Vitta Bella East Hanningfield in Chelmsford

I recently attended an evening dinner service with my family and was rather underwhelmed. My expectations were high due to this establisment seemingly having decent reviews and on arrival the setting and service really lent itself to what I believed was going to be a wonderful evening. Unfortunatley the food was just bad. Not inedible, in fact I finished my plate of gnocci as I was pretty hungry, but just bad. My bruschetta, one of my all time favourite italian dishes, an absolute classic, was incredibly dissapointing. Just being a heap of sloppy chopped tomatoes whose delicate flavours were completley over powered by garlic on a thin slice of soggy toast. Awful. I will say that the presentation and portion sizes were very nice, but the quality and flavour in the cooking was lacking in its entirety. In terms of authenticity, centuries of culture and cooking are crying out in pain and anger as their name gets dragged through the dirt. I wasn't suprised for the carbonara to be a cream based sauce, thats pretty typical in Britain as it is a mild technical skill to pull off a classic carbonara and get it to the table. But even so it was just so heavy and flavourless that my sister couldn't even finish it and after I tried some, I couldn't blame her. I will say the Oysters were nice with a fun presentation, Mersea oysters are lovely. But lets face it, all they had to do there was open them and put them on a bed of ice. No cooking involved. I wasn't going to bother writing a review, bad food is bad food and I usually don't bother, but thought I would check them out in more detail incase we were just unlucky and had come on a bad evening. What I didnt expect to see was the sheer volume of bile, vitriol and belittling present in the responses to the honest comments and reviews of people that seemed to have a very similar experience to mine. At that point I thought it pertinent to ensure more voices are heard. I await your incoming tantrum with amusement and hope it comforts you that your imbecilic, emoji filled response will certainly trouble me for the rest of my days. The horror. Don't bother about telling me not to come back. You don't need to state the obvious. If you ever do find it within the grasp of your ego to listen to some constructive criticism, please look to the following. Make better food. You have a nice setting, decent staff and clearly some of the ingrediants you are using are of good quality. You have all the potential for something pretty special. Send your chefs to Italy, find some nice little local restaurants and find some inspiration to move forwards with. Because honestly I've had better pasta at a Wetherspoons at twice the quality and a 1/5th of the price.

Booked with friends and family to celebrate husbands 60th birthday. There were 15 of us in total and whilst he suspected something was going on he didn’t expect the number of people who were there. The staff assisted with the surprise by stating the table was booked for 4 people. We were seated in the conservatory which had a lovely atmosphere. The food was excellent - the only course where the plates were not completely cleared was the main course, 2 people struggled with the portion size and just could not finish the dish. Everyone commented on the quality of the food and the excellent service provided by very friendly but professional staff from the car park attendant, through reception and those waiting at table. Thoroughly recommend the experience - fab place for a celebration

A special venue for a special celebration. This time, lunch to celebrate my wife's 60th birthday. We had two courses from the lunchtime set menu (mains and desserts). There are always plenty of options from this menu and it works out as really good value for a high quality meal with service that makes you feel special. All staff are always welcoming, attentive and professional. Always mention if you are celebrating when booking - my wife's dessert was served with a surprise (but I won't mention the detail to avoid spoiling the surprise for others). At £40 a head including soft drinks (and a tip) this is a far better lunch time experience than other venues are offering for similar prices. A consistently high standard over the years. Well done VB.

A perfect lunch with family to celebrate a birthday. Delicious food, superb setting and the most attentive staff. Truly a fabulous experience.

To celebrate my 70th birthday, my wife took me, our 2 daughters and our 2 sons-in-law to dinner at Vita Bella on 13th June. Very briefly, the atmosphere was excellent, the service was superb and the food was extraordinarily good. Thanks to everyone at Vita Bella for making my birthday celebration so memorable. We will be back I'm sure.

An absolute gem of a restaurant serving first class Italian food. The menu is varied without being overpowering with excellent meat,fish and vegan choices. The food is cooked perfectly and nicely presented. I must say that the staff are among the most helpful and pleasant people that I have ever had the pleasure of being served by, nothing is to much. Waiting time is reasonably minimal for each course considering each dish is freshly cooked. Considering the class of food served the price is reasonable, in fact many "gastro" pubs pretty much rival the cost without equaling the same high standard. I would recommend booking a table as Vita Bella is understandably popular. I will no doubt be booking again. In addition to my earlier review I booked again in March 2024 for my wife’s birthday and endorse my previous feedback with a few other observations. I cannot think of a better restaurant to book for a special occasion. It goes without saying that the food is top class with a wonderful selection to choose from. It is the attention to detail that deserves a mention. You are welcomed upon arrival and after a few pleasantries shown to your table. The ambience is excellent with nice music and lighting. The white gloved staff at Vita Bella go the extra mile, nothing is missed, well mannered and friendly. I would say that within Essex I would plump for the Vita Bella over all other restaurants for that special occasion. I will definitely be returning…40 years of wedded bliss next August!

We felt special. Our experience was without hesitation a treat. Wonderful service and outstanding food. Beautifully balanced.

This was my second visit and once again it was first class in every aspect. I have read some of the more negative views and honestly don’t know where they come from. We were a party of seven celebrating my 70th birthday. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their food which was all of top quality and this was supported by exceptional service throughout. The price is absolutely in line with a restaurant of this calibre and when you consider the whole experience is good value. Once again I found the owner very engaging and he obviously has a passion and determination to provide high service levels outstanding food. We will absolutely be coming back to this very fine establishment.

Thank you for making our retirement lunch so special. Nothing was too much trouble, from storing our flowers overnight to setting out the table with our table plan. The service was superb and the food was excellent! Everyone had a wonderful time.

Fantastic service from the moment we arrived. Food was amazing too. Thank you to all the staff for a very pleasant lunch. Kevin Benfleet

First visit to Vita Bella. Staff very welcoming and engaging. Really good value three course lunch. We look forward to coming back.

Recommended to this restaurant so was really looking forward to it! However very disappointed 😞 Ordered oysters as a pre starter which was specified to our waitress only for them to be served with our starters which has never happened before! Advised our server for this mishap only for the manager who we found very rude and intimidating saying we've been doing this for 12 years and had no complaints but it was specified by us as customers so expected our wishes to get what we asked for! My scallop starter was so bland and looked like they'd come out of a freezer as so tiny! Mains average but didn't warrant the £35 price tag! Overall left disappointed and shocked by the rudeness and arrogance of the manager will not be returning! Highly overrated

Thankyou again,you all looked after us,spoilt us..we had a lovely meal for our anniversary. Thanks for the chocs, and the surprise at the end of our meal x Sue & Paul. Mum & Dad send love..They told us off , for not inviting them.

Absolutely lovely lunch today for Valentines day. The food was amazing served beautifully as always. Been many times to this lovely restaurant but today was superb. Service with a smile and politeness as always. Look forward to our next visit.

Amazing food, Amazing service from entering the resturant. Its our first time coming to the resturant we will be back !!!!!

Came for lunch to celebrate friend’s birthday. Superb experience! Everything from the greeting in the car park, to the excellent food and professional but friendly staff was first rate. Will come again.

I choose this restaurant for Wedding anniversaries and special occasions (last week for my wife’s 40th). The food is exceptional, as is the service from the lovely staff. A firm favourite and possibly the best restaurant in South Essex. Keep up the excellent standard, what...

such a great place from the car park attendant to the collecting of our coats at the end we received great service

What can I say lovely lunch treat today for myself and husband. Been many times to Vita Bella both with family friends etc the food and service always very very good but today I had the prawn cocktail which was served as an experience !...

Again,An Amazing Night Out,We Absolutely Love This Place,An Excellent Set Menu,(couldn't stay late,as we're old,🤣🤣🤣) Seriously Though,This Is An Amazing Place,A Big Thankyou To Chip And His Very Happy Staff,Who Are Seriously Attentive,And So,So Friendly,You Are Treated Like Old Friends,Again Thankyou,And A Happy New Year...

Outstanding food and service, we went for 10th anniversary, everything was amazing, would highly recommend

4th visit to this restaurant but not since 2019. lovely atmosphere but slightly disappointed with our meal. Definitely not the standard we remember it to be and now so much more expensive for less. Service was good but sadly I won’t be returning or recommending....

We dined here 16/12/2023 Absolutely faultless from the time we arrived to when we left food outstanding service was the same I must admit I find it hard to go anywhere else for a night out dining it’s by far the top restaurant for miles....

4 of us visited on Saturday evening and had a wonderful evening. The ambience is perfect, the service was faultless, as was the food. 3 of us opted for lobster thermador, best ive ever had and my wife had a fillet, again, beautiful. We had...

Perfect food, faultless service and a lovely ambiance. Beautifully decorated for Xmas A very enjoyable evening thank you

From start to finish another wonderful night! The staff are so warm and friendly and professional in their roles. The food was again faultless. Superb to taste and excellent presentation. My starter of seafood in a pasta shell was amazing with a gorgrous sauce to...

What a place! went for lunch with the girls everything from start to finish was way beyond expectations from the moment we parked the car the staff couldn’t do enough for us and the wood was AMAZING! we will be back thank you Vita Bella...

Had a gorgeous lunch here with friends yesterday, and was blown away by the place. Everything was just lovely, from a warm welcome, super attentive service and a willingness to go above and beyond the norm to ensure you have an outstanding experience. I had...

Absolutely wonderful experience from start to finish. Reception, car parking, white glove waiters/waitresses, quality of food, management interest, cleanliness all wonderful.

Went to vita Bella today night with the wife due to not visiting for a while and felt we needed a treat. As always upon arrival we were met by the parking attendant who showed us where to park. Once inside a warm welcome from...

First time visit for us on 18th Nov and only need one word to describe the experience, Incredible! Right from making the booking, receiving call to confirm a couple of days before, to being directed in the car park and then such a warm welcome...

Had great fortune to celebrate my birthday Saturday, the 11th of November 2023 at this fantastic restaurant. Not only can I say the quality of the food was amazing! But also the staff are 2nd to none never seen such attentive and professional service you...

As a regular at Vita Bella, maybe I should not write a review every time we visit BUT I have to praise the continued standard of service and food. Vita Bella is superb, as good and better then the top class restaurants in London. The...

The food is sublime and its a wide ranging menu that will satisfy all tastes the service is second to none i can highly recommend Vita Bella

From the time of arrival to the time we left the experience and food was absolutely superb! the standard by which all restaurants should be judged. Met and helped to park, welcomed to a reception area and served drinks. Ambiance of Restaurant and background music...

My family arranged my 50th Birthday meal here Saturday 1/7/23. What a beautiful restaurant! Service was second to none! Fine dining, staff standing back, white gloves, always there without you noticing! The food and service was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! The very lovely Ciprianni, the host/owner, at...

very good service, professional waiters, excellent pizza and food, pleasant and relaxed atmosphere, everything follows the quality

just to say jacqui and i had a very enjoyable evening last night.the food is allways great also the service.most friendly.make you feel special.look forward to christmas eve there with friends

Absolutely fantastic. It was my birthday and they made me feel very special and looked after. Staff were amazing and food was delicious. Would highly recommend and we will be going back.

This is the perfect restaurant for that special occasion. The food is of a very high standard, the service is exceptional and the overall experience means that you want to come back again. Have now eaten here on several occasions and have never been disappointed....

We have eaten here several times and without fail the welcome we have received has been amazing. The front of house is just brilliant and all of his staff are just so attentive. We have had amazing meals every time - we were given 6...

Me and Chrissie visited this restaurant recently, it is situated in a lovely rural part of Essex. I wanted to find ' a special restaurant to take my partner, as ' I wanted to propose to her '. As our driver parked the vehicle, my...

It’s always amazing. The service is always fantastic & the food exceptional as always. When can we come back?

Many friends have visited here so when I was asked if I would like to visit for lunch, how could I refuse! Upon arrival, we was greeted in the carpark. Parked up and went in. Greeted and seated by lovely staff. Napkins placed in our...

Exceptional! This is above most London Michelin star restaurants. Absolutely blown away by the impeccable service and delightful food. The staff are incredible and anticipate every move.from parking the car to ordering something that's not on the menu, they are really helpful and polite and...

Another Fantastic Night Here,Having Enquired Earler This Week For A Table For Two For Saturday 16th,Was Told Fully Booked (no surprise) Took My Number In Case Of Cancellation,And Bingo! Got A Call And Off We Went,Cannot Praise This Place Enough,As Well As Excellent Food,Dont Think...

Well what can i say, yet another fantastic visit to this jewel of a restaurant in Hanningfield. Have been coming here since it opened 12 years ago and have never left disappointed. The welcome you recieve as you walk through the door makes you feel...

Fantastic place, had a surprise 40th birthday party for a friend and it couldn’t have gone better, brilliant service , lovely food and very helpful staff. 9/10

I do not know how to begin. The most amazing experience ever . The lobster was breathtaking. The steak was phew ( omg) . The prawn starter took my breath away . Mocktails and red Zinfandel totally to the top of the world . Cip...

Great restaurant, lovely atmosphere, friendly attentive staff, food was excellent and so much to choose. Love the little extras they do for you, we had a lovely biscuit wrapped up for our Anniversary, complementary drink at the end of the meal. I also like the...

Honestly, very little words to describe this restaurant apart from….wow, sublime, superb, unbelievable, impeccable, glorious, fantastic and amazing. The staff are absolutely first class in every aspect, the food, indescribable in a good way, the atmosphere, amazing. I can honestly say we have never been...

A very enjoyable first time visit. I had phoned to book Lunch about 2 weeks before, and received a phone call a day or so before date just to confirm. We were a party of 6 adults for Lunch at this Restaurant. As we entered...

We have been attempting to attend this restaurant for dinner and special occasions for quite some time but unsurprisingly it is always fully booked. We therefore booked in for lunch with two friends and the experience was absolutely amazing. Greeted by a parking attendant and...

We had a spiffing time at Vita Bella. The food was phenomenal and the service was impecable! They even went above and beyond for our friend as it was his birthday! We will be recommending to everyone and shall return ourselves!

A good italian restaurant,nice selection of wine and a friendly staff.parking was a bit of an issue, but everything else was spot on. See you soon,guys

We enjoyed a fabulous evening at Vita Bella with first class service from the moment we arrived in the car park. The Maitre D is a very charming man who ensures that you are given a warm welcome and a perfect evening. White glove service...

First time visiting this restaurant. I booked it for my mum's 80th birthday, just the two of us. From the very start they made her feel special. The food was excellent, we dined from the set menu and there was plenty of choice. The service...

We had a fantastic meal at Vita Bella on 12th August. The staff and the Manager are just brilliant in making the evening very special. The food is just, wow, thats the only way I can describe it.

Wonderful restaurant, amazing service and stunning food! I cannot recommend enough. My son celebrated his 18th birthday here and we couldn’t have picked a better place. Thank you Vitabella, we’ll be back!

What a delightful lunch! Staff very attentive, great service and food to die for. Good portions , and price is fair

Like everyone else we had waited months to go back to VB and when the date that we were able to turned out to be my birthday we booked for lunch immediately. It was wonderful to drive into the car park again and be greeted...

I you cant eat in, eat out, and the food from here is fantastic. Beautifully cooked, well priced and tastes so good. Highly recommend. In fact most of the local businesses are serving great food in difficult times, would recommend if you can afford to...

I was really hoping to get to Vita Bella for my Birthday as we went last year and the food and experience was amazing, sadly due to the restrictions this was not possible, however, i was so happy to see that Vita Bella was offering...

Well if I can’t have my mums Christmas dinner I’ll have the next best thing. WOW! Is all I can say. In these strange times we are living it at the moment vita Bella pulled out all the stops. The service was just as excellent...

Great service and great ownership I would recommend to everyone. Customer service is best than any other places

I was very impressed by the Vita Bella when I was taken there for a special occasion. The friendly greeting by the staff as soon as we entered the car park, and the way we were guided through the Covid safe procedures and taken to...

The best Italian restaurant around! My partner and I went here for our anniversary and we were nothing but spoilt by the staff. Everyone was so friendly and the food was amazing! I would recommend to anyone. Food is worth the price and I would...

everything about the trip to the Vita Bella was perfect. full covid secure measures are in place but it is all done in an unobtrusive manner. and during your meal you wont even notice the measures as they have been so well implemented. service was...

From the moment we arrived service was perfect in every way, full COVID secure with hand sanitizer and temperature reader on entry without any fuss. Custom clear screens to separate you from each table without you being made to feel closed In etc. Cip and...

Outstanding! Welcomed as soon as the car entered the car park, coats taken on entrance, temp taken and hand sanitiser at entrance. Personal touches at every opportunity. Food was fabulous! Very accommodating to our 20 month old. We will be returning after Covid!

Great welcome in car-park. Secure covid formalities. great entrance welcome by all staff. Level of service comparable to Michelin Star restaurant. Food at same levels. Every single Small detail catered for, which makes the difference. Have been here quite a few times. Consistantly good all...

Had a fantastic evening - the restaurant has been tastefully socially distanced and the great atmosphere remains. As always the service and food were impeccable. We will return soon and would highly recommend it.

Cannot recommend vita Bella enough. The service was fantastic right from start with the parking attendant up until we paid the bill. All staff was very friendly and helpful . The food was fantastic full of flavour and great size portions. Thank you for the...

had a lovely meal last night for mums birthday, it was well set out with temperature checks and hand sanitser before you enter

A warm and friendly welcome. Appropriately screened off tables in this time. Excellent garlic bread. Nice mains but fine dining quantity of potatoes/ veg. Delicious chocolate orange truffle

Wow. We’re big fans of Italian food and love visiting Italy. Vita Bella is a slice of Italy, just down the road. It’s absolutely incredible, not only is the food amazing the customer service and attention to detail is superb. We popped along for lunch...

Well as I say the reviews are all true, the restaurant is absolutely top drawer for service, attentiveness, attention to detail, but, the staff are something else, they put all other eating places to shame, this is how eating out should be, PLUS the excellent...

I can't believe I have only just come across this gem of a restaurant - how thankful I am that I have! My partner and I visited Vita Bella for our anniversary dinner and everything from start to end was impeccable. Welcomed into the car...

It’s hard to believe a restaurant can get better and better every time We visit! But last night was outstanding! Impeccable customer service, food delicious, excellent effort on Covid-19 protection whilst keeping the experience and ambience perfect. As always Ciprian you and your staff have...

Visited here for my birthday with my partner after being recommended by a friend. I can’t fault the food or the service we received in any way. The service we received was second to none. We can’t wait to come back soon.

Visited again to take my wife out for her birthday. As ever excellent food and service. Only minor issue in these Covid days surprised that not all the staff were wearing masks.

we have been to vitta bella many times and last night went for our anniversary my wife loves it there the staff are so good and really polite and friendly the food is always really good also as usual the boss comes and chats makes...

Whilst holidaying in Essex, the owners of the cottage where we are staying recommended Vita Bella as the best restaurant in Chelmsford and so we thought that we should give it a try. We were not disappointed -delicious food, friendly and professional staff and sensible...

Where do I start with this restaurant from the minute you walk in the service was amazing and the food was incredible 100% worth a visit!

Amazing food and service!! Waiters/waitressing were so lovely and attentive, genuinely cared about customers enjoying themselves the most!

Fantastic food and excellent service. We were a party of four and everyone of us enjoyed our meal. Owner so friendly and welcoming.

Not a bad word to say. Had an amazing meal, unimaginably amazing service, intimate and peaceful atmosphere. This restaurant is a hidden gem and well worth every penny. We now visit for almost every occasion and have always had a faultless visit. Will be coming...

Attended on Saturday evening and had a great meal as always. They have changed the times a little to accommodate the early 10pm closing but it did not affect our evening nothing was rushed and same experience with excellent service. Definitely recommend well done to...

This was our 4th visit to Vita Bella and the first time since covid started. We went last Wednesday for a table of 5 for my mother in laws birthday. It was a awful wet night, luckily we were greeted in the car park by...

went today for my nans birthday for lunch. well what can I say but WOW! from start to finish it was amazing. service was best I've had,food amazing and staff lovely and friendly. family run,true traditional italian restaurant will deffo be returning soon

Well I’d heard it was good, but never imagined it would be that good. From the moment I parked my car, directed by a young man in white gloves and a bow tie, to the end of the meal the service was exceptional. We were...

MY BIRTHDAY SUNDAY LUNCH From the moment you arrive you know this is going to be special being met in the carpark by friendly staff member to superbly efficient waiting staff head waiter and owner all very much hands on. Ordered fillet steak for my...

Our first visit to Vita Bella last night with friends. Truly amazing!! Excellent, attentive service and wonderful food in beautiful surroundings. Nothing was too much trouble and the social distancing measures made everyone feel relaxed and safe. We will most definitely be returning to make...

Still excellent service and food. Full service on a Monday night which says it all. Have been coming here for a few years now and it never fails to impress. A birthday treat with the family couldn’t be faulted. Can’t wait to come back again....

Thank you very much for making my birthday lunch so special. You made us feel very welcome, the food was excellent and the staff were fantastic too. We will definitely return again to your lovely restaurant in the near future. Many thanks (the cup cake...

Visited this restaurant on recommendation for a birthday meal. What a treat. From the warm greeting on arrival we were made to feel welcome and the service was exceptional. The Lobster bisque and Maldon mussels were a triumph and the chilli sea bass and Lobster...

Thank you Vitta Bella for making our Anniversary lunch so special. Beautiful food with fantastic service in a lovely environment. Oh and thank you for the cupcakes a really lovely gesture.

Another amazing visit to one of our all time favourite restaurants. A hot night back in July for an anniversary meal worth every penny. Hats off to all the staff, masked up but still running around doing everything they can for you. Made us feel...

We went there for a family meal and had the most wonderful evening. The staff were so welcoming and attentive. Social distancing measures etc made us all feel safe and comfortable. Wonderful food and excellent customer service. The owner made an effort to speak to...

The service here is absolutely amazing!! We can’t fault anything at all! The food was brilliant and the staff were very attentive and made us feel really special. Upon entering the restaurant we were greeted warmly and asked if we were here for a special...