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Bongiorno

3.9 (97 reviews)
ModerateItalian, Pizza
Closed • 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM

Bongiorno Photos

BONGIORNO ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Quiet
Casual
Classy
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Bongiorno

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Exterior
Howard P.

TLDR: Now that's Italian! This family owned and operated business is like stepping back in time to the old country. Bongiorno Italian Restaurant is a hole-in-wall worth discovering. Friendly, quality food, excellent service and fair pricing, could you ask for anmore? The Magnolia family has been serving customers in the town of Mountain Brook for over 33 years. The stone wall interior along with the red and white tablecloths add a warm and welcoming touch. As you enter the restaurant, you can catch a glimpse of the family pictures on the wall, as well as being greeting by Abby (a 2nd generation family member). Mom, Francesca, is still very involved in running the restaurant. Her presence lights up the restaurants, as she assists the servers in delivering food to the tables. The two son-in-laws, prepare the most delicious family recipes out of the kitchen. Bongiorno is the true definition of a family business I ordered the Veal Parmigiana with Capellini Tomato Sauce ($15.95). The Veal was supper tender and cooked to perfection. The tomato sauce tasted homemade, low in acidity and high in flavor. The Capellini Pasta (angle hair) was served al dente. My waitress, Beth, was very attentive and kept coming back to my table to refill my Iced Tea and to check on me (I like that). I ended my dining experience with the most delicious Tiramisu (to die for). I was totally surprised by the size of the to go orders leaving this place, by the box load. When I arrived at 6:00pm on a Wednesday night, I was able to be seated right away. By the time I left at 8:00pm there was a wait for a table. Tip: Make a reservation! Overall: a wonderful experience, it felt like I was eating at home. I can't wait to come back the next time I am visiting Alabama. No

Sausage Roll
Sara R.

Impeccable service with a nice local vibe! We had a wonderful family dinner here and loved everything we ordered. We started with the bruschetta which was so incredibly flavorful. I got a caprese salad to start with which was great and my husband got the baby field greens which was a pleasant surprise. It was topped with such unique fruit and the kiwi dressing was great as well. My girls got the baked spaghetti and baked ziti both of which they liked very much. I ordered the Frutti di Mari Fra Diavolo which had a great robust sauce and fresh seafood. We also ordered a sausage roll which is a killer deal! The best way to go describe it is a giant calazone full of yummy sausage, peppers and onions. Not only was the inside packed full but the dough on the outside was so so good! We will definitely be going back and I do not agree at all with some of the other reviews.

Dinner Caesar
Jennifer G.

Great ambiance, family oriented, great service and good Italian food. Dined tonight about 5:30 Saturday, before it started filling up quickly. Tons of to go orders as well. For starters, the calamari was sautéed with tomato. Great taste not rubbery at all. Would get again. We split a Chicken Parmesan with subbed fettuccine Alfredo. Alfredo sauce could have used a bit more salt but texture and noodles were right on. Also split an tasty dinner Caesar salad. All in all, great portions. Wish the calamari wasn't so sour from tomato but I'm not a huge tomato person, plus it's not tomato season, and the chicken was a bit thicker. Love this place. It's romantic, cozy and all around good prices for always consistent good food/atmosphere.

Ron S.

Underwhelming and disappointing. I was looking forward to having a nice Italian dinner to end my work week but this place just falls flat. I saw the great and disappointing reviews and figured that they had been in business a while so they must be doing something right. The good: nice location; staff is friendly. The bad: service wasn't great. She wasn't out much, not very attentive. Bread was burned at the ends, gave it an off taste. Prices are a little high on a value standpoint. Food wasn't bad, just not good. The ugly: I previous reviewer stated that the sauce was like Ragu - I could not agree more. Look at the picture of the chicken parm - I wonder if the cook (not chef for sure) even bothered to drain the pasta due to the standing water that the chicken was swimming in. And $6 for that little plate of warmed sausage??? I went out of my way to come here, shame on me. I got there right at 5, and until I left at 5:45 there was not another table seated - and that should tell you something right there.

Fettuccine alla Campagnola
Jeff J.

The food here was really good. I highly recommend the Three Forest Mushrooms as an appetizer. The restaurant is not very large so be prepared to be sitting very near to others but that reminded me of an old school neighborhood Italian restaurant. The only negative and it wasn't too much of a negative was our server. She was a sweet girl but she seemed very nervous and did was not familiar with the menu. I guess it may have been her first night but she was attentive. Overall it's two thumbs up and the food was excellent!

Caprese salad and chicken
Analynn H.

Yummy yummy! Caprese salad from a few weeks ago! Coming back tonight and will definitely be getting it again

Prosciutto wrapped melon. I was late to get a photo
Chris K.

My wife and I returned to enjoy another delicious Italian meal at Bongiorno. We started with prosciutto wrapped melon. Loved the prosciutto and the melon was sweet and ripe. I like how the Parmesan contrasts the sweetness of the melon, thus balancing the dish. I decided on a long-time favorite of mine, linguine with red clam sauce. The pasta was boiled to perfection just a little Al dente and not soggy. The clams were amazing and the sauce with just enough zing. My wife had veal Parmesan. I had to reach over and snag a small taste because it looked so good. The veal and mushrooms were so tender and the sauce delicious. In the end what can I say.......I love these people!

Fruti Di Mar and Pesto Gnocchi with grilled chicken
Dariana D.

This establishment is a stable of Mountain Brook. Family owned and they make you feel right at home like a true Sicilian family. Being half Italian, it's great to find a little place of home. It's always packed, so make reservations and wait just a bit because it's worth it. You can get full on the bread alone. Their house Cabernet is yummy! I had the Fruti di Mar pasta, this pasta can be spilt with two people, it's so filling! The pesto chicken gnocchi: the gnocchi was done just right, the pesto needed a little something idk what, but it was a bit bland.(that's my only negative) We finished with the tiramisu: it's to die for!

Her shrimp salad was a masterpiece.
Michael H.

Met a friend at Bongiorno for an early dinner. Although we didn't have a reservation, we were seated promptly in the charming, dimly-lit front dining room. Our server, AJ, detailed the evening specials, then returned quickly with some tasty bruschetta. My friend's shrimp salad was a masterpiece and my delicious baked spaghetti with mushrooms didn't have a very long life! Creamy, home-made tasting tiramisu finished our meal perfectly. And although the restaurant was quite busy, AJ remained friendly and attentive throughout. Definitely recommend both him and Bongiorno!

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Delicious food . Nice servers. Good atmosphere. Authentic Italian. Been going forever.

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3 years ago

Fantastic, authentic Italian cuisine and amazing service from this family-owned & operated restaurant!

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I ordered takeout for motel dinner. Very good veal parmigiana. It came with spaghetti Al-dente. Veal Parmigiana

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Best family owned, authentic italian restaurant in town!

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5 years ago

Best Italian food in the Birmingham area. The Veal Lorenzo is absolutely the best I have ever had from Monterey, California to New York.

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Trattoria Zaza

Trattoria Zaza

4.5
(497 reviews)
3.0 mi
•$$

This place is the best spot I been to downtown birmingham. Ive visited a few times now and the only…read moretime it wasnt great and smooth was sunday morning. I foun d out later that theyre very popular and busy for brunch so keep that in mind if you go for weekend brunch. I would suggest trying to get ahead of the 11 oclock rush or after the 1pm rush The pizza is amazing the owner cares a great deal and the menu is inspired

This place is my type of vibe!…read more Trattoria ZaZa has been on my list of places to stop at for several years. Parking often deters me but after attending the Italian Festival earlier that day, we had a craving for pizza. I ordered the combo that includes 2 slices of the day with salad. Since I wasn't overly hungry, I offered him one of my slices and he added another slice to the order. We paid and were given a number to place on our selected table. Jazzy music played in the background while we waited on our order to be brought to the table. The natural lighting, while beautiful, made it a little warm in the building. One of the waitresses propped the door open that leads to the restrooms (which are in the hallway near the elevators) in order for cooler air to make its way in. That wasn't a deal breaker, but do be aware of that on warmer days. Our food came out after a short wait. I kept my 3 cheese slice, and gave him the pepperoni one. The cheeses were very rich and the salad, while simple without the frills, was perfectly sized and drizzled with a balsamic vinaigrette that was just the right amount. While I enjoyed my meal very much and the ambiance, he wasn't overly impressed with his. He didn't want the fresh herbs on his slices and knocked all of them off, lol. He's a simple guy with simple taste. This is definitely a place I will be revisiting with one of my girlfriends and not him next time as he didn't appreciate what ZaZA had to offer. Everyone we encountered was helpful and courteous. Our food, including drinks, was around $28, which was not bad for a cute, eclectic spot downtown. If you haven't been, make sure to try them out soon. Just don't wait as long as I did to visit!

Photos
Inside wait in line to order then pick your own seat inside or out
Inside wait in line to order then pick your own seat inside or out
Baked Feta
Baked Feta
Inside wait in line to order then pick your own seat

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Inside wait in line to order then pick your own seat
Bocca Ristorante

Bocca Ristorante

4.4
(152 reviews)
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The ABSOLUTE best pasta!!! My friend and me came here during their pasta happy hour ( look it up)…read moreand we had the most amazing experience! The hospitality was top tier. The hostess girl who seated us was really friendly & accommodating. Our server, Becca took such great care of us from drinks to apps to entrees to dessert. She did such a great job throughout our time here. I had their bolognese dish /caesar salad/ red house wine with the HH special. The pasta and Caesar salad were prepared and plated with perfection! I ate every bite... literally!!' The ingredients were all so fresh & I really could go on & on. I won't! Haaha The dining space is classy and decorated nicely. The ambiance provided the perfect mood for a fun night with great food/ drinks /great company! I already know I'll be returning to Bocca real soon.

New happy hour alert!…read more We tried Bocca's new Pasta Happy Hour (Tuesday-Thursday, 4:30-6:30 PM), and it did not disappoint. For $29, you get wine, salad, focaccia, and pasta--a great deal for both the quality and portion sizes. We ordered the house wine, Caesar salad, spaghetti and meatballs, and the Garganelli with asparagus (plus added shrimp). Since it was such a beautiful day, we sat out on the patio, which I didn't even realize they had! The service was stellar, the food was delicious, and we left completely full. They also offer complimentary valet, which is always a nice bonus with downtown traffic and parking. We had a wonderful experience and will definitely be back!

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A view of the restaurant
A view of the restaurant
Garganelli with Asparagus
Garganelli with Asparagus
Refreshing

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Refreshing
Bettola

Bettola

4.0
(316 reviews)
2.2 mi
•$$

Who doesn't love a good bowl of pasta? Bettola does it right. I always applaud restaurants that…read morehave perfect length menus. I do not need millions of options, this is the correct amount. If you know me, you know that if there's burrata on the menu, I'm ordering it. Bettola's is one of the most unique I've ever had. It's almost soupy, and it's scrumptious. The wine list is good, and they serve good cocktails. My friends all raved about the espresso martini. This is a great place for date night or to dine with friends and family. They have an option for everybody. Service is great, no frills. I find parking to be very easy in this area. Like Hot and Hot, you do have to walk through a different hallway to get to a bathroom, a little strange but fine. I love the option of outdoor seating, but the inside is a fantastic atmosphere, too. I've yet to try any of the pizzas, but will have to come back at some point, of course :).

We had concert tickets downtown so we thought we would make a night of it. Reservations for 5pm and…read morewe're seated immediately. It was a beautiful evening so we chose the patio. Music was light and atmosphere was inviting. Staff was polite and attentive. We tried, the suggested, Mentone AL tomato salad to start. Served with thick, ripe red and yellow tomatoes along with some dressing and corn. It was light and savory. Had us wanting more. Excellent choice. For dinner we chose the pepperoni and filetto pizzas. They serve a classic Neapolitan style wood fired pizza. Pizza was a good personal size. Crisp crust with nice leopard spotting. Chewy inside with good gluten development. Middle was a little soggy, but typical for Neapolitan style. Toppings were fresh and flavorful. Chocolate Budino was light and fluffy with a hint of salt. The roasted hazelnuts gave it a nice crunch. The house made whipped creme was firm and smooth. Excellent meal! No complaints. Highly recommend.

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Bettola
Bettola
Bettola

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Bottega Italian Restaurant

Bottega Italian Restaurant

4.2
(221 reviews)
1.9 mi
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All hail Frank Stitt. Bottega lives up to all the hype and is worth every penny. Truly one of the…read morebest meals I've had in a very long time and in a beautiful setting. Servers were lovely, unpretentious, and attentive. Every single thing we ate was to die for. The capellini is now my all time favorite pasta dish that I've ever eaten (and I was raised in the northeast). 10/10. Will return. No further notes.

I've heard so many great things about Bottega--from the food to the top-tier customer service--so…read morewhen my friend was in town for a lawyers convention and suggested dinner, this was one of the first places I recommended. We were deciding between here and Lapeer, and she ultimately chose Bottega because of its reputation. We had reservations for 8:30 PM and weren't seated until around 8:40, which wasn't a huge issue. However, once seated, the service quickly became disappointing. Our waiter took our drink order, dropped off the drinks, and immediately walked away without asking if we wanted to order anything else. He eventually came back and asked us for our appetizers. While waiting, we noticed the table next to us receiving significantly more attentive service--frequent check-ins, questions about their food, and overall engagement--while our table was largely ignored. When our appetizer arrived, it was dropped off without any follow-up. It's like he had the zoomies. He never came back to ask how everything was, which is something I'm not used to. At 9:29 PM, I stopped the waiter to ask if they were about to close (closing time was 9:30). That's when I realized we were never even asked if we wanted to order entrees. His response was that he thought we were "enjoying our food and we could still order if we wanted to ," but from the energy, we chose to go someplace else. To be clear, the food was excellent--I'd give it a 9/10. Unfortunately, the service was a 3/10. I considered whether timing played a role, but since the table next to us received attentive service during the same time frame, it was hard to overlook the contrast. I'm not sure if it was because we were black and the only minority there, but the difference in treatment stood out. I live not too far and truly wanted this to be a go-to spot, but the experience didn't reflect the "one of the best restaurants with the best customer service in Birmingham" reputation I've heard so much about. I might consider returning to the café side to see if the experience is different, but as of now, I left feeling underwhelmed. I'm sharing this in hopes that it helps improve consistency in service, because the decor was beautiful and the food itself is worth it. We had the Parmesan soufflé which was delicious and very comforting, so were the oysters.

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Bottega Italian Restaurant
Baked Feta
Baked Feta
Lemon martini and extra dirty martini

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Lemon martini and extra dirty martini
North Italia

North Italia

4.0
(385 reviews)
4.0 mi
•$$

I came here on a Sunday afternoon after some friends, and I competed in the great American game…read moreshow at the summit as well. We were trying to decide what we wanted to eat, and I was able to make a reservation for nine at North Italia, which was surprising to me, but I guess the time that we went which was about 4 o'clock it was not that busy. I actually have the same server I had when I was in there December for a Christmas brunch. Nichole L. Was our server and she was very attentive and did give us some good suggestions on dishes. However, because there were nine of us, she had mentioned that they don't usually split up the bill however, she spoke to her manager was able to do so. I don't understand why this restaurant has this policy. It makes it difficult to go out in a group. There was an 18% gratuity added to our bill, but it was up to you if you wanted to add to it or get rid of it, I added to the tip. I got the chicken Parmesan, which I had had in the past. It was delicious as always, and I split it into two different meals. I will definitely be back here sooner than later

​I visit Alabama once a year for business, and this time, I stopped by North Italia because I was…read morecraving some really good pizza. The restaurant had a wonderfully clean and modern interior, filled with a great mix of diners--from families to couples. ​I ordered the Margherita pizza along with the shrimp Scampi in the photo. The Margherita pizza had a perfectly chewy crust and a wonderful, healthy taste. The shrimp Scampi was also fantastic, with the garlic and olive oil pairing together beautifully. ​On top of the great food, the staff was incredibly friendly and welcoming. It's definitely a place I want to return to. If you ever find yourself visiting Alabama, I highly recommend stopping by!

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North Italia
North Italia
North Italia

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Bongiorno - italian - Updated July 2026

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