Oooooh Yeah! Excellent food, great staff. Many fresh local foods used and you could tell! A strawberry rhubarb margarita if you can believe it! Flank steak was a little tough but the broccoli raab was to die for! So diverse! Come and enjoy. We sat out side on the deck it was casual yet you still felt as if you were eating at a high end restaurant. Simple class act. read more

Ciao Popolo - Strawberry rhubarb margarita! Local fresh ingredients! - Italian Near Me - Bellows Falls, Vermont

See all

OMG this restaurant should be in Boston or New York. The arugula Salads is such a art . The Brussels sprouts salad is so health and tasty. The Duck breast is to too dead for read more

Walked into the restaurant at 6pm looking for a table on a quiet night and we were told that our small party of 3 couldn't be seated because we didn't have a reservation. Fair enough excuse for a packed-to-the-brim restaurant, but considering the place was half-empty, the hostess didn't have to be rude about it. My takeaway? Even if the place looks half-empty from outside, don't ever assume you can get a table here without calling in advance. I guess you gotta be VIP to eat here? read more

My husband and I headed north from Amherst looking for the quintessential Vermont experience on my birthday. My birthday requirements: someplace for lunch not far off I-91, outside seating, preferably overlooking water, good fresh farm to table food, situated in a quaint but not too postcard-y New England town, maybe some antiquing thrown in, and farmstands en route. Scored five out of six on the birthday wishes. Washed out on the sitting outside part since it was raining today. So how was the birthday? We discovered Bellows Falls because I thought it was the name of the "It's a Wonderful Life" town. Wrong, but I was close. The movie town was Bedford Falls. Bellows Falls, VT is a river town, a railroad town, a former prosperous mill town that is undergoing a transformation of its many Victorian buildings. It has a real town center. Popolo ("the people") Restaurant is a bright, architecturally interesting, renovated space smack in the middle of that center. The setting was so inviting on this gray day--pale yellow walls, tall ceilings, original brick backdrop for the bar, clean-cut wooden tables and booths, modern glass pendant lighting that I would put in my own kitchen if I had the umpteen foot ceilings that Popolo's has. The back patio overlooks water, so we'll have to go back for that experience when it's sunny. The menu met my other requirement, fresh food prepared simply--just like in Italy. Since it was my birthday, we started with a drink: lemoncello Prosseco--I know, I know, a summer drink, but I had to have it. They have a wonderful wine list, but we had the hour drive home in the rain, so we passed on wine. We both ordered the special lentil soup to start, which really had that fall-is-coming flavor and warmth. My husband ordered one of Popolo's enticing hot paninis--meatball, which he loved. I savored Popolo's special pizza of the day topped with feta, lemon, arugula and my favorite kind of slightly charred, crispy, yeasty crust. We were too full to try the house gelatos. We plan to have a next time very soon. Afterwards we strolled in the rain through the town, stopping at the best antiques' shop I've visited in New England, directly across the street from Popolo's, the Windham Antique Center. It's beautifully curated, but not one of those fussy, formal places that make you want to make a fast exit. I spent a half hour in there, tempted by so many things. Another time. So a very good birthday was had by me and the guy who dun brung me. I definitely won't wait a year for another visit to Bellow's Falls and a meal at Popolo's. read more

We decided to give it a try during our long weekend trip in Bellows Falls, VT, and it was definitely worth it. The signature cocktails were great. The grilled hanger steak was good, with surprisingly delicious grilled broccolini. The roasted garlic was a very nice touch. The pork osso bucco was perfectly tender, the vegetables just right, and the polenta was crisp without being overdone. The service was great, but we stopped in just as they opened for dinner. Apparently at prime dinner time you might want a reservation to be sure of a table. read more

Popolo's has the ambiance of an elementary school cafeteria and probably MORE noise.......which is a shame because the food is fairly good......... it is also very expensive for what it is.......we would love to see more businesses happening in bellow's falls and we think the owner has good intentions.......but he has to make this into a more pleasant dining experience for it to succeed beyond this year........ read more

The food was pretty good, but it was SO LOUD!!!!! I was sitting at a small 2 person table and we had to lean in and shout to hear eachother, I left with a headache read more

My wife and I stopped for lunch on Black Friday. It wasn't busy, but what a great setting! The farm style furniture and large window looking onto Main Street is an ideal way to spend an hour. I had a pork belly sandwich, it was delicious. My wife had a salad and soup. Good stuff. read more

Ciao Popolo - The interior - Italian Near Me - Bellows Falls, Vermont

Terrific, refined farm-to-plate Italian cuisine - remarkable for this area. Staff is very friendly and will gladly take you through the menu and make recommendations depending on your interests. Wine list, though I don't drink anymore, is a fascinating collection of bottles you will not find in the average wine store. read more

The food is just fabulous- I love the calamari, pizza and a great burger. There is always a creative and delicious special. Drinks and cocktails are always special read more

Friendly and knowledgeable service. The food was tasty and most of all the French Fries were superb! The ambience is chic with candles on the tables and music playing in the background. We ordered the pizza and it was true to the Italian form with delicious thin crust and excellent sauce! read more

Amazing food in an amazing space. Refined menu, but something for everyone. Good selection for vegetarians. Fresh, local produce. Friendly and sincere staff. This is the best food within at least a 25 mile radius of Bellows Falls and the best thing to happen to Bellows Falls in at least 25 years. read more

Popolo is great. The staff is very warm and welcoming. This is my favorite place to get calamari as it is tender and fresh, no place in the area compares. The pizzas are the best in town, try the breakfast pizza you wont be disappointed. Also my top place to get eggs benedict. If im looking for dinner and im in bellows falls then im going to popolo. read more

Not very good food and a bit pricey. We got a burger and pizza. Both were bland and needed seasoning. The burger was dry and small with a minuscule amount of gorgonzola for an added $2.00. If you want a great burger go to Shona's Grill down the street. read more

Came to VT for a relaxing getaway, stumbled across Popolo after the towns of Chester and Grafton had lost power after a windy day. We immediately loved the ambiance of Popolo. We decided on our pasta orders but then saw the pizza and thought it looked too good to pass up. Oh man did we make the right decision. The pizza was to die for, reminded me of pies from Naples, Italy. The Simple Pie is highly recommended. Salivating just thinking of it. read more

Very good Italian food. Great value for lunch. Hot sandwiches are well worth the $7. The bread is excellent. They serve a locally-made gelato and use a lot of local ingredients. The house-made meatballs are good. They have a few interesting cocktails and some good beers on tap. Service can be a bit erratic. Your water may not be filled frequently, and you may end up forkless after your appetizer is taken away. But staff are very friendly. read more

Stopped-in for dinner with friends on Friday, 8/11/2017 and were very pleased. I had gotten their pappardelle alla bolognese and my wife had the Monk fish... both dishes were spectacular - seriously. Our server was great, nice decor, great selection of dinners... plus, they "mix a good drink" there. I hope to get out that way again just so we can eat there again. read more

Excellent dinner, appetizers were great to share before entrees. Service was attentive but not hovering, Portion size: perfect. Only short coming is small menu. Would perhaps be limiting if visiting frequently. Daily specials are nice addition but main menu could use a few more options. read more

Good food nice staff wonderful drinks try the sangria they have a different kind every day there open I never had a bad meal here . The pizzas great difference creative options like Pizza with Pork Belly for one . The fair is to like Italian fusion . Everything they try to get local And is very fresh ! I say to try this Little Gem in Bellows Falls you will enjoy it . Oh reservation are recommended ! This place fills up fast ! read more

Happy Halloween indeed! Made reservations just to be sure, but since it was all-hallowed-ween we had the place to ourselves for the first 30-mins. We started with salads (Arugula, and I the grilled octopus), then moved on to the pan-seared duck, and I the bolognese pappardelle. We completed the meal with coffee and their almond pear cake topped with a dollop of mascarpone, and a sprig of mint. If it weren't 2.5 hrs away from Boston we'd be regulars! read more

Ciao Popolo - Interior 1 - Italian Near Me - Bellows Falls, Vermont

See all

This has been a great addition to Bellows Falls, and I want them to stay open, so I'm reluctant to write anything negative, but they have been inconsistent the last five times we've eaten there, so I finally decided to post. I've eaten dinners and brunches here about 15 times total. I have had some amazing meals here, but most recently, meals that were just good. My wish for this restaurant is for them to get consistent, because they could be great all the time. If you can't afford to eat out weekly, you don't have mistake space to waste your money on a meal that's just ok, especially not when paying top shelf price (in this region, Popolo's prices are up there, not at the very top, but almost). My family and I have our favorites, and we've ordered those things about 5 times, and each time it's different. The worst inconsistency has been with the eggs at brunch, how black the bottom of the pizza is, and the saltiness of a dish. The last time I ate there was a Sunday within the last month, and the dish I ordered was one I've had at least 4 times before. It was very different, and not as good. There was less of one ingredient I enjoyed in the past, yet much more of another that there used to be just a little bit of. The changes made the whole meal very dry and overcooked, and it was an overall disappointment. Since I've had some fantastic meals there, I will try a few more times before giving up, but I'm reluctant to bring friends who haven't been there to the place unless they get more consistent. Their pizzas are fantastic, but too expensive for a weekly family pizza night. They have the best cocktails in Bellows Falls. The acoustics in the restaurant are weird. Sometimes it can be so loud you can hardly hear the people at your table. read more

I love this place! Really cool location, amazing food, solid service, reasonable prices. You shouldn't miss it if you're in the area.

Every meal that we've eaten here has been superb. Last night the stars of the show were the brussels sprout starter, the blue cheese pizza, and the amazing pasta bolognese. Highly recommend! read more

Great food, great service, great friends...every time we visit Popolo. Period. Thank you for being a wonderful and necessary part of Bellows Falls! read more

lunch recently, nice looking place was not too busy although it did get some late arrivals, service was very pleasant and food and drinks very good, we had some of their special drinks and they were both very good, burger was excellent as were the fish cakes with excellent rosemary aioli....nice read more

Our professional organization was looking to host a dinner meeting in a location convenient to both Springfield and Brattleboro, and Popolo turned out to be a great choice. Gary was extremely helpful throughout the planning process. Our group was 38 people, and I heard many positive comments based not only on the food but on the atmosphere as well. I would highly recommend Popolo for any groups seeking private meeting space. I hope to return for another meal there at some point soon! read more

Good food! I loved the lentil and mushroom sliders with the grilled broccoli rabe. Yum!!

Always liked Popolo but WOW...is it cranking right now!!! Try the eggplant involtini. Or maybe just one of their cocktails...

Dinner here was ok. The service was very friendly, the menu had great options and a good wine list. My husband had a chicken with prosciutto dish, and I had a salad with chicken added. Both chickens were very dry. The other strange thing was that our server mentioned each and every price on the specials, which was strange. I also asked for chicken to be added to my salad and she stood there a little awkwardly trying to recall the add-chicken price. The obsessive price listing seems a bit tacky. Other than those two things, the place is good for what the area offers and we would still return. read more

The food here was wicked yummy. Had the calamari at lunch time. Our server was great but she was the only one on and the restaurant filled with guests shortly after we arrived. It was difficult for her to keep up with the amount of people but she did well. The atmosphere was very nice. It was an enjoyable lunch time stop and I would love to go again and try something else. Great environment and fairly affordable! read more

Had Sunday brunch here today. The service was excellent, the food delicious and the chef accommodated us with making the special breakfast pizza, even though it wasn't on the menu. Sometimes it can be noisy in the restaurant, but it was just right in there today. read more

So my wife and jumped off the interstate about 6:00 PM on a Friday evening, en route to meeting friends for the weekend. We cruised into Bellows Falls, looking for something quick and easy for supper. What we found, after driving through the village, was Popolo. Not too big, nicely laid out, casual setting--it looked like a comfortable place to grab an evening meal. The service was prompt and friendly, and our server offered advice on the menu offerings. About that menu: it's a nicely printed and bound booklet, small enough to fit in your hand, detailed enough to provide the information you need. I ordered the orichetti with lemon sauce and peas, while my wife had a small artisanal pepperoni pizza. We had a lovely basket of homemade bread with oil as we waited for our entrees...which were definitely worth the wait. The pasta was perfect and fairly light, while the pizza was just right. We topped it with a superb panacotta and coffee. And the bill was surprisingly low. Come on in, you'll be pleased. I promise. read more

This is one of my local go-to restaurants. Really good food. They always have interesting dishes for specials. I have never been disappointed. Love the pizza! Wait staff is friendly and helpful. read more

Took over an hour for food to arrive. Mediocre quality. Another couple left before us and said they had waited over an hour and a half. Not a good way to start a business. The community table idea is not for us. read more

I enjoy this restaurant and frequent it fairly often, but did have a bad experience once. The food is great (but quite pricey - a meal for two (salads to start, two drinks each, and a main course with no coffee or dessert came to over $100) and the atmosphere is lovely. The service has always been good with the one exception, where the (manager or owner?) came to our table and informed us, in a rather unpleasant manner, that people were waiting to be seated. We felt hurried and uncomfortable and it wasn't a good way to end the evening. read more

Wonderful small town restaurant BIG on style! Enjoyed a refreshing cucumber fennel Collins and Vegan Meatballs over zucchini pasta. The staff was attentive and welcoming. We were there for an early'ish dinner at 5:30 on a Friday. We didn't have a reservation but they had a spot for us. It was surprisingly busy for that early and small town. We WILL be back! read more

Ciao Popolo - Vegan meatballs over zucchini pasta--yum! - Italian Near Me - Bellows Falls, Vermont

See all

Two stars for your male server who thought it acceptable to give me the NON-detailed tab for my review and payment for a meal costing nearly $200. Who does this? read more

I took my mom for Mother's Day, she ordered French toast which was a thin slice and half of bread and nothing else to complement it. Also it had strawberries on it which was not told and she allergic. My breakfast pizza came after everyone else's meal and when it finally came the the egg white was VERY runny and had to be sent back. Over all value was poor. read more

Popolo is a wonderful addition to bellows falls, vt. I love that is has more of a modern feel but is still warm and welcoming. The food And drinks are outstanding. Try the roasted chicken served with polenta! Great place for a night out with friends or a romantic date. Be sure to make reservations on the weekends because it gets booked! The staff know the menu very well and are more than happy to answer any questions. They also have a fabulous brunch on Sundays. You will not be disappointed! read more

I had the pizza special. It was prosciutto and something else. Can't remember. It was amazing though! The ambiance, setting, and lighting are also amazing. Happy, positive, buzzing with good people. read more