La Bella Vista in Hastings

Booked with my partner for birthday dinner. Staff very smartly dressed and attentive service. Starters arrived quickly which were very good( Calamari & Zucchini fritti) main courses arrived , Veal Tortolini and Seafood Risotto, both amazing dishes. I was made a fuss off as it was my bday with a written plate from the Kitchen which was a lovely touch. Pistachio Blondie dessert was to die for! Restaurant even called us a cab home. As an ex restaurant owner I’m particularly observant as to what’s going on around me when dining out. I can confidently say this restaurant’s food and service is faultless!

If you are travelling to the area on a Sunday like we were for our 1st Wedding Anniversary, bear in mind that almost everything closes by 5/6pm, apart from La Bella Vista. We ended up eating here, almost by accident, but it was a very happy accident. When we told our waiter that it was our anniversary, he took great care of us and even gave us a complimentary Limoncello. The Linguine Lombada and the Panna Cotta were fantastic and the service was excellent.

A really great restaurant, food was stunning, and the service made me smile

Simply one of the best Italian meals I have ever had, Their contemporary style and flavour combinations were second to none. The service was exceptional from the meet and great to our departure, we were attended to by a wonderful team. The attention to detail was exceptional with some lovely personal touches that made our evening memorable. We will definately come back when in the area again. Thank you.

Amazing food, places, people, stuff and services and atmosphere!!

First time visit, was impressed by the food and drink selection. The restaurant looks understated from the outside but it has a nice feel inside. The staff are well dressed and friendly, great attention to detail on table layout. The food felt authentic and was well presented. Would highly recommended.

A wonderful unexpected late lunch, we would highly recommend this restaurant wonderful fresh food great service. Starters were amazing. Wine by the glass or bottle and Peroni on draft. Adrian and Annabelle Wyberton Boston Lincolnshire Formerly Eastbourne the Hurst Arms Public Arms Public House now semi retired

One of our favourite places, the food is delicious and the staff are so friendly

We had a wonderful birthday lunch here (mine) lovely staff, it’s a really friendly and popular restaurant. We had the 3course weekday lunch, all beautifully presented and tasted scrumptious. Lots of birthdays being celebrated, so I didn’t need singing to! But enjoyed my birthday ‘slate’. Thanks so much

Absolutely incredible experience! Food was out of this world, everything is freshly cooked and you can taste it. Honestly one of the best pasta dishes I’ve had. My dining companion had a vegan dish that was also10/10 and it’s much harder to get vegan food right! Service is also 10/10, so attentive and friendly. They really go above and beyond here. All round amazing visit and defiantly worth a visit when in Hastings. Thank you!

Truly fantastic restaurant, amazing food and the service was outstanding. Couldn't recommend La Bella Vista more, and we'll definitely be returning. Oh and the owner is super friendly and accommodating, lovely to chat to!

We had four days in London and to finish off a day in Hastings, before returning to Stockholm, Sweden. In Hastings we wanted to eat seafood at a restaurant and had chosen La Bella Vista as our last dinner. We were super satisfied, friendly staff, delicious food and cold drinks and we could sit outside in late April despite the slightly chilly air. Enjoy it, we did 🙃

Wow! We discovered this restaurant at the last minute on a Thursday at 3 PM for a group of six, and we couldn’t be happier! Everything was perfect: the service was amazing, the food was excellent, and the view was splendid. We highly recommend this place. Thank you for an incredible experience!🙏🏻

Amazing birthday dinner, plenty of gluten free options

Great food and friendly, attentive service. The seafood linguine was delicious! Very accommodating for a large group.

Excellent all round as always. This was an event where they had an ABBA tribute act who were also excellent. Highly recommend this restaurant.

Great food, very attentive and kind staff. We went there to celebrate our friend’s birthday and everybody loved the food and the atmosphere. Tiramisu was lovely although a bit too strong on the alcohol taste. Panna cotta was lovely though 😊

A great Italian restaurant in Hastings. Lovely staff and great food. The owner is passionate about the the restaurant and it shows in every way. The attention to detail is outstanding. From decor to food presentation. Also he has some of the best staff I have come across! 10 out of 10 and make sure you give it a visit if you are in the area.

Perfect service! Perfect food! We will definetely come back!

Excellent quality at an affordable price. Amazing , very polite and well trained staff! The only not critique but a suggestion maybe, would be to try and speed things up a tad. As in, we had a 3 course lunch in about 2 hours with relatively long waiting times in between servings. Granted some people like taking their time, and so do we, but when you are a parent , and have kids along, they can only watch so much Blippy. Thank you!

Limited menu, disappointing choices, tiny portions of vegetables , overpriced, expensive wines, and food served in bowls instead of plates. We didn't feel especially welcome. Gave it a try, wouldn't go back.

The food was delicious, the wine was exquisite, and the taste was great. The warm service made me very warm. I ordered the shellfish pasta. It was so delicious that I had to lick all the sauce. My friend's grilled cod was also delicious. At the end, I recommended the pistachio dessert, which was also great. I highly recommend this place.

We normally don't repeat a restaurant when on holiday but last night we had the best meal of our whole trip and decided to go again tonight, or last night in Hastings and now it's hard to decide which night was better. I guarantee anything you order will be better than you expect. Sophie, Hamish and Alexandra provided us with excellent service and the Chef should have at least one Michelin Star.

Absolutely outstanding food ! Next level service . Our waiter was especially lovely, sharm , gent with a mullet. He was so friendly and attentive throughout. We would drive the 1.5hrs again just to visit here again .

Calamari was very chewy , carbonara was awful tasted like it was a packet mix , risotto was hard and had no taste, burnt garlic bread , very expensive for what it was nothing authentically Italian about it , very disappointed ☹️,have to say the staff were amazing and very friendly

Had the best dining experience in this lovely Italian restaurant. All of the waitresses were amazing and all were asking how we were getting on with our dishes during our time there. We went on a Monday night and it was already quite busy but food came out quickly and the portions were huge and the calzones tasted amazing. We also had the Biscuit based compote for dessert and that was also lovely.

We had last min lunch here while visiting the town. Booking seems like a must, we were lucky. It was full at 2pm. The staff is attentive & the food is very tasty. Service was a bit slow but I believe due to the time & amount of tables to attend.

What a fantastic place! Proper, genuine, delicious Italian food….excellent service….reasonable prices…lovely sea view!!! If you’re within 20 miles of this restaurant….make sure you visit, you won’t regret it!! (Ps. My espresso martini was 6*!)

We had the set menu, absolutely delicious, very friendly and helpful staff, looking forward to returning.

We had the three course lunch here and every course was absolutely delicious cooked to perfection and service and ambience to match. Well done everyone 👏

As always we had a beautiful meal last night.

Over the past couple of years La Bella Vista has become the go-to special occasion restaurant for myself and my wife, and for good reason, they get everything just right. The welcome is always as warm as you would expect from a family run business, there’s plenty of friendly and attentive staff and the food, of course, is spectacular! The portion sizes are generous to a fault, the charcuterie sharing board for example is enough for three people, I’ve certainly never left hungry. Everyone I’ve taken to La Bella Vista have so far been equally delighted by the service and food. Booking is essential but I was impressed on a recent visit that the staff happily pulled out the stops to accommodate a group of late diners. For an excellent meal in a relaxed surrounding (with great views of the sea during the day) which values service and friendliness, I can’t recommend the La Bella Vista highly enough.

The service was decent, but this was one of the worst restaurants I have ever been to in my life. The food was just horrible, the starter was a tomato and red onion salad that looked assembled by a five year old, with cheap and tasteless produce. Each dish was saltier than the next and we have both left feeling unwell. The management are clearly not tasting the food. If you’re a local I can perhaps see the appeal given the friendliness of the staff, but for anyone with taste buds from out of town this establishment is to avoid.

Honestly this was a massive surprise. On the face of it, you could assume that this is just a mediocre Italian restaurant. Not bad but nothing stand out. I was completely wrong and this is some of the best Italian food I've ever had. I had some steak on a puree with red onions and don't know quite what the flavours were but it was phenomenal. My wife's GF pasta was awesome and the staff were special.

had the cod risotto - wonderful

Had a great evening, good service and it's got a nice vibe. The food was a bit underwhelming.

I am absolutely delighted with the amazing cuisine, wonderful atmosphere, and excellent service—everything is top-notch! Every dish was incredibly delicious, and the attention to detail was outstanding. This is truly the best Italian restaurant I have ever been to. Highly recommend!

Ordered the mushroom risotto, food was pretty good but service was perfecf. The young male waiter even helped me charge my phone! Would recommend if u are at Hastings!

The seafood linguine is fantastic!

This was our first visit to celebrate our grandsons birthday, but our family are regular visitors. We were very impressed with everything. The staff were lovely and the service was great, even though it was very busy on a Friday lunchtime. The spring set menu was so inventive and all 3 courses were highly praised by us all. Everything that needed to be hot, was piping hot, always a bonus.. Plenty of water without being asked, and the wine was expertly served from a stunning decanter . We will come again! Thank you!

The best Linguine ai Frutti di Mare I’ve ever had. Coated in a rich, bisque-like sauce—everything was perfectly cooked, and the portion was very generous. I didn’t see garlic listed on the menu, and the staff didn’t check for allergies, but despite my mistake, they were kind and offered to replace the dish. The pasta was some of the best handmade I’ve had in a while. The calamari was fresh, with just the right amount of crispiness and bite. A pity we had to attend a function right after—otherwise, it would have been a pleasure to try the pudding.

Delicious food all round, friendly staff. Great place, happily return 😀

We loved our meal at La Bella Vista. The food was delicious, especially the conchiglione, the restaurant was very accommodating in allowing us to order a few dishes to share. The atmosphere is warm, fun and friendly. The most noticeable positive was the service - such a thoughtful, friendly and professional waiting team. They took care to make sure everyone was enjoying their meal and had what they needed without ever being overbearing. They made a birthday meal feel very special.

Terrible Service & Food Poisoning symptoms – Avoid at All Costs! We had high hopes for La Bella Vista, but this was hands down one of the worst dining experiences we’ve ever had. We went there cos of little red book recommendation, but it was absolutely disappointing.The service was slow, and the staff seemed uninterested in helping. We waited ages for our food, and when it finally arrived, it wasn’t what we were hoped for. To make things even worse, a few hours after eating, we started feeling sick. We ended up with a horrible case of food poisoning symptoms that ruined the rest of our Saturday night.Absolutely unacceptable! I would never recommend this place to anyone—stay far away!

Lovely place , good service great food

They didn't bother to rip the tails off from capers...I ordered from another restaurant same dish...way better...

Brilliant as usual. Never disappoints.

My husband and I visited last night for a rare night out without the children! It was an absolutely wonderful meal. Despite the restaurant being full the service was brilliant and staff were attentive and kind. It’s our favourite restaurant in Hastings and would recommend to all.

Best meal we've had in..., well ever! Superb food, fabulous wine, fantastic service. Oh, and the view is gorgeous. All we can say is Stupafecente!

Wow wow WOW!! La Bella Vista is just the absolute ticket. We visited for my husband’s birthday and we were seated with a smile and a lovely made up table. Everyone we spoke to was incredibly polite and offered up their personal favourite dishes. We had the olives which were amazing and then my husband had the seafood linguine which came with a bowl to put the discarded shells, which kept getting replaced - little touches like that which elevates things to the next level- and not to mention the food is absolutely out of this world. I had the tuna which was delicious too. My husband had the pistachio blonde and he’s not a dessert kind of guy but he is still raving about it now! Then they brought out a birthday shot for him and remembered our names which also for the first time being there really made us feel so special. It was just an experience from start to finish and one we will not forget in a hurry because it was just amazing! We will be back! Thank you for the amazing food.

It's not the first time we go to this restaurant and as usual beautiful atmosphere, amazing food and simply fantastic staff, we spent a really special Monday night thanks

Wow. What a fabulous place. Staff exceptionally attentive and helpful, food was amazing and a wonderful ambience. . Can't recommend it highly enough.

We decided to have a cheeky weekend away in Hastings and decided to book la Bella Vista. The service was outstanding and the waiters were so helpful and couldn’t do enough for us. The food was absolutely amazing, I had oysters to start and melt in the mouth cod, my husband had the beef tartare followed by a lovely pasta dish. We both left completely satisfied and very very happy. So highly recommended If you are thinking of eating here, don’t look any further It’s Outstanding!!!

Amazing experience always and fantastic food!

Best seafood risotto to try even for those who don’t like seafood! And also the panna cotta is really good

Delicious meal, we had the set lunch, and portions were plenty big enough but not overpowering. The service was great. Shall definitely return.

Fantastic food and service . Highly recommend shall be visiting again.

Really welcoming for starters.. please expect to wait a little for your food as it is all cooked from scratchbut well worth it . I called ahead to book a it is very busy on a Saturday evening at least. Staff was friendly and observant. We did get the wrong wine but the restaurant came up with the right one and left the first lot behind free of charge. I had squid for starters and calzone for mains. You can add bits to it if you wish but it was nice as it was. My vegetarian partner had goats cheese salad and aubergine and spinach pasta , which she enjoyed as empty plates agree with this statement. To sum up. Good Italian food for reasonable prices. I would recommend giving them a test drive!

We didn't have a reservation but they managed to fit us in, and we didn't have to wait too long. It was one of our best meals and experiences. All the food is 'real', fresh and cooked from scratch. Amazing and pure Italian. Staff is wonderful, they all went way and beyond to provide a good service and experience. They have artists, food magicians, in the kitchen. They all managed to serve food rich in flavour, well prepared and presented to a 5***** standard, despite having a constant full house for about 4 hours non stop. We already booked a table to come back tomorrow and try other dishes. 😂 Also made plans to bring friends and family in the future. The table service was perfect. They don't add service charges to the bill. It's the costumers' choice to add it or not. We asked for it to be added because it's well deserved. We highly recommend. You will not regret it.

Fantastic food, cozy atmosphere, friendly and considerate service. The menu includes some rare treats like sgroppino, a delectable light dessert with lemon sorbet and Prosecco. The crab was also particularly delicious.

Always a great experience - the absolute best food experience in whole Hastings! Italian vibes, Italian team and the Owner is a gentleman - has the art!

Absolutely the best food, a real treat, arrived 25 mins early fantastic

Classy, elegant dining room Young, attentive staff. Food nicely presented and tasty.

Food was sensational, had honey and nut iced king prawns to start followed by a cod loin main which was perfectly cooked. We were there for my sisters meal after her wedding and all the party had amazing food served. The restaurant was fully booked so service and drinks was a little slow but the food made up for the wait. Would highly recommend.

Perfect birthday lunch. Delicious food, attentive staff and lovely atmosphere. I can't wait to return.

We absolutely loved our experience at this Italian restaurant which is situated right on seafront at St. Leonard's. Outstanding food and outstanding staff & service. We had a wonderful afternoon and will definitely return when next visiting St. Leonard's or Hastings. Thank you very much La Bella Vista! 10/10!

The food and service were good. However we just had two courses picking the cheaper mains, all the additions were overly expensive. Meal for two over £90 with just one alcohol drink. Coffee and garlic bread. Won’t be going back anytime soon.

We went there for our works Christmas Party. Safe to say it was wonderful. The food was fantastic. Considering there were 34 of us plus other tables. The food was hot and presented beautifully. The staff were friendly and happy to help. All in all a fabulous afternoon was had. I'm hoping we get to go again in 2025!

We had a wonderful evening. Great food and excellent atmosphere. Reasonable prices for quality of food. Would definitely visit again. Real family feel to the establishment.

Great food, lovely service, everything is perfect

Just wonderful! The food, the service and the atmosphere were spot on. I simply cannot fault them in any way. The calves liver I had was the best I've ever had. Incredible. Hat's off to you and your staff too Aldo. 10/10.

Great Restaurant, Great Service and Great Food. Thanks Bella Vista for a lovely evening!

All in all a really good evening there - cannot fault the staff all very welcoming and nothing was too much hassle.

Maybe the best calamari I’ve ever had - the sauce was delicious. Pasta portions were large and the prawns on the gamberi pasta were so generous! Our servers were super friendly. Just a lovely place!

There is not one thing I could complain about,service was attentive from beginning to end,the food was out of this world and just before I left had to go downstairs to the little girls room and even that surpassed expectations...plus of course the view....WONDERFUL

Amazing food. Will definitely return soon!

We drove an hour especially to come to this restaurant after reading they had been in trouble with some customers who had tried to leave without paying. We didn't come because of that, but because the reviews were really good (as was the weather). Our experience confirmed the previous comments : lovely atmosphere with a very friendly and professional team (exceptional service, caring and discreet at the same time), food was authentic and delicious (cod risotto, carbonara, margerita, tiramisu, pannacotta), and an amazing location with view on the sea. Lots of regulars, which is usually a good sign. It felt like being at home. PS : I personally wouldn't be shocked if you'd ask for a prepayment or card details. If you think of it, some hospitality businesses do it already and most people understand.

Always vibrant, attentive, well presented restaurant with fantastic food and drink. Very much recommended.

Always amazing here and very welcoming, they always go above and beyond to make your time the best, 100% reccomend

Fantastic food and quality service,that won't break the bank

Unbelievably good ,xx thank you

Great food, great service and music on selected nights. The music nights are so so good.

Great service, the food is always delicious. My favourite place to eat in Hastings/ St Leonard’s.

Great service and atmosphere. The food was good, but the prices felt a bit steep. Would absolutely be 5* if you could get most pasta dishes for -£15.

Great restaurant. Fantastic food, drinks and service. The only slight complaint was the odd cover music playing!! Get a PRS license!!

Amazing risotto, pizza, lasagna, and dessert!

Had a fantastic meal here for my birthday this evening- they catered for 14 of us and the food and service was truly wonderful. Our waiter, whose name I sadly did not catch, was extremely attentive and they even surprised me with a birthday shot of limoncello at the end! Couldn’t recommend enough, thank you so much for having us!

The best dining experience we’ve had, anywhere in the UK for a long time. It was no surprise to hear that the restaurant is family run. The sense of care and warmth shown by every single member of the team was a joy to be on the receiving end of. Superb food and a humming atmosphere too. Grazie mille to the whole team.

The food and service were excellent. Both the owner and server were incredibly friendly. My family and I thoroughly enjoyed our experience there.

The Highs We use this restaurant on a fairly regular basis, this time we were celebrating our 1st wedding anniversary with friends, as always the food was outstanding, tastes absolutely delicious Service was good but not as good as normal, it lacked attention to detail The Lows I booked this on the 11th September for Saturday 19th October, I especially asked for the round table in the window at the time of booking, when we arrived they had no booking for us and the round table was being used. It sort of tainted my day, felt let down and disappointed. Half hearted apologies.

Enjoyed beautifully presented delicious dishes at La Bella Vista from the amazing set lunch menu. And thanks again to Aldo, Deborah and professional friendly staff for a smashing birthday lunch x

I ordered takeaway and the food is fantastic. The delivery guy checked my food was for me. (Which was good) Would definitely recommend eating here. As it was takeaway, I cannot comment on atmosphere.

Eight of us went for dinner at this amazing restaurant and had the most wonderful food and wine. The staff were extremely attentive and the whole experience could not have been better. We all live in Northamptonshire but feel that we would drive down to St.Leonards just to eat here!

Wonderful restaurant and cannot recommend it highly enough. Beautiful decor with pretty outdoor seating area reminiscent of a Mediterranean street cafe. Staff were very friendly, polite and respectful and we loved Aldo the owner. The extensive menu made it difficult to choose what to have. The food was delicious and I wish I could have made room to sample a dessert. A wonderful evening and would definitely return.

I highly recommend the octopus legs starter, it's delicious! The restaurant has great ambience and looks out to the sea!

Incredible food, lovely staff who let us sit outside with our dog. He was served a water bowl and treats without us even having to ask! They also put the heater on for us, can’t fault this service. Wonderful place, highly recommend!

Amazing experience, the food was superb. The Calamari was to die for.

Great Italian food, views,family restaurant vibe and service(though had to remind about coffee order).Not inexpensive but quality isn't, and will definitely revisit.

Lovely set menu, but limited gluten free choice, but what they did have was lovely. Check the price of your drinks before you order though, as we paid £13.95 a glass and about the same for a cocktail!!

Lovely food, service and restaurant - it was a lovely sunny day too we could have been on holiday anywhere in the world! We’ll be back