Bella Pais in Colchester

First visit, but certainly not our last. Large Party celebrating friends special birthday, food was delicious, generous portions, reasonable vino prices, good party menu, excellent customer service throughout. 5* Highly recommended.

Went for son’s birthday. We all had lsteak and chips, very good portions and reasonably priced, lovely atmosphere too.

Great food, wine and service as always. My rib-eye was exceptional, girls had surf and turf and the grilled prawns. Saute potatoes are to die for. Amazing value as well.

Outstanding as usual! Not been in a year or so and they did not disappoint tonight. Food was brilliant and service was spot on. Such good value, great experience as always. Ridiculously full now 😂

Excellent menu, we had a table for 4, 2 had steaks, 1 had chicken kebab and I had the turf and surf. all meals were enormous and very well cooked as to our instructions, would recommend to all. Service was excellent and waiters/waitresses were very informative regarding the dish options. All in all it was perfect everyone of my guests were very impressed.

This restaurant I have been wanting to go for ages and as it was my 40th I decided to book a table. No disappointment Wow the steaks are delicious and well worth the money paid. Had a fantastic evening and the waitress was absolutely brilliant at her job. All the steaks where cooked to perfection as we asked and had emptied our plates and sides with difficulty as the steaks are massive I had a 22oz T-bone and shared a bottle of red wine with my wife. The photos attached below are 12oz ribeye the 22oz T-bone and a 6oz filet.

Photos do not do this resturant justice! An absolute little gem of a place. Need to book around 3 weeks in advance. Steak is out of this world!! So tender!! Strogonoff is perfect! sauted potatoes delicious . steaks just delicious! Service impeccable!

Fantastic Thursday evening out. Delicious food and huge portion sizes. This place never lets us down. Moussaka had great flavour. It's always packed so book in advance especially for large groups. I had the smallest steak and it was still huge. Ordered a side of sautéed potatoes and peppercorn sauce which came in bucketloads.

A trio of great mates went for our 2 monthly sabbatical to the Bella Pais for the standard but superb T- bone. Three med-rare slabs of perfect steak arrived with sauté potatoes, onion rings, mushrooms and grilled tomatoes. A bit of English mustard and ketchup is all you need, no sauce just enjoy perfect meat. TOP DRAWER AS ALWAYS!

For the starter my partner and I shared the Camembert wraps, they were incredible. I had the surf and turf with garlic prawns, the steak was cooked to a perfect medium rare and the prawns were delicious. The sides are generous portions, we had a side of chips and broccoli and they were lovely. Great value for money. We want to go back to try the Greek food.

Ate here prior to a show in Colchester. The food is very well cooked and the portions are huge. I opted for the Stifado while my partner had steak. We couldn’t finish either but we’re kindly offered a doggy bag if we wanted one, which was a nice touch. The staff were polite and attentive. The menu is small specialising in steak options supported by a selection of Cypriot/Greek staples, but I like that, in my mind it suggests they know what they are good at and stick to it. There was a definite buzz once it started filling up, I am guessing it has a good number of returning customers as people seemed to know each other. I was going to say the decor is a bit dated but since the place has been around since the 70s I am guessing that is how the locals like it and part of its character. Everything seemed very clean. So if you are in Colchester and feeling very hungry this is a great option. Price point at the time I ate here was around £25 a meal.

It has been a while since we had been to Bella Pais, but on a Sunday evening it was packed as usual but still a warm welcome was received. We opted for prawn cocktail, king prawns and halloumi for starters, which all went down extremely well. The starters are on the larger side of portions. Mains were the chicken kebab and t-bone steak. The steak was huge, cooked a perfect medium rare and was seasoned well. The sides of chips, salads and sauce simply served to fill us up even more. Great food, decent prices and the same friendly, personable service as always.

After reading all the great reviews, we thought we'd visit again after many years since our last visit. Restaurant decor: 2/10 very dated. Menu: 4/10 uninspiring. Restaurant: 2/10 tables are very close together, we had a table for 2, and both of us were seated, so we were looking at a wall with our backs to the room. Food: 6/10 arrived hot but disappointing & lacking in flavour. Price: 3/10 more than we would usually pay for the quality of the food. Would we recommend it or return again soon? No, sorry we wouldn't.

Excellent in everyway..visited on Saturday night..there was 18 of us..the service was fantastic..so attentive..no one was keep without a drink..the orders were taken very quickly and so efficient..everyone was served quickly..it was fantastic..the food was out of this world..everyone enjoyed their starters ..then the mains..so many different dishes..all fantastic..I had surf and turf..fillet steak with large prawns in garlic..it really was fantastic..price I thought was great value for great food..well done to everyone

Bella Pais is beyond words the best steak house I've been to in many many years! My fillet was PERFECTLY cooked, so tender & juicy! I didn't even need a sauce for it. Hubby had a huge T-Bone that he couldn't finish with sauteed potatoes & peas. I had my fillet steak, scrumptious sauteed potatoes, broccoli & salad. A perfect meal, plus the staff was so attentive & courteous. We'll go back there if we ever get to visit Colchester again.

What an amazing place. Service was exemplary, we were served by Dundi who was just so lovely. Atmosphere lovely, food oh my god the food was stunning. All in all I thoroughly recommend.

Had an amazing dinner with friends. Lovely restaurant, great food and good service! Will definitely be back!!!

The best part were the amazing steaks, possible some of the best outside of America, a couple of negatives though, there is only one choice of wine by the glass for each colour and it was ok, was very disappointed that I ordered the peppercorn steak which was divine but didn't know my partner had ordered what he thought was a small peppercorn sauce for himself which came in a huge bowl, way to much to even share, if we'd been aware I would have just ordered a steak and shared the sauce, we also ordered a greek salad but when the meals came out there was a lot of salad on the side of the plate, we wouldn't have ordered the salad if we'd known, when queried I was told it was just supposed to be garnished, felt we'd paid unnecessarily for extras. The food was good though so just be aware of extras.

My husand and I had an early dinner at the Bellapais yesterday. The staff are really lovely, friendly and efficient. The restaurant is clean and tastefully furnished. The food is amazing. We had the garlic prawns and the spicy beef as starters, both very good. My husband had surf and turf and I had the rib eye steak, both cooked to perfection with gorgeous saute potatoes and a lovely fresh greek side salad. Pity we are not local ! We would quickly become regulars.

If you want a steak or some authentic Greek food there is no where better. I ate there last night with the lady and some great friends. As is the norm I had the T-Bone and it was top drawer. The ladies had Stroganoff and my mate also a T-Bone, sauté potatoes, Garlic Mushrooms, onion rings, everything perfect.

Last visit was summer 2020, really looking forward to when we can return.The t-bone steak has to be the best in Essex.

My second time come here having my littlevone and honey together and closed friends family ... luckily we booked the tables early enough Too much food too cheap to finish all! Especially the steak and seafood! You will love it!

Went for a birthday meal at Bella Pais. Had to book well in advance to get a table on a Saturday evening. Had the T-Bone steak which was huge and cooked to perfection. The chips were very nice, crispy and fluffy inside. Onion rings, what a let down. Wasn’t impressed. Have a beautiful steak and the onions rings ruined it. Please make your own and not get them out of the freezer.

Been here a few times, it’s in walking distance from where I live, this is the BEST place for steak in not only Colchester, but the surrounding areas.Highly recommend getting Surf & Turf but make sure you ask for it to come with the 10oz Fillet Medium Rare, throw in some sides you like & of course the Peppercorn sauce and it’s probably my favourite meal ever.The restaurant has a lovely ambiance, the Red Wine is lovely, go for the Moet.Cannot rate this more highly, if you have never been here before and you live in Colchester and Love steak, please try this. SIMPLY BRILLIANT!

Went for a meal for a birthday celebration. Strange customer service not a place i would go again. Steak was good but bland.All food cooked fresh bur not persented very nicely. Far too much food on the plates. More like a cafe. Very dated decornot the best experience. Also my husband and myself both suffered very bad upsetstomach's!!!!!!

I love Bella pais, it is and always will be my favourite restaurant in Colchester. The food is all cooked perfectly and the staff are accommodating and friendly. Make sure you book in advance as it gets booked up fast. I will be visiting again soon!

Doesn't look much from the outside but don't let that put you off. Great feel and atmosphere. Portions are huge though! The kleftiko lamb was delicious but too much..I also recommend you have chips not rice with it as it's a dry dish

We had our first restaurant meal here since lockdown. We decided to visit Colchester for a couple of nights as our holiday to Greece had been cancelled and this seemed a perfect place to eat. All precautions have been taken to make diners feel safe, hand sanitiser is available on the way in and out. Clear screens have been put up between the tables, these have been put in timber frames and are very much in keeping with the decor. They do not detract in any way from the friendly atmosphere and still enable you to interact with other diners if you so wish whilst remaining protected. The staff were delightful, friendly, efficient and very helpful. The food was delicious and we both had options from the Greek menu which were beautifully presented and tasted as good as they looked. All in all a very lovely evening in a charming restaurant, highly recommended.

I've visited this restaurant a few times and it's always great to be back. The food is consistently incredible, with a great selection of drinks and desserts on offer too. Even though the restaurant was extremely busy, we were served straight away by our chatty, friendly and approachable waiter (thank you Joe!) and he was very attentive throughout our visit. This is by far my favourite place to eat in Colchester, if not everywhere, and after last night my partner loves it just as much too!Thank you to everyone at the restaurant for such a perfect evening for our first date as a couple and good luck to all in the future, we can't wait to see you again.

Just had dinner here and it was amazing (we had the surf and turf; and the beef stroganoff). Portion sizes are huge! Pudding was great too. It’s a small, cosy restaurant with fair pricing. Our waiter (Steve) was super attentive and friendly. I would also book in advance as they literally had 1 time left for 2 people when we called.

Consistently high quality food and service - never been disappointed, whether as a group, a foursome or couple. We were even serenaded by a guitar player once! The meze (min 4 people) is a must for non vegetarians.

My wife and I enjoyed an excellent meal on Saturday. Welcoming staff, fast friendly service and excellent food.

Really great food (huge portions) and cooked perfectly to your liking. The candle lit tables and dark room created a perfect ambiance and atmosphere. Our waiter was very friendly and was very attentive with good charisma, however the older gentleman who led customers to their seats and handed out menus could have been a little more friendlier and less ‘in a rush’. A good experience overall, will be back again.

I came with my husband for an early valentines meal. It was fantastic, I had the steak and it was amazing. My husband had lamb kebabs and he loved them. This is the 4th time we have eaten here and never been disappointed.

Must say I have just enjoyed the most wonderful sirloin steak and chips. Where as most restaurants advertise a steak at 12oz and by the time the food comes it looks half that size, bella pais is the exception to the rule when the steak arrived if must of been about 16oz cooked weight! I would recommend sharing a portion of chips as they are fat and chunky chips and you get absolutely loads. Best steak and chips in Essex!!

Went here yesterday for my wife’s birthday meal and as normal it was superb best steak I’ve ever had we will be returning

Have visited this restaurant on a few occasions with friends in groups and also just with my husband, we have never had a bad meal here. I would recommend this place to anyone who wants a decent steak meal, it is certainly the best place around the area.

Not much to say other than the food, the staff and the ambiance were all great. We travel from Ipswich just to go there and will be back for my wife's birthday in a few days.We can't fault it, but you must book, it's very popular.

Been coming here for seven years now and the food is consistently good. Best steaks in Essex. Friendly atmosphere and amazing food in an intimate cozy restaurant.

Best steak in Colchester very friendly atmosphere. Even the chief introduced himself. The only problem is the lack of seating space. Take advantage of the 3 course. The portion sizes are great.

What can I say. Kleftico was amazing portions generous and the service and atmosphere relaxed, will be back.

The food was ok but all the adds on make it a rip off. The steak comes with nothing then you need to buy sauce and sides. The service staff I felt were quite blunt and rude not so friendly. Tables were too cramped together. I wouldn’t come back but I would highly recommend the sun inn in feering for high quality food and service at a much lower price.

My Yiayia would be picketing outside this restaurant if she was still alive. Tava was lamb in tomato soup, taramasolta was like artex, kleftico was cooked with beer in it???? Rice was boiled and tasteless.

Went here after reading the reviews and will not be going back. Kleftico was dry and lacked flavour, steak was swimming in bland pepper (?) sauce and salad was floppy. Maybe their steak's are good but I'll not be going back to try. If you're going for Greek food this was awful.

We booked for my sons 21st birthday. The food and service were first class. Portions are huge. Easily the best steak I've ever had. Staff are brilliant and take great care of you.

I'm a lady who is a meat lover, serve me a big steak and I need nothing else! My favourite place as of late is Bella Pais, they cook it perfectly juicy and red, and its appropriately priced. Bella is a mixture of steakhouse and Greek cuisine, the salads are fresh and tasty as well. Happy return customer!!

Visited Bella Pais in August for a birthday function.

The best meal and service we have had in a long.. Time the price was very responsible. Thank you for making our evening enjoyable bill ward

This place hasn’t changed over the many years in Colchester. My wife’s food was over seasoned in her opinion and my fillet steak should have been medium and it was actually well done. Coffee poured from the 1970 stewed coffee pot.

We’re regulars here, in my opinion, the best steaks in Essex Beats the chain restaurants into a cocked hat, with perfectly prepared food and brilliant personal service

Great local restaurant with good service and good food , best peppercorn sauce I’ve ever had ; just be prepared for lack of space inside the restaurant

Was very fortunate to get a place here, called 2 weeks before i was due to come and lucky there was a table available. Came on Saturday for my mums birthday and the portions are indeed huge. All the food was spot on being so delicious. Thanks for the little birthday surprise for my mum’s birthday. I would come again soon, when and if I can get a table of course!

I really do love this place been going here for years friendly staff well priced large portions on side's I recommend shareing sides.

We recently finally made it to Bella Pais after nine years of dithering. We'd been pretty satisfied with another steakhouse in town but after they got a meal order wrong on a birthday we vowed not to go back and try something new.

Great restaurant, easily 5 stars or more, wish I could give it more! And I dont write this review lightly, I have dined at Bella sooo many times I can hardly count, easily the best place in Essex! Its a very small establishment, cosy if you will, so there is not much privacy, but its quite charming, and the food is just the very best.

I visited the Bellapais for my fathers wedding meal on 27th August. They opened early for us at 4pm, which was very kind of them, So we had the place to ourselves 4-6 and then it was open to the public.

We were welcomed warmly and shown to our table quickly. The menu set out their steak meals and their traditional meals from Greece and Cyprus. I had moussaka which I thoroughly enjoyed and my friend had Kleftiko which had to be seen to be believed. Lamb fell off the bone. Would definitely go again.in a heartbeat. Thought prices were reasonable too.

We recently went here for a birthday meal. Although very busy and always is the service was excellent. The waitress was very friendly and attentive. The food was excellent and they gave us plenty of time between courses too. Portion size is good. It’s so popular you have to book quite ahead to get a table but we’ll worth it. The restaurant is small and quaint but thats the charm of it. It’s been the same for years and years.

I have been here a few times over the years.

Me and my partner choose to eat here for our day night and as usal it did not disappoint I choose the 22oz T bone steak it’s a very difficult steak to get right as the fillet is often smaller than the sirloin but the chef got it just right! My partner also enjoyed her steak, great meal and just a great all round experience.

Lovely family meal, first visit for us. It was highly recommended and I'm glad it was, it was fantastic. The 22oz t-bone steak is huge and melts in your mouth. We will definitely be returning the customer service was brilliant.

Bellapais has by far got to be the best steak in Colchester. The service is lovely the staff are friendly the food is amazing. We are never disappointed when we book here you know what you’re getting you get big meals and always left feeling very full. Apart from the obvious steak I would recommend the swordfish or the lamb kleftiko. Just try it you won’t be disappointed

This is the best steak restaurant in Colchester, it is expensive but well worth the money. As I’ve recently gone vegetarian I’m going to miss eating at the restaurant.

As a family we have visited here for many special occasions over the years and have never been disappointed. This was no exception!

Had birthday dinner here with my boyfriend and it was quite honestly one of the best meals we’ve had. Huge portions of gorgeous food. We had hummus and halloumi to start and both had steak for our mains. Steak was perfectly cooked just as we asked, the sides we had were plenty and the service was great. If I’m ever in the area again I will definitely return.

The food here is absolutely brilliant - amazing taste and big portions. I had the sirloin steak and I think it's the best I've had ever. The staff are also friendly people. Would definitely return!

I haven't been here for decades! back in the day it was 'the' place to eat in Colchester,. The town centre has gone downhill (unless, of course, your taste runs to cheap takeaways, lots of beer and a fight ...) and St John's Street is absolutely ghastly, so I never thought that I'd be going back there after (ahem) four decades. But, I had friends staying at the Greyfriars Hotel in the town centre, and so I needed a central location: I crossed my fingers and dialed ...

This place is an absolute 6/5 place. Service is impeccable the food is amazing. Best steaks anywhere and will not be beaten at more expensive restaurants and the steak restaurant chains.

Most people I know talk about Bella Pais only from the perspective of steak. Our main reason for visiting is for the Greek menu which is one of the very few in the local area. The food is always really good and portion sizes very generous. The restaurant itself is cosy and booking on a Friday / Saturday is a must about 3 weeks in advance. Only criticism is a wider expansion of Greek dishes and deserts would be greatly appreciated! Ps the steak is also good if this is your jazz.

Visited for the 1st time having heard good things about the cuisine. Can happily confirm that the food was as wonderful as reported. I had sirloin steak which was cooked perfectly, whilst my wife had the surf and turf, which again could not be faulted. The blue tipped mussels set the tone as a starter and the service was friendly, prompt yet understated. The experience was so good, we booked another meal for the following day, before we left!

Once again a faultless meal at Bells Pais. Rav and his staff are so welcoming and attentive. Also a big thank you to the chefs and the kitchen staff who cook the food to perfection.... Together with the waiting staff they are all a credit to the business. It’s always a pleasure to dine at Bella Pais

Bella Pais is a lovely place for food, typically Greek Cuisine. Fairly expensive though. Average £50 per head per meal

We've visited a few times and never been disappointed. Good portion size and wonderful steak cooked to perfection every time

This was my 5th visit over the past 10 or so years. Once again the food and staff were fantastic. Nothing was to much trouble and we felt very welcome. The steak was magnificent and cooked to perfection. Lovely to eat somewhere that doesn't disappoint.

Easily the best steak we’ve had in the UK. Will definitely return..Service was fab, atmosphere was great and the food was phenomenal. Can’t recommend this place highly enough x

A very nice greek restaurant in the centre of town. You definitely need to book as it is very popular. The portions are very large!

Fabulous meal, excellent service and food throughout. We choose the next for four and only left small amount,the portions were good, the food was great and well presented, drinks were good and reasonable prices

I used to come here a lot in the past, when I lived in Colchester, and I’ve been meaning to come back for ages.

Absolutely Top Drawer Rib eye Steak cooked to perfection Medium Rare.A shame no decent draught beers & had to order sides separately & abit claustrophobic but food was great

Myself and my partner was here on Friday night. The staff were wonderful and very welcoming! The food was outstanding! We had the prawns and mussels to start with the most amazing garlic bread I’ve ever eaten. We both then had the surf and turf! Both steaks were cooked to perfection and could of been cut with a spoon! It’s was a very busy night! And booking table in advance is a must!

I have enjoyed many lovely evenings at Bella Pais over the years and it never disappoints. From booking to the end of your visit the staff are friendly and attentive. They provide a wide selection on their menu and each dish is delicious and in very generous portions. The drinks are also very good value.

I had a lovely meal here. The portions are huge but doesn’t take away from the taste or quality! Staff were very helpful and very chatty. Felt very comfortable here and would definitely come back

A really lovely place for a meal, the staff are very friendly and helpful, the food is excellent and the atmosphere is wonderful. We came on a Wednesday evening and it was pretty full. One word of warning, the sides are enormous!!! Give it a try, I will definitely be coming back.

We have been here a few times , and not been amazing! But thought we would give it one last chance. Packed in like a sardine, and the food not good. 3 times now, so won’t return.

The food was ok but very rude staff. At 9.07 she came over and told us we need to leave before even offering dessert. She said she needed the table back at 9pm. Disgusting as there was a group of us who suddenly had to pay and leave with empty tables all around us

Been meaning to visit for months but eventually got round to it and was as good as was expected. All meals were generously portioned and very tasty. Staff are perfectly attentive. Must visit in Colchester

Superb meal, a really friendly place with delicious food and decent portions... My wife and I went for the Greek part of the menu which was stunning... Highly recommended...

Having moved to Yorkshire some 20 years ago and back for the first time since, I called in for dinner to a restaurant I frequented . BELLA PAIS, to my astonishment Andy is still at the helm 37 years this speaks for itself .

I cannot stress what an absolute bargain I had! Christmas menu offered set meal of 2 courses for less than £25. That included a massive slab of rump steak and a side order (if ordered on ala carte, you need to pay separately).

Bella Pais is by far the best restaurant in Colchester. It has amazing steak at a great price. The staff are friendly and it has a lovely atmosphere.

The food and service here are incredibly good. Whether you are looking for a cosy intimate meal for two or a party this is exceptional.

Once you have had a steak here you will never go anywhere else massive steaks cooked to perfection, my skate covered the whole plate and cooked beautifuly . side dishes big portions and again cooked to perfection share a desert don't bother with a starter you'll spoil your main meal or share a Starter and desert.

I took my 4 work colleagues out for our xmas meal,we had a fantastic time in this lovely restaurant.We all a starter and all of us had steak,we could not manage a desert....i would give it 9.5/10 it was that nice...Staff and owner all very attentive,price was very reasonable,i would highly recommend it .

Went on a busy Saturday night (7 of us). They let us put up decorations and balloons for the table. Food was lovely and we got a reasonable wait. The older gentleman was lovely (maybe the manager or owner) very friendly and welcoming.

On every occasion, special or otherwise,we love this place. Excellent food,service the whole package. Been going since mid eighties,never had an issue. Due to its immense popularity,you need to book well in advance. I Guarantee that you will not be disappointed

Been told great things about this place and it did not disappoint - Great steak - proper old school impeccable service great portions - looking forward to coming back - it is the sort of place you always go on your birthday but you want to go once a month not once a year ...

I attended a wedding breakfast here and the service and food were outstanding. I forget this authentic Greek gem is in Colchester with all the competition around but it is one not to overlook and the portions are huge. Book early to avoid disappointment.

Bella Pais is my wife's favourite restaurant. When we were trying to decide on a venue for my granddaughters 16th birthday,it was quickly decided to go to Bella Pais. The only problem was "could we get in". This time we were lucky. We needed a table for 9 on the 30th December and it was already the 7th with everyone's Christmas preparations well under way. My wife phoned up and, yes, we were lucky. Everyone who goes regularly to Bella Pais (and there are a lot), knows that you need to book well in advance. That's not to say, you can never get in on a walk by. I prefer to make sure and book well in advance. My wife's favourite is the beef Stifado. She loves Greek. Very slowly cooked, tender chunks of beef with choice of potato and Greek salad, or in my case I had chips and onion rings. Now I like a good steak as much as the rest, but I had the Stifado. Everyone else (covering 4 generations) had steaks. Fillet steaks, Sirloin Steaks or Rump Steaks. Believe it nor not my grandchildren just love red, bloody steaks. Rare or Medium Rare. I'll have it blue sometimes straight off the hoof. However, you like it, Bella Pais prepare them perfectly every time. There are also chicken or fish options. All are absolutely delicious. Now a word of warning. Don't eat anything during the day. If you have a starter and main meal you can struggle to eat it all. These are large portions and you will never leave feeling hungry. Quite the opposite. It's more likely that you can't move. The staff are lovely too, always friendly and always willing to help decide on your choice for the evening. Just try it. You'll love it.

Visited recently lovely steak and prawns staff very friendly and help full found it a little expensive but worth the money We found tables two close together and could hear others conversations

I've visited today with family from London. I was very shocked how the manager addressed our family as we had 2 babies with us. The waiter said initially that it would be fine to have one pram by the table however the manager said we can't have any prams out despite me visiting the restaurant on many of occasions with my young son and being able have a pram at the table. He said rudely that it was because other guests wouldn't be able to fit at their table or have an issue with this. Despite me mentioning that this has never been an issue even at busy times visiting this restaurant he continued to very rude and speaking to me in a degrading manner. After dinning for a further 2 hours no guests arrived at the other tables therefore he was clearly just making trouble. Working with high net worth clients as a living I felt this was disgusting behaviour and would never recommend this restaurant to any families after this terrible experience. The manager needs to go on a customer service course or review if he actually wants to run a restaurant.