Wife and I finally made it to Bella Gusto Saturday for a casual downtown dinner before a walk around the lake. We both ordered a small salad and we shared a small chicken barbecue pizza. Every employee we spoke with was genuinely friendly and seemed happy to be there and happy to help. We thought we needed to stand around inside to wait on our food and then take it outside to the street side tables but we were quickly encouraged to go set outside because " we know you guys are out there and we will bring you your food". We did and within less than 10 minutes we were served our fresh side salads. The wait staff was attentive and genuinely interested that we had everything we needed.Our pizza came out in just about the right time. Crust is just like we like it and the ingredients were super fresh. Again, we were checked on several times, but never felt hurried or rushed. The W experience was a pleasant surprise; the food was excellent but the staff was simply stellar. Kudos! We will be back and we will definitely brag on this place to others. read more

The food was excellent. The waitress was courteous and made you feel very comfortable.

Where do I start! Bella Gusto is one of our favorite stops. They have a beautiful restaurant, amazing staff and ownership, and of course delicious food and wine! We love ordering their pizzas/pinzas and taking them to go on the boat! The crust is some of the best I have had! They also host an awesome event called Stock Your Cellar. If you love wines this one is for you!! Put this on your list as a must stop! read more

Bella Gusto - Pesto Pinza! - Delis Near Me - Oconomowoc, Wisconsin

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I have been here twice since the new owners came in and here are my thoughts: The first time I came in with my ex and we loved the variety they had. There was a limited amount of seating but the setting is very welcoming-- the larger tables when busy sort of end up being community tables and it was really fun and immersive! The second time we came in was with my grandma and it was an amazing pinsa (their GLUTEN FREE option), it was well made (no grease, felt more like an authentic light italian dish) and the people were very friendly. That being said, it is kind of on the pricier side, but definitely nice for a semi-casual outing! read more

Bella Gusto - Ronnie's Pinsa - Delis Near Me - Oconomowoc, Wisconsin

I have mixed feelings about this place. It's kind of a hybrid night spot, a cross between a family pizzeria and a noisy local bar. The atmosphere is hectic and crowded, especially around dinner time, when's it's elbow to elbow and hard to find a place to sit. Strangely the tables are all for large groups, so it's not much of a date place. There's some room at the bar, but even there it's crowded and noisy and hard to get service. To its credit, the food is very good, garlicky and well prepared. But as I say it's more of a noisy bar atmosphere than a family or romantic restaurant. I'm not sure it's a place I'll be back to soon. read more

Back again! Great service as always. My family and I sat at the bar for a late lunch around 3pm. My partner and I are from out of town, so when we visit, we really stick to what we have liked in the past. Enjoyed the Philly pizza - excellent as always. I'd suggest getting there early or plan to have a later dinner. From 5-6 it is usually jam-packed. I really appreciate that they have a few N.A. options as well! Never tried this one, but it was tasty. I'd enjoy this with seltzer for breakfasts. read more

Bella Gusto - 12" Philly - Delis Near Me - Oconomowoc, Wisconsin

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Great selection and fast service. Deli options are perfect for when on the go. Eating in feels like a step into Italy.

A favorite spot in Ocon when we are in the area. Pizza, pasta and sandwiches are always great and the tap beer and wine list has interesting options as well. read more

What an amazing fined located in downtown area. I was tossed up between having a pizza or Italian beef. I chose the latter,and was not disappointed at all with the tender beef smothered with Ajou and topped with spicy peppers. A piece of heaven in a bun. And speaking of bun what a wonderful piece of bread that was. The service was great. The ambience was also great plenty of parking around back in along the streets. read more

Really great Italian sub... I'll be back for that again! I've tried a few other items that I thought were good but not great. But they have such a big menu - so many tasty things to try! The desserts always look so good too. There's a big bar and lots of wine options as well. read more

This is a great place, intimate interior with Emily and Sam providing exemplary service! Multiple beer and wines on tap, wide variety of good food and the tiramisu was an absolute home run! Nice quiet place to spend an evening! read more

Amazing meatballs, do not skip on those, and a simple grilled cheese sandwich was incredible.

Love Bella Gusto! Recently picked up some Italian roast beef for sandwiches. When I say I was in love...Oh lord.

They forgot an online order of mine and the owner was incredibly accountable and responsive - he quickly pushed the order to priority, getting me my order in 10 min, and offered some gifts - that's right, multiple gifts! - as an apology for forgetting. They went above and beyond in customer service an the food and wine is always quality here. It is a favorite spot of mine in Lake Country! read more

This place is worth the stop. I travel 4 states and have my usual hotels and restaurants I frequent. For some reason I stayed in oconomowoc for the night. Found this place and now I make it a point to stay in oconomowoc so that I can go to this restaurant. Authentic Italian food. Place is a little small and you may share a table with locals, but that's part of the fun. The pizza is phenomenal and so are the sandwiches and salads. You can also get frozen pastas and dough to go. Since going, I have introduced some friends to the place whom have been back. I will always recommend this place to anyone traveling through or a local who hasn't had it yet. It's also downtown close to shops. Neat area, give it a try. read more

I loved how simple and casual this place was from the moment I walked in. Seat yourself at a free table anywhere, grab a drink from the fridge behind you if you want and go to the front to order. They had an extensive menu of apps, paninis, pasta and pizzas including specialty and made to order. Don't forget the set of delicious desserts laid out near the front. I grabbed a local IPA outta the fridge, ordered the Italian beef pizza with hot giardiniera and a tiramisu to come out later. As an Indian, I like my food spicy but let me tell you, the hot giard is HOT. Pizza still tasted like absolute deliciousness, and I was sniffling, inching my mouth to another bite each time. They even add au jus on the side to give you the full Italian beef experience, adding that extra flavor. Friend of mine ordered the Ruthie panini, which was a nice sweet take on a regular savory panini, with the fig jam and apple shavings. Felt like a fun family-esque pizza place. Will be returning! read more

Bella Gusto - The Italian Beef - Delis Near Me - Oconomowoc, Wisconsin

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I love this place so much I had to give another good review Their food does not disappoint! My parents live in Oconomowoc, so when my siblings all come to town to visit, we all make sure to stop here for a meal. They have amazing pizzas - especially their Philly cheesesteak one...I didn't think I'd be a fan but WOW does it pack some amazing flavor! We order this one now all the time :) I'm also a fan of the Prosecco that they carry, I always need to have a glass or two. I tried a side salad with my meal and it was great - everything was fresh and crispy and the homemade croutons were a nice touch. They also offer a small "deli" you can purchase their homemade pizza or marinara sauce, meatballs, pasta dishes & desserts. Good food, friendly staff & owners, will definitely stop by again when I'm in town! read more

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The atmosphere at Bella gusto is friendly & very Italian with top shelf food and wine. The owner is the kindest, friendliest owner I've met in this area. 10/10 recommend. read more

Bella Gusto - Juggernaut hillside Cabernet - Delis Near Me - Oconomowoc, Wisconsin

We enjoyed going there just wish more available tables. Pizza wine was good. Def will go back again only not on weekends nights too crowded read more

My families favorite place to pickup pizza in the area!! We also really like the meatball sub. Those are our 2 go tos but everything tastes great. The sauce on the pizza is great, the crust is crispy but not too thin. I love to come here with a book and have a glass of wine while I wait for my to go order. Staff is always friendly and it's fun that there's a little market you can pickup food from as well. read more

This review is based on over all experience. With that said, the food itself was delicious, especially the Italian beef, delivered promptly and customer service was great. To get a hold of catering to ask some questions was a bit of a challenge and there was a few days of phone tag, but when we did get through everyone very helpful and friendly. I do think Bella Gusto needs to reevaluate what they tell people in terms of how much food will be needed. Unfortunately I feel a bit taken advantage of as this was me and my husband's first time using a catering service and we were not confident with how much food we would need to feed a party of 29 adults and 8 children.... So we asked Brett and trusted him as this is their expertise. The amount of food left over was astronomical!! Full trays not even touched. We were begging people to take food home, trying to give it to the bar staff or any other patrons in the bar Nextdoor... and we still had so much left over food to take home when all was said and done. We needed half of what was there. We also ordered a tray of dessert and that was never delivered along with our food. Which in hindsight is OK since there was still so much dessert left over. We will be calling to discuss this and make sure we were not charged for the forgotten tray of tiramisu. In the end the money we spent went towards feeding not only our party but the bar staff and random strangers. Putting your faith into catering , trusting as they're in the business, they would know how much food is needed, and spending that much on food with that much left over is very disheartening. Just this morning I threw an entire full tray of spaghetti away maybe a couple servings out of it. It pained me so much having to throw that in the garbage because to me that's just money wasted. I would use Bella gusto again based on the quality of food, but whatever is recommended by the catering team I would cut that amount of food in half and avoid having to throw away food and our money. Spending nearly a grand to feed bar staff and strangers was not on my 10 year wedding anniversary bingo card. read more

Went here on a Saturday for lunch while visiting town. This was the recommendation of some friends who live in the area and they definitely did not disappoint. The place was pretty busy when we got there, but the ordering was quick and the food came out in a reasonable amount of time. You order at the counter, take a seat, and they bring it out to you. We ordered the Tommy Jrs Combo, the Uncle Joey's Italian Beef, and we thought we were ordering the red pepper soup, but we actually ended up getting the Italian wedding soup. This was really the only let down of the meal, since we wanted the red pepper soup. The Tommy Jrs Combo features the Italian beef and the Italian sausage. Its a lot of food, but quite tasty. The sausage had a little kick to it (we did order the spicy sausage) and we did do the spicy giardiniera for even more. When ordered we thought that the beef would have been the star, but actually the sausage was the winner. The Italian beef sandwich was also quite good. Again we opted for the spicy giardiniera, which I don't think was all to spicy, but it added a nice extra tang to the beef. The bread was nice and soft to hold all the juices of both sandwiches, yet not get your hands to messy. I will say my one let down with the Italian beef sandwich was that the cheese wasn't melted in the inside. Otherwise it was pretty good, especially dipped in the au-jus. Both sandwiches also came with chips and a pickle. They also have a nice market with deli salads, pastas, sauces, and even some frozen options. Had we brought a cooler, we probably would have picked up some of the frozen raviolis to take home with us. Definitely a good place to go if you want a tasty sandwich for a pretty good price. read more

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It's such a quaint, old Italian deli. But what's more, their pizza is to die for. The desserts looked amazing too. It's usually bustling and you might have to sit at the bar but it's very friendly and welcoming. If you're looking for a quiet, romantic place, maybe not. read more

I ordered the mild Grandpa's Italian Sausage Sandwich. It was delicious. The sausage at Bella Gusto is made in-house and it is a substantial piece of sausage with the right blend of meat and seasoninga. I had the red sauce and giardiniera on the side so that I could dip the sausage in them both or just one at a time. It was a mouth-watering experience. I can't wait to return. read more

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I picked up dinner last night from here to go, it was amazing. I had to call a couple times to get through but once I did, the ordering process was easy. I got pesto cavatappi, and my boyfriend got spaghetti and meatballs. It was nice that every entrée came with a side salad when I was picking up my order, the whole process was very smooth and convenient. I will definitely come back to dine in sometime. read more

Bella Gusto - Pesto - Delis Near Me - Oconomowoc, Wisconsin

Pizza was okay but service was soooooo sloooooow. Chardonnay wine was not chilled enough. We got there about 2:45 pm for a simple pizza order on a Saturday but didn't get out of there until after 4:30 pm. My husband had to try a few times to wave somebody down to box the rest of the pizza & pay the bill. We were done eating by 4 pm after waiting about an hour for our pizza to be served. read more

My friends and I had a most wonderful dinner once again at this amazing restaurant. We had so much fun eating the most incredible food, laughing and having a great time. The fact that this place smells like herbs and spices and wine keeps you wanting to come back for More. Their Pinsa's are amazing. You can make pick your own or pick one from their menus. The best part about this place is that they get scrutinized by a very very few that want to complain about masks. But I'm here to tell you they don't miss the complainers or the "you just lost my business" people over masks. Why? They were booked solid on Saturday and because they don't require masks, you can see everyone smiling and eating and talking and having a great time. Here's to many more dinner dates to one of my favorite spots in Oconomowoc. read more

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What a great little place! You cannot go wrong with the pizza and we always get a heavenly slice of cheesecake for dessert. I had the pleasure of being served by one of the new owners on a busy Friday night and was truly impressed. Be sure to grab some goodies from their storefront before you leave! I always stock up on a variety of ravioli. SO yum! read more

The food was very good, we had two panini's and an Italian beef sandwich. The menu was very interesting, we'll be back to try more of it. The atmosphere was casual and welcoming. Service is different, order at the bar find a seat and wait for the food delivery to your table, I worked fine. The staff was friendly and patient while the place was very busy, There are lots of reasons to make this a regular spot to grab a delicious meal. read more

One of my favorite Italian Beef Sandwich restaurants. So sad to see they changed the bread roll to a softer version. Now I love the meat, but not the bun! read more

Bella Gusto was recommended to us by some friends and the restaurant didn't disappoint. We had a couple of pizzas and salads and of course drinks. Service was good and the restaurant was lively. It's a great place to unwind after a long day. read more

I really liked this place! Looks pretty small from outside. When you walk in the door, it has a cafe feel. There are some tables scattered just inside the door, then a small bar that wraps around into a deli counter. Midway through the store, a small grocery area with some italian themed items. You sit where you please, or I'd imagine at lunch time you sit where you can. You approach the counter to order your food. The counter help was patient and helpful with menu guidance during our first visit. The kids and wife ordered spaghetti. No complaints. My wife commented that the house marinara was excellent. My older daughter ordered Nay Nay's Caprese panini. She liked it. I got Uncle Joey's Italian Beef sandwich with hot giardiniera. The beef was excellent, the seeded roll was perfect. My sandwich came with a small bowl of au-jus to dip in. Only complaint was I wanted more. This place isnt cheap! Many of the italian themed items in the grocery area can be found elsewhere for significantly less money. My wife's spaghetti, which was a decent portion, but not large by any means was $14. Sandwiches were about $9 each and the kids meals each $7. While the portions weren't huge and the price was on the high end, I'd gladly come back. I give it 5 stars for quality and good service, two things that are hard to come by these days. read more

The best Italian in Lake Country - well worth the trip! This is a great place in a cool location with friendly people, amazing food and great owners - GRAZIE read more

The greater Milwaukee needs more REAL Italian cuisine. If you want to find one of the rare gems, enjoy a scenic drive to Oconomowoc, immediately off the main intersection downtown. The soups are excellent (Italian Wedding soup is addictive) sandwiches are stuffed with authenticity and seasoned ITALIAN. I live within walking distance; carry outs maintain flavor with a quick warm up at home. The authentic preparation & taste are worth the price. If the upgrade doesn't fit, it's the reason good food rarely is served from a can or a drive thru. Gary read more

I wanted to write a review to say thanks for a delicious meatball sandwich. I had two in the span of a few days and loved it. Great place to try in Oconomowoc! And folks with me ate other sandwiches and liked them. read more

Classic Italian market and deli with a fine assortment. Everything tastes wonderful, however the inside seating is cramped, loud, and not comfortable. Aside from this, Bella Gusto has lots to chose from. read more

Pain, pain, pain. Pain in the transition of owners... Rene, the previous owner was like FAMILY! Food was excellent quality, consistent and service always cordial with happy employees. I was thrilled to hear that the owners of Eola hills (one of the first wineries I tried in Oregon in the mid 90's) who really impressed me with their wines, were taking over. Last night we had dinner at Bella. Soup was curdled, Cesar's salad dry, penne sauce watered down and with HAIR in it... Transitions are difficult, but don't let Rene and Tom leave without at least a couple months training the new owners. we will be back in a couple of months, hopefully we won't loose our precious gem of a restaurant. read more

I have looked at this place and read the reviews so I though I would head over and report back and post some pictures to give a better idea of what this place is. The five star is not because it was the best sandwich but the overall experience I had. The place is in an old brick building and just looked like what one would picture an old school NY deli looks like. The inside has so much charm, see my pictures. This was a very well done place and I completely loved it. Exposed brick walls lead up to that always cool high tin ceiling with wood floors and a eccentric wood door chandelier with mason jars for lights just rocked. There is a small seating area next to the big front windows for enjoying the meal. Deli cases on the right with all the goodness and on the left the dry goods and wine. There is a cooler with pre made items but I don't know if it was take and bake. The service from the woman in blue was outstanding in the picture walking towards me, she rocked all the way and let me do my picture thing and encourage me to do so. I explained that I drove 25 miles to eat here and that the place is so charming with good reviews but no good pictures of the place. While waiting for my food I chatted up the guys at the table next to me and they were doing the same thing just out trying some places in town and suggested I do the sausage haus next. I explained that was exactly what I was going to do, I'm mirroring you're plans and what are the odds of two parties minutes apart from out of town on the same path just blew me away. Everyone was super friendly to say the least. I had the Italian hoagie which comes with kettle chips, see my pictures. They do it just a little different with either a sweet or hot relish and I asked for hot but got sweet instead and they still get 5 stars, sometimes a mistake will will get you something you would never experience so I rolled with it. The presentation was good looking . The sandwich was a gut buster which came with a bag of chips and a big wedge of cold pickle. The bread was fresh and soft filled with generous meats, cheese and toppings. The sweet relish was actually ok and the Italian was pretty good and half left with me. Overall this was a great experience and a super cool place to have a meal. This is a great destination option for an out of town weekend visit, two thumbs up. read more

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Scratch cooking, what could be better! Tried spaghetti and meatballs. Best meatballs ever. Quality ingredients. read more

Stopped by this deli for lunch one afternoon, and the food was great! I ordered the "uncle jimmy's Italian melt panini" and it came with a pickle and chips too. They also sell the deli meat and cheese they use by the pound. The only downside was parking, as it is in the downtown area. There is no curbside parking along the road, so I had to park a couple streets over and walk. read more

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