The pizza was not good, nor was the salad. When I asked, the server did not know what kind of dressing came on the salad. I ordered "garlic sauce" for my leftover pizza crust. It was a flavorless mayonnaise type sauce. The meatballs were very small but I didn't taste them. My husband said they were ok. read more

While visiting Scotland I decided to grab some Italian food. After one night of dining at Bella Italia, I went an additional four times. The carbonara was made with egg yolks and you can tell that it was made that way, not all restaurants do that. I tried other pasta dishes and every one of them was delicious especially the Bolognese. I had an array of appetizers throughout my visits and each one of them was more delicious than the other. I can honestly say there was not one thing that I didn't like about this restaurant and the service was impeccable. read more

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I ordered from the two course meal set menu for 13 pounds where you can choose from a selection of starters, main courses, and desserts- a great deal when the pizza by itself was 10+ pounds. I ordered the campagna pizza and the Sicilian lemon cheesecake. The pizza was thin-crust and had mozzarella, goat cheese, tomatoes, pine nutes, and caramelized onions. Overall the pizza wasn't bad but it wasn't anything special either. The lemon cheesecake in the other hand was pretty good- definitely tart with a strong lemon glaze, but refreshing nonetheless. Service was friendly. read more

Bella Italia - Campagna pizza (with mozarella, goat cheese, tomatoes, red onions, & pine nuts). - Italian Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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I tried to come eat here however it was noon and they had their doors locked. Workers just standing around pretending to polish glass cups while ignoring people waiting for them to open. I guess they don't care about having much business. I ended up going to the place across the street that were open and ready to serve. read more

This franchise is easy to find, pretty popular in the city. The food was a little underwhelming, I had the garlic bread and carbonara. I will say though, the service was on point. Possibly the best service I've had in all of the UK (for restaurants) The spot was busy and was nicely decorated. read more

Have you ever had a good day ruined by one person? That's the feeling we got from the hostess at Bella Italia. Looking for a quality dessert to end our day, we entered the bustling restaurant and were turned away when we said we only wanted coffee and cake. "No. We don't do that." That was the rude response we received. Really? Because you have a dessert menu and we are customers. We went down the road 2 blocks to Martone's Hand-made Ice Cream, and that more that restored our positive opinion of Edinburgh. read more

After many meals of Scottish fare, we were craving some pasta so we came here for lunch to satisfy the urge. The menu is simple and has all the usual expected options from an Italian menu. We all ordered different pastas, and they came to the table looking exactly the same. Luckily our server could tell them apart. My Lenticchie pasta was al dente (very important) and the lentil and mushroom ragu gave a depth of flavor to the tomato sauce base. The portion was generous and was filling for a lunch meal. More importantly, I liked that they donate a portion of the sales to a charity. A full belly and helping others out! read more

Bella Italia - Lenticchie pasta with lentil and mushroom ragu. (9.99 pounds) - Italian Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Great breakfast deal near me for eggs and meats at only £6 Got my free coffee at the hotel first. Good food for the prices! read more

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Received a very warm welcome coming into Bella Italia, service was great, food was tasty and reasonably priced. Staff were friendly and accomadating and we left happy with full bellies! read more

The food was so tasty, the dessert even better! The waiters were very kind and did their best to be attentive despite how busy they get. I have no idea how they keep a smile on their face after working so hard for so long! I wish they had a location where I live- if I'm back in Scotland in the future, I'm definitely going here! La comida era muy sabrosa, ¡el postre aún mejor! Los camareros fueron muy amables e hicieron todo lo posible para estar atentos a pesar de lo ocupados que están. No tengo idea de cómo mantienen una sonrisa en sus caras después de trabajar tanto durante tanto tiempo. Ojalá tuvieran un lugar donde yo vivo, si vuelvo a Escocia en el futuro, definitivamente voy a ir aquí. read more

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Food is fine from Italian pov but overpriced, what really annoys me is the service, really horrible service, the waitress are arrogant and not willing to talk to you unless u shout at them. Won't pay visit again, 2/10 read more

It has been years since i had visited bella italia however the lure of an upgraded gf menu plus a £10 off voucher lured me and the bf in here whilst visiting the capital. The menu is very clearly labelled which items are gluten free and there was so many to choose from. My favourite italian dish is a carbonara so it was no surprise this was my choice alongside a garlic and mozzarella pizza bread. Oh my days ... the pizza bread was outstanding!! It has been so long since i have had a decent garlic bread and this really hit the spot. A thin and crispy base with plenty of garlic and cheese. 10/10 The carbonara was delightful too. The waiter took the time to explain that there might be a small delay in order to cook the gf pasta but to be honest we didnt really notice. My bf had the burger and was mighty impressed. Thank you bella italia for an impressive gluten free menu. I will definetly be back!! read more

Bella Italia - Gluten free garlic and mozzarella pizza bread - Italian Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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Great restaurant!!! We met very nice and kind people over there! The soup and salads were amazing! Thanks for having us after closing time ;) read more

The other worldly pleasure that is a meal at Bella Italia! I've eaten here quite a few times, and for an extremely busy restaurant, which also happens to be a chain, I'm repeatedly surprised by the quality of the food! Bella Italia has two branches in Edinburgh, one at Northbridge, and my personal favourite at Hanover. Technically, there's no noticeable difference between the two branches; I'd even say the one at Northbridge looks nicer, and has some pleasant outdoor seating for those few and cherished days when the sun shines in Edinburgh (jokes jokes...) For some reason, I've repeatedly trekked all the way to Princes street, turned on to Hanover, and treated myself to the greatest pizzas and desserts! I've eaten here because I was bored, for a break from shopping, and then for my 19th birthday dinner! Service is great, and on one occasion, my pizza was diligently replaced (after I'd devoured half of it) when the waitress realized an ingredient was missing from my order. More pizza for me, so I wasn't complaining! I would definitely recommend Bella for just about every dining occasion; dinner with friends, a large group, a date.. and they're also very affordable. The banoffee pie should not go untasted! As I've written this, I'm quite tempted to head back real soon; I even managed to score a free umbrella from a member of staff last December, so I definitely feel appreciated as well! read more

Bella Italia - Italian Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Trendy and lively spot. The pizza had much to be desired. I had the queen margherita and expected as the description detailed, a pizza with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil sitting on top. What I got was a cheese pizza. The sauce was not very detectable although I know some was there and the fresh mozzarella was baked into the rest of the cheese. Are my expectations off and too California when I want what I feel is authentic? You know, the visible marinara and clear slices of mozzarella without the shredded cheese encumbering it? Anyway, see photo for what they feel is a margherita pizza. I think it's way off. The crust seemed under cooked as well. Just by a tiny bit. read more

Bella Italia - Italian Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Had a delicious meal. The fried risotto balls are now one of my husband's favorites. The atmosphere is comfortable and cozy. Very relaxing. Our waiter was the perfect amount attentive; never annoying. Was very happy with the experience. read more

I've got to admit, I am a total snob about food and if you gave me a choice, you wouldn't see me in Bella Italia. But - it was my nephew's 21st. and his choice of establishment - can't be letting the side down now, can we?! Something that always makes me nervous is a menu the size of a small encyclopaedia, which is the case with Bella Italia - but the goats cheese salad that I shared, and the sea bass that the SR had couldn't be faulted - both pleasant and well presented. In fact, everyone around our table, down to the most pickiest of eaters, all enjoyed our meals. Last but not least, we had the customary surprise cake delivery for my nephew, with cake plates and forks duly handed around. Bella Italia - it does what it says on the tin, but at least it does it well. read more

Fantastic service and an EXCELLENT pizza! Owner was bending over backwards to serve us and all for a 15 pound lunch. Cant wait to go back. read more

In need of a quick bite to eat and a glass of wine on Hanover St, my friend and I stopped by Bella Italia. We only had an hour, and thankfully didn't have to wait too long before being seated. Probably due to not have a reservation, we had the furthest away possible table upstairs next to the toilets... woo! I ordered Pollo alla Crema, having had it a few years before and remembering it to be pretty tasty. It wasn't great, the pasta in particular, but edible and I was really hungry. My friend's bruschetta looked good though and a very geneous portion. The wines by the glass aren't cheap, but the house white I had was perfectly okay. The service was good though, or at least it was quick! We were in a hurry, but luckily didn't have to wait too long to be served or for food. I wouldn't recommend Bella Italia, it's chain dining at its most mediocre, but it's serviceable. read more

Bella Italia seem to have been around for eternity. While more modern twists have been applied to the Italian restaurant, Bella has simply stuck to its original brief. Expect all the usual Italian fare and with a standard level of polish. They often do a pizza/wine combo which is always there to coax the punters in, but it's just not an establishment that tempts me over the likes of Pizza Express. This particular branch seems to be too busy most of the time and thus I often wander straight past. read more

Bella Italia - Italian Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

This was a good find. They advertise a Scottish breakfast but after two weeks we just wanted something that wasn't a Scottish breakfast. My partner had the breakfast frittata with cheese and they were happy to accommodate him. I had the veggie frittata and it was perfect. Both served fresh in the very hot pan and very tasty for those of us who don't do additional salt anymore. The teat was great but the orange juice was a bit watery. I'd skip that next time. The service was by far and away above what we have experienced here, especially in Edinburgh. So if I was here again I would give this a must do again. read more

Although food from the Bella Italia chain of Italian restaurants is never really spectacular, it always pretty much satisfies you anyway. You always leave really full. I would recommend paying a visit to Bar Napoli just up the road though, if you're already in this neck of the woods and are in the mood for Italian food. read more

Best Breakfast what we had in Edinburgh. Their pancakes are the best. Delicious, fresh, light and fruity. Also avocado, mozzarella, tomato and pesto ciabatta. So good! And also staff is great, prices are standard. read more

Bella Italia - Yummy pancakes! - Italian Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

It took over 35 mins for the meal to arrive, when it did the meat was hard, you really struggled to cut it. One guests meal was cold. We were also sat by a wall that was known to have damp which resulted in the back of one of the gusts jackets being covered in a white residue. I would not use this place again, yes its cheap but you do get what you pay for read more

Food was nice but I don't think it was all fresh ingredients. I would go back for only for a 'casual lunch'. I had the seafood risotto which was really tasty but to much rocket piled on top. The bruschetta wasn't toasted so it was just sliced bread. Decent enough though and good value as we got 2 course for 2 people on Groupon for £18 read more

We visited Bella Italia a few weeks ago while visiting Edinburgh, we got greeted by a member of staff, and shown to the table near the kitchen (in the corner), but were not given any menus straight away (which i thought was strange) we waited around 5 min for someone to appear with a menu. Anyway, once we got our menus we proceeded to order our food and drinks. From then on, i cannot really fault any of the service or the food, or the price. It was fairly busy for a tuesday night too, and seemed short staff, but the staff that were in managed to please us. read more

This place has awesome food, definitely worth the terrible service. I've been to this location twice. . The first time we ordered a starter, which we never got. Then one of our meals was supposed to be spaghetti and a burger was brought instead. When we said we didn't need the starter we never got the waiter looked confused. The second time we went, we waited 15 minutes before being waited on- in fact we got our own menus for ourselves. When the waiter finally came, he seemed annoyed to have to work. The managers just stood around talking and reading the table flyers while the two servers on staff worked the whole floor. Both times we visited the service was extremely slow- visits lasting nearly 2 hours. There is an obvious management issue with this location. A friend of mine has been to this location as well on a separate visit and experienced the same thing. I look forward to trying the Royal Mile location to see if it's any better. read more

Great ambience and service. Good Scottish Breakfast-used Groupon. I'd eat here again!

Not great. Had the "low cal" pizza which was basically a pita bread with a couple of mozzerella cheese balls on top. My friend had pasta- again just ok. A tourist destination filled with screaming kids at lunch time. read more

Stopped in for a late lunch after a morning of sightseeing. It was an odd hour for lunch (2:30) but the service was good. Food was ok, not the greatest Italian I've ever had but hot and it came fast and was served with a smile, and reasonably priced, so I can't complain. read more

Really nice and warm restaurant. Two floor and first floor is really confortable. Cheap price and good food for lunch and dinner.

Wanted to try Italian when in Edinburgh. In fact my wife was more keen for it. Bella Italia has a good reputation so was our first choice. Choose the Royal Mile branch and went in with my family including my 1 yr old kid. After ordering had to wait for almost 1 hour to get our food as it seems the kitchen had collapsed due to untimely exit of the chef for some personal problems. That's fine as it can happen to anyone. The only reason I am giving this low score is cause we were not informed about this and they kept us waiting. And one can understand to wait so long with a 1 yr kid. It was almost 1 hr after we came to know and the manager was no where to be seen. Food was good and can give 3 star for that. But not pleased at all with service. Next time if I ever go will ask waiting time first and then order. I never expect this from such a reputed restaurant. No one would I assume. read more

Wonderful pasta and a great pizza! We had Campagne, lentichhie, and a bruschetta. Service was good except for the wait time of 15 mins but that was lunch time and the food compensated for the time it took to come to table. Maybe it takes that much time to prepare with all the goodness! Surely worth visiting for a good Italian lunch. read more

I really like this place, I've been about three times and each time the waiters are cool and the food tastes good. I've found the service in the UK to be pretty low, but these people have American quality service and the food is as good as any place I've tried in downtown Edinburgh. read more

Stopped here because tour guide recommended. Staff was very nice and attentive especially considering how busy they were. We ordered carbonara and spaghetti & meat balls. They were both bland. Side salads were nice and garlic bread was excellent. Pizzas looked very good. Prices were reasonable and portions were generous. read more

The food itself gives it three stars as it is generally excellent however Bella Italia on a Sunday afternoon offers one of the most cramped dining experiences known to man with tiny tables and wait times that are definitely caused by having a single server for a full restaurant. The amount of people that can't understand the entrance is however excellent dinner theatre. read more

Hopeless. My microscopic (125 mls?) portion of minestrone took over a half hour to arrive. The pizza had little going for it, and then the server helped himself to a tip. Skip it. read more

We joined that restaurant when we visited Edinburgh every day. Cheap prices and very good food. The staff was always very kind.

It's always quite a puzzler when you see places like Bella Italia packed to the rafters and places like well, I can't remember but there are good restaurants that have shut down over the years while Bella Italia remains open! The food is boring. I know Italian isn't the most inspired meal out there but there can be flavour and there can be creativity in the menu. It offers nothing that I can't get at much better restaurants for sometimes less (David Bann's and Henderson's Risottos are so much nicer and better priced). Pizza is not up to scratch with La Favorita or even Pizza Express. The business means that tables and chairs are crammed into tight spots which means you have trouble getting out and about, sometimes just sitting there is a problem if you're a big person. The last time I went was for my cousin's 18th. I'll never understand why they couldn't have just gone to La Rusticana or Bar Napoli. They're spacious and have great menus (although they don't differ much). I hate chains. I hate 'em. read more