La Vita E Bella

So we're staying by Pike Place Market on a Saturday getaway, ask the front desk if there's good Italian within walking distance. We did not go with their recommendations. Instead we found LA Vita e Bella, and boy are we so glad we did! I don't need a restaurant website to tell me how hip I need to be to dine there, and ain't no plate o pasta worth 30 bucks in my mind. So we take a 5-6 block stroll from the market and are in the perfect place for a date night, or taking Nonna to dinner, or hanging out with some friends, or just getting your grub on. Our server, Ella, was super friendly, attentive and fast. Our food, absolutely freaking delicious. Far better than I was expecting. Solid portions, a varied menu, and for both quality and portions, seriously reasonably priced. I had spaghetti and meatballs with a bolognese, and the pasta was perfectly al dente, the sauce let the pasta be the star, and the polpette (meatballs) were solid, flavourful, still moist but not a big ball of filler. My date had farfalle with a smoked salmon cream sauce. This wasn't a hint of salmon, it was bountiful and balanced and a delightful dinner. The wine list is extensive, and you can go as deep down a wine lover's rabbit hole as you like, or just go for a glass of cheap red, and either way you'll be happy. The ambiance is neighborhood. Not so fancy a polo and a ball cap is out of place, not so casual that date night attire feels too dressy. The glass fixtures and decor are fun and upbeat. Music is not so loud you can't have a conversation, but it does fill in the ambiance nicely. Please don't Tik Tok the place to hell, tell your friends, but keep it to your friends only so it doesn't become a place you can't get a table. They do have outside sidewalk seating, so I bet it'd be lovely in Summer. Local or visiting town, or definitely staying by the market, take a stroll to LA Vita E Bella. It really is. And don't skimp dessert!

Our experience here was wonderful. We got a reservation somewhat short notice (3 days) for 5pm on a Friday. We arrived early and several other couples were waiting outside for it to open. The vibe is nice, very relaxed and comfortable with a homey small town Italian feel to it. I started with the soup, which was lentil, and it was very good. It just melted in your mouth. I don’t even like lentils and I thoroughly enjoyed this. My finance got the bresaola which looked amazing and he said it was very good. We had several drinks, each of which were good too. I had the penne pesto which was great. I’m very picky about pesto and this was one of the best restaurant pestos I’ve had - it was fresh, made with pine nuts, and the cream added a lot. It was very smooth, which is not my preference (I like a chunkier pesto) but the flavor was definitely there. It was rich but not too heavy. The portion was very big, enough to share. My fiancée got the seafood of the day which was a salmon with fresh vegetables. He’s picky about fish quality and said this was a pretty good cut, though quite hearty. The sides looked great. It was well prepared. For dessert I got the profiteroles which were amazing. I was so full from the first two amazing courses that I could barely finish. The profiteroles were enveloped in silky layers of vanilla and chocolate mouse. The texture was perfect. The only downside was how cramped it was in the back room. I had to pass through to go to the bathroom and I had to turn sideways to squeeze behind people and I brushed against one woman’s back on my way, which was very awkward for me and must have been uncomfortable for her. I would ask to be seated in the front room. Also, we were by the front door and it was very cold, as the door was kept propped open and it was about 50 degrees outside. This should be fixed. Overall, I was thrilled by how good this dinner was. Our service was good, drinks were great, and food was outstanding. We will be happy to go back next time we’re in Belltown and want a homey hearty meal.

This is a tough place to review! I was torn between 3 and 4 stars and wish I could give 3.5. It was so hit and miss from the get go. We made a reservation, but stood at the door for at least 7 minutes before being greeted. It looked like they were understaffed for how busy they were, although not very busy, they had what looked like two or three servers for the entire restaurant, and no dedicated bartender. Our appetizer salads arrived before our drinks did. The drinks were good and the food was good, but the quality of service needs to be improved. Our server was very sweet and friendly but clearly new to the restaurant, not great at prioritizing tasks and even though I am from the industry and understand that servers need to eat when they have the chance, it dampens the experience to watch your server sit down at the bar near your table to eat her food when you are needing service. The food itself was delicious; it’s hard to go wrong with Italian food, but it was classically prepared and the portion sizes were generous. Another note to mention is the restaurant is in need of some deep cleaning. We noticed thick dust on many surfaces, stains in our menus, and the men’s bathrooms were very poorly maintained. All in all, not a horrible experience, but with so many other Italian restaurants to visit in the city we are unlikely to be back the next time we visit.

Me and my family went here, AMAZING food. Especially the pizza, we had a pepperoni but if you want a good pizza you gotta go here. The bread and olive oil is good. Everything about this place is perfect.

Everything was perfect about the restaurant and our experience. Will definitely go back on our next visit.

Fantastic, authentic Italian food and atmosphere with outstanding service! We went recently to celebrate our anniversary, and Bella was a favorite lunch restaurant of mine when I worked downtown 18 years ago. As we moved away from Seattle 8 years ago, I was excited to learn that La Vita E Bella is still there and still as wonderful as I remember! My husband and I enjoyed a fabulous meal and experience.

Worst pizza hands down