My oldest daughter & I stopped here for lunch last week before heading to an appt. It was super hot outside, but she wanted to eat outside, so we did. Luckily, they do have covered outdoor seating on the front & side of the restaurants, & also some overhead fans that helped with the heat. I got the special that day: heirloom tomatoes, with arugula, feta & pancetta. It was very good & refreshing. Their complimentary bread was something that I've never seen before, it looked like a mix between cornbread & cake. It was a little different, but it was good & served with olive oil & diced red onions on top. My daughter got the spaghetti with meat sauce & I got the baked ziti. My daughter liked her spaghetti, but she did mention that the noodles were short, so maybe they broke them in half before boiling? My baked ziti was delicious & the portion size was huge. I was only able to eat a little less than a third of it because I was already a little full from the salad. But, I brought the ziti home & not only ate it for dinner, I had the remaining bit for lunch the next day. I would definitely go back the next time we're in town.

THE BEST!! My family has tried them all in the area and we were very impressed today. The watermelon salad, chicken parm and stuffed shells were FABULOUS. Really good staff and service was excellent. Will recommend and be back!

Best pizza in Raleigh. Best pizza in the Triangle if you ask me. Bella Monica is my husband and my favorite neighborhood spot to eat at or to get pizza to take home from. The service is great the food is amazing (the lasagna is *chefs kiss*), and they've got a great wine list. Perfect for a date night or family dinner.

The best lasagna close to or even better than Anna Pizza. I've been so over 40 Italian restaurants in North Carolina. I can't talk about anything else. Customer service was up to par..

Stopped by for a celebration and enjoyed my time here. The food was flavorful. The servers and staff were attentive. I'm looking forward to returning and trying the lasagna (the one that passed by me on it's way to another table looked amazing.)

Bottom line: Great lunch meal at Bella Monica, the Whole Wheat Penne selection was delicious as well as light as it does not have a heavy sauce component. Service and atmosphere were good. If I could give half stars, I'd say 4.5 stars here. The Deets: Now that I think about it, I cannot believe I have not reviewed Bella Monica until now as these guys have been here in Raleigh for quite a few years. I was working near the area and got the chance to catch lunch there recently. We were greeted at the door promptly and given our choice of table or booth, so we went with a booth midway into the long narrow restaurant area. The server was pleasant and helpful, and started us off with some bread for the table. The bread looked like a square slice of sponge cake to me drizzled in olive oil, but tasting reveals that it is a light airy type of bread that I enjoyed (I am not a fan of hard crusty type breads so I loved this version, see pics). For my lunch meal, I went with the Whole Wheat Penne menu selection that includes chicken, arugula, mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, Parmesan-Reggiano, and pine nuts. Reading the ingredients, it sounded delicious and light and when it arrived, the impression from the description proved correct (see pics). I really enjoyed this dish, wonderful flavors blending together without being heavy. I would definitely get this one again, it was great as it ticked most all the boxes of a nice Italian flavor profile without a heavy sauce. I would say 4.5 stars for this lunch visit to Bella Monica, and would love to visit again in the future.

Absolutely wonderful experience, came here for dinner with a friend and ended up having such a great time between the wine, food, and service. All of the food is great so you can't really go wrong with that you order. I personally recommend the spinach stuffed shells and pear & gorgonzola salad. It's quite a casual ambiance so you can go in jeans or leggings.

When I'm in Raleigh this is a number one go-to. The food is always incredible and the service equally so. We love sitting at the cozy bar. We split the stuffed shells and still have food to take home. The pumpkin ravioli I passed on this visit because it's sooo deliciously rich. Maybe tomorrow night!

My wife & I have been in the area for almost 2 decades, now. How have we not stopped here before? The food is good, the service is pretty good. definitely worth mentioning. Our server anticipated us needing boxes and refilling waters. I wouldn't necessarily order the mortadella philly again, though. I'd never had it before and it was okay, but not my cup of tea. My bride LOVED her eggplant dish. Loved the interior of the place - very nice ambiance, reminded me of growing up going to places with my grandad, some of his favorite restaurants. Yes, it brings back memories of simpler times. Got there early on a Friday afternoon and while the place didn't fill right up, parking was sparse. Thankfully I have a disability placard in my car so I can usually find a spot close by.

The restaurant motto is viva, ama, mangia or live, love, eat. You can feel that the Monica family is very involved in the restaurant. The interior decor is more eclectic than traditional Italian restaurants, with fun colors and chandeliers. A private room in the back is perfect for parties of about 15. Everyone in my party loved their food from flatbread appetizers to rich desserts. The "flatbreads" are really circular pizzas with thin crust. A kids menu and special menu is available in addition to the regular menu. The menu has sandwiches, entrees, appetizers, and more. One of their specialty drinks is multiple types of spritz. Of course, they have a great wine list like any Italian restaurant. The dessert where they pour espresso over the ice cream has such a fun presentation that caught everyone's attention. The staff was friendly and professional, and parking is free in the strip mall lot. Outside seating is available including heaters and clear plastic walls for chillier days.