Bella Italia Ristorante — Restaurant in Plano

If I could give Bella Italia in Plano more than 5 stars, I absolutely would.

After living in Texas for 7 months and being serious foodies, my fiancé and I have been on the hunt for something that truly felt like home a meal that didn’t just satisfy hunger but brought back memories, warmth, and authenticity. Bella Italia delivered that and more.

The Chicken Bella was hands-down one of the best dishes I’ve had in years. Breaded chicken topped with marinara and melty mozzarella, nestled over creamy tortellini cremora — it was the perfect harmony of flavor. The richness of the cream sauce and the brightness of the tomato married beautifully, and you could just taste that it was all made from scratch. It honestly felt like Nonna was in the back kitchen cooking just for us.

We also had the Chicken Marsala, and while it was phenomenal with its deep, savory wine sauce and tender chicken, that Chicken Bella still stole the show.

We started with the calamari, which was crispy and light, paired with a tangy, perfectly balanced house marinara. A fresh squeeze of lemon over top elevated it to something truly special. It didn’t taste frozen or over-battered — it tasted like it came from a real Italian kitchen.

And let’s talk about the ambiance and service. We came on a Wednesday, which meant half-off bottles of wine — the Tuscana red blend paired beautifully with everything. Our server, Sara, made us feel like we were part of the family. She was attentive, kind, and knowledgeable without being overbearing. Her warmth made the entire evening even better.

We ended our meal with espresso and tiramisu, and I don’t say this lightly: the tiramisu was the best I’ve had in over a decade. Light, creamy, just the right amount of coffee flavor — it was absolutely divine.

Bella Italia isn’t overhyped it’s underhyped. This is the kind of place you want to gatekeep, but they deserve all the love and recognition. If you’ve been craving real Italian made with love, heart, and soul, don’t walk run. You won’t be...

What an amazing evening. Planned dinner with a friend and out initial restaurant was packed. We drove around and she mentioned a new restaurant had just opened and we decided to give it a try.

To our surprise it was packed as well but we were able to take a couple seats near the small bar area. Looking around, the restaurant is small but set up wonderfully for good sized groups. Wine selected is limited but saw some people with their own bottles. Enjoyed their Cabernet selection. As many people were enjoying their conversations and food, we opted to forgo the wait and eat at the bar.

The food was very well worth every penny! Fantastic, rich flavors as you would expect from Italian cuisine. If your child only eats Pizza Hut, please keep their butts at home until they can appreciate food of a higher caliber.

Quick chats with the owner in passing at the bar. What a great soul as he cares so much about every individual’s experience. He hated that people were waiting for tables because he knows how it impacts a visit.

And let’s face it, if you have a large group, or just your family, dining out is a social experiment. People love to drink and talk and eat. This takes a while for these tables. Do not show up here at 7, heck 630 and expect to be seated immediately on a Friday night. You’re going to be. S.O.L. This is a small restaurant which harnesses the sweet aromatics of Italian flavors. Get here early and relish in a dink and an experience...

UPDATE Mar 2025: Good to be back. So many good places to eat in Collin county hard to get them all in makes one too fat. I added photos of menu so if you haven't been in awhile take note. Almost a full house for weekday evening meal. Dessert was yummy. Main dish be hungry or plan on leftovers. Good size portions. UPDATE Aug 2021. Return visit to celebrate for 3d year in a row our wedding anniversary. Almost completely full at 6pm for weekday supper but lots of tables available at 6:30pm, Timing is everything. Great food and service again with plenty of leftovers. We will be back next anniversary and maybe in-between. Just open for supper now. UPDATE Feb 2021 during week of sub-zero cold freeze in TX. The restaurant gave away 580+ meals for free. So many without power/water it was a very praiseworthy. Good for them. UPDATE Feb 2021. Return visit just for the heck of it. Giving them some love. We trade $$$ for food and service. Good deal. Weekday evening meal and they had 7 parties enjoying themselves. We got a great meal again with leftovers. OooRah! Open for dining (Aug 2020) in which is the only way to go. They survived the virus shut down so show them some love and dine in or take out. During the summer months there were shaded parking spots out front and nice and cool inside. Food and service was super and we got...