Bella Via Restaurant

Bella Via is an affordable option for small group dining, with a simple interior design and nicely sized portions of Italian staples. High marks for my beet salad with pistachios. The pesto sauce and house made cavatelli pasta was more than filling. The halibut was also amply sized but a bit dry to my taste - just slightly overcooked.

My group came in here before heading over to Chicago Botanic Garden on an unexpectedly rainy night, and the quality of the food was quite high despite some minor missteps. The pesto cavatelli I had was great (although they put in maybe a bit too much olive oil) and piping hot, the sautéed broccoli was just as good and the espresso was quite strong - which is as it should be, and I had to add sugar, which is something I never do with espresso. The minestrone soup was also quite good, too. Worth it.

Yall. Yall. This place is amazing. We tried them for the first time today, take out, and of this is the take out I REALLY need to try them in person!!! So. Good. We got the grilled calamari, seafood risotto, short rib ravioli, and chocolate mousse. We ate the calamari so fast I didn't take a picture. And the ravioli was half gone by the time I took a picture!! My husband has been expounding on how good the risotto is for at least 4 minutes now. So do take into consideration that your spouse might not be able to stop talking about how good it is. And it was so much food we have leftovers!!! And the service was absolutely impeccable. So kind and friendly when I came in to order takeout and wait on a Tuesday! We will absolutely be back.

First time trying BV. Started with the fried calamari, and it was delicious. For dinner, we ordered chicken Ala vodka and it was tasty. I would have preferred a bit more sauce 😄 the chicken Parmesan with a side of bolognese pasta was also very good. Chicken fettuccine was perfect! The servers were all very nice and did a great job!

It was very good food. However, meals varied in quality. The spinach tortellini was Al dente and had little to no flavor, but the short rib ravioli was quite incredible, with a tender and juicy meat inside of a nice soft noodle with a deliciously cheesy sauce. The gnocchi was soft, but almost a little awkwardly soft as it disintegrated in my mouth before I tasted it. It was good, but the texture threw me off a little. I’m being a little nitpicky, but I’m just speaking my personal preference. It was a very nice restaurant, good atmosphere, and the waiters and waitresses were nice.

New location, same exceptional service. The menu has something for everyone with great seasonal specials. A nice selection of wine and an assortment of craft cocktails. The manager knows everyone’s name and remembers their order making you feel right at home. Enjoy the patio before summer is over.

Enjoyed a relaxed dinner with friends at the new location in Highwood. Staff were outstanding, atmosphere was very pleasant, food was delicious. They created an angel hair pasta Alfredo with shrimp for me, based on my description when I didn't see it on the menu. My only question: why don't restaurants remove the tails of shrimp when they are included in a pasta dish with sauce? Seems like all restaurants do (i.e. don't do) this. Not a big complaint; more a curiosity. I'm just sayin'. Subsequent to this review post, I watched Stephen Colbert have a minor rant on the same shrimp issue. He asked, "If I ordered a burger, would it come with a HOOF on it?" LMAO.

Really loud inside — they had the windows open, which would’ve been fine if there wasn’t live music blasting on the patio right in front of us. Our server couldn’t answer a simple question like whether the Italian sausage was homemade. He recommended the Cioppino di Pesce, which the menu describes as a seafood stew with calamari, shrimp, salmon, and mussels. What I got was two mushy pieces of salmon, two shrimp, one clam, a few bits of calamari, and a pile of mussels. It didn’t come with anything on the side — no bread, no garlic toast, nothing to enjoy the broth with. Every other restaurant I’ve had this dish at includes something like that. For $37, it felt more like a $20 entrée. The salmon dish was just okay, the chicken parm was underwhelming, and the baked eggplant was disappointing. Sadly, we won’t be back — and it’s not a place I’d recommend to friends.

My wife and I stopped in for a drink on the way home and were immediately welcomed in by Carmella one of the owners - She was so lovely, we were celebrating our first grandson being born and she could not have been nicer. I am sorry i was not able to try to food, but my family in Highland Park and Highwood could not say enough great things about the food and service. I will be back - My wife is heading back this evening for drinks and the Frank Sinatra singer! Thank you

We visited Bella Via at their new location on Temple Ave with the whole family; everyone from Great Grandma to down to the littlest one year old. The staff was excellent and made all feel welcome! Great Grandma is a little picky about her food so was really happy with the Alfredo sauce that they offered. She also ordered the shrimp scampi and was dismayed when it came in a rose colored sauce. (She doesn't eat anything with tomatoes.) She handed that off right away! One of the specials of the day was halibut and it was really not good with a very mushy texture not flaky. I had the cioppino which was the really big winner of the night! This is an excellent dish and I would order it over and over again! The new location is smaller but very family friendly!

This place was fantastic and we regularly got take out from the old location without a problem. Now they've raised prices and can't seem to get the orders together. The quality of the food is still good, but the service is so bad I wouldn't bother.

The service is above and beyond. Excellent food. Beautiful ambiance. This is my 4th time there and will see more in the coming days.

Went for an early New Years dinner. Very attractive restaurant with excellent Italian food. I had a chicken dish and my husband had veal. The sauces were outstanding. Not cheap but well worth it for excellent dinners.

What a great place! We've eaten at Bella Via several times since their move to Highwood (and prior). The food is consistent, fresh and delicious. I personally think they are even better with their smaller footprint in their new location. There are many restaurants in the Highwood. Bella Via is one of the best!

Wheelchair accessible. Made a reservation via open table for a sat night. Everything was great but surprisingly the place wasn't very busy. I started with a Caesar salad & it was so refreshing & had the perfect flavor. I then had fettuccine Alfredo and it was so good! The pasta was excellent, nice bite to the noodle. The sauce was so creamy & flavorful without being too heavy. My sig other had gnocchi with a red sauce & pesto sauce mixed & he said everything was perfectly balanced. Will be back!

Absolutely love the veal saltimbocca! It is just as good at the new location at 431 Temple Ave as it was on 2nd Street!

I've been to a few private parties here both for brunch and dinner and always a great experience. It's a really pretty restaurant, attentive service and the food is great too. It's Italian food, which I think can be a little heavy for parties sometimes, but the good news is that everyone likes Italian food. This past weekend I had a lovely 40th brunch here. They serviced small squares of pizza for passed apps, while we enjoyed drinks. A mimosa for me! As for our family style meal we had a delicious salad, chicken that was sooo good (and i'm extra picky when it comes to chicken) + a pasta that was tasty as well. Dessert was a small piece (appreciated) of chocolate mousse. If it hadn't been small there's no way I would have been able to have just a taste because it was soo good. Options are limited for private party spaces in this year, but this is definitely one worth checking out. And one of these days I look forward to having a meal there sans party as well.

Bella Via is a fairly fancy Italian place in downtown Highland Park. White tablecloths, Italian music playing. The staff works hard to keep up the standard of service. One of the waiters diligently cleared my soup away before I had quite finished it and the head waiter insisted on bringing me a new bowl. Unfortunately the food doesn't always live up to the standard. The caesar salad was dry and could have used more cheese. The carbonara was a bit dry, and tasted strongly of basil. The risotto likewise was dry. The veal saltimbocca was better, but the side pasta was low on marinara. On the whole it was ok, but not as tasty as I was hoping for the price.

Great food excellent service. Nice lil Italian joint. Short Rib Ravioli was really good

Went with my wife and young son the other night. We didn't know they had a big back patio that was opened to customers during the pandemic. What a gem. Patio was absolutely delightful and the service was right on point. My salmon was delicious and cooked perfectly and we split a cannoli for dessert which was also great. This was one of our favorite local dining experiences in quite a while.

Although the food was good, it was very overpriced. Portions were very small for the price. I was very disappointed.

We had a party of five people. Everything was not tasty. Grilled calamari , bruschetta, eggplants, lasagna - eatable, but not tasty at all. The only tasty item on the table was a bottle of wine.

Welp. We just moved up from The city where we had great places like Volare & Toppo gigio. Bella villla scratched that great Italian itch in Highland Park. The back patio is pretty great, several heat lamps and bistro lights help set the mood. Our waiter was Omar who was incredible and helpful walking us through some of his favorite options and the wine list. Our only complaint is the hours of operation, I wish they stayed open a bit longer and were a bar option in highland park! Great food great atmosphere & great service! Thanks Omar! We will be back:)

Fantastic experience. We came here on successive Saturday and Sunday nights and it was an incredible experience. Tonight I had the Cioppino and it was substantive, hearty servings of fish, shellfish in a savory tomato stew with just the right amount of spices. We started with the calamari, meatballs and a nice serving of bread. Our party also had the short ribs ravioli and chicken parmigiana, excellent. The wine was great. The service was exemplary, well done!

Sub par food, service, atmosphere. Took more than 10 minutes to be greeted by waiter. Bread served was dried out and stale. The restaurant was ridiculously warm and it wasn't that crowded. The air conditioning needs to work better. Ceasar salad had the romaine core in the middle. Lettuce tasted wilted and that wasn't a proper Ceasar dressing. The minestrone was lukewarm and tasteless. The carrots were still hard. My son ordered the gnocchi. 30 dollars for 10 gnocchi. My husband ordered the lasagna and found a bay leaf in the sauce. My eggplant for 30 dollars has no side pasta.... wow!!! Over a $100 for an extremely uncomfortable, not well done dinner. Will not return.

A very nice looking restaurant but food which is important of course was very sub optimal. I was invited to a family type dinner and it was very pleasant in the beginning. I loved the appetizers of fried calamari which a nice delicate breading. The Caprese salad was nice and the fresh herbs were fragrant. The bruschetta was very good as well, but the pasta dishes were served next and I didn't like the mostaccoli which was average, not bad but not great and some sort of rice dish. If this was supposed to be risotto, it was blah. Next came the chicken marsala which was overcooked and the salmon was overcooked and after 1 bite of each, it was enough. Thankfully the eggplant parmigiana was good and not greasy. Desserts looked store bought so I didn't try it after the food experience. The coffee, however, was great! I had the iced tea and that was freshly made as well. Bathrooms very clean and tidy! Not worth taking any photos.

We really enjoy this place. In the summer it's really nice to eat outside on their patio especially during Covid they were able to open up all the doors and windows so it was really comfortable dining in. They have really good pastas and seafood. I often get the clam linguine or the short rib ravioli. Their salmon is also really good if you don't want pasta. Last time I also enjoyed their chocolate mousse dessert. They have a nice wine and cocktail list too. The service can be a little slow but they are always on top of water refills! Great addition to the neighborhood

Why go to an Italian restaurant in Highland Park if you live in Chicago? Well, if you have to go to an event. This nicely appointed restaurant in downtown Highland Park is spacious and welcoming. A map of Italy states down as you sip a Chianti. Their menu is predictable but good. Soup or salad comes with all pasta dishes. It is also quiet so you can have a conversation. The service is attentive and not overbearing. A good solid place.

The food was ok. Have had much better italian food and have had much worse. My biggest complaint comes from that there was no pasta side dish to come with my chicken parm. It's not explitly stated if the chicken dishes come with anything but it's a basic tenant of the dish and feels like such a rip off to pay $25 for a single breaded chicken cutlet. Add 50¢ worth of pasta under the chicken and you don't get half the table looking around confused after receiving their food because they're expecting something to come which never does.

We had our wedding ceremony and reception at Bella Via last weekend and it could not have been more perfect. Carmela and her staff were amazing and attentive. Every detail was addressed going into the planning and meticulous execution that evening. Carmela steered us in the right direction with other vendors, food and alcohol selections, and tremendous flexibility, even with adjustments that day. They accommodated all dietary restrictions and the food was absolutely delicious, losing none of the flavor and quality you receive when you sit down in the restaurant for dinner. And while the staff was there at every turn, they were never in the way. We would always recommend the restaurant and can now recommend their outdoor and banquet space as one of the best options for a private event on the north shore. We would unquestionably host another event at Bella Via!

We are long time customers. Alex our Waitress was terrific. The four of us split two appetizers that were very good. All our dinners were tasty and prepared perfectly. We sat outside in the back patio. What a nice venue. I highly recommend Bella Villa

Mauricio has built a beautiful business. Excellent service & superb food. My Italian friends agree that it taste as "Good as Nonna's!" Keep it up, the vast dinner & wine choices blesses my soul!

Great spot in Highland Park with plenty of outdoor seating. If you are looking for good Italian food Bella Via will not disappoint. The menu has all the Italian favorites.

We've been a couple of times and the food and service are amazing. Can't wait to return.

Excellent food!! Taste delicious and authentic. One of my the best Italian restaurants in Illinois. I have been to a lot, including eating in Italy. Highly recommend!

We were at Bella Via on a busy Saturday night and the service was just excellent- attentive and fast. The food was good, hearty Italian dishes but the quality of the service was what impressed me even more. I had Eggplant Parmigiana, tasty, however with a bit too much sauce for my taste. My son loved his seafood ravioli (special) and my husband's Fettuccine Diavolo dish was good too.

Online hours aren't up to date (they close at 8) but they were willing to bring out some desserts shortly after they closed which was great! We carried out the Chocolate Mousse and Tiramisu and both were excellent. The tiramisu isnt the most flavorful but the textures are great and the serving size for each is plenty for two people. The chocolate mousse is very good, not too rich but with distinct flavors. Server was very polite despite the fact that we called after they were closed and we probably kept them open late (sorry!).

Dayla was our waitress and she was excellent!We had the fresh pasta seafood ravioli with vodka sauce it was outstanding! Hub had the chicken parm it was very good. We had grilled calamari for appetizer it was tender. They let us sit with our pup on the patio it was great.

It's just... OK. That's it! Not good. Not bad. Just ok. I feel like if you're gonna open a restaurant, you should make the food stand-out. It should have flavor and be different, and make people crave it so they come back. I've been here a few times, twice with work people who chose the place and just once more recently to sit on the outdoor patio for lunch. This last time, it had been a few years since my last visit, so I thought I'd give it one last whirl. No luck. The inside is beautiful! It's got a great vibe! But, I won't be back. There are just too many other great places to choose from.

Bella Via is my favorite local Italian restaurant. This week alone I've been here 3 times for the short rib home-made ravioli. Awesome seafood dishes too. The cocktails and wine selection are also terrific. I'm taking home the tiramisu for dessert/breakfast! The service is top notch, to top it all off.

I love Bella Via! Everything I've ever tried has been full of flavor and delicious! My go to is the eggplant parmesan, chicken cacciatore, calamari and the pizza is great too! I never tried the deep dish, but the thin is perfect. My girls like the chicken limone. Carmella is a great host, always friendly and makes you feel like one of the gang If ever there is a mixup in a take out order, which has only happened twice in 5 years, she is always gracious and generous in making up for it. There desert is good too!

Nice restaurant in Highland Park. Decor is white table cloth, but I was very comfortable in my jeans. The menu is very nice, with many selections of various standard Italian food. I am giving the restaurant 3 and a half stars because my dish, chicken Marsala was very bland and did not have enough Marsala wine. My wife had the seafood fra diavolo which I thought was outstanding. Our friends ordered salmon and they both said they loved it. I will definitely come back because I ordered the wrong dish! I also want to mention that the minestrone soup was second only to Sabatino's May they Rest In Peace!

I don't get it. Our service was marginal at best. Well maybe it didn't help that the fire alarm went off and no one...not staff not management.... reacted. I overheard a server say "this happens all the time". What!?!? IMHO, the manager should have come out and talked to the guests ... and probably offered a glass of house wine. I mean, it was pouring out and they were packed....but Oh Lord.... And the Caesar salad tasted more like house Italian... The entree's were nowhere near as good as the other reviews made me believe... I hope it was just "a bad night"...

I'm giving this place 1 star because I've eaten here numerous times and actually tried to get seated outside. I walked in and was greeted by a hostess who looked like she was a freshman in high school and couldn't wait to finish her horrible part time summer job. Her body language and look on her faced displayed this outlook. Anyway, we asked for a table for two for the outside and she tells us in no uncertain terms if we had a reservation otherwise it would be about a 30 minute wait. Seriously?! There were 10 tables open outside with no one in them. Did she expect them all to arrive at one time??! Anyway, they lost our business for sure but I thought I'd call and find out if I could get a reservation. So I called and spoke to Amir and he said "sure just come in we have plenty of room outside." I said, but your hostess just explained to me that we had to wait 30 minutes because you were booked. Amir explained, oh yes I saw you walking out, but if you come back we can seat you." Um how about, I'm so sorry about that, I apologize for my untrained, unenthusiastic high schooler who I should have trained better or not hired at all" Sorry Bellla Via, you lost a good customer!

You get a great deal for your money here, The atmosphere is great in class and quality, every person in our party tonight loved their selections. I had the salmon with roasted beets salad and every bite was great, the salmon was cooked perfectly, not too long under or over cooked as I find at other restaurants and it came to my table still quite warm, a difficult feat, their homemade dressing was spot on for the complete salad and the beets were delightful, all the staff from KiKi handling our reservation and greeting to Elsa, our server, were attentive and friendly and added to the pleasantness of our visit Again, not the cheapest place in our neighborhood, but I feel that it gives you the best experience for your dollar, and I recommend it for any special meal outing. I can never find anything lacking here and always walk out, looking forward to my next visit. Such a great variety of quality dishes and drinks and always the best staff. This is a very well organized and run restaurant and we want them to continue to thrive in our town! I'm Sean Logan and I support this review and encourage you to visit here soon for one of the best dining experiences around!

So disappointed in our dining experience overall. We called the manager twice to request indoor dining because of an extreme heat wave. Our entire party was made up of "older" adults. When we got there, the front windows, floor to ceiling, were open, although there was no diners allowed on the front patio. I just called the manager. She was "ungracious" and she "mistakenly" said that she told me that the doors would be open. She did not! We could barely breathe inside. Ps. the Pinot Grigio (glass) was $16. A comparable 5 star restaurant nearby charges $9.75 (fair price) for the same. This manager said that the price at Bella Vista was the same as the comparable restaurants. Not so!! Surely, Bella Via can do better than what we experienced. Ps the service staff was "excellent"! Happy to say!

Look, this isn't going to be your usual dining experience review so here goes... I worked for my main man Maurizio from 9/2001 until 2006 as a delivery driver. Back then Amir was just a server, Roman was putting together the back room and the ballerina school was still in business. Heck, I remember when there were bottles just hanging from the ceiling! Outdoor dining? That was a choppy parking lot for wild bird aficionados. I digress... Bella is THE best restaruante on the north shore. Rosebud came into town and was no match for the staying power of this family owned HP institution, one in which MO probably puts in 80 hours work weeks. While myself, Ryan, Danny, Field and Zack are all long gone, as are hostesses Katie, Brittany and others, whats still there is amazing Baked Ziti, Penne with Vodka sauce is fresh mozzarella on their wood oven. (Is Rogelio still sweating away back there)? Sometimes I wonder if Matt is still making quirky jokes while pouring a just-opened Chianti. Anyway, hats of to Maurizio, Amir, and the rest of Bella gang. You guys rock!

The seafood salad was truly authentic, the homemade mozzarella melted in your mouth, the short rib ravioli was out of this world, the steak was cooked perfectly, and the spinach was sautéed flawlessly! If you like authentic Sicilian food, this place is a must!

Exploring the northern parts of the Chicago area, we came across this place. We decided to give it a shot despite the bland reviews but it sort of made us ready for the equally bland food. The service is okay and the only positive thing was a cheerful waiter. Other than that, it's #avoid kind of place. They don't make bread themselves nor do they buy it fresh. They brought it straight from the microwave and it was... dry af. The "specials" were even worse. The side potato was made days before and also warmed up in the microwave. All in all a dinner for two without drinks was $65. However, I'd not pay more than $5 for it next time around. Save your money and taste buds and go to Chipotle instead. PS the chair was unsafe and unstable. Someone needs a conversation or a lesson about proper maintenance

We had early dinner, ordered salad and it was very fresh and fried calamari was to die for, everything was great and server name Khada was a great, friendly person, enjoyed very much with good server with great atmosphere in very nice restaurant. Thank you!

We were hesitant to drive to Highland Park from the city for what we thought would be another Italian spaghetti house. Boy, we had that wrong! Everything here was exquisite - it reminded me of a week we spent in Florence last year. The wines were great and affordable, the pasta hand made and the scallop with avocado remarkable. We especially liked the buratta and the Bolognese sauce. The owner/host Mauricio? was attentive to our table and the night went by with everything going well. I'm in the food business, so I always manage a peek into the kitchen. Very orderly and clean. Noticed that they have a party room and I'm already thinking of a baby shower this spring. Planning to go back for a birthday in February....

Delicious Vodka sauce pasta that came with side minestrone, yum, and bread & butter. Perfect meal. Five stars.

AMAZING place. We had our 40th year high school reunion here in August and it was a perfect event from start to finish. The party room and outdoor patio gave us the perfect setting for an amazing night. The food was delicious and the service with Amir and his team was impeccable. A+ 1st Class all the way. I can not recommend this place more, if you have a special party or celebration and want a beautiful venue with amazing service and great food, book it here.

I attended an engagement party here and absolutely loved it! Service was great, staff was very attentive. Champagne was amazing and the food was killer. I'm Italian so not easily impressed by restaurant food, but these guys know how to thrown down in the kitchen! Thanks for an amazing event from start to finish!

Our first time visit. While we waited for our friends we had a drink at the bar. It is small but Tory the bartender made us feel welcome and was most gracious and efficient. For dinner, we started with grilled calamari and pizza margherita. The calamari was grilled perfectly and the pizza was crisp and full of flavor. Next, I had the linguini with white clam sauce and the server didn't balk when I asked for a different pasta. I enjoyed my dish - not too full of garlic but just right. Hubby had the ravioli which he reported as delicious. The wine selection was nice and our friend found a selection he had been wanting to try for a while. The food and service were both wonderful, and we thought the pricing made it a great value. We will be back!

We order to go tonight and it was amazing!!! Pick up was simple and ease. The food was well packed, and plenty!! The salad was just right, the soup was yummy!! The Chicken Marsalis was just the way I like it. Light and not overly breaded. We will be ordering from them again!!

Service was terrible. For an Italian restaurant, no zuchinni, no egg plant, not one Italian beer-only Heineken and Miller Light. Meals were very small, especially for the price. I can go on...!