This is your first and last stop for brunch in New Haven. Bella's is in a league of it's own! Yes, after about 9:30 you'll find yourself waiting, but get there early and you shouldn't have a problem. It's worth well worth the wait and they offer complimentary coffee for those who have to. Claudia is the best, she'll make your experience exceptional every time! Do yourself a favor; wake up early this weekend and get to Bella's. read more

My friend and I stopped in for a quick lunch, and loved the food! Our server Michelle was a doll, and I would go back based on the service alone! Plus the food was just honestly wonderful. Highly recommend read more

Went for brunch last Sunday. The food at this place is amazing! I had the Italian bread French toast. Fantastic! The potatoes are very tasty. My son had the Perogies, and they were also delicious. My mimosa was not watered down with ice and orange juice. My son enjoyed the apple sangria. Would definitely go back. read more

I went here a few weeks ago. I met one of my besties half way for brunch(I live in RI, she in westchester, NY). OH MY GOSH, I would have walked the 150(ish) miles for the eggs Benny I had. SO GOOD. My friend has the shrimp and grit (per my suggestion as someone had said in their review that it was amazing) and she was in food heaven. Service was great! I will absolutely be back. read more

Bella's is the best breakfast spot in New Haven. We go there every weekend and it is consistently good. Yes you may have to wait for a table but isn't that a sign of a good place? read more

This place is uber cozy- that also can equate to waiting over an hour on a Saturday morning, and probably around 2 hours total before receiving your order (this has happened on more than one occasion). Why would anyone wait that long for brunch you ask? Because their food is THAT amazing! Do not try to skip over to any other brunch spots nearby after being frightened by the wait time, you will be sadly disappointed. I learned my lesson. Wait and you will be grateful- and do not expect exceptional service because they are ridiculously busy. Would give 5 stars for the food, but 4 because of the lonnnngg wait time and occasional less than mediocre service. Shrimp and grits are DELISH! read more

Wonderful as always! And no waiting anymore since they expanded. New online wait list is an awesome feature.

This place is unbelievably good. The place is small and there is usually a wait to be seated but it is sooooooo worth it. The menu is interesting and the portion sizes are great. They serve brunch until 4 which is unheard of. We usually have the same server (Rose?) who is fantastic and legit enjoys working there. Seriously try anything on the menu and you will not be disappointed! We drive from Hartford because this place beats anywhere in Hartford/West Hartford for brunch. read more

This place is really good, but really tiny! We waited for about 45 minutes for a table this morning, which would have been way more annoying if it hadn't been worth the wait. I got the Apple Pecan Baked French Toast, which was really more like baked apple pecan bread pudding. It was delicious. I thoroughly enjoyed both that and the potatoes that came with it. I think the bacon could have been crispier, and I only got it after being given sausage first, when I'd asked for bacon. Am I being picky? Definitely - this place is great, but I think you should be super picky to give a place 5 stars instead of 4! Improve the service a bit, including the wait time, and this place will get a 5th star from me. read more

This is my favorite place for breakfast/brunch. It's hugely popular so be prepared to wait on the weekends--but it's definitely worth the wait! Great food, great coffee, and sometimes great service. read more

I made a quick stop here for breakfast before flying back to Austin. I would say the food did not disappoint. I agree with other reviews that the food here doesn't have exessive salt or peppers. They let the natural flavor of the ingredients shine and I love it! I ordered corned beef hash and a cup of cappucino. I heard they made corned beef hash in house and it was delicious. I would definitely come back if I visit Yale again in the future. read more

Mmmmm - I'm still dreaming about the challah french toast I had with fresh fruits (mango, kiwi, raspberry, and pineapple) and a passion fruit sauce. I practically licked the plate clean. My friend ordered an omellette with asparagus, oven-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, and fontina that was also out of sight. Coffee was great as well. The menu is creative and extensive and I know I'll be back to try some more delicious breakfast food! read more

Best place around for southern cuisine brunch!!! Friendly service but be prepared for a long wait during busy times. Totally worth the wait though. read more

Bella's has always been a favorite of mine and my family. The food NEVER disappoints, always so amazing. The last few times I have gone there to eat however I have been so disappointed in the customer service. The last time I went, really stood out however, we came up to the entrance, asked to sit outside on the empty patio and the hostess told us no she couldn't sit us due to covid... on an empty patio outside (this was in April 2021) walked by not even 10 minutes later and there were two tables seated outside. Keep in mind there was no wait we could have been seated immediately. The hostess had been so rude and condescending to us the moment she saw we walked up with a baby. If children are not welcome just say so. So disappointing that an establishment with such great food has such rude workers and to have them as someone that is greeting you and is the first person you're talking to. I mean I guess when your restaurant is so popular you can treat your customers however you please? read more

This place is CRAZY good. It is the place to go for a special brunch. You can expect to wait but the service and the food can't be beat. I would go here if I'm in the mood for something exciting (Lemon ricotta crepes or grits with shrimp or peanut butter with bananas on french toast). If I'm in the mood for a more typical egg breakfast I go to The Pantry. read more

Bella's breakfast is ridiculously great!! We stopped in on a Saturday morning during a lull and didn't have to wait for a table in the small space. Score! I ordered "green eggs and ham" which is eggs Benedict with prosciutto (instead of Canadian bacon) and asparagus on top. The eggs were poached perfectly, the way I like them, not too runny. That deliciousness was served with rosemary potatoes. The pancakes were fantastic, served with a huge dollop of what we thought was whipped cream but turned out to be whipped butter. Heaven. The coffee was good as was the cafe au lait. The service was a bit slow but the place was jam packed. It is definitely close quarters in the dining area. As we left there were 8-10 people waiting for a table so be patient because the food is worth the wait! read more

Not only one of the best breakfast/brunch places in New Haven (THE best in my opinion) but also one of the top restaurants in all of New Haven, period. Creative, often Latin- or Cajun- inspired hearty specials and also terrific French toast for those with a sweet tooth. We had the tres-leches French toast special, the chicken and black bean enchiladas special and the crispy breakfast burrito special this weekend (cinco de mayo specials). Absolutely to die for. You will never go wrong at Bella's. read more

We are big fans of this place..the food is spectacular, highest quality ingredients, an amazingly imaginative AND cultivated menu that will blow your freaking mind, kick ass portions... bathroom so clean you can deliver a baby on the floor... If you are a complainer/whiner... then please stay away! Because every little thing will annoy you to the point of a nervous breakdown! Stay home!!! Yes, the place is small... and tight... you have a choice to go to a bigger establishment... you dont have to dine at this spot.. Yes, they have a limited amount of high chairs. I have teens and when my kids were small, many places didn't offer high chairs.. so what did we as parents do? we brought the portable high chair and attached it to the table... consider yourselves lucky that restaurants have them... we had to suck it up and bring our own.. Yes, the prices are extravagant...but this aint no Mcdonalds folks... the food is creative and as I said before.. mind blowing good, lick the stinking plate good, smack your mama good!... Enough food on one plate to feed 2 people... so if you want to be price conscious... head back up Whalley Ave for about 2 minutes and Mcdonalds will have some inexpensive choices for you! I am sure your taste buds(lolol) and wallet will thank you! Can anyone say dollar menu? Yes, there is a wait on the weekends... not sure why folks who are aware of this continue to go and expect a different outcome and then complain..if you dont want to wait... there is a Dunkin Donuts just down the street and you can grab a tasteless, greasy, sodium laden breakfast sandwich or how about a haphazardly made donut which will lack flavor and wreak of additives... and I find their prices to be excessive for what you get! And no wait time... they will grab the food a toss it into the bag... you will be out in 3 minutes flat!! Yes, there is religious stuff in the bathroom... for those of you who find it offensive or annoying... there are plenty of public bathrooms in a 1 mile radius... all of which will be lacking soap/toilet paper and paper towel.. and replete with filth and free of all those pesky theistic items that one reviewer whined about. I say all this to say... that Bella's has issues... Dont we all? but this place is as close to perfect that you are going to get when it comes to food... its amazing... so plan on waiting if you go on weekends.plan on emptying your bladder prior to arrival as the operating room clean bathroom may cause some distress.. plan on bringing a portable high chair if you have little ones, resign yourself to the fact that you will be dropping a nice bit of dough, if you are on a budget..don't go! Others will be happy that you aren't there on the line waiting ahead of them and will be able to get in faster! and yes, I have a few complaints about Bella's... well actually just one... but its so minute/insignificant that its not worth the effort to type it. Because everything else about this joint is amazing! Even my teenage daughter loved it when I took her the first time.. and believe me, she hates just about everything! read more

Our favorite brunch spot. Always yummy specials to try and portions are generous. Their grits are the best in the state! The staff are so friendly. We just love it here. read more

We've been to Bella's twice now and both times it has blown us out of the water- best breakfast food I've ever had, hands down. We took my in-laws here when they came to visit last week and the brie and pear stuffed french toast was just amazing. The first time we went I had the raspberry french toast and my husband had the crab/cod cakes and I think at that point we knew that we had found "our" breakfast place. The service is a little slow, but honestly, it's not that big of a deal when taking into consideration how amazing the food is. read more

Way to EXCEED expectations!!!! Cinnamon raisin dark chocolate and Brie French toast blew our socks off! Staff is friendly, environment is a bit tight but I'm sure it's because they need room for all the people that know this is a gem. Was packed and that's when you know it's good! read more

You will never leave this restaurant disappointed or hungry. The food is fresh, interesting, and just delicious!!! It's worth the wait and if you've never had great grits you will here. read more

What an utter disappointment Bella's turned out to be. Save yourself the time and head across the street to Lena's for a much better meal. Cold coffee? Half hour wait for meals on a Tuesday morning? Potatoes tasted like they made a vat of them the day before and just scooped out burnt nonsense. Bacon was hard and clearly old and reheated. Want eggs Benedict? Hahaha instead enjoy one poached egg and one hard boiled over one piece of inch thick ham steak you guessed it tough as can be. How bout a pancake that tastes like it burned to the griddle? Or the special soufflé pancake smothered in a 1/4 pound of butter two raspberries and old figs rather than the deliciousness described. If you are gonna charge $50 for breakfast it better taste like $50 worth. I've had better meals at the shack diner down the road from my house. Never again will I make a 30 minute trip for this disgrace. read more

Best chilaquiles ever. I hope to back again. Totally worth the 25 min wait.

I want to rave about how fabulous and original everything is; but I don't want it anymore crowded on weekends . Please give me a break and go during the week . read more

I went on a Sunday morning for brunch. Lenny is an exceptional host! We ordered the shrimp and grits and it was AMAZING!! By far the BEST shrimp and grits I've ever had in my life ! I will be back for the French toast! read more

This is the first brunch place I tried in New Haven, years ago. Great portions, wonderfully done, super-friendly staff, wonderful presentation. Also ridiculously crowded. Cheaper than Lena's, but also much darker. read more

The best brunch place in CT, hands down. At least in my experience. Every weekend there is a line up of specials that satisfy both the sweet and savory folks out there. Most recently, I had blueberry shortcake (portuguese biscuits soaked in custard with a blueberry ginger sauce) and my husband had sausage gravy, biscuits, with bacon and poached eggs. I prefer sitting at the bar, which is less crowded. However, it needs to extend out further so that your legs don't bang into the hooks underneath. Be prepared to wait anywhere from 20-90 minutes, they do not take reservations. It's better when the colleges are on break. Very friendly staff and customers, great food, and fantastic beverages. read more

Delicious food! We went for Sunday brunch around 10am, waited about 25 minutes for a table. Very small inside. They have various types of champagne mixed drinks, and fresh squeezed OJ, so good! If you check in on Yelp you get a free order of French toast which we used! The French toast is outstanding! It's really thick bread, crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside and HUGE! I ordered the shrimp and grits which were divine. Creamy grits, spicy chorizo and andouille sausage, and five large shrimp. Also comes with two scrambled eggs. It was so good, I would definitely order it again. My fiancé got the southern/Cajun omelet (something like that) that came with shrimp and andouille sausage, also pan fried potatoes that were delicious! Other two people got the raspberry/cream cheese French toast with pecans, very sweet but again, delicious! And other person got the banana pancakes, amazing! Everyone loved what they ordered and the portions are huge so come hungry! They have tons of different omelets on the menu, as well as their specials. I was torn between the chicken and waffles and shrimp & grits, so next time I'll try them! If we're ever in town again we will definitely be returning, it was fabulous food! Only gripe is that service is very slow, we waited a little more than 20 minutes for our food to come out and we had to flag down our waiter for water refills, in a place that small it should be easy to spot empty glasses! read more

I've always wanted to go here for brunch, but the sight of a long line outside turned me right around and put me at Lena's (it was so-so and expensive). So glad I finally made it to Bella's. This is a brunch place. I like to go out for breakfast and order what I can't make at home, so I was happy to find wild mushroom omelettes with goat cheese and sun dried tomatoes, carrot bellini's and Bayou omelettes with shrimp and andouille. I also saw some beautiful and playful crepes and sweet breakfast items as well. It's a tiny place and was pretty packed at 10AM on a Saturday but we had a good time and the staff is friendly! read more

Having moved to the Greater New Haven area recently, I stumbled upon Bella's while scouting for a good breakfast place. I was by myself and so the wait wasn't an issue at all. Walked straight right in ! I was expecting it to be a regular breakfast diner but the menu in itself started off things right. Lots of different flavors to choose from. I stuck to the wild mushroom omelet and a side of the apple smoked chicken sausage. Scrumptious ! Personally, I would've liked a little less cheese in my omelet but nevertheless, surely beyond my expectations. Home fries are the best litmus test to every breakfast place. Pleasanlty surprised yet again. Love the herbs and the flavor in the home fries. Definitely coming back here again. read more

Bella Rosa's is hands down my favorite breakfast/brunch spot in Connecticut. The menu is great. The specials are usually better. The service is always wonderful. The only problem is that we live 45 minutes away. But the distance probably keeps us from cracking out on the place...If you haven't been, go. read more

My fav breakfast spot in New Haven. Best banana pancakes and shrimp n grits in CT. I would def recommend this restaurant to anyone. The long wait is definitely worth it every time! read more

Cute and quaint little cafe that serves very delicious specialties. You know you're at a place that really cares about the quality of their dishes when the menu is limited and unique. The service was attentive and genuine. I will definitely be returning. I would recommend to anyone in the neighborhood! read more

If you are in the area and want French toast, this is the place to go.

The most delicious brunch ever! Worth the wait! Delicious coffee, gourmet and also traditional brunch selections, incredible Benedict and French Toasts. Always leave thrilled and happy! A bit expensive for some of the specials but so worth every penny bc your plate is filled and so is your belly! Friendly staff and owner operated. Lovely gem in Westville with diversity at its finest. read more

They have a great breakfast menu. The freshly squeezed orange juice is my favorite. On the weekend it can get really crowded since its pretty small. But the food is well worth the wait! read more

I did considerable research before coming here and heard such great things. But I was very displeased. Upon arrival I was seated at the bar. I waited maybe 10 for my server. I stayed it was my first visit and his response was he'll be back. No suggestions. It was nearly 30 more minutes before he returned to me, stating he'd forgotten. I received my food and wasn't thrilled. Eggs scrambled very soft, which I didn't ask for and my pancakes were dense and extremely thick. Not impressed. read more

First of all, I'm told there is almost always a wait, even early in the morning. We waited 20+ minutes, so we took a nice walk through the Jewish cemetery down the road. Bella's Mac B'Cheese was absolutely divine. The apple pancakes were also excellent, with the apple theme running in the pancakes and sauces. The corned beef hash was OK - it could have been fried more to make it more crispy and dry. Overall, worth another trip to try more items on the menu. read more

Great brunch place. I've been here twice and it's always been quite tasty and filling. The lines may be long, but it's worth it. They also have unique brunch plates too, so be on a look out for that. read more