Stopped in for lunch after visiting thé Saratoga Classic Car Show. Thé place was super busy around 1:00 so thé hosted said they couldn't seat anyone else for about 20 minute. No problem, we waited. [[HIGHLIGHT]]They have a nice outdoor patio area that is secluded from the street traffic by grape vines and other shrubbery.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Inside is a quaint house where the living areas are converted into small dining areas and a bar room.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We chose to sit outside. We were a little surprised to see at 2:00 they were only serving the Brunch menu, which included fresh fruit and cinnamon rolls as a starter. I was recommended to try the Garlic Gnocchi Pesto but that was on their lunch menu, which I was told was not available today. Oh well. I did then order the Linguine Foresta. Fresh pasta, jumbo prawns and wild mushrooms, finished in a light cream sauce. It was very good and plentiful with 5 large prawns. My boyfriend had the Bella Burger. A 1/2 pound Waygu beef served with bacon, cheddar cheese & French fries. Thé burger was cooked perfect, very delicious. Fries were crispy outside, tender inside. We also enjoy a cocktail each. I had the Black Martini, Vodka, espresso with a dash of Kaluha. Just the way I like it, not too sweet and a good espresso flavor. Overall a good experience. I'll have to go back and try the Pesto Gnocchi . read more

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Food is ok. Bread is delicious as other yelpers noted. Gnocchi pesto was delicious. I would skip the dessert and go elsewhere for it. It was a special occasion- it was written in the reservation. We entered and the lady also asked if this was a birthday reservation but did not acknowledge or wish or give any complimentary dessert. We ordered 2 desserts - no writing or note on it to Wish. If this is a special occasion being celebrated I would skip this place. The server was attentive read more

Really good coffee drinks and breakfast foods. Staff was really nice too. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's also a cute little place.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Only downfall I had was navigating their website. Would definitely recommend this place. read more

My friend and I were strolling Big Basin Way after a nice afternoon at Hakone Gardens. We stumbled upon this adorable restaurant and decided to dine. We were able to get seated right away without a reservation. The complimentary bread was great and the spread they included (a tomato cream cheese I believe) was yummy! We both ordered the Chicken Mushroom Linguine and really enjoyed it. Our server was fantastic, unfortunately didn't catch his name. My friend told me they were bringing out the food when I was away at the restroom and offered to re-serve it when I got back. That's some great service!! The it was a little expensive considering what we ordered ($25 per bowl) but given the upscale neighborhood and main street it's on I thought it was reasonably priced. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We sat outside which was nice but I will definitely request to sit upstairs next time; it was really cute![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Bella Saratoga - Bread - Italian Near Me - Saratoga, California

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Ate lunch at Bella Saratoga and loved it! [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant has both outdoor and indoor sitting options, they played Italian music softly in the background and the restaurant was super cute.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Simple but it matched! We got the salmon salad which was super good! They also have gluten free pizza crust which tasted amazing! The server was super kind the food was ready quickly. read more

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From the walk-up to the door to the end of our evening, everything was great! [[HIGHLIGHT]]It was pretty full but we were lucky to get two barstools.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The upstairs wasn't much in use at the time but I did see people seated up there by the end of the night.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We had espresso martinis to start then tried a few specialty cocktails. All were exceptional. I had carpaccio for an appetizer while my husband had the artichoke. Both were excellent. I had a fish special and he had the chicken. Again, both were excellent. Service, well, these people are committed to you enjoying your evening. We had an amazing time all around. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The inside is a jewel box.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Highly recommend. read more

Love this place! I haven't been here for about a year and decided to go here for my anniversary. What a wonderful experience and food! Appetizers: Caprese and calamari, love it. The calamari was fried to perfection, excellent seasoning and I enjoyed their house made sauces. Main meal: I got the center cut filet mignon cooked medium. It came with mashed potatoes and roasted spinach. Simple yet insanely good! Beautiful crust on the steak. My partner had the 24 hour slow cooked short ribs, equally as good! Desserts: crème brûlée and bread pudding also 10/10! Our waitress was great too, the servers were attentive with refilling our water. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We sat first floor, I recommended sitting second. I went up to take a look and the decor is awesome![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Too many people or else I would have grabbed a picture read more

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Bella Saratoga owes us an apology. My wife made an indoor reservation two weeks in advance for five people. When one couple could no longer attend, she called seven days before our visit and changed the reservation to three. The restaurant acknowledged the change and thanked her for calling. The morning of our reservation, they called and asked whether we would be willing to sit outside instead. We said no and asked whether another indoor time was available. After checking, the hostess confirmed that she could seat us indoors. When we arrived, however, we were told that only outdoor seating was available, even though we had a confirmed indoor reservation. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Their outdoor seating may be great for millennials, but it was far too uncomfortable for handicapped members of the Silent Generation.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] When I protested, the manager became belligerent and dismissive. He claimed it was not his fault because we had canceled the original reservation for five. We explained that we had called a week earlier and changed it to three. The hostess showed him the updated indoor reservation directly in front of him. He responded that he had not personally taken the reservation--as though it was not his job to honor reservations accepted by his staff, and as though the confirmed reservation sitting in front of him did not matter. His behavior was unacceptable. Bella Saratoga owes us an apology. read more

If you're looking for incredible Italian cuisine, a relaxing atmosphere, and top-notch service, Bella Saratoga is a must-visit. It's easily one of the best dining experiences I've had, and I can't wait to return. Five stars without hesitation! Thank you Clyde read more

Enjoyed the pasta Primavera! It was a very tasty dish. The salmon was a bit too oily The service staff was 5 stars. Really courteous [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance was good and very delightful in the evening[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

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Bella Saratoga is a small Italian style restaurant in downtown Saratoga. The building is old, very very old. It was probably a house at some point. They have seating downstairs, upstairs and in the patio. The servers are great. They're friendly and attentive without being overbearing. The valentines menu is special with higher prices and an automatic 20% gratuity imposed on the bill. The food is good, but not great for this price point. We got the lasagna which was well cooked but somewhat lacking in flavor. I don't think it was significantly better than anything from a grocery store. The ribeye special was decent. The meat was well cooked and well seasoned, but it had tons of fat and was slightly chewy. The piece of meat was very thin, probably less than 16oz for $76 plus tax and tip. It was served with a few fingerling potatoes and some broccolini. Both vegetables were good but nothing special. Overall, it was a decent Valentine's Day meal but there are generally better options. read more

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I was really looking forward to enjoy good Italian dinner with 4 of my friends. We shared three appetizers and 3 bottles of wine. Everyone ordered from the special menu. Our server was fantastic; he sold us on "the best steak I have ever had" to "fresh whole fish" and "We only have few bottles of this 2012 wine left". How disappointing! My steak was rubbery and not cooked right, the fish was two small pieces over risotto (not a whole fish!), and the veal was not veal, just beef. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The service and ambience were very good.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] They automatically added a 20% service fee which is fine however they calculate the number on the total bill, including tax. read more

We had a party of 18 the night before our daughter's wedding. Working with Brendan was absolutely wonderful, as we live in Colorado. Every email and phone call was perfect. We decided on a menu and open bar. We had a party favor that they placed at each place-setting as instructed. On the evening of the event -- food was wonderful and service the best. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Our party was seated upstairs and it was very comfortable given it was a very hot day.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Bella Saratoga - Split photo -- seated together. - Italian Near Me - Saratoga, California

Such an authentic restaurant, has been there for many years. We were seated immediately. We ordered a delicious salad with greens, walnuts and sprinkled blue cheese. Main course I ordered a pappardelle pasta with meat sauce, my daughter ordered gnocchi and 2 meatballs. For dessert we shared a pecan, chocolate pie, delicious. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambience is really nice[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] and service was very attentive. read more

We had dinner at Bella Saratoga last night during what was clearly one of their busiest nights ever. We've been going there for years and have never seen it so packed. Our server, Angelique, was exceptional. She handled the pressure with professionalism and grace, made everything right when a couple small issues came up, and never missed a beat. Her service truly stood out. Bella Saratoga remains one of our favorite restaurants, and Angelique deserves special recognition for the care she provided. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Scrumptious food and good service in a beautiful setting![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Don't forget to try the tiramisu!

6:30 reservation and no one to serve us. We are on the sidewalk waiting for a server to take our party.

I wandered over here from my stay at the hotel down the street. I was craving Italian and some great wine. I found a long list of California wines, as well as Italian ones. They start out with a wonderful bread basket - shaped in little triangles that I wasn't sure if I should cut or to add butter, or dip. But delightful and warm just the same. Sitting on their patio on a gorgeous April afternoon, I was flying solo for the night and enjoyed watching the cars and folks walking their dogs on the Main Street. What a cute downtown area! They had some scrumptious specials offered, but I opted for the gnocchi . Aquinas Cabernet and Italian for the perfect late, travel day dinner. Staff were wonderful. It definitely has a date night feel, but there was certainly a mix of visitors from traveler looking types, to friend gatherings. There are historic building placards (1800's!) on the front of the building, noting their inability to modify for special needs (no ramps to go in the building) because of its protected status and there are a lot of stairs. I didn't venture inside, but the historic home was cute from the outside, and the bar looked fun. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Always great atmosphere[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]], drinks are fabulous, good food and staff always on point I highly recommended it read more

The Garlic Gnocchi al Pesto was one of the few things on the menu that seemed appealing to me. It wasn't bad at all, but average. Cheesecakes are my favorite dessert ever, but the one I had here was absolutely terrible. read more

My husband and I went here for Valentine's Day and we were truly impressed! [[HIGHLIGHT]]For starters, the ambiance is old-world elegance, but not at all snobby. Just gorgeous and very romantic![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Our server (I think named Jennifer) was genuinely friendly and extremely attentive to our needs, paying close attention to detail, which we super appreciated! We ordered our favorite bourbon cocktails which were served in lovely vintage looking 'up' glasses. Very pretty and perfect for our date night to clink our romantic toasts to. ;-) The bread rolls they served were delicious with a very nice garlic cheese dip. We decided to skip having any apps or salad/soup and dive right into ordering entrees. My husband got the filet mignon and it was cooked to tender perfection. I got the linguini with prawns and scallops and that mushroom sauce was divine, plus the seafood was tender, flavorful, fresh and perfect! This chef clearly nails it! We were just too full to consider dessert, but rest assured we will TOTALLY be back soon for our anniversary date night, at which point we will try to save room for something decadent. Meantime, the memories of a truly perfect Valentine's Day at this great restaurant will be cherished. Thanks Bella Saratoga for a perfect experience!!! :) read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]We had the most lovely Italian dinner Saturday night with live music by a gentleman who strum the guitar, he was awesome![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food was incredible! We had great service by Francesco, who gave us many good recommendations. read more

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We came to have lunch during a Thursday. We had some many friends recommend this place. We had an excellent service by our server Alex. He was amazing. Asked us how everything was without being to pushy. Our food was delicious, I had the pasta primeravera I think it was. Really appreciated Alex's service. read more

I have been there a few times and the every single time the staff was friendly also the food is delicious! Highly recommend.

This review is for brunch. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's a very charming restaurant but not worth it.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service is great but the food is not the best. Went here for Mother's Day brunch and the brunch was mid at best. My cinnamon roll didn't taste fresh since it was quite hard and my chilaquiles turned out a bit soggy. Don't recommend for brunch read more

Came in 10/21/2033 dinner time. The atmosphere was relaxing and bright. Wonderful music playing in the background by a guitarist ( we were lucky that he was there that night). Surprisingly wasn't cold even when sitting outside. The service was great except it felt like he forgot our bread and butter refill but it was alright. Ordered the carpaccio which is honestly the most unique thing I ate in my life ($16). However it is thinly sliced fillet mignon cooked in lemon so it's super sour. It is definitely worth the try. I ordered the grilled salmon. ($36) Let me just say, the lemon sauce with the salmon was the best combo. The salmon was crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. I just wish I had more. Lastly we ordered a chocolate decadence ($10). It was extremely rich and creamy paired with whip cream and a raspberry sauce that felt very sour. I just wished I had milk to pair with the chocolate. Overall. Great experience. Definitely worth the visit. I would check out the menu first as it is on the pricey side. Heard that this was a family owned restaurant with extremely friendly owners. read more

Bella Saratoga - Carpaccio - Italian Near Me - Saratoga, California

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I'm surprised this restaurant is an average of 3.5 stars? My friend and I were very satisfied with our food! We ordered the calamari, Fettucine Blanco, Linguine Tuttumare, and tiramisu. They were all delicious! Our server and the staff were very friendly and made sure we had a wonderful experience! Thank you guys! read more

Last night I went with my husband around 8:00 pm and I looked to the room full of empty tables and the waitress asked me if I have reservations, I answer no, do I need one. Lol The bread was very good, but the margarine pepper spread not so much. Appetizers were OK we had muscles. that was not a very good quality. The carpaccio needed more dressing because it was pretty plain. Eggplant was good, but would've appreciated more eggplant and instead of the serving of pasta on the plate. The final not so pleasurable experience was the house wine that appeared to be very acid and may be open for many days. read more

Numerous ordered meals were wrong, food arrived cold, server was nowhere to be found. What was served was disappointing and the prices high. Suggest avoiding this place and going anywhere else in Saratoga. read more

Delicious good quality Italian restaurant. I tried the lasagna which is a specialty and one of my favorites and it was fantastic!!! Calamari was crispy and tender. Chicken picatta perfectly done. I like the decor inside. They have a full bar and upstairs or outside seating too. Service was a little slow but we were a walk-in on a Friday night. I usually cook Italian at home and go out for things that I can't make well or are too much for home cooking. This place was extremely satisfying. read more

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The food is always good and the service always good. It is a little bit pricey but it's an upscale restaurant in an upscale neighborhood. We have been there for dinner and Sunday brunch. Both are good. read more

The service here is amazing, they are attentive .I always order the fresh spinach salad with chicken and the spinach and strawberries are always fresh! As well as the raspberry vinaigrette is to die for. My lunch ambiance was perfect today with a sunny patio to sit in with nice umbrellas for shade! read more

Bella Saratoga - Spinach Salad - Italian Near Me - Saratoga, California

Great service and the best Italian food in the area. We were actually referred here by a waiter at another Italian restaurant. The food is excellent, but the prices are extremely high. I expect that from the neighborhood it's located in, but at least the food is worth it. Our waiter was awesome, he told us all the specials and made sure not to overwhelm us during the meal. The hostess was great too, she made sure to smile at everyone she passed by or made eye contact with. She also made conversation with me, my wife and another couple who were dining there. We decided to eat outside, and other than random motorcycles revving as they pass by, it was very nice. All in all, I recommend this restaurant, but don't come here if you're behind on rent, you might not be able to make it before the month is up. read more

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Some evenings have a way of reminding you why a truly exceptional restaurant deserves its reputation. My recent dinner party at Bella Saratoga was exactly that kind of evening. From the moment we arrived, it was clear this was going to be a special night." [[HIGHLIGHT]]We were seated in a private room upstairs, a beautifully appointed space that struck the perfect balance between intimacy and elegance. The room felt tucked away from the world -- quiet, warm, and wonderfully comfortable.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Whether you're celebrating a milestone or simply making an ordinary evening feel extraordinary, this setting delivers. The food was, without question, excellent. What truly elevated the evening, though, was the service. Attentive without hovering, warm without being performative -- the staff seemed to anticipate every need before it was expressed. You felt like a cherished guest from start to finish. Bella Saratoga is the rare restaurant that fires on every cylinder. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance, cuisine, and hospitality all rising to the same exceptional level.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I recommend it without hesitation. read more

We just had a retirement party at Bella Saratoga and service and food were great. Ben was our server and I observed him carefully writing down what everyone ordered (we had more than 20 people) and the other staff delivered meals correctly and smoothly. He orchestrated the meal beautifully, even arranging for me to get gluten free pasta despite the busy-ness of the dinner. read more

WOW this place is phenomenal! I ordered the linguine di capra and it was SPECTACULAR. My boyfriend ordered the Linguine picante and it was really good as well! For dessert, the tiramisu was the best I've ever had. Our server, "The Cheese Guy," was kind and made sure we had a great experience. We were lucky enough to witness Hugo's magical guitar playing on a Saturday night. Thank you Bella. Every time is better than the last. 10/10 read more

Bella Saratoga - Linguine di Capra - Italian Near Me - Saratoga, California

Food is good and we come for special occasions but I don't think we've ever actually gotten good service here. No matter who is serving that day, the service is average or low. My family has been coming for as long as I can remember and the bread with the dip is still as delicious as 15+ years ago but I always leave feeling like it wasn't the best experience. The linguine di Capra is good if you like goat cheese and the fettuccine Bianco is also really good! Clam linguine tasted bad due to clams that weren't fresh. It gave a stinky taste to the whole pasta which we had to cover with lemon... read more

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Had a bad experience for a birthday celebration for my friend. Posted a poor review. General mgr, Brendon called me to explain that owner had a very bad day. He apologized for any misunderstanding and hopes we will come in again and ask for him personally so we would get the best service. I appreciated his call read more

Honestly don't understand the bad reviews here. My family and I have eaten here ~40 times over the past 4 years, and we've never once had a bad experience. There is just a small mismatch between price and quality + quantity, but not enough to keep us away. read more

Romantic ambiance. Detailed breakdown below: **Service, 4/5** All the staff were polite but nobody was particularly warm/friendly. **Decor & cleanliness, 5/5** Front dining room is a bit smaller and more cramped, but there are fresh flowers at every table which is cute and the space feels romantic. **Presentation of the food, 4/5** The drinks, bruschetta, and lobster ravioli were gorgeous. The polenta could have used a garnish or pop of color since the whole plate was brown. **Taste of the food, 3/5** Taste is weighted the heaviest since we came for good food. - Bruschetta, 3.5/5: Well seasoned tomatoes and very pretty plate. The bread was pretty tough though and made it a little unmanageable to chew. - Mushroom polenta, 3/5: The polenta was soft but had inconsistent lumps throughout. The mushrooms were also cooked perfectly and had fantastic flavor, but the sauce dousing the entire plate was sweet which threw me off because I was expecting a savory, umami dish. - Bread, 2.5/5: The complimentary bread was a bit dry and tough, but the butter helped and it still contrasted nicely with the saucy dishes we ordered. - Lobster ravioli, 3.5/5: Really subtle lobster flavor, which would have been even better standalone, but I think got a bit lost in the sauce it was served in, which also was a bit sweet. OVERALL: Between the pretty sweet polenta and the sweetness in the lobster ravioli dish, I left feeling like I needed something much more savory for a satisfying dinner. Still had a fun dinner in the gorgeous space though! read more

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