Food and service were first rate. Anita was our server and Valentin helped with wine selection. The food was as I remember it in small family places in Italy. We'll definitely be back. read more

Bella Sera is the best Italian restaurant in Leander. It is, and it feels exactly like, a traditional family-run operation like what you'd see on the east coast, and they make you feel like you're part of that family when you're there. The original Bella Sera opened in Marble Falls over 20 years ago, and I think this location is about 10 years old, which means it is established and not going anywhere. The atmosphere is warm wood, cloth napkins, white plates, just gently upscale without being fussy. But they also have a thriving take-out business, and so there's the incongruous table center front loaded with bags and boxes. (The photo on this review shows a take-out meal.) I've eaten here dozens of times and try to get something different each time. This time, a simple Penne Alla Panna, a sauce blended from Alfredo and Marinara with some sun-dried tomatoes to add just enough bite. Most dishes come with salad and garlic knots. It's a place I will happily take visiting friends. read more

Bella Sera Of Leander - Take-out order of Penne Alla Panna, comes with salad and garlic knots. - Italian Near Me - Leander, Texas

Entree: Pasta Combo with Alfredo Sauce (Lasagna, Manicotti, Cannelloni, Ziti, and Tortellini Pasta Baked in Tomato Sauce & Topped w/Melted Mozzarella Cheese) Dessert: Strawberry Cheesecake Such an elegant yet refreshing look of the restaurant. It makes you feel right at home. The food was absolutely phenomenal as was the service. I don't know if there's any other Italian restaurant that can beat this one. From the fresh bread to the main dish to the amazingly sweet strawberry cheesecake. I cannot stop thinking of it all. If you are looking for a city to expand to, might I suggest the DFW area in North Texas. More cheese, please! read more

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The atmosphere is very cozy. The service was excellent. Our Frutti de Mare was cooked to perfection. The pasta and sauce are addictive! Tried the Tiramisu, was not disappointed. read more

Such a cute spot, but also casual enough to be able to go on any normal day, I was really pleased with my dining experience here. We got takeout but we arrived like 20 min before the order was supposed to be ready. The servers were so friendly and let us sit at one of the tables while we were there. But we only really sat for like 5 min, and our order of 8 dishes was already ready to go! And then probably because we ordered so much, they also added in a tiramisu on the house! The servings are pretty big, and each entree comes with a salad and rolls. And the prices really aren't too bad! Some dishes to highlight: the tortellini michaelangelo was so creamy and cheesy, with the perfect amount of mushrooms and scallions, the gnocchi because it was so saucy and the sauce itself was delicious, and the tiramisu for being so creamy but light. But beware because the coffee is kind of strong. A dish I probably wouldn't try again would be the risotto. It wasn't as creamy as I expected. Flavors were good though! read more

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Yum! A nice local restaurant and the interior is very homey. We had a large order and we got there earlier than the pick up time. The food came out really fast and they gave us a complimentary tiramisu! The dishes we ordered were Sausage Arrabbiata, Chicken Toscana, Chicken Marsala, Risotto, Gnocchi, Tortellini Michaelangelo, Shrimp Arrabiata, and Pasta Combo. I tried some of almost every dish. The chicken toscana was probably my favorite bite of all these dishes. That pasta sauce was so flavorful and I would definitely get that if I went again. The risotto looked more dry than creamy, so that is probably one I wouldn't get again. The gnocchi and the tortellini tasted as expected. Those two type of dishes are not ones I typically gravitate towards. The shrimp arriabiata was more saucy than I would have liked, but I did like the flavoring. Shrimp was cooked well too! The tiramisu coffee flavor was strong, but I did like the bite I had. The garlic knots are delicious! I loved the garlic buttery flavor and how crispy they were with each bite. The Caesar salad was good too. Overall, really delicious Italian food in a local area. read more

Bella Sera Of Leander - Ceasar Salad - Italian Near Me - Leander, Texas

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We've been going to this restaurant for 4-5 years now and we have never been disappointed. The food is always amazing and the family that owns it treats you like you're one of theirs. read more

Just a solid restaurant. The food and service was excellent. We are looking forward to going back here to try more of their menu. The food was sent to our table fresh and hot. read more

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Hello fellow, yelp foodies. I'm back again with another review. This time we're coming to you from Bella, Sara of Leander. LET ME TELL YOU THIS PLACE DID NOT DISAPPOINT.! From the moment we walked it was like being part of the family! The decor, the music the ambience was a perfect setting but nothing prepared us for how absolutely incredible this meal was going to be. We started with the mozzarella Caprese which she would think would just be your standard tomato, mozzarella, basil balsamic, yeah, now this place goes above and beyond, puts it on the bed of arugula with sweet red peppers and Kalamata olives. My family is Italian and I have never seen this before, but when I tell you that everything Paired so well together it was like a brand new dish. I brought the leftovers home to my mother, who was absolutely floored with how delicious it tasted.. This is something she's grown up eating and has made hundreds of thousands of times but never like this. This is exactly how we will make it at our home from here on out.. The fresh rolls I can't even begin to tell you how mouthwatering these were ! It's almost like fresh garlic, not rolls, but just the flavor was absolutely insane! We ordered our entrées that are all served with Caesar salad or a house salad. I didn't see if that was an option, but Cesar comes with all of them. My wife ordered the fettuccine carbonara which is typically her go to dish at any Italian restaurant however this particular dish is in a category all by itself. Everything about this dish was amazing. I ordered the gnocchi Bolognese and added Italian sausage i took one bite and had to put my fork down because I was blown away by the exquisite flavor that this Bolognese flavor brought! The gnocchi was cooked perfect and the explosion of flavors will have me going back to this place time and time again! The service was fantastic and it seems like it's such a family setting ! We met a lovely couple that dies there 2 to 3 times a week! This place is absolutely amazing and we will definitely be back. The show stopper for the night was the limoncello they brought out. The dessert menu is absolutely insane.! Thank you so much for a memorable evening. They will most certainly be back 155,000%. !!! read more

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Don't forget about Bella Sera in Leander, Tx. This is good food and a good value. The portions are good and you may even have some leftovers to take home. Two meals for the price of one. We really like the spaghetti with meat sauce, Alfredo, and the rolls. It's family owned and operated, so try it, you'll like it. read more

Cute little place that feels authentic and the food was very, very good. Service was prompt and attentive.

The service people I have encountered upon serveral visits have always been super friendly, helpful, pleasant and professional. Our family unfortunately, have finally concluded that the food is just too subpar and not worth it. More specifically, the pasta/noodles seems almost always overcooked to the point of being "mushy". The last dishes we ordered with mushrooms (which we all really like as an item) it had a very strong rotten smell and flavor, after sampling at home we threw it out. The gnocci was barely edible as it was drowned in the same unimpressive sauce as other items. And as with many restaurants these days the portions have gotten smaller while prices have increased. Understandably with economics. But we do expect higher quality food from our restaurants of choice. So sadly, I dont think we can keep Bella Serra on our list any longer. We do really like their bread though. read more

The food was excellent. Served hot and in a timely manner. We had appetizers, salad and entrees. Two negative remarks. The coffee had no flavor and the dessert tasted like a frozen cake . Service was excellent . read more

Very good food and cute place! Excellent service and friendly staff! One of our favorite places!

Best restaurant in Leander. Food is always great and the service is wonderful. Frank is very friendly,so is Fabian,Karen and all the other people who work there. The ambiance is great, very nice place to dine. read more

Excellent service, quality of food and homely atmosphere make it my go to Italian in Leander !

Leander-Cute little Italian restaurant located in Leander. The food was pretty good and the owner even brought out an AMAZING tiramisu dessert for us to share!! Definitely will return! The bread knots were delicious and served hot out of the oven. My salmon dish had a huge portion. Everyone took home 1/2 of their meal because the portions were generous. read more

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We have been eating here for several years. The food is on point as is the service. The ambiance in the restaurant makes it feel homey. We are fortunate to have a good Italian restaurant in the Leander area. read more

Consistently a good dining experience! Have been here for dinner with the family many times, restaurant is always clean, service is always good and very attentive, prices are decent, food is good quality and comes out fast, and everything tastes great! Definitely our go-to Italian in Leander!! read more

Excellent food starting with fresh salad with house dressing. Wait staff was very enthusiastic and helpful.

Small portions, high prices. Really chunky and almost sweet marinara, not my thing but might be yours. Alfredo tastes exactly like chicken stock. Service was fine, very nice inside but not worth the food. read more

This place is divine! I loved everything about it; food, service, and ambiance! Much to my family's embarrassment, I asked the server if the restaurant is ran by Italians. read more

The garlic knots alone are worth the visit. Cesar salad was very good. Tried the pasta sampler and was very pleased. Definitely coming back to try the veal parmegiana. read more

Rough start as I, a NY transplant used to a variety of Italian restaurants, expected a Manicotti-lasagna-stuffed shell with meatballs dish to be good. Not! But they substituted it for linguine and white clam sauce which was delicious! Gracious and kind of them. read more

Ordered to go and was welcome with an inviting atmosphere. Food was packaged with love and care. Food was delicious and good size portions. Highly recommend for amazing food and great service. read more

Bella Sera Of Leander - Pasta sampler, side salad and bread - Italian Near Me - Leander, Texas

3and/2 stars actually. This a casual family restaurant with a good wine list and a large menu. The welcoming garlic knots were delicious and I appreciate the large menu with some selections (like carbonata) are good. My carbonata was not authentic with a cream based mushroom sauce but it was tasty. My husbands lasagna was a little "off" with a metallic tasting sauce. The other issue is the restaurant was super loud. We had to shout to hear each other. Lovely service, though, and efficient too. read more

The food is as good as it's always been! Problem being the big cut in portion size. We did a delivery. It's very easy to order online and you can choose your time whether it's ASAP or another time that you designate. The property is in a small strip mall right off of West Highway 183 in Leander. We did not dine in this time but we have in the past. We've always found this restaurant to be clean and comfortable. I definitely realize this issue with portion size could very well be related to inflation . I'm hoping perhaps there will be some movement in the opposite direction and that a $20 serving of spaghetti with meat sauce and meatballs or either one will feed two people again. We are seniors we definitely have smaller appetites and we found that in the past, we could share an entree-leaving us room in our budget to order either an appetizer or a dessert to share as well. They definitely supply plenty of warm rolls so I ended up eating the Caesar salad and a roll, and let my husband have the pasta. This truly is our favorite Italian restaurant in Leander area so we definitely plan to return, we just may not be able to enjoy it as often as we have in the past . read more

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Have never been disappointed in the food at Bella Sera. My go-to Italian restaurant in Leander.

The food is amazing as well as the service. Authentic Italian which is so fresh and delicious. The garlic oil and garlic rolls are to die for. Not to mention the lobster ravioli, lasagne, and shrimp fradiablo. The tiramisu is also a must have. This family knows how to cook and serve Italian dishes. Best I've had in Texas...and I lived in little Italy in Chicago for several years. read more

The Lasgana was soooo delicious I'm thinking about doubling back again today . Make sure you get a side of the garlic oil I can tell this place is gonna be a problem for me read more

A good Italian place in Leander. I wish I could separate out the take out score versus eating there. We have done takeout a few times and it has been inconsistent- like maybe there were a few different chefs. Never bad, just not always as great as we hoped. In person has always been exceptional. The waitstaff, the food, the decor. It's cute around the holidays too, although not a huge space so you may have to wait on a Fri or Sat night. The bread knots are a favorite of my kids, while I am a fan of the ziti! read more

Just went to BS for a divine St. Valentine's Day dinner......our second time here...we had a reservation, arrived early and were seated promptly.....we ordered a beet salad which we split for an appetizer....it was excellent and exceeded the menu description....had shrimp florentine and pasta carbonara for entrées...we usually eat half and then swap....both were very good and we agreed the shrimp was somewhat more flavorful....Anita was our server and her work was timely despite the restaurant being packed for holiday.....everything came out right on time....never too soon and never late....we didn't have to look for her...their caesar salads which come with the entrées are better than expected and the side of garlic and basil in olive oil goes on everything especially the great bread.....we split a tiramisu for dessert....have to admit that a little joint on the highway in Leander does a very good job.... read more

They make my favorite version of Frutti. De Mare! With a white wine sauce clam sauce instead of the tomato/marinara sauce! Flavor was on point, roll good as always! I ordered take out so I cant really comment on the staff, but the restaurant looked and snelled clean upon pickup! read more

Bella Sera Of Leander - Frutti De Mare - Italian Near Me - Leander, Texas

Thank goodness we found good Italian restaurant close to us. Their gnocchi is great, and the breaded eggplant parmesan just melts in your mouth. I wish they had brick oven pizza. That is my only, only complaint. read more

Called in order for carry out. Available on time. Delicious as usual. Although the Caesar salad was tastier when dining in. Everything was packaged well. No spills and still nice and hot. Will do this again read more

We have eaten at Bella before but last night (29 June 25) we ordered lasagne and spaghetti with meat sauce. The lasagne was greasy and inedible. There was minimal noodles resembling an Italian enchilada not lasagne. Spaghetti sauce was sickening sweet and the noodles were very thin noodles. We won't return. read more

Great food, priced well and service is exceptional! I've been coming here for several years now and Karen ( our server is attentive and the owner is friendly) Best Italian Restaurant! read more

Bella Sera of Leander has got to be my "Goto" Italian restaurant of choice. The food is just amazing, ample portions and the taste is always consistent and on point. I love the "Lobster Ravioli". Big chunks of lobster sautéed in a pink sauce with 4 huge cheese raviolis. It may not sound like much but I can never eat the whole thing at one time. Comes with a side salad. My wife loves the "Chicken Masala", and her dad the "Frutti de Mare". An assortment of sea food over pasta. My 82 year old Father in Law who is Italian Peruvian absolutely loves this dish. His face lights up when we mention this spot for dinner. Bella Serra has something for everyone on their menu. Don't forget to try the garlic bread knots. Great with your meal. There is a second location opened in Liberty Hills, different management, yet I just love this location the best. Check them out. Michael C. read more

Some of the best Italian I've had in my life. I had the Chicken Martini, he had the veal parm. The capresa salad was amazing too. Highly recommend! read more

This restaurant just tried to steal money from me. My bill was $61 I woke up this morning to a charge from them for $72 they said, since I left the tip blank that they added a tip because they figured I forgot to tip so they tipped themselves $11 without my consent. I do not recommend this restaurant they are stealing from people $11 is still $11. read more