I love everything about this restaurant! Italian restaurants can often seem pretty repetitive, with similar styles and menus, but Bella Luce does a great job at offering classic dishes along with more modern twists on dishes and great specials. I had the bucatini with sausage ragu and it was delicious! My fiancé had the short rib pasta dish which he loved as well. We've been here twice now and both times all of the food ordered was consistently great. Fried calamari is perfectly fried and the marinara sauce on the side has a good amount of kick to it. They also have a good drink/wine selection! I'd say this is quickly becoming a favorite for a nicer Italian restaurant in the area, perfect for a date night! read more

Bella Luce Restaurant and Bar - Italian Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey

See all

I have been to Belle Luce a few times and I have to say their food is amazing!!! Everything from the meatballs, fried calamari, pasta dishes, to dessert. Last night I had the short rib paparadelle and it was to die for! We also shared the deconstructed canoli for dessert and I have no words to describe this but we couldn't stop eating it! YUM I will be back often! read more

I hoped i would like the place but it did not happen. Way overrated compare to what really it is. We got bread on the table, which was not the freshest. We ordered the appetizer octopus, it was special of the day if I remember right. It was ok, but nothing special, very small, not even a tentacle, basically mostly arragula and pepper for16$. After we ordered the straciatella soup which I Iike a lot, this one I did not even eat it, because did not taste good to me, i thought the egg was bad.. i think I was right as my friend who ate the soup felt bad and had upset stomach a bit later. After the octopus and unconsumed soup i still was eating my bread, since i was starving, when a busboy came and clean the table real fast. I did not have a chance to say anything. The service was really horrible. The restaurant was not busy, but even like this I had to look for the server, who seemed to be really bored further away from the busy tables. They should be trained for a place which has higher food prices. After this disappointing experience, we decided not to have our entree in this restaurant. We went to dine to another place. read more

This place is terrible. Don't even waste your time coming here. We had a reservation, and when we walked in the server at the bar told us she'd come back with menus. She never did. While we waited, an elderly couple came in and said they were told to sit outside and were still waiting for a server after 30 minutes. The lady went over and told the server about it and the server yelled at the elderly woman and told her to leave ...what?!? That's someone's mother. Shame on you. I'm reporting this place to the state of NJ. Literally the worst service I have ever witnessed in my Yelp lifetime. Staff here are the rudest collection of Humans I've ever seen working in an industry that's all about customer service. read more

Wish I could give this zero stars. Had a reservation but we walked out after the server disappeared when we told her we had a reservation, then another server comes out yelling at two guests that were waiting there for 25 minutes for a menu. He screamed at them to get out. Never in my life have I seen that. So sad because we were really looking forward to the food. Horrible service. I work in customer service and even if a customer is rude to you, you should never lose your cool...especially scream at them. There were people behind us too that left. So sad. read more

This was our first time here. The staff is so nice. Our server Melissa was so great and her service was spot on. She was on top of everything. The food was really really good. To start we had the grilled octopus salad (i forgot to take a pic ) which was really good. I had the Braided Pasta which came with brussels sprouts and my husband had the Branzino special. Both entrees were delicious. For dessert we had the modern cannoli. This dessert was so freakin good. It's not your normal rolled cannoli, it was caramelized wafers with the cannoli filling on the bottom, kind of like a dip. It was so F'in good! We are definitely going back to try more of their dishes. Also, we have an 8 month old, who we took with us, and they were soooo accommodating. Great food, great service, great people, GREAT RESTAURANT!! I don't normally give 5 stars but it is well deserved! CHEERS! read more

See all

I have been here for lunch only twice now; there were a few tables and bar patrons for a Tuesday afternoon. Ordered the cacio e Pepe dish and wish I chose a different shaped pasta. Rice balls were very good; moist fresh and cheesy. Tried the black squid ink linguini with crab meet and anchovy? I believe. Was okay, very salty and had a heavy anchovy taste. The first time I came here I briefly looked at the wine menu and they had some good/common brands and varietals for reds. Overall the menu is pretty much traditional Italian fare, happy with what I've tried and I think it's a good enough local spot to return. read more

See all

The food is very good, the service is good and very attentive and the ambiance was fenomenal. I very recommend.

I'm sorry to say this, but that's it for Belle Luce! I asked to have scallops instead of shrimp in an entree, but was told that "they only have enough for the brodetto" on the menu. Mind you, it was 7:00 on a Saturday night and there was NO ONE IN THE RESTAURANT. OK, I get that. I ordered the branzino from the MENU, not the special. Guess what I got? Sorry, I hate broccoli rabe. I sent it back, but I got was worse. It was supposed to be served with mashed potatoes and white bean purée with escarole. I got escarole with whole white beans with the fish on top. Again, now it's 8:00 and there is NO ONE INTHE RESTAURANT. Do they not understand how to make a customer happy? The worst thing that a restaurant can do is have an unhappy customer. We have been going there for years, but no more. They didn't even offer a dessert or coffee to appease us. For those prices, it's just not worth it. We will NOT be back, despite all of the great meals we have had in the past. read more

This was a wonderful evening of great dining, the atmosphere was very inviting and warm ,the staff was friendly and very professional and the food was amazing. It was a family outing we all ordered one thing from the appetizer menu and shared all the options were delicious. The entrées are varied from Ahi tuna to Parmesan veal chop,beef short rib over pappardelle pasta, grilled flank steak and lobster Fra Diablo, oh well presented and very very delicious.we had a wonderful evening with the family and great food couple bottles of Vino and beer. I'd highly recommend this place,give it a try. read more

See all

This place has totally plummeted. Every one there is great as far as the staff! The bartenders and waiters. The new bartender, Alex i believe his name was, was amazing! very personable and friendly and made me the best Appletini. Great guy, fit very well in that atmosphere. Of course Brittany and Gina are always so great! The part that has me not wanting to come back which is a total bummer was the owner Joe. I saw the way he treated his staff and by all means i felt for these people. He is was completely rude and disrespectful to them and honestly i've heard from several people that this is nothing new! Its a shame and im sorry to say id only come back for the wonderful staff and food as long as he isn't present. Wouldn't recommend to anyone coming here when he is here. Other than that staff and food is amazing! read more

New favorite place! Ambiance inside is nice. There is a full service bar, but it's not loud like a lot of bar restaurants can be. The restaurant itself is pretty large, with two sides. At the time of our visit, one side was having a private party. It's separated from the other side by the bar, so the party was able to have their privacy and we were able to dine in quiet. The menu is small, but has a variety of Italian options that I would be willing to try. They start you off with an eggplant dip and bread. I'm not a big fan of eggplant but the dip was tasty. We love riceballs and always get them wherever we go, so the appetizer choice for us was a no brainer. The rice balls here were huge and really, really good. Definitely would get them again. As for main course, both of us got pasta. Both the cavatelli and pappadrelle were obviously homemade and fresh. You can tell by the mouthfeel of the pasta and it's softness. Service was good - our drinks were refilled and we were offered another loaf of bread when we of course finished our first. Nutley has a lot of good places to eat, and I'll definitely be adding Bella Luce to that list. read more

See all

This was my first time eating dinner here and I came here with my family for a birthday and it was fantastic! We started with a bunch of different apps: Burrata, Shrimp Arrabitta, Antipasto, Artichokes, and a Caesar salad. All the apps were out of this world. The portions were big enough to split among 5 so everyone was able to get a little of all the dishes. I loved how the burrata came in 4 small burratas instead of one massive one (which most restaurants do) this made it easier to split. For dinner I got the special of crab stuffed shrimp. This could have been one of my most favorite dinners. It was so fresh and mixed perfectly well together. Everyone loved their own meals. The drinks were also great. Service was good, you didn't feel rushed at all and the place was nice. Overall great place for a good dinner if you're looking for good quality food!! read more

Bella Luce Restaurant and Bar - Crab Imperial Stuffed Shrimp - Italian Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey

The first time I went it was great. I recommend it to people and couldn't wait to go back. I went back a few weeks later and nothing anyone got was good. I In not going back again read more

Compliments to Joe and his staff at Bella Luce. Thank you for making Mother's Day a huge success. Shrimp Luce, meatballs, pasta vodka and chicken oreganata. Everything was delicious. read more

Bella Luce Restaurant and Bar - Pasta vodka, chicken oreganata - Italian Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey

Booked this place for my boys first holy communion. I booked with the owner and he was very accommodating from start to finish. The food here is all amazing and their chefs did a fabulous job cooking all the meals. They even helped to change the menu for one of my boys, who has autism. Food and service is five star quality. The employees were so professional, and that speaks volume. The service was great, they were very attentive with all our guests. So, great food and great service is an A+ in my book! Will definitely return. read more

Food was incredible. We had the scallops over risotto and pasta Bolognese. Restaurant is family friendly and had a great atmosphere. Staff is attentive and the owners come over and check on every table. read more

One of my favorite restaurants! The drinks are spectacular (especially the espresso martini) and the food is just as good. Recently, I got the Rigatoni Bolognese and it was so flavorful and the pasta was cooked perfectly. I have been here so many times and will continue to go back. 10/10 recommend. read more

Bella Luce Restaurant and Bar - Creme brûlée / espresso martini - Italian Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey

Amazing service , and the food was delicious, they made my request of Risotto to perfection. My guests were also extremely pleased with the dishes . Not to mention the desserts!!! The service incredible . I believe the owner was the one who greeted us . Very nice and pleasant lady with dark hair. Excellent experience highly recommended read more

Beautiful place , amazing food , and great drinks The short rib pappardelle was phenomenal . Highly recommend

Ordered takeout tonight for me and my husband and I am beyond disappointed. When I arrived to pick up the order, I had to wait a few minutes which wasn't a big deal but when it came time to pay, they verbally told me the total without showing me a copy of my bill. I requested to see it and noticed that there was an extra item on it which I disputed. I was then told that they didn't have the ability to void an item from my bill- even though I hadn't paid yet. they were trying to get me to pay for the extra item but said I could swap it for something else. needless to say, I didn't want an extra item whatsoever, so they had to call the manager to understand how they could void this item. once we got that taken care of, I paid and went on my way. then I got home and discovered that one of the two entrees I ordered was wrong. for context, my husband has a gluten intolerance which I state when ordering his meals. well, they applied the gluten intolerance to my meal as well which severely impacted the integrity of the dish, not to mention I don't have the allergy so it was unnecessary and I'm fairly certain I paid extra for it. it's a shame as I had my bridal shower at this restaurant a few years back and it's been a family favorite but it's certainly gone downhill and we wont be back. read more

Me and my mom came for lunch I had a great server suggest the polenta sausage and arancini balls. Beautiful My mom had the caprese salad, fresh and bursting in color My son had a basic rigatoni marinara The marscapone cheesecake that our server Jonathan suggested was the best part We got tiramisu too but it wasn't that great. One thing that stood out about my first time here was the staff was attentive, more than others. Our busser was so polite and his timing with water, bread, refills on coffee and iced tea were on point. And we had our dishes taken away immediately I hate when sugar wrappers and dirty used items linger. The busser was very useful to the server As well as us The food was cooked well. I moved to Nutkey from Vegas and been trying out all the different places around Nutley I liked this one. I'll definitely return read more

Me and my boyfriend went here for our Valentine's Day dinner and while our food was really good we were dissapointed. The music was so loud that we had to constantly be shouting across the table (it would have been easier to text), the tables were so close together I felt like I was stepping and bumping into people when I went up to go to the bathroom. We got our food 40 minutes after we arrived and we received our drinks and bread AFTER the food. We also had to ask the waiter multiple times for everything. I also ordered a side that I never received. The food was really good but the atmosphere was unpredictable and we would not go back for a date night. read more

Came here last night for dinner with a friend. I remember when this place was Terrazza's , YEARS AGO. Still looks the same inside. At this point, a little outdated and boring but not terrible. Food was delicious. We got the meatball appetizer which to die for. I got the St. Peter's Fish...OMG so good. My friend said the veal parm was really good. The service was a little slow and it took a while to get the check but we weren't in a rush so it was all good. With a glass of wine, an unsweetened iced tea and a beer it came to like $85...not bad for really good food. I'd definitely come back. Email: diningwithpyt@gmail.com IG: diningwithpyt read more

Bella Luce Restaurant and Bar - Italian Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey

I wish I could give this place zero stars. Last night my boyfriend and I went there for dinner around 6:30 PM. The place was not very busy and we were seated right away. The host who sat us also took our order right away. We ordered two drinks, an appetizer to share, and two dinners. Right after, our waiter walked over to another table, took their drink and appetizer order and proceeded to walk behind the bar and make their drinks. We assumed when he was walking out with drinks from behind the bar, he was bringing ours, but he brought the other table's drinks to their table. We tried to get his attention, but he never made eye contact with us. We waited about 10 minutes and he never came over bring us our drinks. After that he went back to that same table and took their dinner order and never brought us over our drinks again. We waited about 20 minutes for our drinks and no one still came over to our table so we decided to get up and leave. As we were getting up, we saw another table get up and walk out the door. It happened to be an 80 year old woman and her daughter. The daughter had her mothers 80th birthday there previously and thought this would be a perfect place to take her for dinner, but after sitting there for over 20 minutes no one ever came over to even ask them if they wanted a drink or to greet them: As we were walking out the door, there were three women waiting at the door to be seated, but no host to greet them or seat them. What a poor way this business is run! I thought maybe this could've been my new neighborhood restaurant, but why would I ever want to go to a place that treats customers like this, not to mention a place that's very rundown with a limited menu. read more

Came here for dinner on a Friday night. Bella Luce is a wonderful local Italian restaurant. The staff and service were excellent. Food and drinks were delicious. Will definitely return!! read more

Bella Luce Restaurant and Bar - Rice balls & Bella Luce sangria! Delicious! - Italian Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey

Celebrating my brother surprise 50th birthday dinner. Excellent service, the salmon and spinach was very tasty. read more

Bella Luce Restaurant and Bar - Italian Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey

I went on a Monday night. The staff was super friendly. I ordered the salmon with spinach and potatoes. I completely cleaned my plate! Everything was well seasoned and delicious. The owner Joe was there and walked around making sure everyone was ok. It was a great vibe. read more

Bella Luce Restaurant and Bar - Grilled North Atlantic Salmon - Italian Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey

See all

Excellent place food is fresh and delicious homemade eggplant caponata is on table with nice crusty bread Different take on italian food not the usually boring menu in Italian restaurants. Our new favorite place & atmosphere is great check it out you will not be disappointed. read more

My family and I have been living in Nutley for the past six years and today unfortunately was the first time we tried this place. The food was amazing with fresh ingredients along with tentative staff like Kira. Owner Joe was welcoming and made sure we were taking care of at all times. Place has a feel that your not in Jersey. My family and I strongly recommend Bella Luce if your looking for amazing food and great ambiance. Definitely one or the best restaurant Nutley has to offer. read more

Bella Luce Restaurant and Bar - Calamari and Shirp appetizers - Italian Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey

See all

First time there. Very quiet in the restaurant that night, not many patrons and we were a table of nine. Service was slow and four out of nine of us ended up getting ill during the night. We all had completely different meals so could not pinpoint what made us sick. Will absolutely never go back. It was for my mother's 80th birthday and of course she was one of us that got sick. Dirty kitchen/dirty food/sick employee?? read more

Food was delicious. We had the meatball appetizer, the pasta with butternut squash & chorizo, and the bolognese. We shared it all because everything looked so good. The portion of the meatball appetizer was so big and tasted so good. Everything was so inexpensive. This place is truly a gem! They also took my nut allergy very seriously, which was very professional. read more

I'm so glad this restaurant is still able to operate during Covid. Wonderful hospitality and the food was excellent. Definitely will return.

Came for a birthday dinner. We were 6. Decor and ambiance were neat and friendly. Staff very accommodating. Our server (Luis?)was very professional and friendly, explained all specials well. Cocktails were perfectly made. I had a Negroni , not everyone gets this drink right but kudos to the bartender! Food was well prepared and timely despite being very busy. I had the osso buco. It was tender And well seasoned. Excellent! . Bucatini all'amatriciana was very good. Desserts were great. Espresso well prepared. Owner stopped by table and had us try the new( I think) salted caramel cheesecake. Incredible. Will be a frequent diner here Well done!! read more

This was my first time at Bella Luce ..I truly enjoyed our meal ..we were greeted by the friendly host/owner ,made us feel comfortable right away ..The meatballs were the star of the show.My linguine and red clam sauce was delicious.The service was great too !..I'll definitely be heading back to Bella Luce in the near future. read more

Omg!!!!! Nutley you did it! Best Italian In town! Drinks food server amazing Owner joe so nice!! Please come make a stop mangaaaaaaaa read more

Still by far one of our absolute favorite places in Nutley for some great fresh tasty quality food and good drinks but today the guy at the door wasn't there and then when he finally appeared he seemed angry and basically seemed like he hated his job didn't smile once and very dryly sat us at a table definitely not welcoming or friendly he definitely doesn't belong in such a nice place. But again food beyond AMAZING and such a great atmosphere! read more

See all

Came here for friend's bday party. Service was great and the food was wonderful. I had the chicken parm which was perfect. Great gravy too. Since coming in person i've ordered take out from here 2xs. Def will be coming back when I have a taste for Italian food. read more

Food is amazing, Joe always make us feel welcome, staff so attentive and friendly, will definitely come back again!!! read more

Bella Luce Restaurant and Bar - Joe (owner in red) making Parmesan pasta wheel, amazing! - Italian Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey

I was here for a Christmas work holiday party and really got a nice tasting of some of the food and WOW it was awesome! I have to return for a full meal. I'm sorry I didn't write my review sooner so I could write each food I ate in more detail but I remember for sure the delicious meatballs! I'll just have to return, have a full meal and review again, and I will be back for sure! read more