La Bella Vita was an impromptu dining experience and a great one at that! Unfortunately, we were ill prepared with dinner reservations but were committed to enjoying dinner in Little Italy. By the grace of God and the heart of the wonderful young man at the door, we were able to get a table for the three of us with only a modest wait. Our pasta dishes were superb and the atmosphere was great. We even had a surprise performance from one of the popular Feast of San Gennaro bands. They were playing to raise money to purchase Christmas gifts for children in need. The manager (or owner) personally greeted us and took our drink order. Bless my friend's heart, she had the audacity to ask if they had wine from Napa. Are you LOL? Of course, they only serve wines from Italian vineyards. This was a great experience and I would return a recommend. read more

La Bella Vita - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

We got the bruschetta (not picture) which was really good. The pasta was okay, nothing amazing or outstanding but hit. The ambiance was nice especially with the windows opening up so you could be part of the festival atmosphere without getting pushed around by the crowd. Want to note the manager or owner was super nice and they checked up on us periodically. Also dog friendly! read more

La Bella Vita - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

The place was pretty much empty when we went. As a native New Yorker I usually avoid little Italy restaurants but someone on instagram said it was decent. The food was average. They didn't offer us any bread. I wouldn't go back. read more

La Bella Vita - Penne alla Vodka and pasta with butter - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Great option for delicious Italian food on Mulberry Street! With so many options in Little Italy, La Bella Vita is worth keeping in mind. The calamari was impressive -- well seasoned and crispy, without tasting oily or heavy. And the sauce it came with was excellent, just the right amount of tanginess. For pasta entrees, the fettuccine meatballs was excellent. The pasta was well prepared, and the marinara was great. The meatballs were maybe a touch dry, but not to an extent that they took away from the dish. A simple classic, well executed. Definitely recommend this dish. The spaghetti carbonara was good, but not as much of a hit as the fettuccine. The pasta itself was equally well prepared, but the pancetta didn't stand out. It was a bit tough and chewy, not quite as crispy as I had hoped. Still a great meal overall, and a solid option for a classic Italian meal! read more

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My husband and I were looking for a good Italian restaurant to take our kids too and this place was perfect. The food was filling and delicious and the staff were very friendly and funny. If we come back to NY we would definitely come to this restaurant and have already been recommending it to our friends and family. read more

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Outstanding Restaurant and very welcoming Food was great we tried the Diavola Pizza, lasagna and Spaghetti. Enjoyed every dish. Service was great as well read more

I wish my phone hadn't died because I couldn't check this place out before going in. Went in on a whim with a friend as we both wanted to try something new. I remember from foodie shows I used to watch one restauranteur saying that if a place has stale and or cold bread then the worst is yet to come. Very true here. I had the veal francese. Lots of places do a dry wet dry prep for the veal. This place clearly used egg because I could see and taste the egg (horrible). It was more like a bad lo mein dish rather than a good Italian one. The "fresh" mozzarella and prosciutto dish we had as an appetizer, again horrible. The waiter was nice enough, but I'll never eat there again. I actually threw up by the time I got home. I can't believe we picked this place given the Feast of San Gennaro was going on. Final note, they let some guy hassle guests about donating to a cancer cause. People go to restaurants to escape, why have someone getting in your customers faces guilting them and telling them you can make change if they have large bills, or they Zelle or Venmo for the cause ... classless. read more

Excellent authentic pasta carbonara and service The ambience of this gem is amazing very romantic as well read more

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The food and service was excellent! Made me feel like a local spot own by an Italian family.

3.5 My daughter and I were hungry while visiting the San Genaro feast. I usually eat at Da Nico's, but wanted to try something new. This place had a seat outdoors and as soon as I noticed, the hostess was approaching me to see if I wanted a seat. We ordered spaghetti , meatballs, and bruschetta. The spaghetti was okay, but I wouldn't say anything special. I didn't eat the meatball because despite being told they weren't flavored with pork, I didn't trust that to be accurate. The bruschetta was okay, along with the sangria, however, I wasn't exactly blown away, by anything here. What I didn't care for was the guy who brought the food out (not my server) declined to bring me an additional plate and told to use the same plate that I used with the bread to start with-- that kind of too me aback. The server was cool and was prompt with everything. Overall, the experience was average, but I probably would pass on returning here. read more

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Average food. I ordered the gnocchi napoletana, which had meat sauce and a thick layer of mozzarella on top. It lacked flavor and the texture was mushy. The free bread tasted store bought honestly. Service was okay, I had to flag them down to take my order but they were friendly. Loud place, hard to hear if you want to get dinner with someone here. Overall, I am surprised that they are in Little Italy. I am from out of town and expected more. read more

This is one of the rare instances where I wish I could give more than 5 stars. Everything from the food, to the atmosphere, to the service was perfection. They don't even have a traditional waiting stand, the servers are just standing around greeting potential customers or flashing smiles - which was very inviting. They have plenty of seating, both indoor and outdoor. I chose to sit outdoors, on their elevated platform just inches from the sidewalk. It does a great job at making the dining area feel separate from the sidewalk without having a barrier of any kind. They have Italian music playing at a volume as to where you can listen if you so desire, but also tune it out if unwanted. The decor and ambience felt very rustic. I placed my order, Penne Vodka with Chicken, and within a matter of minutes it was ready. I had only gotten to eat two pieces of bread from the basket they gave me. The penne vodka was divine! So creamy, so sweet, it was just the picture perfect penne vodka. I also highly appreciated how all the wait staff tag-teamed water refilling, because I drink a lot of water. Overall this place was an easy 5 stars on every front! If you want Italian on your trip, this is the place to go. read more

La Bella Vita - Complimentary Bread and Oil - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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Came here with a large group and they were very accommodating. I order the eggplant parm which tasted alright but had practically no cheese on it. read more

Bella Vita is located next to about 30 other Italian restaurants that are probably also quite good, and I only ended up here because my friends had come here before and said it was good. It was very easy to get a seat on a Friday evening, and we sat outside next to the road. I ordered a shrimp scampi, which ended up being quite good! The portion size was very healthy and there was a good amount of shrimp. It's one of the better shrimp scampis that I've eaten. Overall a good Italian spot that's reasonably priced and a place that I'd definitely recommend. read more

La Bella Vita - Shrimp Scampi - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

My wife and I came across La Bella Vita a few years back as we were looking for a restaurant to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We were invited in by a member of their staff who was outside bringing in customers. Right away the vibe was very friendly and inviting. The wait staff was attentive and hard working and the food was excellent. We have gone back every year since then to celebrate our anniversary and the food and service has been consistently great. I highly recommend this place and look forward to coming here for years to come. read more

Tasty food in a quaint restaurant. Came for lunch and ordered from the lunch menu the two pasta dishes (Fettuccine Alfredo & Penne vodka). I added grilled chicken to the Penne. Good flavors on both dishes. Of the many restaurants around this is a nice place to dine. read more

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the best pasta alla vodka i have EVER had, same with the mozzarella sticks! super friendly service and i love this restaurant so much for dinner when i visit the city ! read more

Came into this joint on Mulberry street, Little italy. Girl at the front was friendly and took me in asap. I ordered the Pappardelle bolognese, it was definitely delicious and met the expectations for what a bolognese should be, bread was also served fresh. The restaurant is a tad bit small, but the atmosphere makes up for that. read more

La Bella Vita - Pappardelle Bolognese - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Usually when I eat at an Italian restaurant I get spaghetti or chicken parm, but I decided to be bold and order the shrimp scampi. La Bella Vita did not disappoint! I was so worried after I ordered it but after taking that first bite, I was so glad I didn't go with the safe choice. The serving size was huge and I had to get a takeout box, which meant I got to enjoy this meal twice. If you're in Little Italy I highly recommend coming here! read more

La Bella Vita - Shrimp Scampi - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

The ambiance was loud Italian restaurant. The colorful Christmas lights and haphazardly stuck on roses were a poor attempt at decorating for Valentine's Day. Service was slow. The time it took for the next table to finish their pasta was the time it took for our Bruschetta and Carpaccio to come out... Food was also subpar. The bread for the Bruschetta was slightly stale. We could not taste the promised truffle on the Carpaccio. Lastly, the pizza was salty and took a long time to come out. Overall, the whole place felt like a tourist trap that wasn't even trying. I would NOT recommend this place to friends and family. read more

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I couldn't go to New York, and not go to little Italy to try authentic Italian food. We were so fortunate to find this amazing restaurant with delicious food and wine. My raviolis, were mouthwatering, one of the best I have tried. This is definitely the place to go and have the best Italian food in town. The place is small and cozy but the service is amazing and everyone was very polite. read more

Lots of choice of places to eat in Little Italy. I don't know why we opted for this one. Food was decent but my husband who only drinks diet cokes, ordered one and then a refill. When we received the bill, he was charged $9.90 for 2 cokes. We spoke with our waiter who also might have been a manager of sorts but all he could say is sorry.. we charge for each coke. I told him every where we had eaten previously in Manhattan offered no charge for refills. I suggested he tell customers that there are no refills. Mind you. This was fountain cokes not a bottle or can. So, with lots of choices, go somewhere else! This is not the customer service I would expect and therefore, I would never go back. The food does not make up for poor customer service. read more

I have worked out of NYC for the past two years. My husband has never actually been. We were at an impasse on where to eat, so I said, "let's walk through Chinatown and Little Italy, and see if anything pulls us in." The hostess here asked if we wanted to come inside--YES! This was the foodie fate I was hoping for. It was wonderful. Small, intimate. Our water was refilled quickly and kindly. Had a family owned feel. Server seemed a little distracted, but we never wanted for anything really. They have regular bread with olive oil as a basic opener. We had the bruschetta for an appetizer. It was so tasty! Savory, tangy, with some bite. Perfect crisp! For entrees, I had the gnocchi and my husband had the lasagna. Both perfectly prepared. Not soggy or too soft. The Parmesan added on made it all the better. We had tiramisu for desert, and it was cool, sweet, and the perfect end of the night. They have a decent wine list, but we didn't have wine. The gnocchi was such a large serving that I took some home and it was an amazing savory breakfast! My husband, who is half Italian, right off the boat, loved his lasagna. Total without tip was about 77 dollars, and I think the quality food we received was worth that price. The menu has the expected Italian staples as well as a lot of pescatarian options and some other meat dishes. I'm glad serendipity brought us here. read more

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The service was good. The food was below mediocre. The pasta was obviously not fresh. I ordered shrimp scampi over pasta. The only sauce was water from the pasta. This was during the festival. They were not busy. This was the worst excuse of Italian food ever presented to me. Never again. read more

Such a cute little restaurant with a quaint/cozy ambiance. Hands down BEST italian I've ever had, tried lasagna, pasta fagioli, and vodka sauce spaghetti and it was so delicious. Despite the food being so amazing, the service was probably the best part! Such wonderful, sweet human beings doing an amazing job. read more

Visiting NYC for Labor Day weekend and after a day of shopping in SoHo, we were craving pasta and knew Little Italy wasn't going to let us down. This place has outdoor seating as well as indoor and was the perfect spot for a late lunch. Service was not only friendly, but quick and attentive. Our waiter made sure our wine and waters were constantly full and our food, clearly house-made, came out in less than 20 minutes! Everyone was veryyy happy with what they ordered. The carbonara was my favorite, and though I'm not a big fan of gnocchi, their's was slightly more overcooked and softer than what I've had before, which I actually really liked, and the pesto was amazing. Serving portions were the perfect size to where you'd be full even if it was your first meal of the day. The complimentary bread was denser and had a crunch to it that was sooo good. Would love to be back to try something else on their menu! A solid, 10/10 experience with friends. read more

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What went well, first if you've never been to Little Italy in NYC it's an absolute must! The authentic character of the neighborhood, especially at night is something to see! The meal was amazing, first time here so no real expectations but it was really good. The service was attentive and pleasant. Would absolutely do it again! read more

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The pastas were delicious, but occasionally you can find different types of pasta in your plate the service was ok, we had to ask twice for things, they were very busy though. Indoor decor was a bit out dated read more

La Bella Vita - Pappardelle Bolognese - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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Little Italy has a number of choices. LBV is one of them. The four of us went there on a Saturday afternoon for an early dinner right before seeing the tree at Rockefeller. We were seated right away and had a friendly and efficient server. We sat in the outside seating area and used the heater to keep warm in the chilly December air. We had the mozzarella sticks and meatballs as an appetizer. The mozzarella sticks were good, but the meatballs were very bland. The sauce had a decent flavor. I got the chicken francaise, my daughter got the chicken parmesan, my wife got the veal milanese and my son got a pepperoni pizza. The chicken dishes were good, but nothing extraordinary. The veal was overcooked, so I'd suggest steering clear from that. I'd avoid the pizza as the crust was surprisingly doughy coming out of a wood fired oven. The alcohol prices seem a bit high even for NYC at $10 for a Peroni and $35 for a half carafe of reisling. If you want a decent meal at a fair price, you'll be fine here, but don't expect much more than that. read more

La Bella Vita - Dinner with the family - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Lovely and well run. Lots of locals so we felt good about our choice. House wine was nice

TLDR: This place is neither Italian nor fine dining. Don't waste your time, which you will because it's gonna take 2 hours to get your food, and you may only see the wait staff once or twice the entire meal. If they do convince you to eat here, DO NOT EAT OUTSIDE. YOU WILL BE IGNORED AND LEFT TO STARVE/FREEZE. Long version: At first the small electric heaters outside the restaurant looked fine for a nice evening dinner. The hostess appeared energetic and inviting, and we were seated with drink ordered. Our waiter took our food order, That's the last time we saw him for about 50 minutes including ordering (from the hostess and another server) more bread (they brought out two slices to share between four people) which we never received, and a half carafe of sangria (not great, mostly sugar/juice, only filled two glasses, after which simple math revealed that it would have been cheaper to only order two glasses). Had to ask the hostess about our food around the 30-minute mark. She went inside and never returned other than a half-hearted gesture about it being soon. At the 40-minute mark, I asked again and asked how long two pasta dishes and a salad were supposed to take. Again, the hostess rushed inside and then returned to once again not This is right about the point that a table of 6 who had sat just before us left the restaurant, and the table of two that had sat after us began receiving food. Our waiter finally returns with another half carafe of sangria, which we declined, and I demanded an explanation for the long wait. The waiter seemed confused, and then shocked when he checked his device and saw that we had indeed ordered almost an hour earlier. At this point a simple honest explanation of the situation would've worked. Instead I got lies and half hearted excuses about how the restaurant handles orders. They had the gall to tell me that their business was a problem. Our food had either been forgotten or taken to another table. My family is freezing and hungry while we look inside to see all diners inside receiving cheery attentive service. I told the waiter that he was crazy if he thought I'd be paying full price for the meal. 10 MORE MINUTES, and our food comes out piping hot looking like it had been put together by a method that must involve throwing things against walls. Too hot to eat, meats and noodles overcooked, and the salad was terrible. I told the hostess I needed to talk to someone about our bill. Finally I can tell you about the food. Frankly it tasted good, but qualified neither as Italian or fine dining. No Italian I know would've been seen eating a plate so covered in melted cheese AND watery sauce. We finally get to talk to the manager/owner. More and more excuses about the long wait times and poor service. He apologized profusely and told us to pay whatever I felt was fair. I paid what I would've for a frozen Italian dinner from the market. read more

This restaurant is not on the busy side of Mulberry St and it can be easily dismissed. But I must say this is a hidden gem! I was hesitant to go in because it looked like it was a slow night for them but the friendly girl at the door convinced me to go try it. Cute ambiance, friendly staff and outstanding service. Oh and the food... mama mia, delizioso! I wanted piccata but they only had veal which I don't eat, so I asked for chicken instead and they were very accommodating, but man, that sauce was to die for and so good for dipping the bread! The tiramisu was also delicious! Definitely a must try! read more

Everything really does happen for a reason. The spot I originally wanted to go to was overbooked and I was a bit disappointed but my friend and I decided to stop and eat at La Bella Vita instead. It was the $8 wine that drew us in and the handmade pasta that made us stay. The service was great and everything we ordered was so delicious. I ordered the Garganelli Boscaiola and it came out piping hot, so you know it was fresh. The scent was mouth watering and flavor was fabulous. My friend ordered the ravioli which was also amazing. The bread could be improved as it wasn't super fresh or flavorful. Besides that, I loved everything and will be back again for more pasta. read more

La Bella Vita - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Nicest staff ever! Super delicious Also the owner gave me her power bank to chage my phone! read more

La Bella Vita - Spaghetti Carbonara, Pappardelle Bolognese - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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Do not let them lore you in. This place is an ultimate tourist trap. Food was absolutely awful. The only good thing was the red wine... which came out of a bottle. The ambiance is nice however, just know your food is going to taste like it came out of a can at the grocery store. I make better pasta... meatballs were extremely gamey. Do yourself a favor and go somewhere else. read more

Not an Italian person but came here due to the Feast in little Italy. The sangria was delicious. The Cesar salad was good, but hard to mess up a salad. I also tried the lobster ravioli which was delicious. Actually lobster pieces were in it. read more

La Bella Vita - Sangria - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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My friend and I had had some happy hour drinks and we were walking around Little Italy, very hungry. We were intrigued by the menu at La Bella Vita and decided to sit at their outdoor seating and grab a bite to eat. The tables were pretty spaced out, so we felt comfortable staying at the restaurant. We split an appetizer and pasta dish. It was a little disconcerting that they gave glass plates and silverware, as I didn't feel it was super sanitary, but the silverware did come in a paper pouch indicating it was sanitized so I felt a little better about it. The server was SUPER sweet. He checked on us frequently but not to the point where it was stifling. He also split our pasta dish for us so we wouldn't have to fumble around with plates. I also wanna shout out the complimentary bread for the oil dip - it was mixed with some sort of cheese or flaky sea salt and was delicious. FOOD: Watercress salad (4/5) - The restaurant was out of watercress so they replaced the greens with arugula, which was fine by us. This salad was delicious and SO generously piled with beets. My friend and I couldn't stop gushing over how fresh the beets tasted. I wish there were a little more goat cheese and the goat cheese wasn't as truffley as I would've liked. The only reason I gave the salad a 4 out of 5 is because it was a little pricey for being greens and beets. It was super good though and I'd recommend it! Penne alla vodka (5/5) - Honestly, how could you go wrong with a good vodka sauce? This sauce was creamy and coated the penne, and had lots of fresh basil on top. The pasta was also perfectly al dente. read more

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I. Cannot. Say. Enough. Great. Things. About. This. Place. First off, walking down Mulberry Street, you're constantly bombarded with the hosts of the restaurants who are trying to lure you in for food. Nothing bad about that, it's the way of the neighborhood and it's them trying to get customers! When we walked by La Bella Vita, we were offered a table by one of the female hosts, but it wasn't "desperate to get tables" as some of the other restaurants were. That's what drew us to have lunch there the first time. The experience was so great, we went there 5 TIMES out of our 5-day trip to NYC. The food is INCREDIBLE. We had pizza, mozzarella sticks, baked clams, bruschetta, capreze salad, chicken parm, linguine with clam sauce, and much more. Everything down to the bread and olive oil was perfection. There was nothing we were disappointed about. We also may have drank them out of their red-wine house sangria. It was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. But the best and most memorable thing about La Bella Vita is Pasquale, the waiter there. He is the nicest, funniest, most generous waiter we have ever encountered. He welcomed us warmly every time and toward the end of our trip, we made a great friend out of him. We were trying to steal him to take him home with us! We thank everyone there for their hospitality, great food, and making us feel like we were part of the famiglia. I am willing to put my reputation on the line for how great this place is. Please try La Bella Vita. I promise, you won't be disappointed. Oh and did I mention they have great sangria? read more

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Great service and great food! Outside seating was perfect. Had a bottle of La Cattura Toscana 2019. Free bread, oil on the table. Fried calamari appetizer was delicious. We spilt the Lobster Fradaivola, it was messy and soooo good. We had the mild and it had a lot of flavor. Definitely recommend this place. read more

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We had our lunch at the place today, such a cute and cozy restaurant! Food is great ! Flavor is phenomenal and portions are reasonable compared to the price. I highly recommend the restaurant! read more