Please don't get fooled by the reviews. A lot of them are fake! Can't trust yelp reviews as well nowadays. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Although the service was great and quick the food and the ambiance was quite underwhelming considering the steep price.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We ordered calamari and crab cake along with gnocchi with salmon. The Salmon felt old and uncooked along with foul odor! Gnocchi had flour taste. Calamari was edible. read more

Bedda Mia is a great place to go for a good authentically Italian meal! The owner, who is from Italy, and his staff are all super friendly and helpful. I enjoyed their eggplant parmigiana paired with an Italian Pinot Grigio and my husband had a delicious ravioli paired with a glass of red wine, Sangiovese. Their tasty bread completed the meal. They have a good dessert menu as well. We sat outside in their enclosed porch and enjoyed the fresh air and ambiance. I encourage you to make Bedda Mia your next restaurant destination. Enjoy! -Susan in Santa Cruz read more

The food was delish and the service was excellent. The owner was very friendly. Highly recommended.

We went to Bedda Mia on the east side for a late afternoon lunch. Overall, we don't regret giving them a try. The staff, though slow, were all incredibly friendly and kind. Both of our entrees were delicious. But unfortunately our appetizer was a disappointment and the corrugated plastic roofing over their outdoor seating area was so hot it was like eating in a greenhouse. We started with the calamari and crab cake appetizer. The calamari was lightly breaded (which we love) but unfortunately extremely salty. We couldn't finish it. The crab cakes were quite overcooked, dry and not very flavorful. My bf ordered the fettuccine with fish ragu . It had an abundance of mussels, clams, salmon and calamari. He loved it. The seafood was cooked perfectly and the fettuccine was wonderful. I ordered the mushroom risotto. I'm a huge mushroom lover and this risotto did not disappoint, full of porcini and cremini mushrooms. This is hands down the best risotto I have ever eaten! We will definitely go back. However, we will sit inside on our next visit and skip the calamari and crab cakes. read more

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From beginning to finish- absolutely perfect ! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Friendly, efficient staff-romantic atmosphere -clean-indoor and outdoor eating[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Brought friends from out of town and they were thrilled with the cuisine. From homemade bread-delicious appetizers to delectable entrees and out of the world desserts -all made in house! I have lived in Italy for years and I can say- no better Italian food or service in Santa Cruz or surrounding areas! Thank you Bedda MIa read more

Living in Santa Cruz is all fun, games, ocean waves and the occasional apocalyptical natural disaster. While the dining scene can be eclectic, it's rare that a meal will tantalize me for days! My partner and I recently became friends with one of my students, A. I am a surprising introvert. But, leave my boyfriend alone for five minutes at the yoga studio: he makes 50 friends! A is an awesome friend. He showed up at my boyfriend's house on New Year's Day with Italian wine, fragrant fish soup and almond cookies that made us cry. "Oh, they are from my friend's restaurant - Beddha Mia." Since then, my boyfriend and I made it our mission to join A and his girlfriend T for a culinary evening we would never forget. Beddha Mia is located at Pearl of the Ocean's old location. It is a small restaurant adjacent to Kandha Thai Massage on Water Street! Next time, I want to get a massage first!! The restaurant is charming and quaint. R and I arrived early so we could peruse the menu. I would definitely make a reservation as the seating is limited. There is a covered patio area which could be fun during the summer. Valeria, the knowledgeable and gracious waitress, brought us fresh, warm focaccia and my Vermentino. I am slowly joining the Vermentino train - this was crisp, zippy, and paired excellently with the appetizers and main course. To start we shared: the calamari, the artichoke caprese salad and the grilled vegetables. 1. Calamari - my boyfriend keeps kosher (and I try to but I sometimes cheat with sea creatures) so I try not to eat the evil squids in front of him. But, I smelled those fried squid and I knew it was over. They were crispy without being greasy. And there was an assortment of shapes - some more squid-like with tentacles - my favorite! Some more tube-ish. They were served with lemon and this delectable marinara sauce. 2. CAPRESE E CARCIOFI- the artichoke was grilled to perfection and melted in my mouth. I took a tiny bit of the cheese and it was divine and I wished that I was not lactose-intolerant. 3. The VERDURE GRIGLIATE were a work of art. I don't even know what they did to that tomato - it had breadcrumbs in it? The eggplant were so soft and oily - which is very hard to accomplish. The zucchini were delicious. And I already shared my emotions about the artichokes. Order this starter, Please. Main Course 1. I ordered the Sword fish (as did T) - and it was different than what I expected. First of all, it was a HUGE piece, slathered in this caponata sauce that was sumptuous and herbaceous not oily. The cut of the fish wasn't quite as meaty as most of my sword fish experiences - but it melded perfectly with the caponata. The dish was served with crispy potatoes. 2. R ordered RAVIOLI DEL DOGE - Valeria and the kitchen were super prompt on revising his dish so it was pork-less. He really enjoyed it. 3. A ordered a sardine situation that looked awesome. You would think we would stop there? Dessert: 1. I ordered this caramelly, creamy, pecan apple tarte that should be a daily occurence 2. R ordered cannolo T and A ordered two other items that I cannot remember. Alecio, the chef, brought us this dangerous sorbetto drink to accompany our desserts. To quote Valeria: "it was orange, and raspberry and just a little vodka" That drink was lethal and I could have finished 5 glasses. We had such a wonderful evening at Beddha Mia. The ambiance was warm and gracious. The service phenomenal. And I am still dreaming about the food. P.S. we took a box of those almond cookies home Until next time, Beddha Mia! read more

Bedda Mia - Time for Dessert! - Italian Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Top tier vibes. Delicious Italian food. We dined on a Friday night and the warm energy here made our dinner so relaxing. Servers were welcoming and fun. They gave great recommendations for wine. I loved my glass of Montepulciano. The chef has a deft hand with Italian food. Everything was quality, starting with the fresh bread, served with balsamic and olive oil. Verdure Grigliate featured vegetables grilled to perfection and a Provençal tomato with a scrumptious garlic breadcrumb topping. Carciofi Caprese was great, the roasted artichoke was tasty; however, small quibble: the tomatoes were cold from the fridge and insipid. I understand that it's not tomato season but in a salad that highlights tomatoes this was a bummer. Gnocchi was excellent. I've eaten gnocchi in many restaurants, many countries. I can happily say this was one of the finest plates of gnocchi I've had. Very soft, pillowy texture, good potato flavor, bathed in a rich cream sauce with a hint of Gorgonzola. Swoon-worthy. The piece de resistance was the desserts; they're out of this world. Hazelnut chocolate mousse was super rich and sublime. Bedda Mia is an awesome new addition to Santa Cruz. read more

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First, all of the staff members were very, very nice and welcoming. Something about going to a small family owned Italian restaurant and having the staff be Italian. I support and frequent these types of establishments over chains. The food is high quality and made with care and love. There were sooooooo many dishes I wanted to try, but that just means I'll have to keep coming back over and over. Overall wonderful experience. read more

Bedda Mia - Meat & Cheese Plate - Italian Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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If you know what's good for you, you'll get the gnocchi. Wonderful, pillowy texture. Service was standard! Waitress was nice. No complaints. Ambiance was a little awkward only because my friend and I were the only ones in the restaurant for our whole dinner and they weren't playing any music. Granted it was a Tuesday, so wasn't expecting weekend crowds! read more

ordered delivery last night, read the owner is from Italy and thought the food would be Authentic, homemade as their website describes. wrong....I ordered Margarita Pizza with garlic and mushrooms,Large Minestrone soup, pistachio gelato, carrot cake. I even called restaurant and asked that the crust be crispy..the delivery service brought the food, and it was not homemade Ministrone but canned with loads of vegetables, not one onion or potato or pasta. it was just a can of tomato soup..the pizza was not cooked crispy, loaded with cheese and no fresh garlic, just dried and a few mushrooms. I paid extra for garlic and mushrooms. Margarite pizza lack flavor and doughy. Now the dessert was gelato,that had ice formed crystals..it had been thawed and refrozen, the only editable was the carrot cake. I even called the restaurant to let them know, was told the owner only speaks Italian and if I wanted to talk to him I could go to the restaurant tonight when he arrives at 7:00 pm. so, if you want to have a Not Italian meal then go there..good luck, I wasted my money and wished the ratings were factual. i read more

This place is my favorite Italian restaurant I've eaten at in a very very long time! It's a nice little spot with great food and big flavors! The wait staff is top notch and the entire experience was flawless. They accommodated my wife and our 2 year old wonderfully and with a big smile The desert was truly out of this world too!! Can't wait to go back!!! Also check out their bakery in Ben Lomond same quality level and consistency!!! read more

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Best meatballs I have EVER eaten! Also, I thought I'd try them on door dash! Packaged with care and abb. Sew. Loot. Lee. DELICIOUS! read more

Nice new Italian place that took over the Pearl of the Ocean restaurant location. I got spaghetti and meatball to go with a dessert. The pastries are from La Placa in Ben Lomond which is great! Glad to have a restaurant related to that bakery in town. Staff is friendly and accommodating to my to go order, and inside looks clean and spacious. Spaghetti was good with a nice amount of cheese. Meatball was well seasoned and juicy. read more

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hearing about the in-house made gelato and wanting to try...finding a cozy italian restaurant with an outdoor patio and small homely interiors...pizza served too...finding a display of other desserts and treats near the entrance...taking a couple gelatos at $4 each..taking vanilla and chocolate...little hot and asking to sit inside...staff was pleasant and allowed us to take a dining table..watching food come out and looking fantastic and portions quite large...will have to try a meal next time...gelato served in little glass bowls..velvety smooth and delicious... read more

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Came to Bedda Mia for a birthday dinner last Sunday and it was okay but not great. We've been here once before, a few years ago when they first opened, and the meal was good so we had high hopes. This time the service was subpar and the food was nothing to rave about. There was a large party of 20+ seated outside so the server said if we ordered right away he would put our order in first so it wouldn't take too long. We rushed to order, but in the end our order was brought out after the large group got their food. It ended up being fine since it didn't take too long, but it was weird being rushed and then still having to wait. We got the calamari appetizer but it was extremely tough and did not seem fresh at all. Not worth the price when there are so many other local spots with fresh calamari. The warm bread was very good and helped hold us over as we waited for our main courses. My husband got the seafood risotto and he said it was tasty. I had the short rib ravioli and was a little disappointed. They tasted okay but it was clear they were not freshly made. The filling was extremely mushy. We got buttered noodles for our toddler and they charged us an extra dollar for butter. Seems a little ridiculous to be paying $11 for a small plate of buttered noodles but ok... For dessert there was a long list of items and we could see the dessert case so we were trying to figure out what to order. We were told the tiramisu and pana cotta are made in-house so we opted for those. They were good (minus the strawberries on the pana cotta) but they put a trick candle on the dessert which we thought was strange for a restaurant and they charged us for both desserts. No biggie, but just thought maybe one would be comped for the birthday as some restaurants do. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance is definitely lacking inside and they didn't have any ice which was strange.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Last thing is when we got the bill there were some extra drinks and desserts that we didn't order on there. The server got it taken care of but if we hadn't checked the bill before paying we would have been charged read more

I hesitate to rate this restaurant because I want to keep it a local favorite. But - I want them to do well in the ultra competitive restaurant scene. That being said - everything from the Cesar salad to the entree to the dessert was wonderful! Even the balsamic vinegar/ oil and bread were top notch. The wait staff was knowledgeable, helpful and the perfect combination of attentiveness and quality service. I had the gnocchi el captain and my husband had the ravioli bolognese. Both tasted unlike anything we have had before. We have never been to Italy but my guess is this is what authentic Italian tastes like. And the trio mousse! Yummy! And the wine - perfect addition to my meal - I had the Chardonnay. As far as the ambiance - feels like I am in an Italian grandmother's kitchen - small and cozy and that works just fine for me. We will be back. Tell your friends - but only if they see local. read more

I rarely leave reviews, but I wanted to share how happy I was with the food we picked up from Bedda Mia. As a Frenchman who's lived in Italy for 2 years, I have a good appreciation of what good Italian food can taste like. And for years I have been nothing but unimpressed by the Italian restaurant scene around the Bay Area or Santa Cruz (I cringe each time I realize I can make better pasta sauce than what's in the dish I just paid $30 for...) Now, at last, the food at Bedda Mia reminded me of what I was able to experience in Italy: 1. The gnocchi del capitano were homemade, no doubt about it, and the texture was spot on. I would have liked the sauce to be a tad more salty though. I know a good gorgonzola can pack quite a punch (which I love) so it felt on the bland side for me. Perhaps they don't want to have a sauce that's overpowering the salmon... still, could have more oomph. NOTE: I pan fried the leftover gnocchis the day after, it was amazing!! 2. The ravioli del doge were impeccable. Exactly the caliber I would get in Italian restaurants. We couldn't stop eating them. I will for sure return to sample more of their menu. read more

The good was amazingly good. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance was ok - simple.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The menu was really thought out. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We went on Fathers Day weekend and there were many large family's in there so it was loud.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] But I think that is the not normal. read more

When I called for their hours because it was Labor Day, the person who answered the phone said I should make a reservation, so I did but when I got there, he didn't even check. I then realized they were very understaffed and he didn't have a moment to spare. With that said, because they were understaffed, the service was not good. Bread was offered but it didn't come until the entrees arrived. We asked for more water but none came and we had to go and get it ourselves. The food was great but I can get great Italian food somewhere else. :- ( read more

Average. We didn't make reservations and they acted like we were gonna be out of luck. They asked if we would sit outside and eat, um no. It was pouring rain. After we said that, they said, Oh, here's a table for you! The restaurant was NOT booked up the whole time we were there. So that was weird. Then we were seated and there was a random guy sitting at the table next to us (with bad BO and an apron) watching us the whole time. Kinda creepy and stinky. Caesar salad was way under-dressed and some of my romaine lettuce was brown. The french bread they brought (just a few slices for the 4 of us) was a little stale and when we asked for more, they said there would be an additional $4 charge. OK, whatever. My actual dinner was delicious tho. I got the orecchiette with sausage and mushrooms in a cream sauce. VERY good. read more

The staff were extremely friendly. We came in a big group and were sat outside. Both outside and inside of the restaurant are cozy. I got the gnocchi al pomodoro and my sister ordered the frutti de mare. Also ordered the calamari and crab cakes as an appetizer. All dishes were delicious! Definitely one of the best spots in Santa Cruz. read more

Bedda Mia - Frutti de mare - Italian Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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I'm not sure how this place is rated so high. I would have appreciated to see this rating before I had gone because I just can't get over all the positive reviews. I'm not a negative or overly critical person by nature however this rating will likely sound like it. The inside smelled like a cafeteria, maybe the table was cleaned with a mildew towel? Not sure. The bread came out in a paper bag. I thought that was to keep it warm but no it was cold. There were little fruit flies buzzing around our table. The calamari tasted like it was from the Boardwalk, basically bland and fried. My husband ordered the seafood soup ($30+) and it was meh, lacked flavor. I ordered the gnocchi with lobster bisque sauce (again $30+) and it tasted like macaroni and cheese. The finale was the lava cake with vanilla gelato. Unfortunately the lava cake was not warm so the middle chunk of chocolate was still cold. The best part of the meal? The vanilla gelato. It was delicious and flavorful. Maybe we hit it on a bad night but honestly, I don't know. For that price I expected so much more. Anyway, don't hate me. I wanted to love it just didn't see what hype was all about. read more

Caprese had poor quality and lacked flavor, lasagna and bread good , white pasta dish fair. Service good but [[HIGHLIGHT]]ambience was ruined by staff body odor.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Hard work equals sweat. read more

We really wanted to like it here, friendly service but not great food or ambiance. Admittedly we only tried caprese and calamari. I'm not sure we will try it again. read more

A very unassuming place in sort of a mini strip mall. Super flavorfull food, great wine, what are you waiting for? Go!!!!! read more

Bring your appetite! We came here on the recommendation of a Santa Cruz native and self-proclaimed foodie. He was dead right! The food is authentic, fresh made and absolutely delicious! We were not disappointed. read more

Bedda Mia - Fresh sliced prosciutto, sweet Italian melon, smoked burrata and buttered crostini... what's not to like?! - Italian Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Wonderful Italian restaurant hosted by the gracious and friendly Mateo. We started with the tasty Siciliana salad with tasty tuna and anchovies. We finished with a crisp crust combo pizza adding a little homemade Calabrian chile sauce for spicy. Great food. Great service. read more

Heavenly food, service and atmosphere. We all enjoyed every bite and every bit of our experience tonight.This is are new favorite spot ,open every day . We had some live music tonight also that was a special touch . A whole vibe was goin on . The smoothest most relaxing and tasty dinner dining in a very long time. Walk into little Sicily and drift into the most authentic tastes you'll ever experience in this area. We had a group for my nephew's 18th Birthday everyone beyond pleased , happy ,satisfied and full of Joy . Thank you Bredda Mia you all did an excellent job. Service was so smooth it couldn't have gone any better. You will see us all again soon.Blessings read more

Bedda Mia - Eggplant parmigiana Best I ever had - Italian Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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I can't believe how bad my experience was considering how highly rated this restaurant is. I don't know if the waiter had it out for us or what but I will surely not be returning after paying through the nose for pasta that was barely edible. I have enjoyed Lillian's a couple times but found out about this restaurant and wanted to give it a shot based on the reviews. I was immediately disappointed by how cold it was inside-- it was a very frigid evening in the low 50s and there didn't seem to be any heat as I had to keep my down coat on the entire time. My friend and I wanted to move tables away from the door and while the wait staff didn't seem annoyed I wonder in retrospect if this may have been the first strike against us. Our second strike seemed to have been taking too long to decide what to order (yes we were engrossed in conversation but the menu is also rather extensive)-- at this point the waiter did seem a bit perturbed. The very meager portion of bread is served in a little paper bag which was pretty bizarre. It was edible but nothing special. We had to ask for butter (it's served with oil and vinegar only) and it took a while to arrive. We both shared the spaghetti with clams (which is not on their website menu) and the fettucine supreme. I have very discerning taste buds and consider myself a gourmand but my friend is very much the opposite, and neither of us were impressed with either dish in the slightest. In fact I considered both dishes barely edible due to their extreme blandness which wasn't even helped with added salt (which I never do) as well as the entire extra quantity of parmesan that we requested. It also went cold within minutes due to the low temperature in the restaurant. Though I was absolutely floored by the poor quality, I was unfortunately too intimidated by our waiter's lack of warmth and friendliness to say anything about it. I will say the pastries we ordered (the cannolo as well as another one that started with a "z" that is not on their website menu) were excellent, which is the reason I bumped my review up to two stars. But considering we had to fork over $110 for the meal (not including tip, and we didn't order any appetizers), it was far from redeemed. read more

This restaurant is by far the best Italian restaurant in Santa Cruz county. What a breath of fresh air after being treated like cattle at the large Italian restaurant up the street. (That once was excellent) There is absolutely no comparison between these two places. Give this place a try, you won't ever go back to the "Santa Cruz Spaghetti Factory" read more

Bedda Mia - Squid ink seafood pasta and crab linguine special - Italian Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Best Italian I've ever had in the US. We're visiting from Florida and read about this restaurant in Good Times. The owners are from Italy. We ordered the Sicilian salad to split as an appetizer, then the lasagna and fettuccine supreme. Everything was clearly made from scratch and delicious!! The service was outstanding. It was so good that we'll probably go back for dinner. read more

We got the clams/mussels, they were not very flavorful, some were dry or overcooked. The salad that was expensive was really basic, not tossed and not delicious, I love a fancy salad so that was disappointing. The pasta was fine but my husband who doesn't like to go out to Italian food (my favorite), because "we can just make it at home", well he was definitely proved right at this restaurant unfortunately. I'm not sure how this place got good reviews.. read more

Great authentic Italian food. Mussels are delicious and don't forget to try their lemon tart

Went June 30 2024. Had the crab fettuccine. Soooo delicious!!! Mateo greeted us at the entrance. Very clean inside and out. He kept checking if we needed anything. Now a days that very rare.but the fettuccine, mmmmm. I forgot to ask but I hope the do takeout. I work downtown and I would love to pick up some for home. The serving size was just right,but I had enough to bring home read more

Bedda Mia - Fettuccine crab $35. Worth every penny!!! - Italian Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Went there last night for the first time with some family. Got there around 8:30pm and they welcomed us with open arms. The waiter was very kind, very knowledgeable on all the dishes, and had great recommendations. The food was delicious. All of us had different plates, the squid pasta, mushroom ravioli special, pizza, chicken steak, rigatoni, etc. We brought our own bottle of wine but tried their lemon Prosecco slushee drink, HIGHLY recommend. Was so tasty!! Service was awesome and food even better!! read more

Food was delicious, we were welcomed the second we walked in. Service was amazing food came out quick, Mateo was extremely friendly and loved to see us enjoy our food. Really felt like the food was made with love. read more

What a warm, friendly and tasty new Italian restaurant in Santa Cruz. We had reservations at 6:00 and we politely seated at our table by their friendly staff. Sean guided us through their extensive menu. We started with the arancini. These are a fried rice ball with a variety of fillings. Delicious! Then came the mains. There was a salmon with lemon caper, a ravioli with beef short rib, egg plant parmesan and a gnocchi. These were all wonderfully prepared and coursed perfectly. We all shared bites as they were all good sized portions. (Yeh, lunch tomorrow). Finished with desserts from their cold-case. All the pastas are house made and the ravioli and gnocchi dishes were some the best I've tasted in a very long time. Service was flawless as if they've been working together for years. This has to be a new bright spot for great Italian food in Santa Cruz county. We will be back again soon! Millie grazie! read more

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I picked this place to celebrate my birthday with friends and family. The food was great, many choices and most of all, different ones than the other Italian restaurants. The deserts were amazing. Great service too. Going back next week with a friend. read more

The red sauce was unusually sweet and is not what I typically like with savory food like the eggplant parm and meatballs. I also wasn't crazy about the Cannoli, way too much orange added, Gran Marnier? Overall not a take on Italian I enjoyed. Not East coast Italian and not authentic Italian. read more

First shoutout to Mateo for his attentive and cheerful service! My husband and I spontaneously tried this restaurant and were not disappointed. Mateo, our server, came over to greet us and explain the menu. He asked about any allergies and modified the pasta special and customized a sauce to maintain an elevated dish while excluding the ingredients I am allergic to. The food was amazing and had perfect seasoning and depth. I was able to try a Sicilian alcohol that was unlike anything I have tried before. Lastly, we tried the tiramisu which is the best tiramisu I have tried so far. Overall, we were very impressed with the food and service we received at Bedda Mia!! read more

Bedda Mia - Italian Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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