wow, finally brought my family here and the food was very good. Homestyle Italian cooking with very reasonable prices. Service was great. The check in is a bit chaotic because they do not accept reservations (watch out for people cutting in line by going up the "other" set of stairs.

Had the best dinner! Soup of the day was a chicken pot pie soup... it was 11/10! The pasta is so good and the bubble bread is award worthy! Totally recommend for any date night out or taking the in-laws while they are in town!

The food was great, the Halloween decor was fun, but the best part was our server, Max. So friendly, nice, professional, etc.

On a recent overnight pitstop in Tallahassee, we were craving some Italian food and our beertender recommended Bella Bella - which happened to be right around the corner from the brewery. So we walked over there and, well, he was right! Tucked away in an unassuming strip mall, the restaurant seems small at first but it goes way back, with a few different rooms to choose from. We arrived about an hour before closing, so it wasn't too busy and we were seated immediately. Although, we had to move a few minutes later as we were in some sort of weird a/c wind tunnel that caused quite a chill. We started with their famous bubble bread as an appetizer. The beertender had recommended it. It was quite delicious! Bready, cheesy, and served with a house-made marinara sauce...it was all I could do not to eat all of it. Okay, who am I kidding, I ate more than I planned and was thoroughly stuffed before the main course even arrived. For our meals my friend ordered canneloni and I ordered risotto with grilled grouper. I've never had grouper (THE local delicacy in Florida) cooked this way before and it was good, but a little dry. Still, it was fresh and the portion was generous. The risotto on the side was perfectly cooked and left me wishing I wasn't so full from the bubble bread! If I lived in Tallahassee I could definitely see this being a regular stop in my foodie lineup. Would love to try some of their pasta dishes if I ever go back.

Worth the wait! Typically do not wait for a table, especially when it's 45 minutes, but we did. Figured the food had to be good and it was. Loved my eggplant parm. Would and probably will get it again.

Bella Bella is the go to spot for Italian food in Tallahassee. I would say it is more on the casual side, but still a great date night spot. We visited twice now as a family and both experiences were pure deliciousness. They have a decent wine list too. The chicken Parmesan and baked pastas are solid choices. Large portions and quality ingredients go for all of the entrees. The house salad was also really good. You have to try to bubble bread as an appetizer is it so gooey, cheesy and perfection.

I love this place! It has a special place in my heart and I was went on my first date with my now husband there and we even shot our pregnancy announcement there two years ago and everyone was so cooperative and accommodating. I was here last night for a work dinner. Another large party, with one waiter who didn't miss a beat. I had the my entree, soup and peanut butter pie were all so delicious.

We ordered an eggplant parm and the special "shepherds pie". Serving sizes very small. The shepherds pie had a tomato base and my opinion, wasn't good at all. Price of a 4"x4" piece of this was $29! Eggplant was soggy and no crisp. Also very small portion. Very disappointed after reading reviews.

The drinks at the bar and the bubble bread, it doesn't get any better. Every time I have had Bella Bella: great service and a positive experience. I do think the dinner entree menu is over priced so I don't eat dinner here but I do come for appetizers, drinks and dessert. 5 Coconut Shrimp for $8.00 is also way over priced for an appetizer. I have tried a few different craft cocktails off the menu and have enjoyed them all. A bottle of wine is great here too. I love the side car since they make it with Dusse. For dessert the limoncello and the banana foster are the way to go.

After living in Tallahassee for four years when I was in college I was never able to find a better Italian restaurant. Now whenever I come back to visit I always stop. The bubble bread is a must try for an app. Every time I go I end up trying something different and it is great each time, which is very rare for me to find multiple dishes I love at the same place. Great for date night, family time, or celebrating something special in your life.

Atmosphere was great. Food and service were above average. Seemed to be the perfect date spot!

I've been coming here for over four years. There food is excellent, my husband and I usually get the bubble bread for an appetizer. The bartenders make an excellent old fashioned. The service is awesome and the pictures which line the wall are adorable. The lights aren't real bright but you can see the people in front of you.

Bella Bella is an amazing Italian restaurant in Tallahassee I tried their grouper and it tasted amazing. We enjoyed the caesar salad and cheese bread sticks Their service was good and highly recommended

First, our server Allison was OUTSTANDING! She has such positive energy and you can tell she loves people. Half way through we found out she also teaches 3rd grade and based upon her intersection with, she is a favorite teacher of many! Now on to the food! It was so hard to select just one thing off such a great menu and the aroma for the food being prepared was great. Though not the most entertaining selection the Bella Bella salad hit the spot. Loaded with tons of fresh peaches, apples, watermelon and grapes this was the perfect choice for a lighter meal. The vinaigrette dressing was a perfect blend of spices and added to the freshness of the salad! I will be back upon next return to Tallahassee and next time I am skipping lunch to ensure a hearty appetite so I can try more dishes!

We like the food. The price was not bad. Also employees were friendly. I really liked the appetizer bubble bread.

One of the best Italian places in Tallahassee!! Food and service were both great. Perfect for a date night or family dinner!

We had the french onion soup and fettuccini Alfredo with chicken and it was amazing. The service was great and the ambiance is perfect for a date night.

According to every Tallahassean I have met since moving here, Bella Bella is a must visit. It was good, but not quite as good as I had hoped it to be. The positives I experienced: -Conveniently located in Midtown (and also near where I reside); -Reasonably priced glasses of wine; -Good service (while sat at the bar); -And of course, the Bubble Bread. My experienced setbacks: -Pasta is not made fresh by Bella Bella (although I was informed that the lasagna is assembled in-house, daily, for what it's worth) -I felt the entree menu to be somewhat limited; -The tomato sauce served with the Bubble Bread was way too tangy; -After learning that the ravioli would be served in the way-too-tangy tomato sauce, I asked if it could be served in the cream sauce, and the bartender happily accommodated my request. Overall, the food was incredibly underwhelming; the ravioli tasted as though it had been frozen, and the cream sauce was just subpar compared to what I can whip up at home. I really do like the atmosphere of Bella Bella and will probably return to dine with family, and give another appetizer/entree a chance.

Another hidden gem found in Tallahassee. I absolutely love Italian food! I loved the ambience of the restaurant as soon as I walked in. Each table had small candles lit. The smell of fresh baked bread spread throughout the entire restaurant. I ordered the bread basket and the bread was hot and fresh! I also ordered the Caesar salad and it was very refreshing. There were a lot of people here but I didn't have to wait too long for a table. My server was Allison. She went above and beyond for my table! Allison was very attentive, gave me suggestions on what to order, and was so sweet! She made my overall experience at this restaurant even better!!!

A good Italian restaurant with quality food, fresh ingredients and great service. The bubble bread and fried mozzarella cheese are a splendid way to begin your experience here. Side salads served with your meal are delicious and fresh. The main course is always prepared to perfection. With each bite, you can taste the freshness and quality of the ingredients. The entire experience does take some time but always worth it.

First stop in Tallahassee, and did not disappoint. Ambiance is classic of Italian dinning, with the dim lit setting. However the music and crowd makes it seem like your favorite bar meets good eats. Scott was excellent in running through the specials, and very attentive without intruding. Sicilian lasagna was hearty and leaves little room for desert. Bring your appetite, bring your smile, this place is good vibes all around. Great date night go to. Buon Appetito!

My wife and I LOVE this place. Yes it's busy, yes your food may take a while, but enjoy their somewhat overpriced, but delicious, wine and drink selection. Always worth the wait whether u dine in or take out. We tend , after years of going here, to have a bottle of chilled wine at the house and get our food to go. Save you 20-30% on booze , tax and tips

We were heading home from Miami and staying at the Aloft down the street. A Yelp search yielded Bella Bella and off we went in search of something good to eat! Bella Bella did not disappoint! From the outside, the building looked to be on the small side, but that's because we parked on the side street. It's huge!! Hubs and I shared a chicken parmesan plate (although it's enough for one if you're really hungry) and I had a glass of the house red. Bubble bread completed our meal. The food was fresh and delicious and just enough for the two of us. Service was attentive without being overbearing and we never had an empty glass. Bella Bella is definitely our go-to for Italian the next time we're in Tallahassee!