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Pasta Bella
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
5909 15th Ave NWSeattle, WA 98107
Neighbourhood: Ballard
(206) 789-4933
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 4:30 pm - 10 pm
Sun 4 pm - 9 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
62 reviews for Pasta Bella
Review Highlights
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"Bread was hot, roasted garlic soft, merlot pleasing." In 23 reviews -
"I love this little place." In 3 reviews -
"...and had just the right amount of delicious sauce on top." In 3 reviews
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62 reviews in English
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Review from Felisa D.
5/3/2012
This place is very reminiscent of the restaurants in Little Italy in Boston. There's the cheesy decor that clearly did not get the memo about modernism being all the rage when it comes to restaurant atmosphere these days. It reminds you a little of your grandma's house because it has that small, cozy, neighborhood-joint feel going. The kind that reads, "I know these young'ns like to be all modern but I ain't doing none of that" (because I imagine all grandparents are sassy and have that Southern twang going on... In fact, I think I was particularly picturing Paula Deen in my head) They were even playing Frank Sinatra songs to seemingly finish off that theme they have going. They like the 50s. They're Italian. They ain't changing for nobody.
They started us off with bread and roasted garlic cloves. Oh my goodness. I kept sipping the crap out of my wine to make myself slow down over the bread and the cloves and to ensure my friend got his fair share. Then the food arrived and while my dish was a little on the salty side, it was very flavorful. Also, when it first arrived I thought I would need dessert to supplement my dinner but it was so rich that by the end, I was stuffed and I had to leave a couple of bites on my plate. It totally hit the spot.
It's not the height of culinary amazingness. It's not the best Italian restaurant ever (or even in Seattle). I was hoping it would be! But I still liked it. I ultimately appreciated the unapologetic rich Italian-American fare they served. I'd come back! -
Review from Brian and Ann Marie E.
Seattle, WA
Updated - 2/11/2012
Free Bruschetta appetizer? Fuck your bruschetta. You may have incredible food, but you ruined our favorite Italian restaurant in Seattle.
Used to be 5 stars. That was at the Queen Anne location, which closed.
Tonight, I took my pregnant wife to the one in Ballard and the asshole Italian host/proprietor seated THREE couples who put their name in after us. Then, when I told him he skipped us, he apologized and 2 minutes later sat ANOTHER couple ahead of us.
We left without eating. An hour wait for nothing.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/4/2012
Best Italian food we've ever had. And that's coming from a Polish/Swede from Chicago. Absolutely… Read more »
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Review from Stan F.
1/17/2012
I've been meaning to try this restaurant. We went here when we were trying to avoid going out in potential snow and they happened to be open when other places were closed. I'm happy because we always wanted to try this restaurant. When we got there, we were the only ones in the restaurant. I felt bad at first as though they might want to close early because of the weather forecast, MLK holiday, and just being a Monday when restaurants seem to be a little slow anyways.
We had the Ceaser salad and ministrone soup to start. The Ceaser salad was excellent, one of the best Ceaser salads that I have had. The ministrone soup was a little on the tomato-ey side and in a very small shallow bowl, so not a whole lot to enjoy. I thought this was okay, not great, but not horrible.
They start you off complimentary hot bread and some roasted garlic cloves. There is oil at the table or you can ask for butter which also tastes pretty darn good with hot bread and roasted garlic on a cold evening.
For the main course, I had the hallibut special which was hallibut pan seared with a picatta sauce and accompanied with pasta with pesto sauce and some sauteed vegetables (broccoli, winter squash, bell pepper). My better half had the gnocchi with a pink carbonara sauce. Both were pretty good.
For dessert, we all shared the hot bread pudding with raisins pears and whipped cream. This was very tasty!
Overall, I was happy to know that this restaurant was here. I liked it pretty much. The price was a little more than what I thought it should be (towards the upper end of the $$ bracket), but overall it was a positive experience. -
Review from Jan M.
Mountlake Terrace, WA
5/20/2012
Love the Food. Love the Service. Wish my Ravioli was hot, though:(
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Review from Stephen K.
Seattle, WA
1/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
Very decent italian food. The ambiance is very nice too, although the decor is a little cheesy. All the amazing legit italian joints I've ever been in have old family photos of people not smiling. This one has duplicates of italian masterpieces.. whatever though, our experience was very pleasant.
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Review from Cindy H.
Tacoma, WA
1/2/2012
Dinner for 13 on New Years Eve. (Thirteen!) Server was Jessie (?). Very good service. How they got all our meals out at the same time was beyond me! Nearby tables did not like our crowd. One patron held the middle finger up to her ear during her entire first course and then took her order to go. Then flipped us off again as she left. I ordered the steak with onions/red peppers....did not care for it so cannot recommend it. Other people in my party enjoyed the beer/wine listings. Parking was very good compared to the other places we visited that night.
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Review from Aaron E.
2/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Not impressed.
Well... I was impressed until the entrees arrived. The salad course was probably the highlight. The roasted garlic served with the bread was also pretty awesome. But that's kind of sad that the highlight was the salad course and the free bread they serve to everyone.
Things started going down hill when one of the two entrees was right. It got even worse when I said "no thanks" when asked if I wanted fresh ground pepper and our waiter decided to add some just for fun. Eventually they brought out the correct entree but it was just a little awkward waiting for it. The crab and spinach manicotti was pretty decent although a little fishy and the béchamel sauce was clumpy. The mushroom ravioli (when it actually arrived) was definitely a lot better.
Then dessert time came. Tiramisu and cannoli were both okay, but I was hoping for better than okay... I was really overwhelmed with how mediocre it was. Oh, and the cappucino I had with dessert had some extremely bitter espresso.
It took about 20 years for the bill to come. It took like 20 years for them to take our form of payment as well. The quality and experience was not worth the cost.
Definitely not the worst dinning experience but it was pretty bad and I probably won't be back. -
Review from gretchen m.
Seattle, WA
5/28/2011
This is not the best italian restaurant by a long shot, but... its ok. I could go on about all the mediocre things about it, but it has something really great. Its quirky, a little homey, and has an intimate local feeling especially on a busy friday night. We really enjoy going there.
Nice bread and roasted garlic to start. Stay away from anything with a marsala sauce - it is sickly sweet, but the cream based sauces are okay. The wine selection is not that good, but the service is excellent. I have had a good lasagna and an eggplant dish with bechamel sauce that was delicious. My husband enjoys the veal in lemon sauce. The creme caramel dessert is fantastic and worth going there for. So - a balance of good and eh, and reasonably priced.
A perfect place for a weeknight outing. It is very convenient because of the parking lot next door. -
Review from Martha T.
Seattle, WA
10/29/2011
My husband, son and I went to Pasta Bella for dinner yesterday. Everything about this place is stellar. The atmosphere is delightful, the staff is friendly and they know their stuff, parking was easy and the food was amazingly delicious. Their location is good too. It's in Ballard. I think they had one on Queen Anne, but closed it so all those Queen Anne fans could always drive down to Ballard without too much traffic. The owner came over and talked to us a bit. I wanted to hug him. He made our experience delightful. I looked around as people were eating and I could see everyone there was enjoying their food and having a good time. I highly recommend Pasta Bella in Ballard.
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Review from Tom N.
Seattle, WA
9/4/2011
I HATE ITALIAN FOOD! but after coming here...I think I'm only going to give this place a chance. I remembered walking in and found this place dead empty, but I had hopes for my fellow yelpers and this place is real nice, a nice place for a first date in the future. Anyways, on to the food.
Their $23 dollar steak was fucking amazing. It came with tasty smash potatoes and soft steam veggies. I had to finish them all so I can enjoy my lovely steak. The best $23 dollar steak I've ever had. I forgot the name of it, but it had some vinegar in it.
The service? The man was the best waiter I've ever had so far. He gave great recommendations and was a bit cocky to say everything was good, which it was... my group of six all loved their food and I tried all their food as well and it was flavorful. He refilled our waters consistently, remembered our orders easily and even our cards. That man was a true professional, so for once, I had to tip someone 20%. -
Review from Kelly M.
Seattle, WA
1/14/2012
I really wanted to love this cute little restaurant but I am sad to say they didn't make the cut. Simple Italian food is based on good ingredients. Pre-grated parmesan cheese, pre-sliced canned olives, watery bland caesar dressing, stale croutons and other short cuts resulted in flat flavorless food. Taste your food, even if you have made it a million times. Our waiter on the other hand was top notch, perhaps he should find a venue that matches his talents. Here's hoping they put some extra effort into their food in the future.
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Review from Michael K.
Seattle, WA
7/7/2010
I think this may have been the closest I've ever come to being transported into Lady and the Tramp. I'm not really sure how else to describe the ambiance of Pasta Bella... It was adorable. Everyone was so friendly, almost to the point of comical, but it resulted in such a pleasant dining experience, I didn't even freak out when I got the bill (maybe a little internally).
We shared two entrees... The pesto cannelloni and the veal marsala (I know, boo hiss)... They were both phenomenal... The pesto was so good I asked if I could buy some and the waiter actually just gave me a fairly big container of it to take home which was awesome and resulted in the guy receiving a huge tip (get it?). Honestly, the food was wonderful and the wine they paired it with was spot on... I do not recommend trying to move a cannelloni with your nose, however, despite any romantic intentions.
Oh... did I mention they have two kinds of Calamari? Good game. I got both. The preperation was very similar, but the sauces and accompanying vegetables were different, and both were superb. Not a standard breaded and fried dish at all, but a saute' probably slightly more on the authentic side. Neither portion was even remotely chewy, and the combination of artichoke and squid was both new and terrific (new to me). If you're just going to try one, go with the white sauce, but both are great. 4/5 stars on the Calamari Scale.Listed in: Calamari Christmas, A Taste of Italy ...
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Review from Kat F.
10/13/2009
It was love at first whiff.
My parents were in town and wanted to eat Italian. I'd driven past Pasta Bella many a time but had never gone inside so we decided to venture over to Ballard and give it a try. The moment we stepped inside we knew we had made a good decision! It was warm, cozy and dimly lit and garlic was in the air. We were shown to a table and given some bread with roasted garlic to nibble while we read over the menu.
We had a calamari appetizer which was delectable - calamari sauteed with tomatoes, kalamata olives and fresh herbs in a white wine sauce. For dinner I ordered eggplant that had been stuffed with other veggies and goat cheese and then roasted. It was served over tomato sauce and fettuccine and was done absolutely perfectly. I like my eggplant so tender that I don't need to use a knife and I was definitely able to cut this entree with a fork.
My parents were very happy with their choices as well. Our only "complaint" was the sheer number of dishes on the menu. Everything looked incredible and it was very difficult to choose! -
Review from Ray Z.
Paradise, WA
9/18/2007
I have just come home from dinner at Pasta Bella, and my hands are a bit tired. Tired from salting my food (you know that things are not looking up when you _both_ reach for the salt at the same time). Tired from picking out the Rosemary twigs and leaves from each mouthful of Osso Buco (it is indeed ironic that just recently, I was complaining to a friend that I hate picking out the leaves from unstrained tea).
Not that the food was terrible or terribly flavorless. Indeed, one could discern the distinct flavors of the various ingredients (like the Rosemary). But as a whole, the dishes just seemed to lack body and richness. Perhaps it's that I've been spoiled by the robust flavors at places like Assaggio and the Pink Door. I guess one could grow to appreciate the delicate flavors at Pasta Bella. But one thing I'm certain about is that the pasta was overcooked. It was soft and lifeless. In fact, once mixed with the Osso Buco, mine became mushy.
The consolation to the evening was the service. We were promptly seated, and our server was friendly, helpful and attentive. Glasses were never left empty, and empty dishes were never left sitting around. The timing on production and serving was fine also. Drinks, bread and garlic, appetisers and main dishes all appeared prompty.
Overall, the meal was "pasta non bella". There are just too many more dependably-good places (like Asteroid, Perche No, Fremont Classic) in the immediate area for me to want to risk this place again. -
Review from Lauren D.
Seattle, WA
1/4/2008
We enjoyed New Year's Eve Dinner '07 here and were pleasantly surprised - it was good!
Driving by it for months now, I had always envisioned Pasta Bella as a one room, dark restaurant with really standard fare. Instead, it's got several rooms, brightly painted walls (complete with Roman columns!), cozy tables, and some damn tasty food!
We called ahead from our friends' house a block away - they happily put us on the list for a table, and promptly called when one was ready for us! This was a really lovely touch, so we could wait in the comfort of the house rather than packed in their little entryway.
Soft bread and roasted cloves of garlic were a treat - far better than bread and butter or oil, if you ask me. Since we were celebrating, we went with a bottle of red, and a half carafe of white. We also ordered their antipasto platter, with yummy veggies, all pickled and colorful. Our table saw two orders of a wonderful rolled eggplant with artichokes, zucchini, spinach and pine nuts, a seafood alfredo, and goat cheese & walnut ravioli - everyone really, really loved their dish. A look of shock crossed all our faces as we realized this place was WAY better than our expectations.
Nice to know Pasta Bella is there, off the main Ballard strip, waiting with comfy warm food. -
Review from Betsey S.
4/9/2007
I love Pasta Bella for a relaxed dinner date (more like Wednesday or Friday night date... to me, it's not Saturday night fancy). You come away from dinner feeling full, happy, and very well cared for. They say you can't love well until you have eaten well, and I fully buy into that maxim. Pasta Bella must, too, and their entree size is just perfect for eating well but not inducing the beached whale effect (not a desirable date feeling).
I love the roasted garlic they bring out with warm bread, and the fact that they have carafes of house wines (that is how Italians really do things, people). We get the house Montepulciano, and find it's a lot better than the house Chianti. And yes, we get the large carafe... we like long dinners.... with lots of wine. The staff takes excellent care of you while not being in your face too much, and they'll frequently remember you if you are a repeat diner.
Pasta Bella's pasta is freshly made, and has the perfect 'tooth' to it. Bistecca (steak) entrees, seafood dishes (I love the Seafood Risotto), baked dishes (it is hard for me not to order the Melanzane - stuffed eggplant - every visit, but sometimes I can resist), simple dishes, salads (including salads with grilled chicken or shrimp if you are not a pasta eater - you poor bastard!), and did I mention wine in carafes? Pasta Bella really has it all. It's a little funky decor-wise with empty olive oil jugs etc, but it works, and you'll be full, happy, and ready to love well. If not a little drunk. -
Review from Danielle J.
Seattle, WA
10/31/2009
This place is easy to miss if you are just cruising down 15th and not looking for it. The service was great and our waiter was very attentive and helpful in choosing from the many menu selections. The wine glasses being small is pretty much my only complaint.
They serve roasted garlic cloves with their bread which makes me a happy girl!!! I had the salmon piccata special with capers, onion and fennel served with fettucine and pesto pasta and vegetables. It was awesome. The salmon wasn't the best I have ever had, but was cooked perfectly. The gnocchi with pancetta was to die for.
For dessert, we ordered cannoli and tiramisu. The tiramisu was rather wet, but I appreciated the rich flavor. The cannoli was excellent, perfect amount of ricotta. The americano was also extremely yummy.
Their menu is so extensive that anyone could find something to like on there... I would recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a quaint location with personalized service. We lingered long after eating and didn't feel rushed to get out. I will go back! -
Review from Abha H.
Seattle, WA
10/18/2011
I used to go to this place quite a long time ago--say 12 years back but I had not been to it in a very long time--like 8 years. I remembered it as being outstanding albeit a little expensive, but in spite of the price it was always well worth it. I see it as moderately priced now since I have more income.
The food is exquisite. We went there tonight. I had been telling my boyfriend about how I remembered the food to be so good, so we found a coupon and went for dinner. He was very impressed, and it was just as good as I remembered it. If you like Italian food, these folks know what they are doing: outstanding!! Good service too.
OH and to the people who got cold soup--well, now any restaurant worth their salt wants you to leave with a good feeling. Eateries long for repeat business. Ask them to make it right. They probably will be happy to oblige. -
Review from Hauke G.
Seattle, WA
12/28/2006
Excellent option for a lower key Italian dinner in the Ballard Area. Voltaire is great, but usually a bit of a fuss. This place feels like a little slice of Italy. The decor is cute and simple, the people are great, and the food is spot on. Good salads and pasta options on menu, along with a seasonal Garlic Festival list that is deadly - but tasty. Decent wine and beer selection (Moretti by the bottle!).
I recommend the Involtini con Pollo - HOLY CRAP is it good!
The only down side is if you get one of the nice window seats it can be a little chilly and your view is drunk bastards speeding down 15th. How romantic. -
Review from Damon C.
Seattle, WA
8/12/2007
The Parentals are in town and my father was looking for a basic spaghetti dinner. So where better than Pasta Bella. A cozy little place up on 15th with an interior decor that makes you forget there's a Taco Bell and Blockbuster right across the street and almost makes you think you're in your Italian Grandmother's house.
The staff is very friendly and more than willing to help explain the different menu options. Unfortunately for me, it is the Roasted Garlic Festival and there were so many tasty dishes with garlic, but I had to refrain as I'm going to be dancing up a storm tomorrow and I'm sure my partner wouldn't appreciate a load of garlic in her face.
So I settled on the Penne Sausage. As is too often the case with pasta and sausage dishes, you typically get gypped on the ratio of sausage to penne and wind up leaving a lone piece of sausage hanging around for that last bite. Not at Pasta Bella! There was so much meat in the penne that there was some leftover when I was full! Now THAT is a good Italian joint! ;o)
My only suggestion is that they have a few dessert choices that are a little bit lighter on the stomach. They looked fabulous, but a little cup of sorbet would have been perfect. -
Review from Kevin B.
Marina Del Rey, CA
9/16/2007
I don't recall a bad visit here and never get tired of visiting. The food is excellent and I could eat just the roasted garlic and bread all night. The atmosphere is excellent, just a few dark, narrow rooms - seems like you could be in Brooklyn. Warning: You will overeat and get stuffed if not careful.
The Ballard location is much more intimate and interesting than the Queen Anne place, in my opinion. -
Review from Katie S.
Seattle, WA
11/18/2008
I love this little place. I love the long, claustrophobic, hallway-like dining rooms.
I do not love their tapwater. It tastes like crap.
The pollo involtini (I think it's called; we just say 'involuntary chicken') is the absolute bomb. The chicken breasts are stuffed with pine nuts, raisins, sausage, spinach, and a few other things....with a delightful marsala sauce, crisp-fresh steamed veg, and a somewhat mediocre pesto linguine.
Gnocchi is unbelievable. It's pretty much like nibbling on fresh poached, hairless, hamster bellies. In a good way. So tender and fluffy. My first taste of gnocchi...and I am now hooked. If they are available, try them!
Also have tried some sort of lamb thing (someone else's), a couple different raviolis, and the fettucine alfredo.
Everything is very nice - pasta is very nicely al dente (read firm-ish).
A ravioli with mushroom stuffing was superb.
The spinach salad with Gorgonzola and pralined walnuts is OMG good.
Their menu has gotten a little sprawling - like many Stephen King novels. I generally get that chicken thing that I know I like, then taste other people's.
They always start you with bread (meh) and a dish of roasted garlic (YAY!) that is awesome.
I think it would be fine for kids because it's already DAMN LOUD in there!
The service has been generally slow, with the handsomest waiter I've ever seen...who was rather cold. Sadness!
Great little romantic place. -
Review from John C.
Seattle, WA
2/24/2009
Ate here once (mid 2006), and that was enough; the experience was so poor we went to another restaurant 30 minutes later to finish dinner. Consider any of the other great Seattle pasta places first.
I would typically give any restaurant the benefit of the doubt, however there were too many issues with this place to consider it again.
1. The food was poor, overall. If you like garlic, there is plenty of it, and this is a good thing for me. The bad part: the ravioli my wife ordered was stale and old. the edges were hard, actually crunchy. I had the 'fresh' fish, which this night was halibut. This fish is rather bland, but when cooked right can be really awesome. This night it was served in a picante: it tasted no more flavorful than a piece of low grade cod boiled in water. really, it was bad. I was disappointed.
2. Service was average, and the serving time was all messed up, and made me irritated to say the least. We sat down at 7pm, had our order taken for apps and salad immediately. this was served by 7:08. the dinner order was placed in the meantime, prolly around 7:05. The dinner was then brought out less than 10 minutes after the apps!! I told the waiter it was WAY too early, so he told us he would keep it heated. Therefore, our dinner was now simply sitting in the kitchen...ugh. I dont understand this, as the place was not full and we did not tell them to make it all happen fast.
The bread was good, not great. The roasted garlic was fine, hard to mess that up.
We left and went to Pontis for appetizers and desert. Pontis is great :^) Pasta Bella is very average. -
Review from Eric S.
Seattle, WA
11/26/2010
When the occasion calls for a special evening out, and relaxed casual, Pasta Bella fits the bill. Nice local down-to-Earth feel yet Euro-esque.
I've been here probably a couple dozen times over the past 20 years and it is consistently a nice experience. Great friendly service, tasty Italian dishes, mostly fair prices. ...and of course FRESH made pasta done just right. Note: I have only had the meat-free dishes here.
There may be a wait on weekends and holidays, but weeknights have been easy and good service lately. -
Review from Zannie S.
Seattle, WA
2/22/2009
Last night was our first visit to Pasta Bella.
Overall, we three adults had a very nice dinner.
I had the mushroom ravioli which was a very rich but tasty treat. One companion had the eggplant which she was pleased with and the other had a special with Italian sausage that went over well.
One of my favorite things about an Italian restaurant is the probability of a small salad with gorgonzola, nuts and raspberry vinaigrette. Pasta Bella did not disappoint. That being said, the restaurant was out of "fresh field greens" as described on the menu and gave us spinach instead. Honestly, I love spinach so it was A-OK with me. Not sure my companions were so crazy about it.
We thought the pricing was a bit high. The entrees were fine...$14 - $20 each, but the salad was not included and was additional $5.50 per plate. The cost of a salad plus entree was approximately $20-$26 each.
For dessert we chose the cannoli. Nice filling but the shell seemed a bit stale.
One guest asked for coffee with cream. The coffee came but Pasta Bella was "out of cream." OK...Safeway is four blocks away....why is there no cream?
Very nice service, ahem, except for the items they ran out of.
I really want to give this place four stars but I just can't. I will update hopefully with additional stars when we try it again. -
Review from Matthew P.
Seattle, WA
11/9/2008
A nice little unpretentious restaurant with GREAT pasta. I tend to associate Italian restaurants with over-cooked pasta slathered in red sauce and generally avoid them. Pasta Bella, much to my delight, definitely breaks this mold. I had their gnocchi while my companion had their mushroom ravioli. Both were cooked perfectly and had just the right amount of delicious sauce on top. Add some very nice house wine and crusty bread with roasted garlic and you can see why I was disappointed to be too full for desert.
The service was excellent and the restaurant a very pleasant place to enjoy the company of whomever you're dining with. I'd definitely rate this an excellent date restaurant, if that's what you're looking for. -
Review from Marian M.
Seattle, WA
7/26/2007
For reasonably priced Italian in Ballard, Pasta Bella beats Lombardi's anyday. The food is delicious and comes in generous portions. As mentioned by the other reviewers, the roasted garlic and bread is simple and heavenly. I personally like the Frutti de Mare and the Hot Seafood Salad-- the lemony combination of mussels, calamari, and shrimp over a bed of wilted baby mixed greens is so scrumptious!
Parking tip: the espresso stand next door is closed during dinner hours, and I believe it becomes a shared lot with Pasta Bella at that point. :) -
Review from Amber H.
Seattle, WA
7/31/2011
I can only rate the food, as I've never actually eaten in the restaurant but it consistently looks busy and the staff is always very helpful and friendly when I pop in to pick up my take-out. They were friendly even before they started to recognize that I was a repeat customer (I order take-out a lot) and it always seemed to me like people were thanking their servers, etc as the left so I'm a bit surprised to hear some of the complaints I've read here.
Growing up in NJ, in what I like to refer to as 3 square miles of guido, I was lucky enough to experience quite a bit of true Italian cooking. Everything I've tried from Pasta Bella gets it right. Their dishes are flavorful and don't feel like they're drowning in grease or sauce (yet you still get an ample amount for dipping your bread in). Their homemade ceasar dressing is absolutely amazing, and even with take-out, they include some of their delicious warm bread with roasted garlic. My favorite dish is the Chicken Marsala, which rivals the home cooking of a "straight off the boat" Italian I know.
The only "cons" I can think about regarding Pasta Bella are that they don't deliver (but really, dining at their establishment is their forte so I can't really fault them for that) and they are slightly more expensive than some of the other "Italian" restaurants in the area but in my opinion you get what you pay for. Sure, Pasta Bella might be a few bucks more (and really, it's not that much more expensive than Palermo or the other "Italian" places in the area who are really glorified pizzerias) but the quality is MUCH higher. -
Review from Mike D.
Vallejo, CA
6/3/2011
The best Italian food in Seattle by far.
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Review from Mohammed R.
Seattle, WA
11/21/2011
By far this is the best Italian place that I have been to in Seattle. To say the taste was mouth watering would be a bit of an understatement.
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Review from ron p.
Seattle, WA
2/9/2011
I gotta tell you, this place is amazing! David (owner) has continued to run his operation for years now with consistency and flavors that slaps you in the face every time you go here with your taste buds asking "What has taken you so long to return?!?". I went here for dinner recently and could not remember a better Italian meal from anywhere else in the city. Their menu has changed and prices has increased significantly over the years but if you dont mind paying a bit more for amazing Italian, Pasta Bella is the place to be. Our waiter was great (Macie), Poland dude, very attentive, friendly, knowledgeable and on top of things. The Caprese was delicious with fresh tomatoes & even fresher mozzarella. We had the Pesto Tortellini which melts in your mouth like it was freshly made tortellini right out of the machine along with a Pesto sauce that was not too creamy or bland. Our other dish was the Linguine Amatriciana (+ chx) and boy was it delicious. Bursting with flavors, just the right spices, wonderful sun-dried tomatoes, romas, just the right amount of olive oil, this dish was a freaking masterpiece! Then we washed everything down with a bottle of Montepulciano which on Tuesdays is discount wine night ;)
The only sadness to the evening was Owner David not being around (out of town). We were hoping to see him and say hi. -
Review from Mandy C.
Seattle, WA
7/31/2009
I ate here tonight so my memory is fresh. My dinner mate & I decided to try this place after consulting the menu on the front door & thought, 'what the hell!'
We order an appetizer off the "Garlic Fest" menu supplement because a garlic fest sounds kind of ridiculous but something you just gotta try. We had the carbonara garlic dip with toasted baguette. I described it as a kind of 'Italian chowder-like dip' with pancetta & cream. It wasn't bad but it also wasn't terribly flavorful either. (or garlicky, for that matter).
We had a house salad and then split the fettuccine with funghi something-er-other. It was fine. I won't say it was aaaaamazing or anything like that. Again, I don't recall it as being particularly flavorful. The most 'flavorful' thing we ate was the roasted garlic that comes with bread at the beginning of the meal.
We felt that the service was 'uninspired.' I have to say that it's kind of true. The guy we had was nice but didn't really engage us. He was attentive though with the water-refilling & clearing plates away.
I have other fave Italian restaurants personally so I'll keep on trying new joints I come upon. It may be your kind of place. I will say that it had a big menu with quite a few choices though. -
Review from Reese M.
Mountlake Terrace, WA
10/27/2007
We had our rehearsal dinner here last year. The food is delicious and the service is fast and pleasant.
They totally worked with me and my husband to make a really nice menu that would satisfy our 15 guests for a really nice price. Just about every aspect was negotiable and the manager was so friendly and accomodating. I can't think of a bad thing to say. -
Review from HY P.
Bellevue, WA
4/3/2009
I had the meatball spaghetti with side of salad (i know, so typical and boring. but it's all time favorite!) and my boyfriend had some kind of steak . They were out of mashed potato so he had spaghetti as a substitute.
...I don't know what to say.
Honestly, my spaghetti tasted like frozen food from any market. It was kind of watery, tasteless, and noodle was overcooked.
Steak was okay, but I could have better steaks at home with a grill though.
Italian Canolli for dessert, hmm ugh, kind of greasy - lots of creeeaaam.
And the service was promt - not too bad.
The roasted garlic that my boyfriend forced me to eat (up to mischief, cuz I didn't want my mouth to smell) was the BEST out of all I ate there. -
Review from Lorena D.
Seattle, WA
6/18/2011
This is my preferred place to get Italian. I can't count how many times I've eaten here with various friends, and I think everyone has enjoyed it. The staff are very friendly and welcoming, the restaurant is cozy, and while the food isn't phenomenal, the menu offers good variety and most of it is really consistently good. I never worry that I'll be disappointed if I order something new. And I love the roasted garlic and oil and vinegar they offer with the bread basket. We're always too full to eat dessert there, but they're very good about packing up any leftovers for us, as well as dessert to go. They even do a good job with large groups, something I think most Seattle restaurants don't handle very well.
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Review from Stinky C.
Indianola, WA
9/19/2009
A lovely little restaurant with true Italian flavor.
This is a great place for a romantic dinner with someone special. -
Review from Thomas R.
Seattle, WA
2/1/2011
My wife, and I, stopped by for dinner with friends from out of town. We all had entre's from the "Fresh Pasta" catagory, along with salads and a litre of their montepulciano. My pasta was cooked al dente, and the sauce with Italian sausage was delicious and spicy. I like spicy, tomato based sauces, and this was perfect for me. Everyone else in our party was equally impressed with their plates, as well.
The atmosphere was pleasant and cozy. I like the fact that Italian themed music was playing while we dined. It just adds flavor to the experience. All of us have been to Italy, so there's no pretending for us. The wait staff made us feel right at home.
Suffice it to say, we'll be coming back for more! -
Review from Jill T.
Seattle, WA
6/1/2011
I would usually only give this restaurant 3 stars. It is really good, but I can get the same type of Italian food at a lot of other restaurants.
I will tell you thought, what makes this a 4 star restaurant is the DELICIOUS roasted garlic served with the bread. It is so delicious I think I could eat it everyday. -
Review from Tiffany S.
Seattle, WA
10/22/2006
Got takeout there from a very helpful staff. Along with our very well-wrapped dishes we received hot bread with roasted garlic cloves. Needless to say, we couldn't wait and there is now roasted garlic on our car seats. We ordered a pesto dish and a marsala fettucine. The fettucine was wonderfully homemade though I thought the sauce was a little sweet. Maybe that's what real marsala tastes like. We can't wait to go back and eat in the restaurant. I hear you can park behind the Espresso place just to the south.
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Review from Laural B.
Seattle, WA
10/14/2005
Oh how I love this place. Not only is it superior Italian food, but it's two blocks from my apartment. Cozy-to-cramped in a good way and so tasty. Prices are reasonable as well.
Listed in: Ballard Rules
