Welcoming atmosphere and TVs at tables make Bella Pizza a casual, inviting eatery

I first ate at Bella Pizza during the First Fridays Art Walk last December. Having met up with a friend who was also hungry, I suggested Bella, although I’d never tried it, since we wanted to have a conveniently located dinner then walk up and down Atlantic to take in the artful festivities. Bella Pizza, being right in the heart of Bixby Knolls, was an ideal choice.
Aside from the staff’s friendliness and the restaurant’s cleanliness, the most inviting feature of the place was the satellite-connected TV in each booth. After placing our order, we sat and enjoyed some wine and casually watched TV as our pizzas were baking.

Unless I’m in a sports bar, I don’t usually like the presence of a television in a restaurant. (A few years ago, I had the very unpleasant experience of trying to eat sushi while being exposed to footage of a major surgery on a restaurant’s TV; after I’d asked a staff member there to please change the channel or turn the television off, I was told they couldn’t, for some reason not shared with me, so I asked them to pack my food to go.) However, that’s not a problem at Bella, since each booth is installed with its own TV set, with a remote control on the table. So, if patrons indeed choose to watch TV, they have power over what is (or isn’t) being shown. (That’s a bonus and a relief.)
I’ve returned to Bella Pizza twice since that time, and I’ve been quite pleased with the consistent quality of service, the freshness of the food, and the availability of numerous healthy options.
On my most recent visit with a friend, we were drawn to the Veggie Works Pizza, which includes marinara, garlic, mozzarella, tomatoes, mushrooms, green peppers, red peppers, onions, black olives, artichoke hearts and ricotta cheese. We opted for the whole-wheat crust, to match our health-conscious meal (but, I must say, tastewise, I do prefer their regular crust). The Veggie Works Pizza is among 11 of their “artisan” pizza choices, but, naturally, you can customize your own from the many toppings they offer. Another option that might be important to many customers is their gluten-free pizza.
While our pizza was being made, we enjoyed an order of their Breadsticks and a medium Greek Salad. I was happy to discover that the breadsticks are buttery and fluffy-soft, rather than crunchy. They’re served with a side of marinara for dipping, which was delish, but I did savor a few bites without sauce, since the bread itself is quite tasty and seemed to be freshly baked.
That Greek Salad, despite being their medium-size version, proved to be quite substantial. It was made with freshly chopped Romaine lettuce, chunks of chicken breast, tomatoes, cucumbers, artichoke, kalamata olives, red onions, croutons, feta and a Greek dressing. Judging by the quality and crispness of their salads, it becomes obvious that Bella uses only fresh ingredients.
They offer seven other salads as well, in addition to wings (served barbecue- or buffalo-style), sandwiches, cheese sticks, and gelato. They also have a selection of wines and beers.
The restaurant space is one that is welcoming, cozy, tidy and very casual, so you feel comfortable taking a date there to share a pizza with some wine, or just stopping in after a trip to the park.
Through yelp.com Bella Pizza is also offering special deals, one of which is a free gelato or small, one-topping pizza by posting a review on that website. Call the restaurant at (562) 283-0152 for details.

Bella Pizza is located at 4085 Atlantic Ave., the former location of Red Brick Pizza. The Bixby Knolls Supper Club will patronize Bella, along with Aura Thai next door, during its next supper on Monday, May 7 at 6:30pm. RSVP at info@bixbyknollsinfo.com .