BellaBrava Tampa

First time visiting here and it was a great choice considering I was in the mood for some good Italian food. It's in a great location but parking can be a bit of a challenge. The three of us were about to get seated right away. Had a decent size crowd for a Tuesday night. Our server was great. Even got him to recommend a nice bottle of red wine even though he admitted he wasn't really a wine officianado. We ordered the meatballs for a starter. I highly recommend. The bread that accompanied them was better than the starter bread that they give you. For the main I went with the Gnocchi Alla Vodka, although I was really struggling to choose between that and the Short Rib Raggu. I'm definitely gonna have to come back here to try that soon. The gnocchi was on point and cooked to perfection. Accompanied by a great bottle of red wine and let's not forgot (I almost did) the great caesar salad that I made dissappear right before the entree. Definitely a place I would come back to. Highly recommend.

Ok where do I start… my husband and I just got off a 96 hour fast, we wanted to end it by going to Bellabrava, had a very particular list of items we wanted from the menu with substitutions. Jenny was our server, somehow she somehow remembered EVERYTHING and said it all back to us with perfection. I was absolutely impressed with her memory and even more so with her hospitality. Super friendly and conversational, really made our time there so enjoyable. The food was a 10 out of 10 to be honest and reasonably priced, I had the lasagna bolognese and my hubby has what he says is the best chicken parm he’s had in his life. Bellabrava is one of our favorite restaurants so I’m glad the staff there shows love for what they do. The Receptionist was also very friendly, looks like they have a great culture there. Can’t wait to come back!

Terrific joint for a team bonding / outing! High quality Italian food and the ambiance inside was calm and inviting! We had a great time.

I'm not going to lie.... I was pleasantly shocked and blown away by this place. The $20 bottomless mimosas sold me but the service and foood was top tier! The bread service was decadent, the waitress poured oil tableside and we mashed the garlic oil on our focaccia, it was fantastic! The ragu was brilliant. The hot honey pizza could've had more honey but it was great overall. Overall I loved this placeeee

Never once have I had a bad meal at any of Bellabrava’s locations and this was no different. Phenomenal pizzas and a great vibe.

I personally love this place! The ambiance is great for date nights or even when you're hanging out with your friends. For date nights they have great selection of wine and food and for you and your friends they also got that because they have good selection of pizzas. Those meatballs were probably my favorite out of everything I've had here. 1000% would recommend

We visited BellaBrava while in Tampa for spring break from NYC, and it was everything we could’ve hoped for—and more—when it comes to Italian cuisine. From the moment we walked in, we were warmly welcomed by our amazing waitress, Nataleigh, a fellow former New Yorker who immediately made us feel at home. Nataleigh’s enthusiasm and attention to detail were incredible. She guided us through the menu with genuine care, and went above and beyond to accommodate our kids’ sophisticated palates and special requests. The food? Absolutely outstanding. We had Gemelli pasta with pesto, another with truffle, a simple but perfect pasta with red sauce, and a mouthwatering Parmesan-encrusted salmon served over creamy polenta with a side of expertly roasted broccoli rabe. The Burrata Salad was as fresh as one can imagine with a delicious bed of arugula and strawberries. Every dish was cooked to perfection—so much so that I personally complimented the chef and suggested they open a second location in NYC! The quality, flavors, presentation, and service were all spot on. BellaBrava is a must-visit for anyone looking for truly delicious Italian cuisine in Tampa. Highly recommend!

Bellabravo review My boyfriend and I just had our Valentine’s dinner here and the best two words to describe our experience are ‘efficient and amazing’! I booked our reservation via Open Table and received numerous reminders via Apple Calendar all the way until we arrived at the restaurant. Once we arrived, we were greeted by the friendly hostesses who got us seated immediately. Within 20 minutes, we received our cocktails, apps, complimentary focaccia bread, and our main courses following shortly after; All super delicious. Our waitress Meghan was the star of the show — she has the most friendly, genuine personality and was extra helpful with recommending places to go for a party scene.

BellaBrava was a nice escape on a rainy day, offering relief from the rush hour traffic. Our waitress was exceptionally friendly and allowed us to leisurely enjoy our meal. The diverse wine selection is always a good touch. The restaurant boasted a relaxed ambiance with ample seating. I thoroughly enjoyed our pizza; it was incredibly tasty and definitely worth returning for. Ordered: Hot Honey Pizza = Absolutely delicious

Absolutely incredible Italian cuisine. The food and service was phenomenal, not one bad thing to say about this place. The wait staff was amazing, food came out very quick. Drew, our server was nothing but nice and helpful. Highly highly recommended, we will be coming back Update: We come back at least twice a month. One of our favorite spots. As a New Yorker this is some of the best pizza I’ve had living in Florida for the last 9 years. Highly recommend. Hot Sicilian with the hot honey added 👌

Outstanding. We were with a party of 23-25 people. Dallas and Austin were so nice and they worked really hard to keep us organized and our orders aligned. The food was delicious. Very fresh, hot, spicy, and comforting. I will visit again. I loved the prices. The wine selection was also very good.

We were seated in front of the see-through kitchen and I've never seen such a clean kitchen. Tuna carpaccio was a bit salty, but the stuffed gnocchi and seasonal panna cotta were amazing! Our waitress was exceptionally attentive, and I will return to try more dishes.

Beautiful place for an excellent dinner and atmosphere. The service was amazing and the food delicious. Despite an error with the food, the issue was resolved quickly. Drinks were really good as well.

BellaBrava is situated in a great little square in Midtown. We were in town for a soccer tournament, and wanted Italian for my daughter's birthday. The atmosphere was amazing, great lighting, features and decor. Our waitress was fantastic, funny, knowledgeable and made some suggestions in what her favorite was. The food was delicious, well presented and got us full, fat and happy!!!!

I had an amazing dinner with my niece last night , November 4, 2025. Our waitress “Astrid” was another level, her hospitality and customer service is 100% what we expect in a restaurant. We order appetizers like Bella Bruschetta and Tratoria Meatballs. For meal we choose Calabrian Shrimp Scampi and Chicken Parmesan. I almost forgot, for dessert we ordered Tiramisu, yummy. Every dish we order was insane, delicious, superb. I’m glad we went to BellaBrava, I’m very familiar with the one in St. Pete. Keep up the good work, who ever owns this restaurant knows what he’s doing. If you go ask for “Astrid” she’ll make your time in BellaBrava pleasant and sweet ❤️

Dallas was literally the best part of our dinner! Usually we get treated not the best since we our young but Dallas treated me and my wife with such care! He deserves so much thank you Dallas! Food was great too

BellaBrava never disappoints. The food was excellent—fresh, flavorful, and well prepared—and the service truly stood out. Jeremy, Evan, and Sarah were attentive, friendly, and made the experience feel special without being overbearing. Great atmosphere, great team, and consistently great food. Highly recommend.

Went to BellaBrava with my partner and we had an amazing time! The food was fantastic from start to finish. I had the short rib ragù pasta — absolutely delicious — and my husband ordered the chicken parmigiano, which was incredible too. We also got strawberry lemonades that were super fresh and made right there, a really good Caesar salad, and a pizza that was just perfect. Service was outstanding — our server was super friendly and attentive, and everything came out just right. We sat outside on the patio since the weather was beautiful, and it made the whole experience even better. (Pardon the photos 😅 we had already started eating, but everything was so good I thought it deserved a review anyway!) 🍝🍕🍋

Very good pasta, tastes so fresh and high quality. The bread was also excellent. We found the fried calamari a bit rubbery on some pieces but overall very good as well. Service was prompt and friendly/knowledgable. Would definitely go back again!

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner and our server Evan was exceptional.. he made sure everything came out timely and was extremely attentive and caring. All of our dishes were made perfectly! We will definitely be back.

Bravo BellaBrava! This wonderful venue has become one of my go-to choices in midtown. The ambiance and quality of food and service make for the perfect trifecta. General Manager Ula Chladek greeted me with enthusiastic remembrance from a favorite local haunt of many years ago. She put the punctuation mark on another fabulous dining experience at BB...thank you for such a heartwarming welcome Ula!

Best lobster tortellini I’ve ever had. One of the managers, Sarah, stopped by my table and made sure we were happy. I was having a rough day but the quality of the service here made it all better. Jeremy was nice too. The potatoes were good.

Nice location in New Town with a great outdoor dining area. We started with an espresso martini that was very good and well mixed. The complimentary bread was delicious and paired perfectly with my meal. I ordered the chicken parmigiana and really enjoyed it—it had great flavor. A pleasant spot for a relaxed dining experience.

Food itself was very tasty and had lots of flavor, and they are very accommodating to personal preferences and wanting to remove things from the food. The only downside of the food was the focaccia which tasted as if it was defrosted minutes before serving. Service was very good, and they were quick to help. I made a reservation beforehand which made it easier to be seated, as they filled up FAST during dinner time. Very loud atmosphere, but cozy (if you get cold easily, I’d bring a light sweater!)

The tomato soup was sooo delicious. The lasagna was also very flavourful. I’m not sure about the pasta being hand made though 🫣🫣 the best part was the wonderful service.

This was a special occasion for us and we had an 8 o'clock reservation. We arrived 15 minutes early and checked in at the reception. It was a Friday evening and was very crowded. We waited patiently till 8:15 for our table as we saw that the tables were prepped and some people were being seated. I reached out to the receptionist just to show my face, and also ask if it would take longer, but she kind of ignored me and I went back to waiting. Other groups who came after us (past 8) were made to sit, and it was 8:30, not as crowded anymore and I had to go and ask again to be seated- that's when we got a table. It upset me a little but I decided to not let it affect the rest of our evening. Our server was Alyssa, and she was fantastic. We placed our orders and she was consistent, making sure we only had so much food on the table that we could comfortably navigate around and enjoy. We ordered their bruschetta, strawberry burrata salad, roasted wild mushroom pizza, and black truffle pasta. I thought the truffle pasta was less in quantity and did not have any truffles- which I later rectified that the description never promised shaved truffles but a truffle cream- so I ordered another pasta dish, the caponata. Everything tasted good and I especially liked the salad and the pizza. The burrata and the strawberries were fresh, the pasta was well cooked, and while the vegan pasta wasn't seasoned as well we were able to add salt and pepper from the table. We asked the server and she got us housemade focaccia and olive oil as well. We were so full that we did not have room for dessert so we didn't order any. We liked that the restaurant does a round of beers for the kitchen for just $5 so we decided to include that in our bill just to say thanks. Overall, except for the wait it was a wonderful experience and I would like to come back again.

First experience at this location. The ambiance/decor is charming. Started with the Arancini(average taste) and bruschetta(good flavor, perfect amount). Main dishes included the salmon, which was delicious with the very flavorful capers on top. The hot honey pepperoni pizza was very good, with tons of pepperoni. I ordered a side of basil pesto cream, which was great as a dipping sauce for the pizza. Service was mediocre. Would return.

Bella Brava in Tampa offers a mixed dining experience with some standout moments and a few areas that could use improvement. The service was definitely a highlight of our visit. Our server, Valerie, was incredibly friendly and attentive, making us feel welcome and well taken care of throughout the meal. Her warmth and professionalism added a lot to our overall experience. The drinks were another high point. The lavender martini was a delightful surprise—unique, fragrant, and perfectly balanced. The tiramisu martini was equally impressive, though the actual tiramisu dessert, while enjoyable, leaned a bit too sweet for my taste and missed the robust coffee flavor that defines a classic tiramisu. For starters, we tried the bruschetta and the polenta fritta. The bruschetta was fantastic—fresh, flavorful, and topped with a delicious mix of tomatoes, basil, and balsamic. The polenta fritta, however, was just okay. While the texture was nice, it lacked depth of flavor aside from the sweetness of the honey it was served with. A bit more seasoning or a savory element could have elevated this dish. The entrees were a bit of a letdown. The Misticanza salad was a standout, thanks to its vibrant Italian dressing that brought all the ingredients to life. Unfortunately, the margherita pizza and Pasta Caponata fell short. Both dishes were dry and bland, lacking the sauciness and bold flavors I was hoping for. The pizza crust was decent, but the overall dish needed more sauce and seasoning, while the pasta felt underdressed and uninspired. Despite the hit-or-miss food, the ambiance and service at Bella Brava make it a pleasant spot to dine. With a few tweaks to the entrees and a more balanced approach to the tiramisu, this place could easily become a go-to for Italian cuisine in Tampa. I’d recommend it for the drinks, starters, and salad, but maybe explore other options for the main course. Thank you, Valerie, for making our evening so enjoyable!

I want to give 4.5 stars but that’s not an option. I had the Mare e Monti and it was absolutely delicious. The decor was elegant. Our server was outstanding. The deduction of a 1/2 star was for the nasty restrooms. Otherwise our experience was great.

This is a great location with a great atmosphere and we had a fantastic waitress who was also quite capably doubling as the bartender. We were excited to get their woodfired pizza and we had Caesar salads. Perhaps I’m judging them a little harshly because they are an Italian cuisine restaurant, but the pizza was >mids honestly. The sauce was tasteless and the crust was a little spongy. I guess the sausage on it was OK. So brighten the sauce up guys! You know a more umami - infused tangier marinara would be better. Especially if that’s the same sauce you put on other tomato based pasta dishes. And work on your crust texture since that’s a highly touted item on your menu. You have a great staff and a great location.

Heard many great things about this place so I wanted to check it out. The best part about BellaBrava was the focaccia and olive oil spread they give you to start and their alcoholic drinks. Other than that, the appetizer and entree I ordered were okay. Nothing memorable enough to have me come back.

I hardly liked anything that I ordered. The meatballs seemed like they had been sitting in the back for some time due to being lukewarm. The bread that came with the meatballs were extremely dry and resembled what I would imagine for a sponge to taste like. The pasta that I ordered was very dry. I just didn’t enjoy it at all. The water tasted like it came unfiltered from a sink. My date also made a comment that the service from the bartender was very slow. An attentive bartender is very important. I know that a year ago I enjoyed the Saint Pete location way better…just not this one.

If you are looking for good food but no flatware, no water, and poor service, this is the place for you. We planned to order dinner, but no one ever returned to take our order. After receiving our appetizers, we had to wave someone down just to ask for water and place our dinner order. At that point, we just ordered a pizza to split. We kept having to reach behind us to fill our waters from the service station, mind you staff was walking by but guess we were not their table so they couldn’t help.

Disappointing Valentine's Day dinner. Despite a great experience last year, this visit felt rushed and disorganized. Our main courses arrived at the same time as our salads, leaving no room on the table or time to relax. Service was lackluster—we had to hunt down our waitress for refills—and the food quality has noticeably dipped. Not the romantic evening we were hoping for.

Not sure where the short rib is. This is the driest pasta dish I ever had. I have had this before and it was much better. Definitely not worth 27.00. This was to go. 1/21/26 Update: Matt replied writhing 1 day of my review which was great. I emailed Matt on the 6th and 9th and he has yet to get back to me. So, leaving a Google reply for everyone to see to make it seem like you will make amends is very deceiving. 2 weeks and no reply. I wish my meal had looked like the one Christine T showed a pic of in her review.

Got seated about 25 mins ago. Server came to greet us & then probably forgot about us. Got another servers attention to remind our server we are waiting to order. Waves at him twice & he ignored. Been 5-10 mins now of placing order & still no bread or anything. If the service stays this bad & even if the food is decent. This is be a No return for me for sure!! Glass of water has been empty for more than 10 mins. No refills. After getting our order. Server never checked back. Had to go fetch chili flakes myself. Still waiting on water to be filled. Just horrible horrible service!

If I could give negative stars I would. Service is great but you’ll have better more authentic Italian food from chef boyardi. Probably the most bland Italian food I ever had. Calamari was so overseasoned I felt my blood pressure rise as I was eating it. Caesar salad taste like dish water. The short rib was watery. Service is great but man…this hurt my soul.

Had confirmed reservation, was told there would be a wait or we could sit out side in the freezing cold 37’ or at the bar (with 2 kids). After 10 minutes of walking around hostess brings us to table … next to 5 other empty tables. No one ever sat at these tables the rest of the evening.

Very disappointed. We chose to sit outside and we waited for atleast 30 min without being offered a water. I understand that they were busy being that it was valentines day but we atleast should have been offer water while we wait. It was also upsetting seeing other being seated and getting water while we waited patiently. We got up and left.

I came to Bella Brava to celebrate with my husband and this was honestly one of the worst restaurant experiences I’ve ever had. They brought my husband’s food and never brought mine. The server kept saying “yours is coming,” and we waited. My husband finished his entire meal, and I was still sitting there with no food at all. We were there for TWO HOURS and I never got a plate. When we finally said something, the manager offered to box mine to go. That is not a solution. I did not come here to watch someone else eat and then leave with a takeout container. I came to eat fresh food at the table like any normal paying customer. And here’s the part that really shows how bad the service is: they still charged for my husband’s food like nothing happened. No discount, no “we’re sorry we ruined your night,” nothing. After making us sit through a ruined dinner, at minimum you would expect them to take responsibility for their mistake. Instead it felt like they just wanted to close the check and move on. This wasn’t a small delay. It completely ruined what was supposed to be a special night. I sat there hungry watching my husband eat alone. I can’t even tell you if the food is good because I NEVER GOT MY ORDER. I’ve been to the Bella Brava in St. Pete and it was great, so I know they can do better. But the service at this location was unacceptable. If you work in hospitality, you should know how to check on an order, communicate, and fix a problem before it becomes a two-hour disaster. Management needs to wake up, because this kind of service will destroy the restaurant’s reputation fast. I won’t be coming back.