Bella Blu
967 Lexington Ave
70th St and 71st St
New York, NY 10079 (212) 988-4624
- Nearest Transit:
68th St (6)
63rd St-Lexington Ave (F)
- Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: Yes
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Lunch
- Alcohol: Full Bar
74 reviews
Neighborhood: Manhattan/East Village
"A.Mazing. I don't know how people can rag on this place for being simple. Italian food IS simple, and they do it perfectly here. I am…" read more »
10 Reviews for Bella Blu
I have been eating at Bella Blu for over 10 years now and would highly recommend the restaurant to any and all food goers who love Italian food. The atmosphere is lively, the food is always very good and the service is excellent. Bella Blu's has a high employee retention rate, meaning the staff is excellent and service is very good. Bella Blu also offer made-from-scratch pizza with all fresh ingredients and cooked by chief Hamilton in a wood fired oven- try the margarita pizza its my favorite. Be sure to meet for the head of wait staff, Marco, who will accommodate you and your parties needs from the moment you arrive. Highly recommended!!
"Bella Blu", the hopping Upper East Side Italian gathering spot was my answer when a close friend asked me out. Though narrow, I found Bella Blu's interior surprisingly airy, but as it was a beautiful day, we sat in the outdoor section. We arrived around 12 noon and were promptly seated. Our fellow diners were primarily Upper East Side couples, many of whom appeared to be regulars. I was expecting to find prix fixe, but my disappointed faded away when I tasted the delicious sundried tomato pesto & Italian bread, compliant of the house.
One of the chef's specialty, Omelet of lobster, porcini mushrooms & herbs is a "must have". The eggs were seasoned perfectly & there was substantial amount of lobster meat. For dessert, I opted for Bellini & iced coffee. This was the best Bellini I ever tasted. I could taste the freshness of peach puree which was exactly proportional to the Prosecco. The staff was courteous & very friendly. The service was excellent. A great place to eat.
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I should arguably give this place a 2 for the confusion, mediocre food, and the expensiveness. However, the charming server made up for that star and i'm a sucker for charming, dark haired, dark eyed, scruffy italian servers. I'm not the only one to agree with this because Vanessa was fanning herself off every time he came to our table.
I have to say that the dip for the bread was AMAZING. I could seriously just have bread and that bruschetta-ish dip as a meal. The carbs would probably take me 2 hours of an intense workout to burn off but who cares.
It was 80 degrees outside, humid, and it was already 9PM. I decided a mojito would really hit the spot and boy did it ever. There was quite a bit of alcohol in mine, but it was made so well that i couldn't taste it. The mojito was well made and very refreshing.
I then had the Truffle Risotto w/ Logostino. I have to admit that it was quite tasty, but the damn risotto was not completely cooked. My saffron rice was hard and actually a little powdery in the middle. Yuck!! Undercooked rice is so gross.
Others had pasta, which was cooked al dente. I like my pasta that way but others not so much. There was also dover sole which literally cost them an arm and a leg. $43 for 2 small filets of fish, not cool. Not to mention one of the dishes of dover sole was not de-boned correctly. 15 bones per bite seems a little extreme.
In the end the bill was over $400 for 9 people. I wasn't full at all. There was also a huge confusion over how to pay the bill with the server. What a night!
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Their ravioli is simply amazing. The atmosphere is very pretty, even though the crowd there is a bit older than I am used to.
After realizing that we never actually ate anywhere near work, my boyfriend and I decided to just try a random place for lunch. We went into Bella Blu and was met by a relatively older crowd enjoying a quite lunch so you won't find any power lunches going down here. I ordered the pizza which was brick oven and really crunch and delicious while he ordered the pasta with boar which was surprisingly scrumptious. I would go back to enjoy a nice lunch in the colorful restaurant but it lacks a certain something that would impress me during dinnertime
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The atmosphere of this place is really fun--very lively, tightly packed in, but great to go with a large group of a couple of good friends. Totally an UES 20 or 30-something crowd.
The food is average--i had the halibut and it was a little dry and molested with pepper! Blech! BUT one of the specials-- pumpkin ravioli was DELICIOUS--but this isn't what I ordered...but i secretely wanted to eat all of Amy's delish pasta goodness!
I have to rate the breadbasket--4/5 stars, just because it was a soft, gooing chiabata bread, which is my faveeeeeeeee.
Dessert--so yummy. One of the best chocolate mouse cakes I've had in quite some time. It just oozed out chocolate and that, my friends, is perfection.
Prices were standard--nothing too extreme--and the service was very attentive. Ciao!
My new favorite Italian restaurant on the UES. I'd passed it a million times and kept drooling each time I looked at the menu. The choice of ingredients just sounded so original, and the prices were relatively low for this 'hood. The wine selection is the part that breaks the bank, being that they've got all sorts of honors for their winelist from a bunch of different magazines. But all their pasta dishes hover below $20, and other entrees stay largely under $25.
I'm thrilled to report that the anticipation was well founded. Though it's always jam-packed to the gills, and the seating is super tight in the small space, I'm now completely obsessed with Bella Blu. It's all because of their heavenly Gnocchi in Fig & Rosemary sauce. Fig and rosemary? I know! I wouldn't have thunk it, either, but it's fantastic. The gnocchi isn't your usual doughy glob that sits like a brick in the belly. Instead, it's so light it literally melts in your mouth. Yum.
Hmmmm, I think I gotta go make a quick detour by 70th & Lex on my way home...
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We arrived on time for our 7:00pm reservation on a crisp, rainy autumn night. A sharply dressed Italian gentleman with a perfectly curled coif greeted us at the door. This experience was far different than the heckling Italian restaurant crews in San Francisco's North Beach. Instead, Bella Blu provided proof of fine style, grace and savoir faire Italy is known for.
Four of us sat at a table near the end of the bar space. The restaurant was tightly packed with tables and full of a more mature crowd - those with refined palates and the cash flow to indulge - often. Still, it did not reek of pompous attitude nor stuffiness. Even though all the tables were taken, the restaurant did not feel jammed. We were comfortable and the soft din of other conversations was at just the right level to provide ambient noise. Our server was charming, informative, attentive. A sign of quality and experience.
We started off with a polenta and chantrelle mushroom appetizer topped with a soft white cheese. On many occasions, polenta is bland, tough and generally a less than pleasant experience. Still, we took the gamble - largely because we love mushrooms. The polenta was surprisingly creamy - the entire dish dreamy. The meaty texture of the distinct chantrelles paired with the simple cornmeal and pungency of the cheese hit the spot. The organic green salad came topped with paper thin slices of Parmesan and a light balsamic vinaigrette.
While the menu was full of intriguing choices, the daily specials made the decision even more challenging! Prices were reasonable, save the white truffle pasta special at $120 for a full order.
We finally chose 4 distinct main courses: Half Moon Ravioli with spinach & ricotta and black truffle cream sauce, Rack of Lamb with pistachio crust and roasted veggies, Black Pepper Tagliatelle with wild boar sausage in a Chianti sauce, and Oven-roasted Halibut with escarole, Spanish beans and black truffle. We also enjoyed a bottle of Syrah, however, the particulars escape me.
Tasty little pillows of just the right blend of spinach and cheese, the ravioli melted into savory bliss with each bite of surrounded in the black truffle cream sauce. The sauce was sumptuous, but not overpowering. Pistachios added a distinct flavor to the succulent lamb as well as a bit of a crunch. The simple sides balanced out the dish. Since the tagliatelle disappeared quickly, so I can only assume it was heavenly. The halibut was light, flaky and baked to perfection. The bitterness of the greens contrasted the soft, buttery beans and unique black truffle. Our meal was relaxed and the atmosphere remained calm. We took our time delighting in the meal and conversation - it was almost as if everyone else disappeared (except for the instanced when water was refilled).
I only wish I had room for dessert! We found a wonderful dinner destination and will be sure to return next time we are in New York!
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We stumbled on Bella Blu on our way to Central Park. The ambiance is unique and very inviting. Candles on every table, interesting light fixtures, and wall decorations. We were seated by the window and served water promptly. The bread/dip was very good and came out shortly after our water. The service here was stellar. I ordered the lobster ravioli with broccoli rabe and Matt had a stellar spaghetti dish with meat. They had a wide variety of regional choices and not your typical Italian fare either: very original and chef-inspired flavors. It is authentic, with our waiter speaking fluent Italian. We got out the door for around $65 since we split a glass of the house red wine and just ordered pasta dishes (running about $20 each). The entrees were in the mid 20s ($22-27). We will certainly go back.
Walking into Bella Blu you were swooned off your feet by an adorable interior, a romantic atmosphere, and a real "warm and cozy" traditional feel. The menu is full of a wide selection of oven-fresh pizzas, and wonderful appetizers. The baby artichokes with pistachio and parmigano are excellent. With such a high priced restaurant and amazing cuisine you would think the service would match. The waiters are stuck up, and the managers are rude and pushy.
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