Bella Italia Norwich Red Lion Street in Norwich

Late lunch trip to Bella Italia. A place I have always loved going to and usually choose for a birthday destination out. Usually a very lovely meal. However this evening has made me feel like I don’t want to go back. The place was understaffed (In the kitchen) which Is fine, I let the waitress know I completely understood and had empathy for this as I work in hospitality myself. No problem waiting, more than patient. (30-45 minute wait they said) Admittedly we did not pick traditional Italian meals. We wanted ribs and a cheeseburger. However £20.49 for literally ribs and a few chips is extortionate. You assume it’s going to come with the things ribs normally come with. I really fancied a cheeseburger and could see it also only came with chips. So I asked for a side of coleslaw to come with my burger. When the waitress brought the meal out the burger came with coleslaw already. Then I received a very small pot of coleslaw on the side for the price of £4.29. I said as she put it down I didn’t know the burger already came with it as the menu didn’t state so and therefore didn’t need it. But it was left. From my personal work ethic I would’ve just taken it back to the kitchen and added it back to the huge tub it’s only just been decanted from and taken it off the bill. As it had not been touched. But it was left. My £15.49 burger consisted of a small burger , a pot of coleslaw and a poor amount of chips. I was actually still hungry. Certainly didn’t look like a £16/£20 meal. Normally burgers at this price have more chips than you can eat but not here. There were no sauces on the table and we were asked if we wanted anything, mum asked for vinegar and I asked for bbq sauce, to add insult to injury this resulted in a 75p charge! For sauce?! Who charges for sauce. I really wanted another drink but it was £4.50 for a coke, I noted on the menu you can get festive unlimited soft drinks for £5 however I didn’t notice this and wasn’t upsold this upon ordering so I just didn’t have another drink. At the end of the meal I did express I was upset with the price of the coleslaw and how the waitress I ordered from did not tell me the burger comes with it already when I ordered “a burger with some coleslaw too” . I know from my own experience if a customer orders a side of something their dish comes with, I inform them. However our menu states what comes with it anyway. The waitress said I should’ve said some thing to which I said , I did… She did apologise for not sorting it out and kindly said she would get me a drink next time I come, but realistically I know this isn’t going to be an achievable gesture of goodwill. I literally never complain but I felt quite strongly with the coleslaw situation so did but it didn’t exactly matter. I know I would’ve never handled my situation this way. I never mentioned the average meal and I wasn’t going to write a review but decided to after I noticed a charge for sauce upon looking at the receipt at home , it’s ridiculous to be charged for sauce which, was only a small amount too and arrived when I was half way through the chips. Had the waitress removed the coleslaw from the bill I would’ve left a tip. I wanted to leave a tip to show I understood how stressful the evening was, multiple walk ins and delivery drivers continuously opening the door. BUnfortunately we also sat right Infront of this so it was freezing. Which didn’t matter as such as we were grateful for a table. But I decided against leaving a tip because I didn’t feel heard or helped. Working in the industry and knowing the quality of meals sent out and how much they cost caused me to write this review. Also knowing how I would’ve treated a customer. I feel ripped off. Very average meal for a high price. Which is the chains doing, not the staff serving me. I’ve come away having a disappointing experience and added insult to injury with the charge for sauce. A homeless person was outside and I went to Tesco and bought them a meal deal, then also came to the realisation this cost less than the small pot of coleslaw. Ridiculous prices.

Great place to eat,exalant food.

My partner had the buttermilk chicken burger and said it was the most driest burger his ever had he also had smothered chips which he liked, I had a mushroom pasta dish which was really tasty, Staff were very nice but unfortunately would not return due to prices and quality

Always very good, service excellent.

Great tasty pizza. Speedy service. Chicken Milanese is superb.

Excellent service from Ilona at Norwich Branch and lovely food

Had a delicious lunch with my niece. Such lovely food, superb mocktail and I love the layout of the restaurant. The waitress, Laura was so lovely and friendly as well as knowledgeable about the menu. Would highly recommend!

Lovely food as always. Just wish there might have been some recognition for my sister's 15th birthday. After phoning and booking the table in advance and explaining that it was for a birthday celebration, and then when my dad arrived before us and was asked whether the booking was for his daughters 15th birthday, we were hoping for either a candle on her dessert or for a sing song. But as the 3 course meal came to an end there was no recognition of the occasion whatsoever which left us a little disappointed, especially knowing what other restaurants do for birthday celebrations.

Marco gave us great service, food was good 👍

Always come to our fave restaurant. Feels so warm & friendly. Food and staff are always amazing 👏

Food tasted OK, but small portions for the price. We had grumpy serving staff, who was then even ruder when I had to ask them to explain how to tell the payment machine NOT to leave a tip! We got a sarcastic "see you again" as we left. We won't be back.

Food was tasty and hot, good selection. All served quickly, considering they were very busy 😀

The experience was wonderful! I took my younger sister (aged 7) to have lunch there for the first time and she said it was the best pizza and ice cream that she’d ever had. The service from Ilona was lovely and all of the staff were wonderful and welcoming. The food was incredible and the service was very quick. We will definitely be returning!

I always have such a lovely time here. The staff are very friendly and the food is always perfect. I love that you can see into the kitchen too. While it is a little cramped inside, I never feel uncomfortable and am always keen to return. Thanks Jess and Libby for your incredible service

Lovely service this afternoon by Libby; she was highly attentive; friendly and informative. Made us feel very welcome. Will be returning again for amazing food and service 😋

Good food and we had very good service.

We like this Restaurant very much and has now become our go too before going to the Theatre, which is only 3 minutes away. The 3 most important things, food quality, service/speed and price have always been excellent and we haven't had a bad experience after many visits. Toilets are upstairs, I'm ashamed to say I haven't noticed where the disabled ones are. Has always been busy when we go as it coincides with the Theatre so booking is advisable. Atmosphere is good. I'd like some music but I know this is not to everyones taste.

Superb food. I had the meatballs and spaghetti, delicious. The restaurant was very busy, but the staff were attentive and lovely. Excellent food and excellent prices.

order nearly tookl 2 hours to come, I order at a percific time so it doesn't interrupt my 1 year old bedtime routine. today that wasn't the case. why have a order time if you don't stick to it and deliver it when you feel like it?

Absolutely wonderful service from Lisa who was super friendly and ever so helpful for all our needs!! Amazing food and drinks, 100/10 - highly recommend. Brilliant atmosphere with calming music and ambient lights🥰🥰

The staff were helpful and friendly. Food was good and hot when delivered to the table.

Came in today lunch time celebrating our 25th Wedding Anniversary and given two glasses of processo. Food was excellent and very friendly staff especially the chap who served us.

Nice food.The place was so noisy.front door was constantly open with people waiting to come making it very cold sitting there.Waited for nearly 40 mins to get food.Service wasn't to bad apart kept pushing you to buy extras when you have had enough

ilona served us and she was fantastic the whole evening.

Food excellent staff go above and beyond highly recommended

Our evening was lovely and Ilona was a brilliant server! She was hilarious and remembered our GF needs and made recommendations for us!

Special thanks to Ilona for looking after us this evening 😊

On a day trip to Norwich we decided we wanted Italian food. We arrived at about 17:30 on the 18th/ 9th. , with no booking. Greeted by a very friendly chap, who led us to a nice table. The restaurant was fairly busy and had a nice vibe to it. One of the team came over fairly quickly and sorted our drinks out, then, shortly after, our food. Service was really good throughout. Friendly, helpful and with a smile. We shared some olives and a prawn starter, then I had the spicy pasta and my wife, the lasagne with salad. The food was plentiful and very tasty. Cooked to perfection. If we go back to Norwich we will definitely eat there again. A really pleasant find.

Excellent service, tasty food. The restaurant was very busy but we were still served quickly and efficiently. We did not feel hurried at all.

Lovely food waitress very friendly... pleasant dining experience...

Love this place, the food always tastes amazing and the service always delivers.

We had a late lunch at the Norwich branch and were served by Ilona. She was very friendly and attentive but didn't make us feel rushed. Ilona also went out of her way to ask the chef if he could cook a certain ( was difficult due to equipment failure). Would visit again and recommend to others

Always a joy to eat and experience the food.

Came in for an evening meal with friends, food was excellent and the service was so quick and attentive. Managed to catch the name of our waitress, libby, who was brilliant in catering for my nut allergy and made our experience a 10/10. Certainly will be returning.

Lovely food and very nice staff

Really impressive with friendly service! Laura was so helpful and she did listen what our preferred options are for our 2-year-old boy. The man who greeted us and the lady working at bar who came double check with us for our special meal were so lovely as well We really enjoyed our dinner tonight at Bella Italia! One of our best experiences in Norwich!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Food was standard if slightly underwhelming, the options were reduced with several items unavailable. However i would recommend the seafood options and the cookie dough.

Excellent service and food as always.

I thought I'd leave a review and a present too. It has been a long time since I've had proper cooked pasta made with amore, serves with smiles and eaten with decadence. I'll leave you a present of my younger years

Excellent service from Rebecca who went out of the way to make this a very welcoming experience. Food was excellent. Would recommend and will definitely return.

We visit Bella Italia frequently when visiting the city. The food is excellent as are the staff. Friendly and efficient and a good atmosphere.

Had a lovely lunch date here, the mocktails were delicious and refreshing, and their food was great and arrived quickly. Sharon was our server, she was really friendly and helpful.

Went in for a cheeky Sunday lunch date. The staff were very welcoming and friendly and the food was excellent. Would definitely recommend.

Lovely little restaurant within the city centre. Parking was relatively easy as there's plenty of car parks nearby. We had the sharing starter, dough balls, carbonara and the bolognese. Everything was delicious and cooked perfectly. Our server Libby was amazing, she was so attentive and friendly. We would definitely come back

We have been coming here for over 20 years and always had 5 star food and service.

We were served today by Libby (Norwich Red Lion Street). She was the perfect blend of professional and friendly She attended to us quickly and was knowledgeable about the items on the menu.

Service was brilliant by Jessica

Went for dinner today with my family, served lovely food with lovely service. Our server Libby was attentive and very friendly. 👍

5* service from Bryony, can tell her loves her job!

Brilliant 🤩 Everything was lovely - food, service and restaurant itself

Just had a lovely meal with my 3 yr old daughter and my cousin with his 4 year old. The service was brilliant and the waitress was extremely accommodating to our two girls. She was tentative, polite and quick to serve which is vital when you have two young children with a decreasing attention span and approaching their bed time.

Picked Bella Italia out of the few restaurants open on a Sunday in Norwich and we were very pleased. Service was good and the pasta very tasty, especially my duck dish.

Solo diner, was sat next to a family with young children even though restaurant was half full. As the family finished their meals they were all talking loudly and a child screeching. Another solo diner who had been sat behind them asked to be moved. My food had arrived and ended up rushing it just to get finished. Trying to eat when a child is loudly saying poo is not ideal. I also had to hear the mum making negative comments about the lady who asked to be moved. As soon as I'd finished I got up to pay. The waitress was giving me an odd look as I was clearly wanting to leave. I still left a tip and just commented that the food was lovely but the family you sat me beside were quite loud. Instead of accepting that was my experience, she got in a huff and with the emphasis on actually said 'well actually I thought they were really good' I replied well you weren't sitting next to them! I was annoyed before that, I was angry after due to her attitude to me. Wish I hadn't wasted £20 for that and won't be back. If you go, bear in mind between 4-6pm kids eat for £1. If you have kids then go for it. I travel a lot, sometimes on my own and that's the worst experience I've ever had.

We were two oap couples from Hull visiting Norwich on holiday. Stopped for a meal and had a great waitress in Ilona who joined in with our silliness and made the evening most enjoyable. My sister and husband are vegan and loved the spaghetti vegan meatballs 😋. Thanks to ILONA and the staff for a lovely experience. Alan

Came here for lunch whilst in the city shopping. We hadn’t booked, but despite being busy they were able to squeeze up in. Fantastic service, great atmosphere, despite being busy it didn’t feel too loud. Amazing variety on the menu, my friend with me is vegan and there was plenty of choice for her. Will definitely visit again

Food very good. Our waitress Ilona was brilliant, making us very welcome. Nothing was too much trouble. Looking forward to our next visit

I had a wonderful evening meal with my husband and daughter. Food, service and restaurant were brilliant. Ilona, our server was so friendly.

lovely service and lovely food! ILONA was a lovely server and was always making sure we were looked after and that everything was up to standard!! Will be back again

Laura was lovely, friendly and professional.

The food I had was not very hot the mushrooms were cold and pizza was cold not like the one I had at Riverside that was lovely and hot.

Great food and service. Sharon was great polite bubbly.

As usual, a nice meal and very good service

Waiting staff very pleasant, food was tasty and hot, nice atmosphere in the restaurant.

Ilona & Vicky were extremely welcoming and gave brilliant customer service. They were brilliant with my young daughter who had multiple life threatening allergies and friendly despite her 101 questions!

Great service from Ilona, very friendly and helpful staff.

We were here on a Tuesday night and it was pretty busy. We had a plate of pasta each and both were well cooked and full of flavour. Service was friendly and brisk although our server didn't seem to realise that we had already ordered on the app. The wait person was doing a great job with the family on the next table where the dad was going on (and on and on!) about "freshly squeezed juice!" Maybe he thought he was in a smoothie bar. Recommended

The food was great and quickly prepared. The staff were all lovely aswell

Ilona was our server for lunch on Saturday and she was excellent. She was so attentive to what we ordered she asked if my partner wanted another Stella, so remembering what he ordered which was amazing since she had so many tables. We felt thoroughly looked after and the food was incredible. Thank you so much Ilona, we will definitely be back because of you!

Visited Norwich and had really nice meal in Bella Italia . Our server Ilona was so attentive ,friendly and chatted to us..excellent service delivered in a really friendly manner. Thank you .

Lovely food, amazing service by Carlos. We will definitely be coming back 😊

Came in with a few food allergies and an Italian friend, the staff were very welcoming, charming and attentive to my specific needs while also making me feel secure in the knowledge of allergens. The food was absolutely worth the price paid, will be coming again and recommending to friends & family. Grazie Bella Italia.

Super friendly, fast service Food lush. Super tasty and hot. Lady who looked after us was Ilona She was lovely. Thank you

Excellent food and drink , service brilliant…

Ilona was very nice and made it enjoyable

I paid extra for pulled chicken which was sadly absent from the carbonara. This happened the previous time I ordered. Otherwise, the food was delicious.

Our server ILONA was lovely today!

Very good food. Our server Ilona was very nice and accommodating.

Lovely food. Polite and great customer service

Excellent service and lovely food

Marco was excellent. Looked after us very well, was extremely helpful and attentive. Appeared to enjoy his work. The food was good and quick to appear. The bill was very reasonable after BLC discount which was main reason we chose Bella over Pizza Express. Nothing negative at all to add.

Ilona was extremely polite, friendly and customer focussed. Not only that, she allowed her own personality to shine through which my wife and I thought was amazing. She was funny, friendly and sincere. The type of person you want dining with you to be honest. Ilona, made the experience spot on. What a credit to the company. The food was fantastic too and the place was clean. I advise the spicy sausage main and the king prawn starter. If you order the king prawn starter make sure you order extra bread to mop up all the lovely juices afterwards! Great food and great service, what's not to love?!

We have had such a relaxing time for our lunch. We weren't bothered too much and they were very attentive. We had Ilona serve us and she was lovely. Chatted to our little girl and gave her whatever she wanted

Excellent and friendly service from Ilona, a very lovely lady.

didnt get my drink, but thats fine. i guess

Impossible not to have a great evening when we were served by the most brilliant waitress in Norwich, Lona. Food was fantastic too, can't wait for us to go back! 😁

Marco and his team were really friendly and made the whole experience a real family friendly dinner, we really enjoyed our meal and would recommend this location to others

Lovely food, good vibe and Ilona our waitress was friendly and efficient.

Visited here on a bank holiday Monday as they do 25% off for blue light card holders Sun-Thurs which very surprisingly includes bank holidays! I had one of the new pizzas which was called 'BBQ double chicken.' It had on it chicken, bacon, sausage and red onion on a BBQ and tomato base - right up my street! It was missing the onion crispies on top but I asked for these and got a bowl given to me. The pizza was delicious, really tasty! It could have been a little thicker as it was very very thin and it could have had a little bit more chicken on it, but other than that I was really impressed. I also had a strawberry lemonade drink which was very nice. This was all made even better with the 25% discount off the total bill! I didn't have dessert but my friends had the new millionaires doughnut and they looked a lot better and bigger than expected (I think it was 8 in a bowl) Definitely want to go back and try these, along with the garlic lasagne pizza!

The food and service was good but the toilets were literally the dirtiest I have seen for a long time which put me off the entire restaurant. Looked like they hadnt been cleaned for weeks, dirt baked on on floors and the sinks were filthy-was shockingly terrible and makes you question the cleanliness of the rest of the restaurant

Food was great again but the delivery time kept getting later and later, from booking the time as a scheduled delivery 2 hours before. Being generous it was just outside of the original delivery time range, but scheduled is scheduled

Laura was amazing. Will come back because Laura was so so amazing. Laura was born to be a waitress. Give that girl a pay rise or promotion.

Laura was brilliant and the only reason why I would come back,, great service with a massive smile on her face.. xx food was oreety decent too.

Amazing food, excellent service 5 stars

I have had 4 deliveries from Bella Italia and every single one has been perfect. From texture, to flavour, to consistency. Just stunning every time

Ilona was a great friendly person and was happy to answer any questions we had

Came in for my mums birthday, food was great and waitress Kate was lovely my mum adored her!! Thanks for a great lunch !!!

Reasonable food but not the best in the City. Cheaper and better alternatives available. Attentive service. Really nice staff.

Wonderful staff, lots of choice on menu. Was very impressed as went with my daughter & best friend who is dairy & gluten intolerant but she actually could have a dessert which she never does as they cater so well for different food allergies. Highly recommend. Lisa out waitress was so knowledgeable in all the foods and very friendly with us

Excellent Meal and service cannot fault it The restaurant was busy and very clean Staff were helpful and pleasant I had Pasta with chicken my Wife had Lasagne Both were hot and well cooked Cannot recommend enough far better than Riverside restaurant

Amazing food, amazing service, amazing evening. Staff were so helpful with my requests. Highly recommend love the 2for1 cocktails atm