Bella Italia

•£

If I could give 10 stars, I would! I'm still sitting at the table and I just had to leave a review…read moreimmediately. The service was spectacular and the food was exceptional. If we could eat here for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, for our remaining two days in Inverness, we would. And special appreciation to the young man who hustled with every table, every customer, and every request. He was fantastic!!!!

Ordered takeaway 1 x Pizza 1 x Spaghetti, told 30mins, right on time delicious and a good sizeread more

Bruschetta

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Riva Bistro Italiano

4.0(17 reviews)

0.1 mi

Modern bistro, excellent location with great range of food choice. Staff friendly and helpfulread more

Went to Riva a few hours after completing the Loch Ness Marathon. Not a large spot but nice. I…read morestarted with a Bruschetta, which was excellent. There were two on the menu and our table had both, the other was well received too. I went pretty safe with the Lasagna and it hit the spot. It wasn't unique but traditional and tasty.

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Along the River Ness

Black Isle Bar

4.6(75 reviews)

As our forefathers said - pizza is life is pizza. (I may be paraphrasing, and possibly made that…read moreup...) We love good pizza, and even on a trip where we're focusing on local cuisine, if good pizza is available, we're willing to forego a meal of local culture to put it in our mouths. Black Isle Bar is located on Church Street, in the main couple of blocks stretch of bars and restaurants in the heart of Inverness. After a day out exploring Speyside whiskies, it was exactly what we needed for dinner. You order at the counter and find a table where they will deliver your food. The pizza menu has a handful of good vegetarian options, and there are plenty of beers on tap. My wife and I shared the Broccoli and Stilton pizza...It had a good, light, and chewy crust and overall good flavor, though I didn't taste much of the honey listed as one of the ingredients. We also shared a salad, which was quite fresh. They've got a nice rooftop garden-like seating area too (though it was too cold for us Californians to enjoy that space) Great pizza in a lively atmosphere with very friendly service. We'd definitely get it again if we were in Inverness.

I think that was the best wood-fired pizza I have ever eaten. The crust was perfectly cooked; not…read moreburned at all!! The Spider Monkey IPA I had was delicious too! A large street level area with lots of seating but definitely checkout the roof top garden. Friendly and helpful staff; we walked so not sure about the parking.

Important Message

Pepperoni pizza and blue cheese pizza

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Rooftop Garden

Zizzi

3.4(37 reviews)

0.0 mi

Perfectly fine food, not bad but nothing to write home about. The burrata was good, the calamari…read morenot as crunchy as expected, and the sea bass a bit bland. We were thankful that they were able to seat us Saturday 8 PM--the first two restaurants we tried were all booked up.

We found our way to ZIZZI because it was right next to the apartment where we stayed in Inverness…read more And I'm so glad we did, because ZIZZI was great! I don't know how to describe the interior exactly, so I'll just call it rustic chic. A variety of different chairs around simple wood top tables. But each table was ornately set with large clear glasses, a wine bottle with the table number and wheat stocks(?) in it, a small candle, and vivid, brightly colored menus. And let's talk about those menus, shall we? So many tantalizing options. So many things just looked absolutely fantastic, and we were just a one couple, so we had a difficult time choosing between all of the different dishes. We started off with a Garlic Bombe. It was amazing. For drinks, we started with an Amalfi Sundown and a Limoncello Spritz. Those were both very delicious and refreshing. For our main dishes, we shared a Mushroom and Truffle with Burrata pasta (cause I have come to learn that you can never have too much burrata cheese), and a Pepperoni Campagna Pizza. These were unbeLIEVABLY good. We really didn't need any more food after all this, but they went and put a Baked Lemon and Black Currant Cheesecake on their dessert menu, and I'd never heard of that before. So naturally, I had to try it. It was fantastic, of course, and an excellent way to finish off our spectacular meal. The service was very friendly, and I was quite impressed by how fast everything came out. The place was hoppin', so that's just another indication that it's a good spot to grab a bite, when it's full of customers. We absolutely loved our visit to Inverness, and should we be fortunate to go back someday, ZIZZI would definitely be on our list of places to stop in for a meal.

Interior shot

Tasteless Cocktails

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Brownie dessert

Cheese & Tomatin

4.6(19 reviews)

We didn't have reservations for this TINY pizza place, but we were seated after about 20 minutes…read more We had the Calamari and a Wood Fired Pizza (can't recall which one), and both were great. After eating pub food all over Scotland, mixing it up at C&T was a wonderful break in our routine. Service was excellent, and our charming if eccentric waitress made our night when we said we were too full to order a huge slice of Tiramisu, so she brought us out half a slice, on the house! Our best meal in Inverness.

Ambiance: Typical pizza shop…read more Service: Awesome Food: £16/Pizza. Wood fire. So-so sauce and ingredients.

Out front of restaurant

Four Cheese with Walnuts

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Mediterranean Medley Pizza

The Little Italy Tapas Restaurant

4.0(1 review)

0.1 mi

Great Little Tapas & Prosecco bar in the heart of Inverness, just opposite the Eastgate Centre on…read moreStephens Brae, Not to be confused with the Little Italy restaurant two doors up! Intimate environment with excellent Italian tapas washed down with a nice selection of fine Proseccos's Genuinely friendly Italian waiters will cater for your every need with a wink & a smile.

Scotch & Rye

4.1(52 reviews)

This was the first place we stopped at for food in Inverness. I read a few items that were vegan…read morespecifically and chose this for that, we were not disappointed! There was a whole veg menu to choose from and the food was great, I couldn't finish much of mine but thankfully my husband helped me out. Service was good and staff was friendly and seemed happy to be working there. The bar is prohibition themed which was cheeky for us dining as Americans.

Both the bartender and our server were very nice. Our server kept forgetting us but the bartender…read moredidn't, so we didn't mind so much. The steak was melt in your mouth good. My mouth just started water all over again as I typed that.

Scottish Pastrami Sandwich

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Partial list of cocktails drinks

Pazzo's Pizzeria

3.5(2 reviews)

0.1 mi

I heard about Pazzo's from a friend, and was surprised at just how good a restaurant it was…read more Located just above Riva's Restaurant and overlooking the river, Pazzo's is a small restaurant, with only a few staff working, and has an open plan kitchen, which means you get a nice whiff of your meal as it's cooking! The meals are very, very tasty, and are very well priced at around £6 per meal. It is rarely busy, partly due to it's location being just above a larger Italian restaurant, but deserves a larger clientele. The staff were very friendly, and bent over backwards to ensure our meal was of the highest standard possible. Well worth a visit!

I liked the staff and decor in this cosy little place upstairs from Riva but the food really wasn't…read morefor me. The pizza was cooked in pizza pans in the oven instead of straight in like most Italian restaurants do now resulting in a thicker base that wasn't as authentic and crisp. The pizza was more like one you'd get from a pizza takeaway place to that of restaurant quality. Such a shame because I used to go here years ago and loved it.

Pizza Express Restaurants

3.3(3 reviews)

This review is a struggle. After a long day of driving and sight seeing, we wanted a cold beer…read moreand a nice pizza before spending more time on the road. We had the pepperoni and Spicy beef pizzas and they were great! If you like thin crust, they were super . A little light on the cheese sonic you like lots of cheese and a thick crust, may not be your best choice. The reason for the rating is that it took us close to an hour to get our food. I'll take some heat as I should have spoke up earlier. Our waiter checked on us after about 40 minutes and was clearly distraught that we hadn't seen the food yet. About 15 minutes later, he came back and said it was almost ready. At the hour mark, I was ready to surrender and walk out. The manager showed up with the food, comped it and apologized for the mistake that he said he had made. All in all, still frustrating but the manager did his best to make it right. I would probably try another place first but the pizzas was great!

Great pizzas, quick service and prices could be a bit better…read more I wish they had more options in their menu like soups, more pasta options etc. Would definitely recommend it if you fancy some nice pizzas in Inverness. For a more authentic Italian with more options I would recommend Bella Italia. 4 pizzas plus soft drinks was around 61pounds which for me is a bit too much when it's only pizza. Can't complain about the flavors and quality though, that's why I give 4 starts. Would like to take 1 star and a half off them because of lack of options in the menu and price.. All the rest is spot on.

Goat cheese, spinach and onions

Veneziana

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Bosco salad

Palio

1.0(1 review)

This place closed years ago. Now a Turkish restarant?read more

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2 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Qype User (macapp…)

0

1

0

18 years ago

Awful service from a rude waitress and the food isnt up to much either avoid this place !!!

Tish N.

0

20

0

1 year ago

It was just ok. It was nothing special. Staff was not too friendly. Would not go back.

Bella Italia - italian - Updated September 2026

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People who viewed Bella Italia also viewed

Zizzi

3.4

(37 reviews)

Perfectly fine food, not bad but nothing to write home about. The burrata was good, the calamari…read morenot as crunchy as expected, and the sea bass a bit bland. We were thankful that they were able to seat us Saturday 8 PM--the first two restaurants we tried were all booked up.

We found our way to ZIZZI because it was right next to the apartment where we stayed in Inverness…read more And I'm so glad we did, because ZIZZI was great! I don't know how to describe the interior exactly, so I'll just call it rustic chic. A variety of different chairs around simple wood top tables. But each table was ornately set with large clear glasses, a wine bottle with the table number and wheat stocks(?) in it, a small candle, and vivid, brightly colored menus. And let's talk about those menus, shall we? So many tantalizing options. So many things just looked absolutely fantastic, and we were just a one couple, so we had a difficult time choosing between all of the different dishes. We started off with a Garlic Bombe. It was amazing. For drinks, we started with an Amalfi Sundown and a Limoncello Spritz. Those were both very delicious and refreshing. For our main dishes, we shared a Mushroom and Truffle with Burrata pasta (cause I have come to learn that you can never have too much burrata cheese), and a Pepperoni Campagna Pizza. These were unbeLIEVABLY good. We really didn't need any more food after all this, but they went and put a Baked Lemon and Black Currant Cheesecake on their dessert menu, and I'd never heard of that before. So naturally, I had to try it. It was fantastic, of course, and an excellent way to finish off our spectacular meal. The service was very friendly, and I was quite impressed by how fast everything came out. The place was hoppin', so that's just another indication that it's a good spot to grab a bite, when it's full of customers. We absolutely loved our visit to Inverness, and should we be fortunate to go back someday, ZIZZI would definitely be on our list of places to stop in for a meal.

Riva Bistro Italiano

4.0

(17 reviews)

Modern bistro, excellent location with great range of food choice. Staff friendly and helpfulread more

Went to Riva a few hours after completing the Loch Ness Marathon. Not a large spot but nice. I…read morestarted with a Bruschetta, which was excellent. There were two on the menu and our table had both, the other was well received too. I went pretty safe with the Lasagna and it hit the spot. It wasn't unique but traditional and tasty.

Little Italy

4.5

(39 reviews)

•£

If I could give 10 stars, I would! I'm still sitting at the table and I just had to leave a review…read moreimmediately. The service was spectacular and the food was exceptional. If we could eat here for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, for our remaining two days in Inverness, we would. And special appreciation to the young man who hustled with every table, every customer, and every request. He was fantastic!!!!

Ordered takeaway 1 x Pizza 1 x Spaghetti, told 30mins, right on time delicious and a good sizeread more

Cheese & Tomatin

4.6

(19 reviews)

We didn't have reservations for this TINY pizza place, but we were seated after about 20 minutes…read more We had the Calamari and a Wood Fired Pizza (can't recall which one), and both were great. After eating pub food all over Scotland, mixing it up at C&T was a wonderful break in our routine. Service was excellent, and our charming if eccentric waitress made our night when we said we were too full to order a huge slice of Tiramisu, so she brought us out half a slice, on the house! Our best meal in Inverness.

Ambiance: Typical pizza shop…read more Service: Awesome Food: £16/Pizza. Wood fire. So-so sauce and ingredients.

Prime Steak & Seafood

3.5

(41 reviews)

Outstanding food and service today, following a long drive exploring The Highlands. The restaurant…read moreand bar provided a nice, welcoming environment. The steaks were perfect, and Kayla was an exceptional waitress.

7:45pm reservation: The staff greeted us right away, kind. We were seated, ordered our drinks and…read morethey came quickly. Then lanced our food order. 9:10pm: fish and steak come out (finally), no one has checked on us or to let us know it was behind. Plate was hotter than the food. Being from Massachusetts, the fish was not seasoned well and portion size very small. My partner is from Tennessee and his steak was tepid temperature with no flavor. 9:40: haven't seen any wait staff, no more water or drinks for quite some time 9:45: we ask someone to come over and ask for the bill. They were very gracious, came over with the scanner then told us our tip options while standing over me. We noticed that only American tables were asked about this, the "locals" received their bill and paid. The table next to us questioned them on this also. We did not tip. If they want to be tipped like American wait staff, please be more conscientious about checking in on the table and ensuring the food is prepared timely and drinks are served. Do not go here.

The Kitchen Restaurant

3.8

(60 reviews)

Word to the wise - get reservations in Inverness. We came our first night to the kitchen and they…read morewere fully booked so got in for a reservation on the second night. To start we went for the salmon gin cured appetizer with pickled radish and seaweed. This was a very good start to the meal and had really interesting flavors. I really appreciate and enjoy seeing what a chef can do with a vegetable and tonight was no different. The cabbage with potato and puréed carrot was my choice and wow was this good. The dare I say humble ingredients were elevated in a way that I felt really highlighted each vegetable. I all but licked my plate. My husband got the venison and after a dash of salt to lift the potato flavor a bit more to his taste, he also just about licked the plate clean. A few cocktails (tallisker old fashioned for him and Lost Scotsman for myself) added to the experience). Service was friendly and the view we had was looking out over the River. A really nice night all around.

We were excited to try The Kitchen based on the buzz online. The location doesn't disappoint, it…read moreoverlooks the river and looks snazzy from the outside. On the inside are three different levels, all small areas with tables tightly together. We were seated on the 2nd level so I don't know about the third level. No one dresses up, even in a more expensive restaurant, just a note. We tried a variety of items including Mushroom and onion broth, cep and hazelnut gnocchi, roasted shallots, shimeji mushrooms and green onion oil £19.95 (VG). Parmesan and truffle fries £4.50. Heritage tomato and pesto salad £4.50 (GF,VG). Tender stem broccoli, yogurt and lime dressing, toasted peanuts £4.50 (V). Soup of the day with bread and beurre noisette whipped butter £6.95 (GFA,VG). I wanted to love everything and came in to love everything. What I did love was the soup of the day (the bread was disappointing though) and the stemmed broccoli (really good). Everything else was "ok". The bartender here was fascinating to watch. She very slowly made every drink, very slowly, and put loving care into each and every one she made. I tried one after we'd noticed her attention to detail and it was excellent. :)

La Tortilla

3.7

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