Bella's Italian Bakery — Restaurant in Portland

Oh man, talk about well worth the wait! Michelle Vernier is a highly respected chef and the Portland community, and Lents could not be luckier to have Bella’s in the neighborhood. Their soft opening was complete with delicious pastries, fresh brewed coffee and espresso, and Steven Smith Tea (which, as a tea drinker, I was super excited to see them carry!) Cookies, blueberry tarts, a delicious flaky apple pastry that I’m not even going to try to spell, fresh baked bread, almond tea cakes...all present in this first day. I shared the apple pastry, the tea cake, and the blueberry tart – all as delicious as I remember from Vernier’s days at Lents international farmers market. Her pastries are perfectly balanced with fresh bold flavors and just the right amount of sweetness. The space is clean, welcoming, and really adorable! The team at Bella’s has carefully curated antique items that fit perfectly in the café. I can’t wait for wine, antipasti, and lots of chats with family and friends after the grand opening. This is definitely not a...

Delicious stuff. Got some chocolate and pistachio cannolis, and it's really cool because they actually make them to order and they're not just kept in a case. A lot of cannolis I have either have the issue of a gritty filling or a very fragile shell that just breaks apart when you bite it, but these ones avoided both of those. They were absolutely amazing. Creamy, lightly spiced filling with a crispy but also soft shell that holds its shape. Got a garlic and herb foccacia to take home as well, and safe to say me and my roommate loved it, and I made some nice meals that it complemented super well. Will absolutely be back, I saw their refrigerated section with tiramisu and ricotta cheesecake, plus they have some really good looking sandwiches that were unfortunately sold out since I came in later in the day, but I'm absolutely eyeing all of those for next time. 100% recommend this place, super friendly people working there, all around a great experience, and i will be back...

Honestly I do not give reviews that often, but this is a new and local (to my area, and hopefully your neighborhood too 🙂) spot. I have worked at many high end restaurants where we worked tirelessly one perfected recipes for sauces and the perfect crunchy, chewy, light and crisp pizza dough we all crave. These guys have it and for a good price, this is your “New York pizza” which in its own right is really good, but it’s kinda like going to dive bars right? They just have their place. No, my friends, this is the real deal, much closer to what I imagine Italian-Americans and their Immigrant Grandmas and Grandpas are making in small mom and pop shops such as delis and bakeries in New Jersey, Philly, and New York areas. The pizza is perfect, you need to try it, the wine list is incredible, lots of baked sweets such as cannoli, tiramisu, and staff are friendly, very clean restaurant and vibe. Highly...