Bella Napoli pizzeria & Italian grill — Restaurant in Durham

I want to start by saying I had no idea this little place was tucked away in the corner of a strip mall. Upon arriving my family and I were greeted by a very pleasant young lady who seated us immediately exactly where we wanted to be. She returned quickly with our drinks and was happy to get us the appetizer we requested. Upon looking over the menu and seeing that veal saltimbocca was an option I had to have that as you do not see that on barely any menus down in the southern state where this restaurant is located. I was sure to order a slice of pizza as well because the best way to judge if a pizzeria & restaurant is good is to grab a slice. My lady ordered chicken carbonara and I ordered the veal. When the entrees arrived I was pleasantly surprised to see the accuracy of the reproduction of the Italian dish. The veal was pounded flat and served properly with the spinach and in lieu of prosciutto they used a Black Forest ham. That was good because the prosciutto can become overly salty at some times and it was good to see a different type of meat being used. Her chicken carbonara had well-prepared and juicy chicken breast in it as well as chunks of bacon and a hearty cream sauce. The pizza itself was well made with a well-balanced amount of cheese and sauce and absolutely no blandness. The quality of the cheese was top-notch and I had requested sausage on it to see how it was and that as well passed the test with flying colors. Throughout our dinner the staff were very polite and very attentive. I would recommend anyone passing through this area to head over and try this establishment.

Staff Present: Carlos, Walter,...

I rarely write restaurant reviews these days but I had to give this place some love. I noticed this on Maps with good reviews tucked away in a small strip mall I drive by often to go shopping. Initially I was scared away by the prices because there are some other American Italian restaurants/pizzerias in the area that are cheaper and pretty good. Last weekend I decided to order two items that would hopefully provide sustenance through Sunday night. It did not disappoint, the pizza and pasta were fantastic.

I ordered a small Spicy Pineapple pizza and it was one of the best NY-style pizzas I've had in the area. The ingredients tasted high quality. The bread and sauce were delicious, and the bread had the perfect slight burnt crispiness while still being soft. What stood out to me was the chicken. When I get chicken on a pizza from a chain or pizzeria it often feels like an afterthought. The texture and taste make it seem like most places use the worst scraps of chicken as toppings. The chicken on the Spicy Pineapple pizza was so dang good, it tasted like it was seasoned and grilled right before it went onto the pizza. I am 100% buying this pizza again in the near future.

I also ordered the Penne alla Arrabiata with meatballs, which was also very good. Loved the pasta, sauce, and veggies. The meatballs were my least favorite thing I liked. They were denser and firmer than what I am used to, so next time I order pasta I may try chicken instead. These 2 items also lasted for 3.5 meals and still very tasty...

Atmosphere 3/5 | Service 5/5 | Food 2/5

My husband and I dined in last night. I liked that the restaurant was clean, casual, and despite the small size our booth felt plenty private. Due to the small size there was one point where a very pungent seafood smell was overwhelming - enough to be off putting. We’d choose take out next time.

Service couldn’t have been better. Our waitress was wonderful, attentive, and friendly.

The food was a mixed bag. We started with the fried (cheese) ravioli, which I highly recommend. It was large enough for us to split (8 pieces), crispy, well seasoned, and hot. I ordered the chicken saltimbocca. I’ve had this meal at other Italian places and I understand each place has its own style but this missed the mark for me. I did like that it came with a side salad, pasta, and bread (the bread is delicious and is served with oil and the side salad is a generous portion). However, the chicken itself had a weird texture - it was hammered thin but in a way that made it chewy and not tender. The whole dish was swimming in a sauce that tasted like watered down cream of chicken soup. I also had sweet tea, which I wouldn’t get again but I did like that I was offered a tea to go (again, great service!).

I would try this restaurant again but would get pizza or try a cheesesteak, I would not try any of their other chicken dishes just because this one was so...