Ciao Bella! As a very picky eater when it comes to Italian food, I rarely find restaurants that fit into my high standards. Coming from an Italian-American household with a Nonna, mama, and sorella who would cook me homemade lasagna, cavatelli, and gnocchi ordinarily, my expectations when it comes to my heritage’s cuisine are nothing less than perfect. My sister always told me that it’s not the ingredients or process of making good Italian food that is difficult, but the patience and time it takes to make quality, lovable dishes. The more time and love that goes into a dish, the tastier it will be. Quality over quantity always (although quantity is also important in an Italian household) ensures the value of Italian cuisine. Italian food is the center of love in a family, the tool for socialization, and the heart of memories. Tutta Bella takes the best elements of these traditional, time-honored ideals and pushes them past the limits of the modern Italian-American restaurant.

My mother and I first discovered this Neapolitan restaurant at an orientation for a university in Rome that I had been accepted into. We had a the pleasure of being treated to free appetizers, pizza and dessert for simply attending (courtesy of John Cabot University) and since that moment, Tutta Bella has become a place where my family celebrates our achievements and splurges on multiple appetizers that scream Delizioso!

The first thing that shocked and pleased me about this restaurant was the menu. It didn’t have chicken Parmesan or fettuccine Alfredo, staples of blasé, stereotypical, Americanized “Italian” restaurants. In other words, the lack of these specific dishes is a good sign of Italian authenticity. The second good sign was our waiter’s introduction of the menu, explaining how all of the menu items are “dedicated to the culinary traditions of Naples.” It is impossible to narrow down the cuisine of Italy to the country itself, much less into a single restaurant alone. There are so many regions and towns in the country that have their own flare and styles, their own traditional recipes and signature dishes. So, the fact that Tutta Bella narrowed down their menu to Napoli alone was promising to me that this was not an average “Italian” restaurant, but indeed a thoughtful, traditional, and regionally-proud place of eating. And that promise held true! Mia mamma and I were impressed with the dedication to flavor in the appetizers and the pizza that genuinely resembled that of true Italian pizza. The tiramisu we had was divine. Recently, for my brother’s birthday and my sister and I’s graduation, my family and friends reserved a table at Tutta Bella for dinner, and here’s the stats of our dining experience that night…

Name: Tutta Bella
Where: Bellevue, WA
Address: 15600 NE 8th St. Suite J1 Bellevue, WA 98008*
Website: https://tuttabella.com/
*Note: According to their site, their other locations are in Issaquah, Wallingford, South Lake Union, and Columbia City

~What I Ate~

What did you get?
In regular family and Italian fashion, my friends and family all shared the menu’s appetizers/small plates, which are labeled as “Shareables.” Here are the items we got, with descriptions written word-for-word from Tutta Bella’s menu:

• Neapolitan Meatballs (pictured above) — meatball trio, tomato sauce, grana padano
• Rustica Flatbread (pictured above) — flatbread, rosemary, sea salt, pecorino romano, served with marinara
• Crispy Calamari (pictured above & below) — fried calamari, house-made pickled pepper, calabrian chile aioli
• ❗️ Veggie Alert — Thicc Vic Approved ❗️ Roasted Cauliflower (pictured below) — roasted cauliflower, lemon caper drizzle, grana padano, bread crumbs

How did it taste?
The meatballs: Mio Dio! I loved these meatballs with a capital L. First of all, the recipe seemed to resemble my family’s, with the mixture of cheese simmered into the ground beef and sauce in between thick and thin. Not too soupy, but not too chunky. Biting into the meatball hits you with a pack of flavor (I assume they used garlic and oregano in addition to other herbs or spices) that is subsided with the delicious sauce. The marinara makes you want to like your fingers and the sides of the plate, with barely any chunks of tomato. However, it’s not too frothy and allows for a substance of its own, making it a vital part of the dish. The sauce did not make the meatballs soggy, but rather soaked them in a dampening, easily-forkable and breakable texture. Additionally, the large spoon allowed me to shower the three bite-sized appetizers in tomato-based goodness. The pack of different flavors in these tiny meatballs were spectacularly well-done, while also keeping the essence of simplicity in its humble, ball-shaped form.
The flatbread: The bread itself was soft and warm, tearable in that beautiful way that soft flatbread tears. As the bread touches your tongue, it gives you the sensation or vision that you are eating a fresh-made pizza, just without the cheese or sauce. It is delicately seasoned with olive oil, rosemary, pecorino, and salt. The salt and pecorino are very subtle, while the olive oil and rosemary are prominent, with the oil lingering on your lucky fingers afterwards. My favorite part of this plate was how soft the bread was, and how it was left unburnt, yet still had tiny air bubbles that gave the bread a terrain.
The calamari: Okay, I don’t usually like calamari (I know, shameful), but, this particular squid hit the spot. Let’s start with the fact that it was fried to perfection! The usual turn-off for me when it comes to fried calamari are two factors: 1.) too much guts popping out of the breaded squid, or 2.) an overly fried calamari without much meat inside. However, this calamari’s ratio of squid to the friedness was perfection. A bit of crunch mixed with the meat of the sea creature makes you feel like you are eating a sophisticated onion ring. What truly hooked me was the AMAZING chile aioli that I wanted to bring home. Holy cow, it was so good, I started dipping everything in it — my calamari, flatbread, and even cauliflower! The sauce gives you the bit of spice you need to balance out the pretty tame garlic and oil flavors. Sprinkled with easy-to-dip-around red and yellow peppers, the aioli provides the palette the piquant taste it craves.
❗️ The cauliflower: I am quite shocked that this cauliflower was able to win me over. I really did NOT want to try this, but my family encouraged me to dip it in the chile aioli and give it a try. I ate it like it was a meatball, and was taken aback with how easily it went from my mouth to my stomach so quickly. Before I knew it, I was eating another one, without the aioli this time. How soft it was! Roasted (and possibly steamed or fried too), the texture was what won me over, with the vegetable-y taste being shadowed by the bread crumbs and lemon juice that encased it. I honestly would’ve ordered a plate for myself and eaten it all. I just wish it was served with that chile aioli! Tutta Bella’s roasted cauliflower is Thicc Vic approved for a tasty vegetable.
How does it look?
A round of applause for how visually appealing Tutta Bella’s small plates are. The meatballs are served with a giant spoon and placed in a triangle-like posture in a large puddle of marinara. The flatbread’s presentation is my favorite. Cut into slices, the oil brushed-on looks like a mouth-watering, wood-fired starter. The salt and rosemary are sprinkled on like confetti, minus the mess, along with a slice of lemon. The calamari rings are decorated in colorful red pepper pieces that match the orange-ish sauce, while the cauliflowers are stacked on top of each other with a serving spoon in an appealing manner. Red and orange, along with whatever color fried food is considered to be, are the colors that pop in the presentation of these dishes.
How filling was it?
As mentioned before, my family and friends shared these appetizers. I got a few pieces of each appetizer (2-3 pieces per dish) which all served as the remedy for a hangry-boi who had been sitting at a graduation ceremony for four hours without snacks. With that said, the appetizers are satisfying for hanger, but not hunger, which is why they are, indeed, “small plates.” They are perfectly satisfying for the moment, and lead up to the entree, the latter of which was much heavier. These appetizers are not “lite,” per say, but rather reasonable for a shareable crowd of hungry people. Filling to an extent, and as an appetizer, fulfilling.
Fruits or Vegetables?
Aside from the cauliflower, which I’ve already covered, there are a few little veggies that sprout in some of the dishes here and there. 1.) The calamari and chile aoili are sprinkled with tiny pieces of fresh red and yellow peppers, which (according to the menu) are “pickled.” They are very to pick around, just pay attention to your calamari when you dip it into the sauce, lest you pick up a piece of pepper. 2.) The cauliflower has small capers sprinkled on it. They are few in number and should not be a problem. 3.) The only other “vegetable” I can think of are tiny little tomato chunks in the marinara, which is normal for meatball sauce to have. Eating a chunk is soft and doesn’t have the skinned, tomato-y texture of most canned sauces. Veggie haters should be safe, since I rarely needed to pick around anything (the capers and tomato chunks fell to the bottom of the plate, so all I was slightly avoiding were the peppers).

~The Environment~

Vibe?
Family-friendly and casual, I would say! It can be classed up with a reservation, for a graduation or birthday dinner, but overall it’s a pressure-less environment. Bringing your family or friends makes for a great dining experience, since it’s definitely a very sociable and background-noise/talkative environment (especially at dinnertime). Not too loud, but comfortable enough to have a conversation at your regular voice, and then to slightly yell across the table at your relatives without disturbing guests, like a true Italian family!
How should I dress?
It can be dressed up or down. Every time I’ve went, I have dressed kind of nicely (jeans and a nice V-neck, slacks and a polo) but I saw other diners wearing cargo shorts, tank tops, and t-shirts.
Bathrooms?
Yes, there are public restrooms and they are very clean!
Layout & Design?
The restaurant is pretty big, with multiple tables all across the wide space. There is an outside area and some reserved rooms too, which is where I had my university orientation. I especially liked the giant black doors out front leading to the host’s desk, along with the lights above. The table cloths and seats were all pretty comfortable as well, while the outdoor seating looked lovely. I was envious of the sunshine those seated outside were soaking in as I watched from the fingerprint-less, clean windows. The tables are also spaced out enough that you feel like you’re in your own space, and won’t even be close to touching another table’s chair on accident.
Service?
Every time I’ve dined here, I’ve had excellent service. One particular memory I have was with my friends and family after graduation, when the waitress and my step-dad had an amicable and friendly banter throughout the meal. She was extremely good sport, excelled a\at explaining the menu items, had some solid recommendations, and genuinely congratulated my table for our graduation accomplishments multiple times. Additionally, when my mother and I dined on our first time, the waitress filled our water glasses promptly and made sure we were tended to on a comfortable basis. In every situation, the staff were never pushy or overly attentive. The hosts are very sweet as well, and will direct you to the bathrooms politely. The hiring manager has formed a great team at the Bellevue location!
Anything else?
Overall, I am pleased with my experience every time I dine-in at Tutta Bella. I feel like I am supporting true Italian recipes, and the tastes really remind me of my Nonna’s cooking. There are many laughs and semi-loud conversations held at my table at Tutta Bella, and I leave with a good memory each time. I love how this restaurant specializes in the traditions of Napoli, instead of conforming to the masses of staple “Italian” restaurants in the US. Additionally, the menu is so expansive, especially for being so focused on one part of Italy, so on every visit I am able to try something new or revert back to my favorite go-to dinners. You can taste the love and quality in the food. It’s no wonder Tutta Bella translates to “all of the beauty” or “all beautiful.”