Bella Pizza & Pasta Southport, North Carolina - Restauran Review

Southport is a tourist town known for seafood. Seafood is not the only source of culinary delight. Bella Pizza & Pasta located in Southport is a quant establishment attempting to convince tourists that there are more than fish in Southport.

First Impressions

When you look at the exterior of Bella Pizza & Pasta Southport, NC, the establishment reminds you of a NY pizzeria. When you enter, you do not feel the same way. The walls are cluttered with tourist information and stacks of business cards throughout. A refrigerated cooler is located near the front so guests have an option to the traditional fountain drinks.

Selecting a place to sit was more challenging. I was in a party of six, so seating was definitely limited. There was one table in the middle of Bella Pizza & Pasta Southport, NC suitable for our party. If this was not available, was would have had to sit at three different tables.

Wait Staff and Menu

The wait staff consisted of the host who also ran the register. She was friendly and attentive to our needs, but not to the level of what the pricing dictated. I expected better service for the amount invested in our meal.

The menu was clear and readable. All items were drawn on an elaborate chalk board. The lunch items were separated into appetizers, salads, deli sandwiches, hero sandwiches, and NY style hand-tossed pizzas. Also included were calzones, Stromboli, and desserts.

Lunch

We chose a XL Hawaiian Pizza, a House calzone, two house salads, and garlic knots. The garlic knots were literally soaking in olive oil. You tasted more oil than you did bread. On top of that, the waitress served the garlic knots with an additional cup of oil. This was truly an overkill of olive oil.

The salad, even though it claimed to be fresh, appeared to be more of a bagged salad tossed with left over toppings. The lettuce was dry and wilted. The tomatoes were clearly bruised and old.

The best part of the meal was the Hawaiian pizza. You were able to taste a hint of butter on the crust without the taste being overpowering. The pineapples were not dried out due to cooking temperatures, but rather moist and sweet.

The craftsmanship of the calzone was noted by the delicate nature of the crust. There was a crispness complemented by the soft baked underside. The calzone was well prepared.

Check Please

With everything ordered, our bill was close to $50. I have eaten at better establishments for less. I was surprised with the amount, but I was weighing the nature of hand-made items verses the premade, mass produced items of other pizza establishments.

Pros

Fresh baked pizza

Friendly service

Cons

Garlic knots were over saturated with olive oil

Not designed for large parties - only one table which could accommodate a party of more than four.

Adjacent to the upscale bistro - connected by a walk way

Pizza was sauce heavy

Pricey

My Thoughts

The quality of the pizza was excellent, the price, not so much. You expect to find a higher price on hand crafted items, but not which mirror higher end establishments. There was not an inviting atmosphere. Bella Pizza & Pasta Southport, NC felt like an establishment you would frequent if you were interested in buying a single slice of pizza and leaving. If you want to have a sit down meal, Bella Pizza & Pasta Southport, NC is not the best choice.