bella monica

love this place. we've eaten here a ton of times. really, really good food, but it's always crowded, so call for a reservation if you don't want a long wait - it's a tiny place/

we've never had a bad meal here, but their best stuff is always what's on the specials menu - seasonal, fresh, and made from scratch. their pumpkin ravioli with sage will break your heart. great staff, great eats, reasonable prices.

i went to bella monica today for lunch. though there's a large parking lot, it seems to be full of people who don't know how to park. so many spots get wasted by people parking over lines. something about this mall area, i don't know. bella monica doesn't

mediocre. i've eaten here twice, both a while ago, but i was not impressed on either occasion. i chose a pasta dish both times, and both times the food was . . . ok. serviceable. but not outstanding. quite frankly, i've had tastier meals at the olive garden.

i remain a bit baffled by bella monica's popularity -- we have friends who like this restaurant a great deal. maybe i'm just being snobby, but i'm from ny & expect more from my italian food.

overall: meh. i guess i would be willing to give it another try if peer pressure intervened, but i wouldn't be very excited about it.

exceeds expectations!. i love getting restaurant recommendations from friends. recently, i've tried some raleigh restaurants that disappointed me. bella monica is not one of those. i went on a date there last night and found the food to be outstanding as well as the service from both our server and the host.

we arrived at the restaurant later than normal dinner time and were happy to beat the crowd. bella monica does take reservations - and i've heard from many people that they're almost always necessary.

we sat out on the patio, which was a welcome change from summer's over-air-conditioned restaurant interiors. i had the trevino flatbread and my date had sausage tortelloni in a crema sauce (a special). the portions were large and we were both happy to take home leftovers. the food really was outstanding and we loved the atmosphere. i look forward to going again soon.

we never tasted a bite! the place was busy and we were told it would be a 20 min wait. there's no where to wait inside so we waited outside in the heat for 45 min then cut our losses and left. the good news is we drove a few miles down the road and discovered a wonderful restaurant, taverna agora, go here instead!

outstanding! this isn't one of those places that cracks open a can of sauce, this is scratch made, top of the line food. chill decor, good music, knowledgeable staff. loved it.

authentic italian pizza. fantastic real thin crust pizza, you can taste the freshness in the dough! servers always have the best recommendations, so trust them! both the staff and the food at bella monica are amazing, it is no surprise that it is often a long wait for a table!! make reservations!!

great atmosphere. staff is friendly and welcoming. the vegetarian lasagna is to die for and the wine list is fantastic, great price point!!!

busy, even on what should be considered an off night. that says something for this place. fantastic food that offers a unique experience, coupled by great and knowledgeable service. fantastic!

great!. best neighborhood atmosphere in town.. wonderful food.