Bella Italia is the handy place to get tasty Italian treats in Leeds City centre.

The Venue
Bella Italia is conveniently situated at the bottom of Briggate, making it a perfect pit stop for city centre shoppers wanting a well earned break from the manic high street. The restaurant is in close proximity to a handful of cheaper alternatives including Nando’s, Wokon and McDonald’s, however their prices do not appear to reflect any worries regarding their lunch time competitors.

From the outside the restaurant exudes a warm and welcoming atmosphere making it a very tempting option on a cold winter’s day. However, once the fingers and toes thawed, a closer look at the cosy surroundings and the cracks begin to appear. Literally.

The interior is slightly dated and the chairs and tables look worn with time. The colour scheme focuses on earthy browns and mustard tones and these colours are reflected from almost everywhere from the wooden floors to the wooden bar area. The decor is rather eclectic, random clusters of bronze pans surround the kitchen serving hatch and clusters of gold picture frames adorn the walls.

Tables are packed closely together so you might find a few unwelcome additions to your intimate table for two. There is also an outside terrace with limited seating if you fancy a spot of people-watching while you do lunch.

The People
Staff are friendly and approachable yet hardly fresh out of finishing school. They certainly don't bring any authenticity to this Italian restaurant. The service is mediocre and does not win any awards for speed.

The clientele is made up of mothers and daughters, friends and families with the odd appearance of a business man or two. This branch of the Italian chain is busy and brought alive with friendly chatter giving off a welcoming atmosphere.

The Food
Bella Italia offers a range of traditional Italian options such as pizza and pasta. Garlic bread batons smothered in melted mozzarella (£3.35) are not to be missed.

There's a small range of fish and meat alternatives to the standard pizza pasta combo. The salads on offer include a tasty vegetarian option, the insalata caprino (£8.75) with grilled goats cheese and ciabatta croutons on a bed of mixed leaves with roasted vegetables and balsamic dressing.

Main courses are slightly overpriced with an average size portion of pasta priced at £7.95 and pizzas at around £7.50. All the old favourites such as spaghetti bolognese and carbonara are listed along with more elaborate dishes such as penne zafferano (£8.25) which includes smoked salmon, king prawns and cherry tomatoes in a spinach, saffron and cream sauce.

Traditional Italian desserts such as the tiramisu are priced at £4.50. Other more interesting options include The Godfather, chocolate fudge brownies served with vanilla and toffee ice cream with chocolate crunch, chocolate sauce, fresh cream and wafer curls.

Children menus are available as well as colouring books to occupy little tummys and fingers alike. The food is well presented in a simple no frills manor.

The Drink
A pleasingly varied selection of Italian red, white and rose wines are available from £3.35 a glass. There are four types of beer to choose from: Stella, Strongbow and Italian choices Peroni and Nastro Azzurro all priced around £3. A range of soft drinks are also on offer. Coffee is available on its own or accompanied by an Italian liquor of your choice.

The Last Word
Despite its dire need of a makeover Bella Italia is a good choice for informal unpretentious dining after a long shopping trip.

venue information venue map view leeds review user reviews (1)