Ela Bella in Tonbridge and Malling - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

Too much rushing, not enough assistance

Had a great Sunday roast, great atmosphere and the service was fantastic! Would definitely come here again!

This was a very enjoyable visit to Tonbridge to meet the family for a special occasion of a Golden Wedding. Being an Anglo-Italian family it was the perfect place to come. The Sunday set menu is fantastic and we enjoyed a lovely Sunday lunch. Thank you to the restaurant for hosting us and enabling us to enjoy our time together! As we know Italy well I would say it isn't purely Italian food and indeed there is some English and French influence in the menu but it's certainly food that anyone would enjoy going out to eat. Therefore I would say it's a unique composition of Italy, France and Tonbridge in this restaurant!

Our first visit tonight and hopefully the first of many. A lovely setting and amazing food. The staff are lovely and just the right amount of attentive. Can't wait for our next meal there.

On the spur of the moment, walking into town, my wife and I stopped for lunch at Ela Bella. What a lucky decision! The welcome was very warm and our lunch choices really enjoyable. I had fish and my wife chose Ela Chicken. This was our first visit to Ela Bella but we lunched there again the following week with equal enjoyment. Thank you. We will be back.

We visited the Ela Bella on a Sunday, early evening and were welcomed by very friendly staff who were helpful and efficient throughout the evening. The food is cooked fresh but with a nice glass of wine to help proceedings the (limited) wait time was worth it. From an extensive and varied menu we ordered the roast duck in an orange and honey sauce - delicious. The desserts were equally good, and a nicety at the end of the meal was a complimentary glass of limoncello. - a lovely gesture. All in all a very pleasant dining experience which we can thoroughly recommend.

We called in impromptu a couple of weeks ago and were very pleasantly surprised. Very friendly staff and efficient service. The food was good and freshly prepared. We enjoyed it so much we returned the following week and were instantly recognised and welcomed by the owner Tariq . We will be going again!

Anotherwonderful family birthday. We took the family for my belated 50th meal. We were greeted by Tariq. We had to drink, water, sicilian rosé and perroni for the driver. To eat we had chicken liver pate for godmum & I followed by the lamb and then desert, the driver had garlic mushrooms and then roast beef and all the trimmings. It is on the doorstep so we always go for family occasions/ my sister's birthday. Tariq we will be back in August and if you can practice your violin we as a large family would be delighted to be there for my sister's 50th birthday in the middle of September.

Ella Bella is in a nice old building with exposed beams. The staff are nice and friendly. However the food is expensive for what you get. Acceptable, but not overly tasty or flavoursome. In no way worthy of the price charged. The £20 bowl of pasta should be around £12-14. Keeping in mind that a 10% service charge is added. The salad was bitter and undressed. And the goats cheese starter didn't have much goats cheese, just plenty of soggy spinach. I would perhaps also suggest going full-italian and ditching the Roast Dinners and perhaps have more gentle background music.

Avoid at all costs the food is not worth the money thay are asking think twice thanks

Can't comment on the food, service, etc, as I went to a private function upstairs, but the staff I saw were so lovely, and other diners looked very happy.

Most disgusting pasta carbonara I’ve ever tried they make it with onions 🤮🤮🤮

I was planning to try this restaurant for a long time, but I’m not local, I couldn’t get chance to try for months. This was my loose, I’ve been there last week, everything was incredible. Food is perfect, service is perfect, atmosphere is perfect. I can’t find enough words to explain how perfect it is. Everyone definitely try this restaurant. Well done 👏🏼 Don’t forget to try cheesecake 🤤

We don't visit here as often as we should! Such good food and great value. Sunday lunch 2 or 3 courses. Also they have a few other options if you don't want roast on the set menu but there is also Al la carte. Service is really good, so friendly, welcoming atmosphere and fantastic food.

Great evening at Ela Bella. Fantastic service and a brilliant atmosphere. The staff go above and beyond to make you feel welcome and valued. We will definitely return, and would strongly recommend this venue

Just home from celebrating our anniversary. Our first visit, but won’t be our last. Lovely food and friendly attentive service. One small observation: for a quality Italian restaurant delivering excellent food and wine we were surprised the red wine was served in a pub type thick wine glass. That aside, we enjoyed our visit and will definitely return.

Lovely gluten free pasta dish. Very welcoming and friendly service. Not a local to the area otherwise would visit regularly.

Lovely family Sunday meal. Children had pasta and husband and myself enjoyed a traditional roast dinner with an Italian twist. The staff go above and beyond to accommodate all needs. Extra bonus points for entertaining the children. Food eas very tasty and reasonably priced. Was a fabulous birthday treat. Looking forward to our next visit

I have been here a few times now and every time has been amazing. The food is delicious and the staff are so attentive and friendly!Could not fault this place. Would 100% recommend every time! Thank you Ella Bella X

Just had a fabulous evening at Ela Bella, delicious food, great service, wonderful host. Excellent all round

Our first company visit to Ela Bella - The appearance of the restaurant may be slightly dated and tired but the food and service was fantastic. The staff couldn't do enough for us to make our visit enjoyable and memorable. The food was all freshly prepared and all our needs were fully considered. We certainly will be back for another visit.

Very friendly staff, we had pre-booked but arrived early and were seated immediately. Great selection on the menu, some good surprises on there. Waiters very attentive. We will go again

Extremely expensive for what it offers. Well below average food quality. Not going back…

Fabulous friendly service and delicious food. A day trip out to Tonbridge with a hungry husband and hungry 10 year old in tow. Thank goodness we came across this lovely restaurant. Clearly very popular but they managed to squeeze us in. Despite being busy, service was faultless and friendly. The food was delicious and it felt like a real treat. Thank you so much.

We had a long day having left from north east of scotland early in the morning. We hadn’t eaten since first thing that day so it was lovely to find a welcoming and friendly atmosphere. The lobster tails and spaghetti were lovely. Would thoroughly recommend Ela Bella

Great meal and staff. Lovely food and a good price .

Booked for an early Mother’s Day treat, having heard so much about the place and always driving by thinking how lovely it looks from the outside. Well I can confirm, inside doesn’t disappoint. A real cosy Italian in a building full of history that Tarik was proud to tell us about. Service was prompt and friendly, food was delicious all round - we tried the calamari, whitebait, a couple of the pasta dishes and 3 different desserts. If you haven’t tried here yet, it’s a must. Looking forward to returning with more of the family soon!

Absolutely lovely experience from start to finish! Lovely welcoming staff and the food was incredible! You definately pay for what you get..... quality!!! Will definately return and recommend to others.

Really wanted to love this place. The warning signs were there when on the Sunday menu there was 3 types of English roast dinners. Italian ?????? My son ordered one and couldn’t finish it because the meat was chewy. I ordered ‘tri-colour’ salad. Tomatoes , advacado and mozzarella, nothing else. The mozzarella was worse than the cheapest supermarket. Lasagna for main, ok not bad, nothing special nothing to complain at. Seabass , main course Barely edible. Dessert- 2 x Tiramisu- Any Italian would be ashamed to serve this. Made at the last minute , cream and coco powder & not much else. Awful. Cheesecake - Not as bad but still pretty bad. Red wine - Surprisingly good. 4 starters, 4 main , 4 dessert , 1 beer, 3 glasses of red. £155. I really hope this restaurant remembers it’s Italian and has a duty to maintain Italian cuisine standards. Either that or fire the chef and get someone who knows how to cook.

The staff were friendly and did a great job. The food was excellent. Our Mother’s Day lunch was perfect. Many thanks team.

Amazing steak and blue cheese it was exactly what I wanted and craved! The service is lovely and and very authentic vibe - please get a lemoncello to finish 😊

We had a lovely meal at Ela Bella, our second visit in the last month as the food is so good. Lovely staff as well, looking forward to the next trip. Cheers

Our waitress Laura was amazing however the manager was vile! We were mortified when we heard the way he spoke to his staff when in the kitchen. It upset us so much that we left our meal half eaten and drinks half full.

Lovely staff and garlic bread was great but shame about the kid size small portions of spaghetti dishes we had plus they need a bit more flavour. It doesn't cost much to give customers a bigger portion, was it a ploy to get you to pay for dessert? Shame if so. For that reason we didn't get dessert even though we were still hungry after. We won't be going back.

Great evening out from the moment we stepped into the restaurant. Warmly greeted by Tarik.Excellent waiting staff, professional but friendly. The menu is vast and varied, dishes to suit all appetites. Good drinks menu too including cocktails. All three courses were delicious! Food cooked to perfection, generous portions and well presented. Well worth the 40 minute journey each way ! Will definitely be back before too long.

Friendly, good food, the kids loved the magic tricks, excellent service! A lovely experience from an excellent family restaurant. Well done Ela Bella!

Friendly place, delicious pasta. Made to feel welcome when I came on my own to allow myself to comfort carb with the tagliatelle mama Mia

food is delicious and cooked to perfection the staff are very friendly and welcoming it was a very amazing experience and i thoroughly enjoyed the evening

Another good night at Ella Bella. We've been here a few times, always good food and attentive service. Would recommend for a nice meal in Tonbridge.

Always good food in this lovely restaurant in the centre of Tonbridge high street. We've been there many times and team are very friendly and helpful. We would suggest the roast dinners on Sunday could be better if more English style, but there are so many excellent Italian + French choices on the many you will not be disappointed.

Sadly not the place it used to be. Cold bread roll when told it was to be hot so asked for another, no toast with the soup so had to ask, sent veg back as raw not al dente then second lot was warmer raw veg. No heating in the place and portable radiators weren't on even though I was told they'd fetch the extension lead. What kind of restaurant doesn't warm up the room on a cold day before the diners arrive? We had a brilliant meal the previous January but sadly this restaurant is not what it used to be. For the price they charge I'd expect top quality.

Had lunch for four yesterday. My wife and I had potted shrimps which were not!! They were hot and cooked in a tomato sauce!! Very poor. Three of us had pasta which was also very average. The menu is neither French and apart from the pasta Italian. I cannot believe this is number one on Tripadvisor.

Booking was nice and simple and the restaurant is lovely. The service was really good and Tommy was really nice and very engaging making sure everything was ok and we was very well looked after. The food was excellent good portion size and quality. Highly recommend. Well done to all especially Tommy .

A wonderful Christmas Eve at Ela Bella, fab food and lovely friendly atmosphere. Spoilt for choice with the extensive menu.

Worst restaurant in Tonbridge , awful service , no wine poured , 0% for service, had carbonara and surf and turf for main, carbonara was 90% watery cheese sauce, lobster on the surf and turf was like rubber, rude management, just about managed the reduced the bill, we’ll never come back again, shambles of a restaurant, avoid at all costs, place is rubbish, needs new manager or closing down. I’d of given 0 stars if I could

Excellent in all areas as can be seen in past reviews

So warm and friendly, excellent food we so enjoyed our visit.

Was not impressed with lunch food was bland will not be going back there again staff seemed in there own world .2 outta 5 the place look old n worn

We absolutley LOVE Ela Bella. Always made to feel so welcome. Me and my partner have a favourite table for 2 underneath a beautiful painting of two hands reaching and touching fingertips. We always have such a good time and the food has always blown us away. Real, fresh homemade cooking made with LOVE. Just brilliant, not a bad word to say. Will definately go back time and time again. THANK YOU ELA BELLA

10 of us descended on this beautiful little quiet restaurant and caused havoc in terms of noise and everybody was so patient and very happy to look after all our needs. It's an amazing place, lovely old quaint building, amazing staff, amazing food. Lots of different options for dietary requirements including milk allergy, vegetarians vegans all welcome here. My 2 year old son was very well looked after when he became restless and the staff went above and beyond to make us feel warm and welcome. Highly recommend!!! Great for parking too as there is a carpark one minute stroll away by the castle!

Laura was right by our side most of the time helping us with all our fussy needs and wants!!! 10/10 for everything 10 of us descended on this beautiful little quiet restaurant and caused havoc in terms of noise and everybody was so patient and very happy to look after all our needs. It's an amazing place, lovely old quaint building, amazing staff, amazing food. Lots of different options for dietary requirements including milk allergy, vegetarians vegans all welcome here. My 2 year old son was very well looked after when he became restless and the staff went above and beyond to make us feel warm and welcome. Highly recommend!!! Great for parking too as there is a carpark one minute stroll away by the castle!

Staff were really friendly and welcoming. Food was quite nice, not the best Italian we’ve had but all dishes tasty and hot. Unfortunately it was a cold night and the restaurant felt rather chilly so we weren’t comfortable. Radiator was cold also.

Tried their 3 course Sunday Lunch and it was amazing having been before had high expectations and it certainly did disappoint can’t wait to go again for a meal with Music Thank you Team Ela Bella and well done on the whole experience

Always walked past this restaurant with a thought of trying it out one day. Well, I have been missing out. Took the family out Sunday 12/11/23 after parade and what a treat. Fantastic welcome and service, food was delicious. I have booked again. Thank you 😊

Our table was upstairs, which had coat hanging facilities, toilets, and a door with a balcony should anyone need to smoke. We had a party of 13 on a Saturday night and even though the restaurant was fully booked, we were well looked after. Tarik couldn't have been more helpful with any queries and took special care of one of our party who had special dietary requirements. The staff were excellent. I would definitely recommend.

Great restaurant the staff was great! The food was really good.

Amazing menu, great good choices including gluten free options star menu and food options.will definitely return to sample other goofs on menu, 5 star rating

Absolutely fantastic experience. The food was excellent as was the service. Would happily recommend to anyone visiting the area and looking for good Italian food.

Love the food , atmosphere and the team are so friendly, steaks are cooked to perfection , love that I can order gluten free pasta . The crème brûlée is out of this world .

Lovely restaurant, been here many times and every single time is just as better as the one before. The steaks are amazing quality and perfectly cooked and the pasta and seafood options are amazing. Definitely recommend this restaurant anytime you’re in Tonbridge, amazing staff and...

Came here for a business lunch and was very happy with the lunch special option and service. A quaint little restaurant with a warm and inviting atmosphere.

A real gem. Good food and lovely atmosphere. The server went out of his way to make us feel welcome (including our 2-yr-old). We'll be back for sure!

Lovely Italian restaurant on the Hight Street. The staff were delightful and the food delicious. Everything cooked freshly for us and we all enjoyed our meals. Thank you

Always a warm welcome from staff and most especially front of house... he remembers all his customers! Our free coffee got upgraded to irish coffee for free. Food never disappoints

Called in to Ela today for lunch. We had an excellent time. The owner is very passionate about his food and his restaurant. The food and service and value was excellent. Will definitely be back

Very good service ,food freshly cooked and lovely atmosphere 👌

A amazing place for a date night, the staff were very helpful, great recommendations and atmosphere was delightful to have a one on one meal but can imagine great for groups as well. Pan fried scallops starter was a treat followed by a authentic carbonara. Bonus points from the missus with her duck main

Great meal all freshly cooked friendly staff

Ate on Friday night, family group of 5 and everyone was happy with their food and drinks. We shared a chateaubriand steak - possibly the best I’ve ever had and the service was excellent!!

Nice ambience&service, lovely food, i highly recommend it. Definitely i’ll go again

It turned out we were very lucky to get a seat here on Saturday evening as walk ins at 7pm. Not being from tonbridge but visiting twice a year I had tried other offers on the main road. I am glad we came here. Very...

My husband and I chose this restaurant to celebrate our anniversary. We were welcomed by their very polite staff and we ate some amazing Italian food.

Lovely place, you almost feel like home. You feel like people taking care of you. Amazing food and amazing service. Above and beyond. Thank You so much, definitely we come back and visit you again.

This was our first trip to Ela Bella and we were treating ourselves for our anniversary. Great choice on the menu made it hard to choose, but we both had a fantastic meal. What made the evening exceptional was the great service on top. My...

Had one of the best experience at Ella Bella the staff was amazing and polite the boss interacted with us so much which is an amazing thing but mostly the fooodd it was soooo goood and tasty that we can’t wait to come again and...

Yet another excellent meal at Ella Bella. The food is all freshly cooked and prepared and is superb. One of very few restaurants to cook straightforward food with great flavours. There is an extensive menu but my favourites are the steaks.

Excellent meal at Ella Bella. Between the two of us we had Rib-Eye steak and chips which was delicious and the Tagliatelle Mamma Mia which was also excellent. We both had Tiramisu for dessert which was one of the nicest Tiramisus I have had (and...

Went to this lovely restaurant on Saturday 8th and asked for a well done steak! The owner convinced me differently and cooked me the best steak I’ve ever had. Friendly staff amazing food defo worth a visit! I apologise in advance because I have suggested...

I took my very very best friend along with her daughter and parents for a divine meal and excellent conversation. To dink we all shared a large carafe of water. For food my very very best friend and her daughter had pasta which was outstanding,...

Went here for an anniversary lunch and it was great- both the food and service.

Such a lovely evening. Beautiful restaurant, friendly stuff who were very attentive. Both of us got steak and would strongly recommend it, it was very tasty.

We visited Ela Bella as a Family yesterday for an early dinner. My partner and I had the most amazing roast dinner and our children had spaghetti bolognaise and chicken goujons. My eldest Daughter said the bolognaise was the “best in the universe!” I tried...

Really lovely local restaurant. Extraordinarily friendly. Lovely food. Service was superb. Will be visiting again

Really lovely local restaurant. Extraordinarily friendly. Lovely food. Service was superb. Will be visiting again

Lovely meal at a reasonable price with exceptional service. The staff were very attentive and the steak was cooked to perfection

Stunning little restaurant, walked past so many times so decided to book to celebrate daughter getting into university, warm welcome, friendly people working there, food was absolutely amazing not rushed service lovely magical surprises from a lovely gentleman, not one fault and will definitely visit again.

Stunning little restaurant, walked past so many times so decided to book to celebrate daughter getting into university, warm welcome, friendly people working there, food was absolutely amazing not rushed service lovely magical surprises from a lovely gentleman, not one fault and will definitely visit...

Very disappointing. The service was good, but the cooking is lacklustre. My starter of calamari I was chewy in soggy tasteless batter. The ‘whole’ sea bass - was two fillets was ok but nothing special. The accompanying salad and veg were mediocre at best. The...

In my opinion best food in Town, steak excellent, great service, definitely coming back 😍

Loved the special halloumi dish. Great service

This place is perfect! The food was delicious the best Italian I have had ever! the staff were amazing, brilliant service and the waiters took time out to show magic tricks to my son. 100% returning next time we are in the area

This place is amazing. Food is excellent. Fully recommend.

Excellent value and great fun on the music night.

One of the best Italian I’ve had. Their steak and chips are amazing too! Top notch service with great classic music. Love love love

My partner enjoyed her steak diane which was cooke to her liking. My sea bass fillet was a bit small but waa well cooked and the accompanying sauce was ok. My gripe was with the dessert. On the mwnu it was called Special Panna Cotta....

Delightful decor, excellent service, and delicious food make this one of my favourite places in Tonbridge.

Absolute hidden gem, great service and everyone was friendly. Food was great. Holly was a great host!

Everything about Ela Bella deserves 5 stars. My companion has been twice before and upon arrival the maître d' and waitron recognised her with a warm hello and welcome back. We enjoyed the Sunday special which was delicious with generous portion sizes. The music was at the perfect volume; creating just the right ambiance. We all agreed that we will be back!

Great service, Great food, worth every penny best Scallops I've ever had. attentive polite staff. Will definately be back

Lovely restaurant with friendly service, generous portions of tasty food, superb cocktails and a friendly crowd. Unsurprisingly it was quite full on the Saturday night when we visited yet the service was still spot on. Great atmosphere too!