Bella Italia - Irving Street — Restaurant in London

Visited yesterday as they had the offer for anyone named Bella to eat at the restaurant. Tried to book online over the weekend, however, was unable to make a reservation online, I’m assuming due to the reservations being closed.

I arrived before the other guest and was brought to a table that was stuck in the corner. When the other guest came and we mentioned that we wanted to do the Bella deal, we were met with frustration. I can completely understand that there are very busy especially with such an excellent deal and as someone who works in hospitality, I definitely can feel for the staff who have to produce so much with no benefits due to the discount. However, before we got the deal - the host who was an older gentleman, came over to our table and raised his voice claiming I hadn’t told him it was a Bella booking. I told him on entry to the restaurant first we did not have a reservation so it was impossible for me to tell him it was a “Bella reservation”. He continued with an awful attitude and went to the manager to see if it was possible. He then returned and warned us that we had 45 minutes to order and eat which we agreed. Another table had a similar issue near to us and after having the same ordeal as us. The host actually slammed the cutlery draw closed as he walked away from our area which was quite shocking as you can imagine.

After this we then had to wait another 15 minutes before ordering. I had to leave the table and find a waitress to take our order.

our food came out 25 minutes later and was partially cold. The chicken fries were okay but the doughballs were rock solid. The pizza was delicious and really enjoyable.

With the time constraints in mind, we were trying to be conscious, however when your food takes 45 minutes alone to come out without the ordering process, it becomes quite impossible to complete this. We tried to finish as quickly as possible.

Once we were finished and ready to leave, we noticed that there was about 12 empty tables in the restaurant and when I went to the bathroom which is located downstairs, there was another full section of tables all vacant. So although I can understand that the host must have been frustrated and dealt all day with different people just waltzing in, I did not appreciate the threat and deceitful talk of “45 minutes”.

Our waitress was lovely, and really kind, however you could also see that she was distant over the original “ordeal”.

I enjoy going to a Bella Italia, but I don’t think I would visit this one again if the same host...

My recent visit to Bella Italia on Irving Street left me with mixed feelings. While the food and service were generally satisfactory, a significant issue arose that marred the overall experience and left a sour taste in my mouth.

Upon arriving at the restaurant with my family, including two young kids, we were initially greeted warmly by the waiter. He assured us that a table would be available shortly after it was cleaned, and we were content to wait. However, to our surprise, the situation took a disappointing turn when the manager intervened.

Despite the waiter's promise, the manager came over and spoke to another waiter, explicitly stating that they were only accepting bookings at that time. It felt like a sudden shift in attitude and an attempt to brush off our party due to having children with us. This was disheartening, especially after being led to believe that a table would be available for us.

Seeking clarification, I inquired about the possibility of making a reservation for later, but the manager himself approached our table and bluntly stated that no bookings were available, without offering any alternative solutions. His demeanor was far from accommodating, and it was evident that he had no interest in finding a resolution.

As a parent, it is not uncommon to encounter challenges when dining out with children, but the manner in which the restaurant handled this situation was disappointing. A family-friendly establishment should be welcoming to all guests, regardless of age. It is important to note that I witnessed other families with children being treated similarly, which raises concerns about the restaurant's attitude towards young diners.

Despite the unfriendly encounter with the manager, I must acknowledge that the waitstaff was courteous and the food was decent. The menu offered a variety of Italian dishes, and the flavors were enjoyable. However, the negative experience with the manager overshadowed the positive aspects of the meal.

In conclusion, Bella Italia on Irving Street has the potential to be a pleasant dining experience, especially for those without children. The cuisine and service provided by the waitstaff were satisfactory. However, the restaurant's dismissive treatment of families with kids, as exhibited by the manager's actions, is deeply concerning and significantly impacts the overall dining experience. As a result, I find it difficult to recommend this restaurant to families until a more inclusive and hospitable attitude is demonstrated by...

We Pre-booked but they were surprised upon our arrival. Being very warm we asked if inside was cooler and we was directed to outdoor seats without a response to my question but as it was very early evening I understand that more guests sitting outside looks busier to passing trade. We had a child with us but no child menu was offered and it took nearly 10 minutes before we got asked if we would like to order a drink? I asked for a child menu to which we received and was expected to order meals without so much as time to look at the children’s menu.

We asked for more time whilst they made our drinks, and upon return we placed our order whilst mentioning that we had a voucher towards our meal. Nothing was mentioned further when we chose our food and the food started to arrive.

The starters were disappointing, the bruschetta was burned and was not very well presented. The meatballs were bland with burned bread and the sauce was watery and over peppered.

For mains we had Vegetarian Pizza which was ok, nothing special. Pollo Cacciatore which was again ok, nothing special and slightly overpriced for what it was. We also had a child’s Spaghetti Bolognese which looked like it had been cooked yesterday. Very dry and not well presented at all, just slopped in a bowl.

We asked for the bill at the end and notified them again about our voucher. We was then told that the voucher wasn’t valid when it was as per terms and conditions. We was charged full price for the child’s meal, which should have cost £1 as they advertise. Based on our experience I highly recommend avoiding this branch or even Bella Italia full stop. There is plenty of options available locally to this one and other Bella Italia...