BELLA ITALIA Pizzeria/Restaurant FAMILY STYLE EXCELLENT
Location: Bardmoor Village Largo, Florida (727) 397-9076
When I was a kid growing up in Brooklyn NY, one of my best friend's DAD had an Italian "neighborhood restaurant". These were the Mom and Pop places popular with the working class. They differed from the big polished "named" or "made" gourmet places with the "named or made" clientele.
You went to this "neighborhood" pizzeria, sub shop and pasta heaven because:
• You were hungry
• Portions were big,
• The food was fresh
• T he aroma and flavor was enough to drive you crazy
• I
t was reasonably priced.
GROWING UP: I grew up in an Italian-Jewish neighborhood. My best friends were Italian. One of whom owned a small Mom and Pop restaurant. Stealthily, after school, I would sneak in the back door with my friend and we would partake of the cooking, till Mom threw us out.
Bella Italia is that kind of local neighborhood restaurant. Sal and his wife have been there for decades, makes all the dishes from scratch, uses the same quality cheese's and meats that meet his standards (much better than the commercial stuff) and the food is cooked to order..... and it reminds me of my childhood except he doesn't leave the backdoor open....
I have a favorite dish Sal makes me there. Spaghetti, simple enough with peppers, pepper flakes and garlic tossed and cooked with the sauce instead of the sauce laying on top. In Italy this is the way pasta is served. It stays hotter longer and the flavor is more integrated with the pasta throughout the dish. Mario Bateli, the esteemed Guru of Italian food and IRON CHEF branded a close sauce to what Sal makes for me except Mario's was too hot and I like hot. It is called ARRABIATTA and it has a kick like sauces tabbed, Fra' Diablo el LOBO un Blister. I'll stick with Sal.
We have been customers there for about twenty five years and nothing has varied, lots of familiar faces, family run, clean as a whistle and it's my go-to- place when hungry for simple wholesome down to earth Italian food. No frills, no smoking, clean, family run though mainly mature crowd, that means less screaming and nice conversations, and you'll need a doggie bag.