Bella Via And Banquets - Highland Park

I tried Bella Via for the first time last night and was very disappointed. The house salad came with the house dressing which tasted like water with a little vinegar. For my meal I had the vegetable risotto which was essentially white rice in a lightbrown broth and vegetables. There was so much broth like liquid that it looked like soup and the dish tasted like nothing. Myfriend got the same item and was equally disappointed. When the staff member came to take our dishes he asked if we wanted boxesto which we replied that we did not, he then asked if we were still eating and when we told him we were finished he rolled hiseyes grabbed the dishes and walked away.

Although overall the food was good, it is not an experience I would repeat. Both the starter and main were lukewarm at best. The staff were friendly, but we were on a conveyor belt and were rushed throughout the meal with plates being clearedalmost before we he'd finished the last mouthful. The table we were seated at was cold and draughty with constant foot traffic.

We had our wedding ceremony and reception at Bella Via last weekend and it could not have been more perfect. Carmela and her staff were amazing and attentive. Every detail was addressed going into the planning and meticulous execution that evening.Carmela steered us in the right direction with other vendors, food and alcohol selections, and tremendous flexibility, even withadjustments that day. They accommodated all dietary restrictions and the food was absolutely delicious, losing none of theflavor and quality you receive when you sit down in the restaurant for dinner. And while the staff was there at every turn, theywere never in the way. We would always recommend the restaurant and can now recommend their outdoor and banquet space as one ofthe best options for a private event on the north shore. We would unquestionably host another event at Bella Via!

Absolutely love this place. Everything was perfect the service, food, setting. Could not expect anything more. One of my favorite Italian restaurants I?ve been to and definitely on the less pricey side of Italian restaurants. My pasta came with apretty big side salad. The complimentary bread was amazing. They had some really unique options for dessert and I tried thespumoni (multi flavored stacked gelato). I had such a great experience here especially with the amazing service and extremelynice waiters.

Service was quick, great outdoor atmosphere but food was basic and extremely overpriced for the quality. We paid $70 for 3 appetizers. The caprese salad didn?t even have basil and looked/tasted like somebody slapped Costco mozzarella onto a plate andcovered it with roasted red peppers. Not even drizzled in olive oil. The eggplant involtini rolls were decent but $25 for 2 andserved with a children?s size side of wet pasta? Absolutely not. The warm artichoke appetizer was probably the best thing we gotbut overall would not return.