Bello by Sandro Nardone
Italian restaurant · Newport Beach ·
Wood-fired pizzas, classic pastas, and seafood dishes
Wood-fired pizzas, classic pastas, and seafood dishes
"Originally from Atina and boasting a lineage of chefs and farmers, Chef/co-owner Sandro Nardone brings his experience with Italian cuisine and wood-fire cooking to Newport Beach. Low lighting and large paintings set a chic tone in the dining room, while the open kitchen keeps all eyes focused on the food. It is an idyllic setting for a gastronomic retreat; and the contemporary cooking never disappoints. Get one of their skillfully made pizzas, perhaps one topped with mushrooms and green onions or tuck into a plate of pasta amatriciana, a house-made rigatoni in a guanciale and pomodoro sauce with some pepperoncino for a touch of heat. To finish, an affogato or tiramisu seal the deal." - Michelin Inspector
"Although the name reminds us of the greeting from the Minions movie, Bello by Sandra Nardone is a very grown-up Italian restaurant, with candlelit tables and moody murals of Michelangelo’s David staring at you from multiple angles. The patio is twinkly enough for a romantic date night, while the sophisticated dining room feels more suited for meals on the company card. Focus on the small plates, like roasted shrimp in a garlicky sauce mixed with egg yolk, and the porchettina with crispy skin. The pasta dish portions are fairly petite, so we’d suggest the pizzas as entrees—they arrive from the wood oven with crackly charred crusts and lots of sweet tomato sauce." - cathy park
"Although the name reminds us of the greeting from the Minions movie, Bello by Sandra Nardone is a very grown-up Italian restaurant, with candlelit tables and moody murals of Michelangelo’s David staring at you from multiple angles. The patio is twinkly enough for a romantic date night, while the sophisticated dining room feels more suited for meals on the company card. Focus on the small plates, like roasted shrimp in a garlicky sauce mixed with egg yolk, and the porchettina with crispy skin. The pasta dish portions are fairly petite, so we’d suggest the pizzas as entrees—they arrive from the wood oven with crackly charred crusts and lots of sweet tomato sauce." - cathy park
"Although the name reminds us of the greeting from the Minions movie, Bello by Sandra Nardone is a very grown-up Italian restaurant, with candlelit tables, servers in neatly tied aprons, and moody murals of Michelangelo’s David staring at you from multiple angles. The patio is twinkly enough for a romantic date night with a bottle of barolo, while the sophisticated dining room feels more suited for meals on the company card. Focus on the small plates, like the gamberoni e uova, roasted shrimp in a garlicky sauce mixed with egg yolk, and the crisp-skin pork belly porchettina, with herbs and fresno chile heat. The pasta dishes portions are surprisingly petite, so we’d suggest the pizzas as entrees—they arrive from the wood oven with crackly charred crusts and lots of sweet tomato sauce." - Cathy Park
"An all-day Italian restaurant scheduled to debut in spring 2025 from Alex Wilmot (formerly of Gigi’s), Michael Kassar (owner of Wexler’s Deli and Organic Oren), and Kristin Olszewski (founder of Nomadic Wines)." - Cathy Chaplin