This place is overrated. I used to like this place a lot more but not anymore. There is always a line of people waiting so you always have to wait for a table - on any day. On Saturdays and Sundays, the wait time can be up to 75 minutes or more! Now, you'd think that with such a waiting time, the place is beyond awesome. But it is not. While the service is fine, I don't think the food is that special and original to be worth the wait. Their everyday menu is pretty much the same as at other places. Omelets, French toast, etc.. I'd rather get the same quality food and service somewhere else. They do make specials that may(!) be worth the wait - but it is a game of chance. Sometimes they are great and sometimes (rather most of the time) are kind of plain. They are not always that special. So I'd rather spend my weekend time on something other than wasting it waiting in line for so long! read more

The place seems to have recently changed its name to "Bella's" only, but my first impression is no less enthusiastic than that of the customers who reviewed it under the old name. I and two friends went there on one of the days after Xmas (when the only brunch place I used to know, The Pantry, was closed), not knowing what to expect. The space is simple and colorful, exuding fresh atmosphere. The staff were wonderful despite being very busy. We tried to get as much variety on our plates as possible and among the Brie-and-fruit stuffed French toast, the Tuscan omelet, and the smoked salmon omelet (the latter two served with pan-baked red potatoes which were finger-licking good and not greasy the way these sides tend to be), we could not vote a clear winner. They were all great! I only wish we had more stomach room to taste even more things. But there will be another visit soon! read more

The food is 6 stars, hands down. Absolutely worth the wait. My go-to is the shrimp and grits....I dream about those grits. The business makes it very clear that they do not accept reservations. Yesterday morning (Mother's Day) we arrived early, knowing it would fill up quickly. We got the last 3 seats at the bar, but noticed that there was a table set by the door that they were't seating anyone at. There was a crowd of people behind us, now waiting to get in. Around 8:30 a party sauntered in, passing all of those loyal customers waiting outside, and were seated at this table. Still don't know who it was that was special enough that the "no reservation policy" was waived. I have to imagine that it was family, but in my world that makes it even worse. You don't put yourself ahead of your customers. read more

This place is NOT worth the wait! 1.5hr wait for just run-of-the-mill breakfast/brunch. People of New Haven wake up!

Bella's cafe is amazing! The food is high quality, fresh, and well prepared. The staff are pleasant. All the hot beverages were amazing. The Mexican hot chocolate and chia latte were the best I have ever had. read more

Bella's Cafe - My boyfriend after a big delicious meal - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

I've been to Bella's so many times, I can't remember. It's right by where I lived in New Haven and, as such (and given the fact that I eat out every meal of every day) I've had a lot on it's menu, though only for breakfast. The menu itself isn't too far reaching -- sort of standard, omelettes, french toast, etc kind of fare. The treatments of these dishes are pretty standard for an 'upscale' type place and definitely hit the mark. I have never had anything there I felt had overreached or wasn't well thought through. Most things are tasty and done well. I don't think I've ever had an experience there that's been amazing, but I have willingly gone back many times without any provocation. I still think it lacks something The Pantry has in spades (a certain sincerity), but this being New Haven, I can't think of 2 better places. Very good overall. read more

Best brunch I've ever had. After finding street parking and a wait (which is well worth it), my friends warmed up with a pumpkin latte and an almond cappucino while I had a tasty pumpkin coffee full of cinnamon and spice flavors. Fantastic autumn drink when it was raining outside. We split four dishes from the special brunch menu and something from the regular breakfast menu, but the brunch blew that out of the water. Brie stuffed french toast with warm apples and walnuts had a brilliant sugary crust that perfectly complemented the mild gooey warmth of the cheese. The crepes were filled with a bit too much mascarpone and had a strong port reduction with fresh figs, but for me our two savory dishes were the stars of the meal: chilequiles were a fantastic baked dish of tortillas layered with cheese, eggs, salsa, and wonderfully tender flank steak and two fried eggs. My favorite of the four dishes, reminiscent of the breakfast burritos of SoCal (my original home) and so so satisfying. Our last dish was a duck and butternut squash risotto with a strong (but not too gamy) duck flavor sprinkled with sweet cranberries with a poached egg whose yolk mixed into the dish and brought it all together in a perfect creamy sweet-salty bite. Bella's is small, with counter space and just a handful of tables and some outdoor tables for nice weather, and there are no reservations with fewer than 6 people, but the wait is definitely worth it, and there's no better way to spend Sunday brunch. read more

+ Divine entrees with impressive service and charming locale. Definitely worth the wait + This is going to be a short review. Bellas is a landmark to everyone in the area, so not much is needed to be said. I got the shrimp and grits. I had to wait an hour to be seated, which is pretty normal. It was the perfect balance of creamy and savory. Highly recommended. read more

My experience at this restaurant has always been exceptional but today, they were over the top with their pumpkin tres leches French toast.

Any food that comes after an hour of wait time is not worth it. Worst service I have seen in my life.

Very cute cafe with sweet staff. Service was a bit slow but we weren't in a hurry so it wasn't a big deal. The mango mimosa was delicious. I wanted to try the French toast but they ran out :( Will definitely try to get back to try other breakfast options. read more

The meal and the service were both everything you'd want, good ingredients, friendly, & delicious. The server modified my meal to be gluten free at no charge. It's a small place so expect to wait but the food is worth the preparation time. I had the salmon Benedict, the egg was perfectly cooked, and the salmon tasted fresh. The coffee was super strong. And they make their own orange juice. Thumbs up for that First breakfast spot I've been to in New Haven and I'd be back. Warning : the system was down.. CASH ONLY. read more

Bella's Cafe - Salmon Benedict - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

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Another reviewer wrote that excellence is their motto- if that's true, then Bella's is sorely missing its mark. I've been here three times and each time has been progressively worse. The first trip to Bella's was really good, especially if you like eggs, as most of their breakfast options are egg based. Unfortunately, my SO doesn't like eggs, but my review isn't based on that. I had the Bayou omelet that time and my date cobbled together a non egg breakfast out of some pretty good sausage and bread choices. Coupled with some cappuccinos and excellent service, it was an altogether good meal. Our second trip was slightly less enjoyable and altogether less memorable: I know we went there, I have no idea what we ordered and I know we weren't quite happy. Not much to work with. Unfortunately, our third trip to Bella's is the most memorable and not for any good reasons. It was busy, we were seated next to the door on a chilly morning and the waitstaff was obviously overwhelmed. After a pretty long wait without menus, our waiter arrived to ask if we were ready to order. From there, the experience was all downhill. I ordered a really interesting sounding breakfast special, the centerpiece being deep fried poached eggs (I know, I should've known better). SO had what was essentially a sausage egg and cheese with no egg. After another pretty long wait, our meals arrived. My initial insitinct was to check the eggs for temperature; I wish that was the kitchen's first instinct. Alas, it wasn't and my eggs were cold. I flagged down the waiter after failing to get the entirely disinterested hostesses attention. He was quick to come over and took the food away. Now, at this point, I can't really remember what I expected they would do. Make another order? Toss the poached eggs in the fryer again? Certainly didn't expect them to put the WHOLE DISH IN THE MICROWAVE and then return it to me. Of course, that's what they did. I didn't even have to take a bite to return it a second time. All I had to do was see the once poached yolk in a solid mass and sticking to the plate to know that it wasn't something I wanted to ingest. Instead, I got an omelet with mushrooms that was fine but nothing I couldn't make better at home. My date's meal wasn't any better- she ordered a sausage egg and cheese without the egg and she got one partly stale roll, two pieces of sausage, and no cheese, all at double the price. All in all, not a sterling visit. Having worked in the business, I understand things like this happen, especially when it's busy. But really, after the second time returning the same dish, someone other than the waiter should've come to my table to see what was up. And please, PLEASE, do not use the microwave to heat things up. It cooks from the inside out. People can tell. It's unprofessional and insulting. read more

Waited 45 minutes for a table and an hour after ordering food but never received it. Couldn't wait any longer. Ruined new year's day.

Every single special is spectacular. Omelettes with chorizo-YES. Try their andouille sausage. Even their toast is obviously made with real butter and good bread. When I lived in New Haven, my husband and I lived around the corner so we would get takeout from Bella's. So we never did the wait, which means this review is 100% about the food. And people, do your fellow Yelpers a favor. If your review ain't all about the food, stop typing. read more

The service here was lousy. I came in as the first person for a party of 2 at 2pm on a Saturday. They told me to wait outside, and that they would only let me in when the second person arrives. There were a couple of tables empty, and the bar had a few empty seats. So I asked if I could sit at the bar in the meantime, and they still said that I must wait outside. My companion comes, and we sit down to order our food. My food comes out ten minutes later, and my companion's food then comes out 15 minutes after mine. I ordered the Palermo omelette, which is overpriced and lackluster. At the end, they add an automatic 18% gratuity, which is not at all what they deserve for the mediocre food and lousy service. Overall, this place was a big disappointment, and I'm never coming back here again. read more

Service at this restaurant has gone downhill since our last visit. On our visit this week, no one came to our table for 20 minutes ! Finally, we stood up and asked for coffee. It was lukewarm, and when asked for fresh coffee, they said they were out of housebound and only had dark roast ! This at a breakfast place ! The food came after a long wait. While tasty, it was not very hot. It had probably sat on the counter. Our server was not visible most of the time and had to be hunted down if we needed something. Even good food cannot make up for such terrible service and we'll certainly not be going there again. Sorry to see an epic breakfast/brunch restaurant sink to such lows. read more

Delightful weekend brunch place. An intimate restaurant with Italian-themed decorations and an extensive menu. The omelettes were delicious and the sweet plantains were incredible. Huge portions too. There was quite a wait for our food and since we went starving it was a slight bother that they took so long to bring our orders. They did rush us at the end after paying by coming over and actually asking us to leave so that they could have our table which was understandable since they were packed but it was rude...slightly expensive for a brunch place but overall a great destination. read more

Overpriced for what you get I don't know why it is so popular Lena's is so much better!

AWFUL CUSTOMER SERVICE. I have never before written a review on a restaurant, especially having spent many years as a waitress and hostess because I know how damaging they can be. But I have NEVER experienced a more awful customer service experience than this one. I have dined at Bella's before, and have enjoyed the food and considered myself a frequent comer, but they have lost my business. I was joining my 3 friends (all women of color) at a 4 top table. I got there about 15 minutes behind them (usually the grace period even for a reservation) and they had already ordered drinks. My party didn't know if I was joining so went ahead and got seated and ordered drinks (keep in mind whether there are 3 or 4 people it's still the same table). It was a Tuesday during the day and I walked in to the front room almost empty. As I've done with every other hostess I've ever spoken to, I said "I'm meeting people here" to which she responded "umm give me a second" and walks to the back room and is standing there staring to the room. I thought to myself "I didn't clarify that they were already here so let me go let her know!" I walk up to her and see my friends at a table, so I say "that's them right there" because how on earth could I expect her to know otherwise? She said "ohhh okay." Which I didn't think was odd at the time. I go to walk to my group with NO idea what was previously going on with the staff but I walk up to 2 workers talking to them and because what else would I do but walk to my group of friends in a restaurant? I sit down and was told by friends that we were going to be reseated "when all our party was here" ie me because 3/4 was there. My friend walks back over to the workers to tell that and she was ordered to sit back down and they would get to us and said I was "so rude" for walking past the hostess. I've never walked into a restaurant, told the hostess I'm meeting people, seen said people with my own eyes, and not gone straight to them because I've never had a hostess try to tell me whether I had permission or not to go. I've also never in my life been rude to staff because I've been in customer service my whole life and know how shitty things can get and also I'm a psychiatrist so self aware. My actual actions weren't rude at all but once I learned the context, I realized she was clearly watching the other workers talk to my group before wanting me to go sit down. I get that time is money, but 15 minutes is not money to a half empty restaurant with a table that had already ordered drinks and would be sitting at the same size table REGARDLESS of if there were 3 or 4. My two friends went back to speak with the manager who was rude and disrespectful to them and another review will detail that. I've seen previous reviews before that this business is racist and rude but actually experienced it today. It's really upsetting because I've been to Bella's with my white husband and never have had any issues, but with my group of women of color, their policy became super enforced. read more

Highly recommend the Italian Bread French Toast and it is the best I have ever tasted! I also LOVE the Shrimp & Grits because its really different and tastes very gourmet. Its perfection! read more

Bella's Cafe - Texas Brioche was okay. I like the Italian Bread French Toast better. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

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This is seriously, as good as breakfast gets. The last time I was here, I ordered the Cuban Mojo, a breakfast special that consisted of a pork tenderloin, cooked to perfection, tender and juicy. Served with gravy, two deep fried poached eggs, that were crisp and non-greasy, and garnished with house made plantain strips. Pure bliss for my taste buds. There is always a wait, so be sure to go with witty and interesting companions. If flying solo, bring a good book. The wait will fly by. read more

Known for their good food, but the management is rude. When my 78yo mom suggested a table was open for her party, the manager snapped "Are you trying to tell me how to run my restaurant?" Haven't been there in years and won't be returning. Better to patronize the other good neighborhood places ...thank you for your reply, Rosa. My Mother and her friends had this experience on the day I posted this review. It is with regard to current staff. read more

Every dish we've had here has been fantastic. Even things that I didn't think sounded good are great. The specials change weekly. Haven't been disappointed with any food here and we've been coming back for years. It's probably the best brunch we've ever had. I am a chai latte junky and Bella's has some of the best I've ever had. They also keep the coffee refills coming which I always appreciate. We had the chocolate babka French toast today and it was one of the best breakfast dishes I've ever eaten. The portions are always generous too. If you go on the weekends for brunch and you don't get there before 830/9 there will probably be a wait but it's worth it. There's also a pretty relaxed pace so the only time I wouldn't recommend Bella's is if you're in a hurry. This is the only place I've ever come across that we are willing to wake up early on a weekend to go to and also the only place where we don't get pissy about a slow pace because it's just that good. read more

Great location. Loved the ambiance of the place in general, although we were seated next to the kitchen door. Waited for an hour to be seated, they don't take phone reservations. Bellas benedicts was good. Esp the ham. Eggs were actually not runny, and were close to well done. Chai latte was very good. Recommend the love for sure. But not worth an hour's wait. read more

Sunday Brunch was ruined. The wait time is beyond ridiculous! We put our name in at 10:30am. It took 90 minutes to get a table, a table that we saw was completely open the ENTIRE 90 minutes. When we finally sat down we weren't even greeted by anyone for 15 minutes. We had to ask the horrible hostess to get our server because after all that waiting no one even came over to say hello or get our drink order. At this point my party was so aggravated! I need my coffee! Guess what time we got our "brunch"? 12:45! I don't know about you, but I find it rude when a hostess lies to your face about the wait time AND tells you that tables can NOT be put together...ever. She also said we couldn't add a chair to accommodate our party. When we finally sat we saw tables put together. Really? She also gave us an extra chair. Really? We also overheard the hostess telling possible customers that the wait was "over and hour and directing them to another restaurant across the street?!????" I don't think that is how the owner/manager of Bella's would want to run their business. They lost at least 7 parties while we were watching the front door. The food was 5 stars- honestly amazing food and our waitress, LaToya, was fantastic, however we will never return due to the way we were treated by the hostess. Don't waste your time friends. read more

Bella's Cafe - The hostess explained where to go ....not to wait here. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

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I don't even know where to begin I'm so disappointed to even have to write this review Bella's is my go to breakfast spot ! I arrived at Bella's on Sunday to find a group of people congregating around the outdoor seating with no masks on . We put our names in and waited 30 minutes to be seated and still people with no masks waiting around hovering over the people that were eating at the outdoor seating area ! we decided to not eat outside and go indoors .The waiter sat us by the front door to where everyone was not wearing masks coming in to get takeout and if they did have mask on their nose was exposed defeating the whole purpose of a mask. Even the wait staff had their mask pulled down and nose exposed ! A women was aggressively coughing in the middle of the restaurant and no one said a word to her‍ at this point I lost my appetite my girlfriends food came and mine arrived 10 min after I got the check and left I will not be returning for a while . $85 for 2 people to have breakfast to watch people coughing and not wearing masks is not worth the risk I hope they get this taken care of ! read more

Visited at noon in weekday. This cafe is usually very crowded but we were able to get in right after arriving. The inside space is quite narrow. The serving was slow than expected. No wonder why this cafe is always crowded. We tried french toast, egg benedict and omlet. Everything was excellently tasty. I had to request a to-go box since the portion was huge as we can expect from a usual brunch menu. I understand why this cafe is considered as the best brunch cafe in New Haven. Wanna recommend to visit once. read more

Bella's Cafe - Egg benedict, Tuscan omlet and short stack french toast. Very traditional presentation! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

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I really enjoyed Bella's. Looks-wise, it doesn't compare to some of the cafes I'm accustomed to in Philly or NY, but the food was just as good. I had the Bayou Omelette. My fiancee had the Salmon (Southwest Risotto). He loved his food as well. I should point out that we put our names on the waiting list at both Bella's and Lena's across the street. My bf was sold on Lena's the minute we walked through the door because it was bigger and very sunny and not cramped like Bella's. I, on the other hand, was not sold. I took one look at Bellas' menu and knew it was the better restaurant. It offered more variety and not just the same old pancakes, french toast and eggs. Judging by the bigger crowd at Bella's, it was apparent that other people thought so too. In all fairness, I never ate at Lena's, so I can't say if Lena's is good or not. I'm only referring to menu choices. But yeah... Bella's was fantastic. read more

The weekend brunch here is very good and unique and even the typical breakfast fare is nicely done. Great service and a nice atmosphere. I have to agree with previous posts - the Jesus crap in the bathroom is a bit off-putting. read more

Brunch basics at Bella's are good--I've been known to get a short stack of french toast with a side of fresh fruit--but nothing to distinguish it especially from Lena's up the street. Where this colorful, cozy cafe really shines is its specials: I have glutted myself on all kinds of decadent french toasts here in the past, and Bella's has a penchant for tex-mex inspired egg dishes. Today, we went for one sweet special and one savory, and in an atypical turn of events, the savory one actually put my towering whipped-creamy concoction to shame. The french toast with berries, bananas, brie and candied pecans was jam-packed with fruit and whipped cream, but a bit over-syruped. I would have preferred a thicker syrup but less of it, and with more concentrated flavor--maybe some berries there to round off the assortment of fresh fruit? Otherwise, though I had no complaints, I simply didn't feel that the "special" french toast brought much more to the proverbial table (because there was sure plenty of it) than the basic menu version with a side of fruit. Sure, the candied pecans should have added some texture, but they got lost in the deep pool of syrup and melting whipped cream that took over my plate. If there were minor shortcomings in the french toast, though, they were made up for by the seasonal awesomeness of the crepe. I am a big mushroom fan in general, and the strong flavor of whatever wild variety Bella's used for this dish really offset the hint of truffle in the Hollandaise. The asparagus that accompanied it was cut into bite-sized, perfectly crunchy pieces, so the crepe's innards didn't just turn to mush as it sat. I would maybe have loved a bit of sharp cheese--parmesan?--cooked into the scrambled eggs to round the whole thing out, but this might be as much a matter of my personal cheese obsession as it is an objective critique of the dish. Finally, I have to comment on the Jesus paraphernalia that has begun to creep from the bathroom into the cafe itself. Don't get me wrong--I love me some crucifixion art--but the giant rock (?) slab with a quote from John and a quasi-abstract rendering of Jesus' thorn-crowned head pair awkwardly with the two colorful, more fitting paintings of flappers in the bathroom. Today we sat next to a painting of what we think was a woman reaching for the Shroud of Turin, and though its primary colors matched the restaurant decor, a stock van Gogh or Kandinsky reproduction would have worked just as well. Check out the full review on my brunch blog: http://champagnesundays.blogspot.com/2010/04/westville-brunch-wars-bellas-edition.html read more

The food at Bella's deserves 5 stars for sure - but the wait? Not so much. It always an insane line and you can wait hours to be seated. So why do I keep going back? BRIE STUFFED FRENCH TOAST - 'nuff said. This was a special they had and it hasn't been on in a while - but the other food is also excellent although overpriced. Get there early and enjoy a great meal! read more

I have been introduced to Bella's 11 years ago and that has been my place to go. I have introduced maybe 30 folks to Bella's and take my friends and family when they come in from out of town. My actual sever was great but Today, will be that last time I go! We order French toast, syrup cost $2.50! We cannot get one with the order? Ok. I was given three prong seafood fork twice after I asked for a regular one-told this was one was just as good. I just wanted a normal size fork. He just throw it down on the table. Not hard but he was a little aggravated. This particular guy is also a little rushed and forget things. I do not normally even address his behavior because this job must be stressful. The grits were the best in town but now they are a gelatinous scoop of creamy, grainy not good white substance. The coffee was cold for $3.00 there is Dunkin Donuts which I hate. This decision has come about after 3 years of decline and frustration. I want and deserve more for the prices I pay! I love to support New Haven business but now I will stop being lazy and cook at home. Oh and the French toast was more like French bread dipped in egg, so it was eggs and bread with whipped cream-not a custard soaked in the bread and prepared. I understand getting the food out to the poeple but quality control is imporantwt read more

Bella's Cafe - Did not want to finish it! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

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Super cute spot! Came in around 11 on. Sunday and was seated right away, the place was pretty full though. Good selection on the menu- but wish they had a breakfast sandwich. I got the hash, my dad got the omelette- both of us loved what we ordered. Also ordered a bottle of champagne and it was only $20. Looking forward to coming back next time I visit my dad! read more

there is a wait here since the place itself is relatively small however, the wait went quickly and not one of us had anything bad to say. The pumpkin stuffed crepes were amazing, and the raspberry stuffed french toast was just right sweet and not the overwhelmingly sweet that I have encountered in some other stuffed breakfast dishes elsewhere. The chicken sausages are a great alternative to bacon or pork sausages for those who don't eat those types of meat. actually even if you do they are good to the point that they are worth ordering .I highly recommend the roasted red pepper ones! All in all a delightful find! and just to note they do have mimosas which is a well welcomed addition to any brunch :) If you are looking for a run of the mill diner type breakfast this place probably wont be exactly what you are looking for. However if you are willing to look beyond eggs and home fries this is definitely worth the try! read more

One of the best brunch places I've gone to here on the East Coast. My girlfriend had the salmon with butternut squash risotto and poached egg which was done really well. Not a huge fan of risotto usually, but it went perfectly with the egg. I got the brie stuffed french toast with apples and walnut that came off a bit more like bread pudding, but it was still pretty damn good. It went well with the scrambled eggs and maple sausages, and their potatoes are some of the best I ever had. We also got the pumpkin spice latte which is pretty much how it sounds: spicy and flavorful. All in all great place, and pretty reasonable given you'd probably pay twice what Bella's charges back here in NYC. Look forward to checking it out again. read more

Okay so the only reason that I didn't rate this place 5 stars is because of the terrible service. Make sure to set aside at least two hours of your time if you want to get breakfast here. My friend and I stopped at Bella's on a Wednesday morning to get breakfast and the restaurant was packed. There were on 2 servers and 2 chefs working at the time when in reality they needed twice that. We waited over 45 minutes for our food when all we ordered was french toast and an omelet. Now what I do have to say is that their breakfast was the best I have ever eaten. I had the Banana Fosters Challah French Toast with flambéed bananas and a rum glaze... Yes it was a delicious as it sounds. So despite the poor service and long wait times I still would recommend this place to anyone wanting to experience breakfast as it should be. read more

Bella's Cafe - Banana Fosters Challah French Toast with flambéed bananas and a rum glaze... Best french toast I have ever had!! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

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I go to school in New Haven, but I'm not from there (and do not plan on residing there post-graduation). I've been away this summer, and what I miss most about New Haven is Bella Rosa's brunch. It is spectacular. If you are there when they have the mascarpone french toast, GET IT. Their americanos are also quite decent. read more

If you're in the mood for a delicious, filling brunch, Bella's is the place. Their menu is awesome. They have quite a bit of variety, and even for their typical items they are creative. Brie stuffed french toast?! First time I ever heard that one. But it was soooo good! (In fact, writing about it is making me hungry. It was seriously that good. Try it. Unless you don't like cheese.) A bit on the sweet side, which was fine by me. I had read this already on an earlier review, but their egg/omelette items look really tasty and interesting. Their almond latte is delicious. Service was good and the restaurant was pretty quiet/not full. (Around 3pm on a cloudy Saturday.) By the way, apparently they don't take AmEx (despite their bill holders having the AmEx logo?). Coming from Miami, I have a hard time accepting that parking a car is a different story in the northeast...but just be ready to hunt for street parking or pay at the meters across the street (of which all the spots were taken when I got there). read more

Some friends brought us to Bella's today (Sun/Feb 28), as it's one of their favorite places. And food-wise, I can definitely see why. We arrived at 11:00 and expected a wait. Sure enough, the hostess told us it would be an hour. She took our cell phone number so we took a little driving tour of New Haven for a bit and grabbed a coffee at Willoughby's downtown. They did call us just shy of an hour as we were getting back and our table was ready. Now ... here's the only bad part about this place. They have WAY, WAY too many tables crammed in along the right wall. It was ridiculously overcrowded and very uncomfortable. Customers should not have to ask the people at the table on either side of them to "scooch their table over" just so we could get in and sit comfortably (and they couldn't because they were already jammed hard against the back wall). Pretty bad. That being said, the waiter (cute Mexican guy!) was very polite and worked very hard to make everyone happy. Including the table of rather demanding and pushy older "Westville-type" women at the next table (example: "Bring our Mimosas and coffees as soon as possible..." the minute they sat down .. and not even a please or a thankyou to the poor guy. I was secretly hoping he'd drop something on one of them!). You can order off the Brunch Special menu or the regular breakfast menu. I almost had the Crab Cakes Eggs Benedict, but the menu specified it had cilantro. i HATE HATE cilantro, so instead I had Green Eggs and Ham. Two poached eggs over English Muffins with crispy "frizzled" prosciutto, sauteed asparagus and hollandaise. Alongside all the dishes we got they served some incredible homefry potatoes. O-M-G .. they were the best I ever had. I detected herbs and maybe a little garlic in there -- they were fantastic. Huge portions, really attractively done plates and great food. We'll definitely come back again ... just not when it's so crowded and cramped. read more