Bella Gioia

This restaurant is nicely lit and welcoming. The staff was friendly enough. I ordered the gnocchi and grilled vegetable ""salad."" The flavor was pleasant and enjoyable enough. I simply found the prices to be too high for the kind of fare that was on offer. In particular, for $14 I would have expected more than an appetizer's worth of sliced vegetables. Pros: atmosphere Cons: value more

I have been here one other time in the past couple of years and each time has disappointed. My most recent (and last) adventure was with a group of 12 on a Sat night when there were about 4 other small parties in the entire establishment. While the servers - I'm guessing the owners - were accommodating and very friendly, they were slow and forgetful. I was never asked what I would like to drink so I had to eventually flag someone down to get a beverage - and then remind them to get my beverage - twice. Several others had this experience upon being seated and two others were never brought bread/appetizer plates. Throughout our entire meal, the servers were slow in coming around our table and could have sold a lot more cocktails if they had. I know service can be a little spotty when you have a large group in a crowded restaurant but this place was otherwise close to empty. On to the food....What looks like a pretty appetizing menu, is not. I ordered the pappardelle with wild boar ragu. The pasta tasted fresh and well-cooked but the boar ragu was sparse, tough and bland. I could have made a better roast in my crock-pot. Several of my fellow diners ordered the spinach and ricotta ravioli special of which everyone remarked that each of their dishes were cold and that the cheese tasted freezer-burned. The pizza review from those who ordered it was, in one word, bland. I rarely get to go out without the kiddos or to a nice meal so I was irritated that I spent my time and money on such bad food and service. That certainly won't be happening at this place again. Pros: nice decor, great location Cons: bad food, slow service more

If you like your pasta al dente then eat here. Everything comes from Italy... even the employees :) The food is terrific as well as the service and atmosphere. Pros: good food and nice staff more

Bella Gioio is the place to eat great food, enjoy pleasant atmosphere and surround yourself with good people. We picked this restaurant to celebrate my birthday with friends and was not disappointed. Don't forget to try the wine and a couple desserts...a must have. more

You would be hard pressed to find a more authentic love letter to Italian food than that being served at Bella Gioia. Owners Fabio Cappuccini and Altea Marin spare no attention to detail in the preparations. One needs only close their eyes to believe they are back in Milan for a joyful feast. Just about every ingredient is either grown locally or imported from the Old Country. Even the wines are secured through personal relationships with the Italian producers, and although the list is not as extensive as many of their competitors, the selections are sure to please and the prices are reasonable considering the high quality. Do yourself a favor and make a reservation in advance for the seven-course pairing of wine and food; you will be treated to several entrees, depending upon the whims of the staff, that are not available on the standard menu. The food here is hands down some of the best I?ve tasted in Portland, and that?s no small compliment. Pros: Great food, great staff, incredible wines more

Bella Gioia is a gift to Portland! The owners of this restaurant perfectly captured the feel of an intimate experience in Italy. I happened upon Bella Gioia while meeting a friend for a drink after work. Feeling bored with the usual suspects we opted to try something new ?and, we?re both happy we did! We snacked on handmade rosemary infused bread over wines off the extensive wine list while our pizza was baking in the authentic brick pizza oven. My final review is that the service is professional while personable and the food is delicious. Simply put, try this restaurant and you will find a new favorite. Pros: Location, atmosphere, food more

One our my favorites. I've been to Italy, and this restaurant would thrive there. Last night our group had a ""chefs menu"" where exciting, unique, tasty dishes just kept coming...scallops and shrimp, cabbage flan, homemade macaroni with duck and mushrooms, sorbet, Painted Hills steak, custard and strudel. Wow! Fantastic! Pros: warm, inviting atmosphere, exceptional fare more

I have lived in Portland and return often because of my friends and family there. But I cannot find a finer restaurant in a city filled with wonderful restaurants. The environment, the food, the unique pasta dishes and dining experience are incredible. I had a party of 20 people in which everyone had an incredible experience. I agree with the other reviews but would recommend to just have the chef make something unique because I assure you will not ever be able to have something so good again unless you return to Bella Gioia. Pros: Food, food, wine, wine, service, environment! Cons: It's only in Portland. more

It is always a pleasure to dine at Bell Gioia and always feels like we've just stepped into Italy. The meal is always prepared perfectly- freash ingredients, authentic tastes, and beautiful display. The waiters and staff are sweet, attentive, and always ready to make a suggestion on a course or a wine pairing. I come here both for social events as well as professional dinners and it is a perfect fit every time. Pros: Charming staff, excellent food more

We went for my friend's birthday dinner and we were more than happy! We got the risotto and split between two- it was great and perfect amount! They brought out homemade desert which was heavenly. The service was fun, authentic and we practiced our Italian- we were in Italy all over again. I have to say from living in the Pearl-- we just switched to our new favorite spot! gratzi Pros: excellent service & food more

The food is excellent, the staff was friendly, helpful and interested in us. Their goal was to please so no matter what we asked...""can I have this but that way"" or ""can I have this without that"" was met with a ""sure, no problem"". The foccascia bread was just delicious, I went back the next day and bought 2 baskets of the bread and served it to guests with eggplant hummus..they loved it!! This place is a keeper!! Pros: The food Cons: I didn't experience any cons at this dinner more

Bella Gioia is indeed a ""beautiful joy."" The restaurant is beautifully decorated in a very authentic Italian style. The kitchen is open and extremely clean. The entire cooking staff and management are Italians. One of the chefs is a surgeon ( a real surgeon not figurative). The brick oven is traditional Italian. The flour is imported from Naples. The cirio is imported from Italy to California and then shipped to Portland, Oregon. The real joy is that EVERYTHING in the establishment is imported from Italy (except for maybe a broom or the toilet paper). The owners went to a lot of trouble and expense to bring Italy (genuine) to Portland, Oregon. The best part is I didn't have to spend over $1,000 to fly to Italy to enjoy REAL Italian cuisine. For those of you who want quiet- go to the library or a bad restaurant that nobody eats at. For European customer service- 5 star all the way. The waiter was polite and attentive and there was minimal wait time for the Mona Lisa of mangia. For those of you who do not give Bella Gioia a five star rating, go ahead and be content with ramen and ketchup like you get at these fugazi Italian joints. Bella Gioia is THE REAL DEAL not Chef Boyardee. Pros: Authenticity, the clamor of enjoyment, EVERYTHING! Cons: Bad reviews without justification. more

I heard this place was good but was disappointed slow service my dinner was bland and parking was a nightmere more

I am absolutely amazed by the previous reviews of this place. What's happened in the last 30 days? Yes, the space is beautiful (however, very loud - lots of hard surfaces - they could use some acoustical treatment). Yes, we were seated immediately and the prices are reasonable. After that, blah. It took a good 10 minutes for someone to greet us and get the order process moving along. Four of us ordered two appetizers (a pizza and a meat plate) and two entrees to share. Our waiter asked if it would be ok for the pizza to come out first; sure we said. That pizza arrived about 10 minutes later. So far, so good. After that it was a hour before the meat plate and the entrees arrived together. During that period of time, no one, not our server or anyone else, stopped to ask if we wanted a drink, to apologize for the wait, etc. When the food finally did arrive, boring. The ravioli was very bland and the sauce pasty. The bolognese was practically meatless and the sauce tasted like it was from a can. With so many great, affordable options in Portland, don't waste your timeon this place. Pros: Beautiful, but loud, space Cons: Poor food and service. more

First off, the place is stunning. Check out the tile floor and you will know the owners have a great eye for beauty and an attention to detail. Usually, I don't care much about what a place looks like; I judge solely based on the food. Bella Gioia, however, is so beautiful I love to just be there! Pros: Great food, lovely people, great cocktails; warm and friendly staff Cons: A little hard to find more

This restaurant came highly recommended and I was excited about trying it out but it totally failed to deliver. On the upside, we were seated immediately and the staff was very friendly. On the downside, it took forever for someone to take our drink order and even longer for the foccacia to arrive. I ordered the ravioli stuffed with ricotta cheese and it left much to be desired. The pasta was cooked perfectly but it was tasteless. Even the rich-looking green sauce was thick and doughy; adding salt & pepper didn't help. The wait staff left our water glasses empty for much of the dinner. It's sad because this place is lovely but I wouldn't return nor would I recommend it to friends. Pros: Ambiance, wine list Cons: Food, service more

My wife and I and some friends went to dinner here recently and had a great experience. I love good Italian food and it doesn't get any better than this, including some fine NY restaurants I've been to. The owners and staff from Italy are very attentive and helpful and shared a fun sense of humor. The food was the best part, of course. Try the spaghetti with seafood, gnocchi or any of the pizzas from the wood-fired oven. This is how pizza is meant to be. Excellent wine list and desserts, although you might have to take dessert home in a box, since the portions are plentiful. Relaxing, unpretentious, fun place to dine. You won't be disappointed. Pros: Great food, staff who enjoy their jobs more

Went for dinner last night with my wife and a couple of friends. Citysearch had evening hours listed as 5PM, but their sign said 5:30PM. It was cold outside, so we didn't want to wait. They were very gracious about letting us come in while they finished their prep for the night. That was nice. All of the staff were kind and responsive. The food was excellent. We shared a couple of their pizzas and two pasta dishes. The pizzas had a great crust - nice and thin - and the toppings weren't over-the-top. I tried the Lasagna. It was different than other lasagnas that I've had before, but it was a nice change. Wonderful and unique flavors in all of the dishes and the desserts were amazing. There were only two dessert choices, Panna Cotta and one that was like a Tiramisu, but they were both incredible. Hope to go back soon :-) Pros: Great food, great feel, wood-burning oven from Italy. Cons: Hard to hear at times more

I am blown away. The chef is from Northern Italy (Torino..I believe) and told us how the windows had to removed for the woodstove that was flown from Italy and the authentic tiles and decor were handpicked from the Northern regions of Italia. The ambiance set the stage for the main component....the food.. Oh my, the food. Pros: food!!, service, authenticity Cons: parking in the pearl (free on sundays!), little spendy more

This restaurant has tremendous potential, but it is no place to be on a Saturday night. It was packed (bravo for beating the recession!), but Bella Gioia has to be one of the noisiest restaurants in Portland. There was not one piece of sound-absorbing fabric. Getting past the noise (and noise usually doesn't bother us), the wood-fired pizzas were delicious (the selection was rather basic) with a nice and thin crust, but toppings on some of the pizzas were scarce (at Pearl District prices). more