Anything & everything you get here is amazing. I've pretty much been up & down the menu trying everything out & it's just amazing all the way around. Definitely recommend getting a cup of Alfredo sauce with your bread & dipping it in it read more

Just tried this Italian place in Coffe e St Bella the place is very friendly crew very nice and the Chef was nice enough to accomodate my request for extra Basil and Goats Cheese on his Spaghetti with mushrooms and sundries tomatoes my craving for pasta was well satisfied good eat nice place for me to hang out for my Italian cravings. read more

Bella Italia - Pasta with Mushroom twist of Basil and Goats cheese it's just me thank you Chef for accommodating my order and Cabernet Sauvignon - Italian Near Me - Modesto, California

I have been going here for years..always delicious. Today I got eggplant parmesan. It was soggy bitter and a mess. Not even breaded. I don't know what happened. It was a total waste..threw it away. My husband agreed. read more

I really enjoy Bella Italia and have been going here for years. I almost always have the same dish, the Stuffed Shrimp Linguine. It's usually amazing, but at my last visit, it didn't seem quite as good. In my opinion, the service isn't as good as it was in the past. In past years, when we came in, the owner would always greet us as if we were family. That doesn't happen any more, and the servers don't seem as friendly. Maybe the stress of COVID has changed things. I would still recommend "Bella" (as we call it), because the food is still great and the atmosphere (a very small restaurant) is cozy and inviting. read more

Bella Italia is my favorite Italian restaurant. Been coming here for years with my family.

It was our first time here and the food and service was excellent! We had the chicken scallopini, the linguine muscoli and the rib-eye. Food arrived fresh and hot, service was given with a friendly smile and willingness to help explain items we didn't understand. Will be coming back again. read more

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Bella is one of our absolute FAVORITE restaurants in town! We love there service and the food is the best! Oh, and the bread is very good too! read more

This place was a breath of fresh air after a long drive. The ambiance was quite and quaint and clean. The bread served prior to ordering was warm and perfectly soft. Both husband and I got the chicken cob salad. They were fresh, delicious and filling. We were tired and hungry so this was what we desperately needed. I wish I could have taken a picture of my plate but alas, I scarfed the salad down before remembering the importance of sharing an image to aid in my review. Servers were polite and our wait was short. Definitely added this to our "go to" when passing through the Modesto area. read more

Bella Italia - Nice elegant ambiance but casual attire is OK too. - Italian Near Me - Modesto, California

Wonderful food and superb service from Elliot our server. He overheard my daughter mention it was my birthday as he was passing by and brought me a chocolate mousse and wished me happy birthday. Made our night. Excellent job! read more

Bella Italia - Italian Near Me - Modesto, California

This is our favorite Italian restaurant. The food is always good. The minestrone is superb! Service is always terrific. The owners make you feel like family. We have been going there for years and we shall continue. read more

They have my new all time favorite Italian dish, their lobster ravioli. So good. I can't get enough of their bread either. They also have amazing pizza. Great place for a date or taking the family out to eat. read more

The Italian cuisine is delightful and hearty. They have all of the classic Italian dishes. Service is great and the food is delicious.

DO NOT EAT HERE. Saw the chefs out back smoking with their aprons on SO GROSS Never got food bc I was so discussed with the lack of attention to detail or cleaning standards. read more

There aren't a lot of Italian food places that provide the kind of service like Bella Italia does. One server in particular that stands out from the rest is the reason I recommend it. Scarlett is always very friendly and attentive and the reason why I will go back to this place. The restaurant might be small, but it sure has that cozy feel that you don't get in most places. read more

(4.5 stars) Finally, Binky Bear and I made it out to Bella Italia AKA CARB CENTRAL. Being the number one recommended restaurant on TripAdvisor for Modesto, CA -- I have been intrigued since DAY 1 about the infamous garlic bread and homemade cuisine. Walking into the restaurant, I immediately noticed how dark the restaurant seemed -- it took my eyes a few minutes to adjust to the dim lighting. Still, the dining area is beautifully decorated -- a "traditional", classy-looking Italian restaurant ("homey" feel). There were a few other patrons in the establishment, mostly older couples. The waitress sat us at a nice, quiet table towards the back of the restaurant and brought over water as Binky and I perused the menu. I decided on the mushroom/spinach lasagna and Binky ordered the gnocchi with marinara sauce. The waitress was very accommodating, patient, and kind after Binky and I debated back and forth about the type of dressing for the gnocchi (do we go pesto....? or traditional marinara...?). I was a little afraid she would be annoyed after we switched the order -- however, our waitress showed the utmost professionalism and changed our order with a SMILE on her face (....thank you for sparing us the comments that were undoubtedly running across your mind). The complimentary garlic bread was brought over first. YUM -- wowee this bread certainly lived up to its hype. Large, hot, soft, garlic-y, butter-y pieces of delicious goodness. The bread is served alongside a little cheese spread, as well as balsamic/olive oil. I loved the bread with a little hunk of the cheese spread! Binky preferred the balsamic/olive oil but I didn't find anything particularly appealing about Bella's balsamic (tasted pretty generic, and I usually like sweeter balsamic). We finished off the bread SO quickly and when we asked the waitress for more, she was AGAIN so professional and kind about bringing us more. The entrees were perfectly proportioned (thank you Bella for not skimping us on our entrees as Italian/French cuisine sometimes does). Binky''s gnocchi was cooked well -- really chewy/firm and not overly soft/mushy. It paired well with the simple tomato marinara and basil. The mushroom/spinach lasagna is MUCH recommended -- Binky and I both really enjoyed this hearty, generous dish. Lots of cheese, tomato sauce, chicken, and nice thick layers of pasta -- PERFECT comfort food! Lastly, we finished our meal off with a little dessert (....but I can't remember its name). The dessert was lovely, and light. Tasted VERY similar to tiramisu but with a flaky crust on the bottom. The dessert was bathed in some vanilla custard with a little decorated heart in the middle. Overall, the food was pretty much exactly what I expected -- a very solid homegrown restaurant. :) read more

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Italian cuisine is unquestionably my favorite cuisine. Fact. I am so happy that Bella Italia expanded their restaurant. Now I don't have to wait as long to get a table. My absolute favorite dish is the Baked Rigatoni with ricotta cheese. It is served piping hot out of the oven and covered with lots of melty cheese. Divine. Pasta is my comfort food. After eating it I feel all warm and cozy. Love it. ;) read more

Bella Italia was pretty good but nothing special! Good service with a pretty large menu. There's lots to chose from! We had the fried calamari, Alfredo cheese tortellini and shrimp scampi pasta! The portions of food were good! Good place but nothing crazy special. read more

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I drove from the Bay Area with my friend just to eat here yesterday. I use to live in Modesto, but moved to the Bay Area 2 years ago and this is still my favorite Italian Restaurant. I am a pasta snob, it's rare that I like any kind of pasta dish outside from what my family makes. My dad is a retired chef so growing up with his cooking made me a very picky eater, especially when it comes to pasta. For starters they always give fresh hot bread with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, which is my favorite. Also, once you run out of bread they will keep giving you more until you ask them to stop. Our waiter constantly kept our water glasses full and he was very attentive to our needs. I ordered the Lobster Ravioli which was smothered in a cream sauce. I really enjoyed the ravioli. It was big, the lobster and shrimp inside the ravioli was fresh, and the cream sauce just made it taste perfect. I can't remember the name of the pasta dish my friend ordered, but I do remember it tasting fantastic as well. For dessert we order the Chocolate Fondant Cake. It's very heavy and rich. I would suggest this cake only for chocolate lovers. Don't let the outside of the restaurant fool you. It may look ugly on the outside, but once you step inside you're in a whole different world. The interior of the restaurant is very modern Italy. It's beautifully decorated and best of all it's clean and service is always amazing. read more

Bella Italia - Chocolate Fondant Cake - Italian Near Me - Modesto, California

I went here with high hopes based on reviews but was less than impressed. It wasn't terrible but it wasn't great. The antipasti was ok but the cheese seemed cheap as did the meats. The marinara in the Chicken Parm tastes like something out of a jar and the pasta tasted cheap. Bread was amazing, spiced butter they serve with it was awesome, wine was ok for the price. I'll probably go there one more time and order something else before I write them off completely. Better than Olive Garden but Veronas is the best, classiest Italian food in Modesto by far. read more

Bella Italia - Antipasti - Italian Near Me - Modesto, California

3 Stars... rounded down. Only saved by Dessert. Garlic and Butter Focaccia Bread with Peppery Cheese Spread (*** 1/2) Not exactly what you would find in Italy... but you're not in Italy! Warm and Soft, and the Cheese Spread wasn't half bad. Baked Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna (***** Innovation and Creativity ** Preparation) Some very innovative Lasagna! Layers of wide Pasta alternating between Spinach and Mushrooms with melted Italian Cheese on top. Swimming in a Marinara Sauce. This could have been one of the best Italian entrees I've ever had... except for the fact that the Chef left the Lasagna too long in the oven while re-heating, which resulted in the outer layers of Pasta becoming Crusty and Crunchy-Hard. Very obvious that this was not Today's Lasagna... The Chef also made a mistake in disconnecting the Marinara Sauce from the Lasagna by not including a layer of Tomato Sauce in the Lasagna itself. When I consumed the Lasagna, it seemed I ordered two distinct entrees. In essence, there was no real reason to use the Marinara Sauce at all. Minestrone Soup (2 Cups... read details below **** 1/2 Flavor ** Preparation) Small bits of Celery, Potatoes, Italian Squash, Onions, small Shell Pasta, and other assorted Vegetables in a broth that was obviously yesterday's Minestrone. Looks like Bella Italia could have double-charged me for the second cup of Soup... even though it was their fault! Tiramisu (*****) A 5" long x 1 1/2" wide x 3" high slice of home-made Tiramisu (per Chef). Did I just say home-made? Yes. Very fresh... delicate and light! Lying in a puddle of Cream Custard with Strawberry and Chocolate Swirls on top of the Cream. Topped with a sprinkle of Nutmeg. One of the best Tiramisu I've had in quite awhile. Note: All the Desserts on the Desserts Menu are bought from a distributor. The Chef later told me any Desserts off the menu are usually made in-house. Ice Tea (*) Contaminated by carbonation from another drink... unless Bella Italia is the only restaurant that serves carbonated Ice Tea. Total $26.41 (Ouch! I had the impression from reviews this place was moderate in $$$.) Atmosphere (****) Not what you would find in Italy... but what you would find somewhere in Little Italy (New York, San Francisco, pick any city...). Background music turned up quite high for some reason... quite a bit of Dean Martin Italian songs, a lot of Mandolin and Accordian ensemble instrumental pieces. Service (***) I don't know if it was me, or maybe where I sat... But every time the waiter would approach my table... he'd make a mistake... First he dropped a container of crayons right on my table the restaurant hands out to youngsters to keep them busy... I really didn't need that to keep me busy! The waiter had the case of the "oops" today! When the waiter brought me my Minestrone... it was a Cup, not a Bowl which I wanted. His solution... You can have a second cup and pay for it too! Value (**) I feel lunch customers dining at Bella Italia are getting short-shrifted from this establishment. When there is no distinction in pricing between Lunch and Dinner, a customer should receive just as fresh an entree as if he/she were dining in the evening. That was just not the case today. When I was the absolute first customer served today, my entree should have been the freshest of the day... even despite the fact I ordered Lasagna. I had the feeling both the Lasagna and the Minestrone Soup were left-overs from the previous day's preparation. Shouldn't I be getting a discount for eating Left-Overs? To be paying over $26 for Lunch, I expected one of the best Italian meals I would have ever consumed... It wasn't... not even close. Odd Juxtaposition: If you have the need to use the restroom at Bella Italia, you have to traverse through a small, narrow hallway to make your way to the rear of the restaurant. At the end of the hallway is Mona watching your every step... a framed reproduction of the "Mona Lisa", that is... Made me want to use the sign of the cross and silently proclaim "Mona, I apologize for whatever is going to transpire..." ( http://static.px.yelp.com/bphoto/oGB4YtAKszAO8Yp_Zrst4A/l ) Suggestion to Bella Italia: Place Mona in the front, where she belongs! read more

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The food is amazing. I just wish they were open more consistently and they had a better location.

We just keep coming back to Bella Italia because it is so comfortable and so good. Not fancy or classy, but classic and relaxing. Waiters listen and meet your needs. Fod is simple and wonderfully good. Prices are very reasonable. And parking is easy and ample with plenty of spaces in the strip mall lot. read more

This used to be one of my favorite Italian restaurants in town. Unfortunately, last night, my husband and I ate there and will not be going back anytime soon. There is a new type of bread that is not as good as the old stuff. I received a dry, spinach salad with shrimp and scallops. When I asked, if it was supposed to be a warm, spinach salad, the server brought me back a completely wilted soaked salad that was in edible and disgusting. I ordered that because my mother used to make a delicious spinach salad that was gently tossed in a lukewarm dressing. My husband's dish was very bland, as well. Very unfortunate experience. When I attempted to call the business and see if they were under new ownership or speak to a manager, I was told that the management does not come to the phone. The person on the phone did not know when a manager would be in. Sorry, but if you don't care, what your customers think, there are plenty of other restaurants to go to. read more

What a place! This little hidden gem in a strip mall is phenomenal! The food is AUTHENTIC Italian! The people are hospitable and are careful with food allergies. I can't say enough, I have yet to find one like it in SoCal . Try it you won't be disappointed, believe me, I'm married to a Sicilian chef, he's impressed. read more

Went on a Sunday night at about 7pm. The wait was about 20 minutes, the place was packed. Had cheese and spinach ravioli (delicious), bruschetta (delicious even though December isn't exactly tomato season), lasagna (came out really hot because it was clearly just baked). Also had two deserts, creme brûlée (not heated enough on the top) and the coffee/gelato dessert (kind of mediocre because there was coffee/chocolate sauce in it that was icy as if it were kept in the freezer that was too cold for too long). Overall: atmosphere was great (maybe for some it would be too loud, but that's only because the place was really full but it didn't bother me). Service was great (got hot, chewy bread with oil/balsamic right as we were sitting down and drinks quickly refilled). Will go again! read more

Bella Italia - Cheese and spinach ravioli - Italian Near Me - Modesto, California

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We are new to Modesto and needed a place that was open late, so we hurried over to Bella Italia, just before they closed. My husband, who is a picky eater, decided to "create" something off menu -- gnocchi with sausage. Not a super complicated dish, even though it isn't something they normally create. The sausage came as a whole sausage, not cut up and mixed with the gnocchi. It was clearly old, a dingy brown color and tasted disgusting. Should never have been served. The waiter could have just told us that he couldn't accommodate the request rather than bringing out something inedible. He ended up taking it off the bill, which we appreciated. The bread was tasty, but super mushy inside. Not crunchy like good italian bread. Had the "pre made" feel. I ordered a spinach and prawn salad. I wanted the dressing on the side, but they normally mix it altogether as a warm salad. I told the waiter that was fine, but then he brought it on the side anyway. It's a little off-putting to get a plate of spinach with prawns on top, not mixed together in anyway. Then the oil, garlic, sundries tomato mixture on the side. Again, would have preferred he just stuck by their menu since having the items separate didn't help the dish. That said, the sauce was tasty, the prawns were fine, and the spinach was fresh. The kicker was that, since we got there so late, they started cleaning the restaurant before we finished. And not just cleaning tables off, but disinfecting the kitchen with bleach -- while we were eating. Nothing kills the appetite like the delicious smell of industrial cleaner. Needless to say, we won't be returning anytime soon. read more

Just got the chicken fettuccine alfredo and OMG...SO GOOD!! I'm very picky about alfredo sauce and this was just amazing. Perfect texture, consistency, and flavor. Olive Garden is always so pasty. This blows theirs away and the bread they serve with it is to die for. This is my new favorite Italian restaurant. read more

I ordered a shrimp and scallop linguine it was really very good....although I wish they had given the fish a little toss in the pan with some butter....would have been perfect....the server was a bit cranky ....we all have bad days ... He was redeemable he warmed up mis meal. I ordered my mom some angel hai and marinera with 2 meatballs to go....she loved it. My new fav Italian place glad they got to open up again!!!! read more

I'm not a Modesto local, but the next time I'm in the area, this would be a top choice dining experience. Everything from the vibe to the food feels homely. While eating there, I could tell that this was definitely a locals destination. Upon entering the restaurant, my friend and I were immediately greeted & seated by a friendly waiter. All the menu options sound delicious, but I chose the spinach and mozzarella ravioli, or something along those lines. It tasted fresh and homemade, and the food comes in generous portions. For something that sounds so simple, they ensure it has a kick of flavor! Would highly recommend this. Everything is very affordable (reasonably priced) and you get much more in quality than you pay for, from the food to the experience. read more

I have eaten here on numerous occasions and never had a problem with the business. All that ended yesterday, 01/28/23. I arrived at 7:30 and was told by a heavy set waitress that they were closed. Not believing my ears, I asked her "what?" She replied they had just closed. I informed her it was only 7:30 and it was a Saturday night, generally one of the busiest night of the week, and they were closed? Yes she replied. She offered to take an order to take home, but the dining room was closed. Considering I wanted cioppino I had no intention of ordering takeout. I've had issues with the manager in the past and have found him rude and abrupt. This could be a big reason why they have so many 'Servers Wanted' signs pasted all over the windows and doors. It used to be a good place to go and have a nice dinner... no more. There are too many other places that are happy to serve you after 7:30pm and treat you with respect. read more

Awesome service! Great pre meal bread! Wonderful atmosphere! Very decent prices! All around winner read more

Bella Italia - Bella italia deluxe pizza YUMmm - Italian Near Me - Modesto, California

The food at this restaurant is very yummy! I love the customer service and the over all atmosphere of the business. My only problem was the raviolis I ordered during me last visit. When I ordered my raviolis, I expected a decent amount of raviolis. When my plate came, I had 4 raviolis about 2 inches in width and length. I was very disappointed and had to order more food. read more

Great food and service. Order to go was customized as requested. Easy way to get great quality food and enjoy at home.

Haven't been here in awhile sorry to say prices went up But quality went down I 1st had to dust off my chair before sitting then we were by the window (don't even get me started on the windows) the fly's wouldn't let us alone we ask to move they accommodated us but from the 1st basket of bread I thought maybe just me but when The waiter brought us a new basket nope also was over cooked then the main course I always have the chicken Alfredo was it was runny like it had bad watered down I spoke with the cook he said stir and add som Parmesan need less to say I had already done that read more

Sent my son for take out. Pulled up the menu from their website and called in our order. I ordered chicken saltimbocca for myself and lasagna for my son. Also ordered bruschetta appetizer. Chicken saltimbocca was a soggy mess and the bruschetta bread tasted like they toasted stale bread. Lasagna was ok. Oh. And beware, internet prices are not accurate. I guess they increased their prices $3-4 per item, but failed to updated their website. I noticed when I was reading the yelp reviews that these price increases occurred over a year ago. Anyway, I think it's overpriced and probably won't be going back anytime soon. read more

When moving to Modesto almost 6 months ago, this was at the top of our restaurants-to-try list. We finally made it tonight and it was okay. The service & bread were probably the best parts. Both soups lacked depth, although we agreed minestrone beat out the extra bland clam chowder. Mushroom ravioli & shrimp ravioli equally as bland/okay. "Tiramisu" was okay but more like a slice of cake. We wouldn't go out of our way to return. read more

Just came here on my lunch very slow service. I actually had to take my pasta to go. I got the chicken diablo was very I mean very garlicky! There were no peppers however there were tomatoes and hardly any chicken. So I guess I will save for dinner and fix it at home. Really disappointed but my coworker loved her salad so that's why I gave 2 stars. read more

Bella Italia - Italian Near Me - Modesto, California

Their food was very delicious. The person taking the order made a mistake and gave me an extra dish that I did not want but I ended up tasting both of them and they were both delicious. read more

Not authentic tasting Italian food , far from it its a whole in the wall with mediocre food at best. Very greasy lasagna my husband order my salad looked wilted read more

Amazing entrees - veal so tender you can cut it with a fork. Desserts are sinfully good. Service is prompt and people are friendly.