Bella's Italian Café

Braised duck and fig jam with goat cheese.

Fresh mozzarella, fresh basil leaves and vine-ripened beefsteak tomatoes with a drizzle of pesto.

Best in Tampa! Marinated paper-thin tenderloin served chilled with caponata aioli: A blend of mayonnaise, sour cream, finely chopped eggplant, roasted red pepper, garlic, olives, capers and basil. Topped with shaved parmesan and a sprinkling of cracked pepper and parsley. Served with garlic butter croutons.

Baked goat cheese in reduced bruschetta sauce; served with wedges of toasted garlic bread for dipping.

Creamy risotto, porcini mushroom, prosciutto and peas formed into balls and filled with mozzarella, then lightly breaded and deep fried. Served with reduced bruschetta sauce for dipping.

Lightly breaded baked eggplant filled with prosciutto, sweet ricotta and smoked mozzarella. Served in a pool of reduced bruschetta sauce.

Shrimp sautéed with garlic, scallions, crushed red pepper and tomatoes; reduced in a dry vermouth and shrimp-stock sauce. Served with buttery croutons for dipping.

Calamari dusted in seasoned flour and deep fried; served with reduced bruschetta sauce.

"brew SKet' tah." In Italian, 'ch' is generally pronounced 'k, ' as in 'Chianti'. The Neopolitan version of classic Roman garlic bread. Slices of bread brushed with olive oil and toasted dark on the grill; topped with our fresh bruschetta sauce of diced plum tomatoes, garlic, onions, parsley and basil.

Creamy lobster bisque with flavors of saffron, tarragon and thyme; topped with puff pastry and baked. Finished table side with a garnish of caviar and sour cream. (Cup size is bisque only).

Classic Italian pasta and bean soup with bacon, onion, ham, celery, garlic and tomato.

A creamy asparagus soup without the cream. Made with house-made vegetable stock and topped with mascarpone cheese.

House-made chicken stock with cheese tortellini; finished with a dusting of freshly grated parmesan.

Fresh eggplant, calamata olives, capers and red onion with Romano and fresh mozzarella.

Bella's hand-made meatballs, onions and sweet peppers with mozzarella.

Oak-fire roasted chicken with fresh spinach leaves, fontina cheese, artichoke hearts and diced ripe tomato.

Mozzarella, parmesan and tomato sauce with fresh basil. The closest thing to an "American" pizza.

Rich and flavorful, with pesto, ricotta, romano and mozzarella. A great appetizer for a small group, or a meal in itself.

Italians would call this a "crazy crazy" pizza: Too many ingredients! But we Americans love it. Pepperoni, sausage, pepperoncini, onions and mushrooms topped with mozzarella.

Porcini, portobello and button mushroom mix with asiago and mozzarella.

With mozzarella and pizza sauce plus any three of the following. Anchovy, Artichoke Hearts, Asiago, Bacon, Basil, Broccoli, Capers, Fontina, Fresh Mozzarella ($2), Goat Cheese ($2), Grilled Chicken, Ham, Italian Sausage, Meatballs, Mushrooms, Olives, Onions, Parmesan, Pepperoncini, Pepperoni, Pesto, Prosciutto ($2), Ricotta, Romano, Spinach, Sun-dried Tomato, Tomatoes, Daiya vegan cheese ($1.75).

A Tampa favorite. Finely chopped chicken breast, crumbled bacon, diced tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, shredded red cabbage, gorgonzola, ditali pasta and romaine all tossed in a dijon vinaigrette.

Romaine topped with julienne carrot, shredded red cabbage, ripe tomato wedges and zucchini slices. Your choice of vinaigrette, low-cal ranch, blue cheese, balsamic vinaigrette, or honey-mustard dressing.

Mixed field greens tossed with fresh strawberries, toasted almonds, fontina and asiago cheeses in a sweet and sour sesame dressing.

Romaine tossed with shredded red cabbage, hearts of palm, artichoke hearts, pimiento and parmesan; dressed in a creamy vinaigrette.

Made traditionally with a dressing of only the finest ingredients: olive oil, garlic, worcestershire, mustard, lemon juice, egg and finely ground anchovy paste; tossed with shredded parmesan, croutons and hand-torn romaine.

Layers of fresh eggplant and Swiss cheese baked with basil-tomato sauce. Topped with parmesan and fresh mozzarella cheeses and finished with reduced bruschetta sauce.

Sautéed in a lemon, caper and white-wine butter sauce.

Fresh grouper lightly floured and sautéed in a sauce of basil tomato, red wine, onions, garlic, capers, black olives and crushed red pepper.

Maple-amaretto glazed salmon baked on a cedar plank in the oak-fired oven.

A very generous portion of calamari dusted in seasoned flour and deep fried; served with reduced bruschetta sauce.

Two chicken breasts sautéed in a lemon, caper and white-wine butter sauce.

Two sautéed chicken breasts in a creamy marsala and mushroom sauce.

Two chicken breasts sautéed and topped with basil-tomato sauce, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.

Chicken breasts breaded in romano cheese and sautéed golden brown. Topped with lemon-basil butter and artichoke.

Two chicken breasts breaded in romano cheese and sautéed golden brown; topped with mozzarella cheese and crispy prosciutto in a creamy marsala mushroom sauce. Served on a bed of sautéed spinach.

Two chicken breasts breaded in Romano cheese and sautéed golden brown with fresh eggplant and mozzarella. Served in light basil-tomato cream sauce with bits of prosciutto.

Veal scallopini sautéed in a creamy marsala and mushroom sauce.

Veal scallopini sautéed in a lemon, caper and white-wine butter sauce.

Veal scallopini sautéed and topped with basil-tomato sauce, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.

Veal scallopini breaded in romano cheese and sautéed golden brown, topped with mozzarella cheese and crispy prosciutto in a creamy marsala mushroom sauce. Served on a bed of sautéed spinach.

Cheese-filled tortellini with a delectable sauce of pine nuts, walnuts, shallots, white wine, asiago and cream.

Chicken, fig jam, tre-funghi and spinach in brandy cream sauce.

Chunks of chicken breast reddened with hot spices and "blackened" in a very hot pan; sautéed with scallions and mushrooms, then reduced in a creamy basil-tomato sauce with fresh tomato and tossed with fettuccine.

Pasta 'purses' filled with pear, robiola, ricotta and parmesan cheeses. Served in a creamy saffron sauce with peas.

An all-American favorite. A flavorful mixture of ground beef, prosciutto, soppressata (a lean pork salami), romano, garlic and herbs; served over spaghetti with reduced bruschetta sauce. Garnished with parmesan and parsley.

Spinach pasta filled with spinach, ricotta and Swiss cheese; tossed in your choice of sauce.

Chunks of chicken breast in a sauce of roasted garlic, heavy cream, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh sage. Served over starburst pasta with a garnish of reduced balsamic vinegar and a fresh sage leaf.

Braised duck breast with a porcini mushroom blend and prosciutto; tossed with fettuccine and finished with parmesan shards.

A colorful South Tampa favorite. Spaghetti tossed in a creamy basil-tomato sauce with fresh tomato, bacon, garlic, onions, basil, parsley and green peas.

Original recipe of half-moon pasta filled with asparagus, ham, fontina, ricotta and sun-dried tomatoes. Served in roasted-tomato cream sauce.

Italian sausage tossed with penne pasta, mushrooms and ricotta in a creamy tomato sauce; topped with mozzarella and baked.

Layers of freshly made sheet pasta, grilled chicken, spinach, portobello, porcini and button mushrooms, mozzarella, ricotta and asiago cheeses. Served with roasted-tomato cream sauce.

Lobster mezzaluna with cream, mushroom and leeks; topped with buttered breadcrumbs and browned until golden.

Shrimp and scallops sautéed with roasted mushrooms and leeks in roasted-tomato cream sauce. Tossed with bowtie pasta.

Plum tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, parsley and basil. Fresh and simple.

A rich sauce of ground beef, onions, celery, carrots and garlic simmered for 5 hours with white wine, milk and ground plum tomatoes.

Thick and rich, with heavy cream, garlic, parmesan and romano cheeses and a dash of nutmeg.

A bit heavier than basil tomato, with diced plum tomatoes, garlic, onions, parsley and basil.

Classic pesto of puréed fresh basil, parsley, garlic, olive oil, parmesan, romano and pine nuts.

Made with an intensely flavored purée of roasted plum tomatoes, herbs and heavy cream.

Olive oil, butter and garlic tossed with fresh parsley.

Molten bittersweet Belgian chocolate "oozes" from inside an intensely rich warm chocolate cake. Dusted with powdered sugar and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Vanilla-bean custard with sweet raspberries topped with a thin, crispy shell of caramelized sugar.

"Pick me up" - The classic Italian dessert with layers of lady fingers, zabaglione (Marsala-flavored custard), espresso whipped cream and mascarpone (sweet, buttery cheese) topped with whipped cream and warm chocolate sauce.

Scoop of vanilla ice cream served with a shot of espresso.

Daily selection.

Seasonal fruit baked with a buttery oatmeal topping. Served with a scoop of Blue Bell vanilla ice cream and warm caramel sauce.

Penne with Basil Tomato, Spaghetti with Bolognese, Cheese or Pepperoni Pizza, Fettuccine Alfredo, Meatballs!

Chunks of chicken breast or grouper reddened with hot spices and "blackened" in a very hot pan; sautéed with scallions and mushrooms, then reduced in a creamy basil-tomato sauce with fresh tomato and tossed with fettuccine.

Ham, bacon, egg, cream and parmesan cheese.

Spinach, mushrooms, fresh tomato, garlic and goat cheese.

Chicken, bacon, garlic, onions, olives, basil-tomato sauce and red wine.

Prosciutto, mushrooms and artichoke hearts in aglio e olio.

Broccoli, onions, peas, fresh tomato and olives in aglio e olio.

Plum tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, parsley and basil. Fresh and simple.

A rich sauce of ground beef, onions, celery, carrots and garlic simmered for 5 hours with white wine, milk and ground plum tomatoes.

Thick and rich, with heavy cream, garlic, parmesan and romano cheeses and a dash of nutmeg.

A bit heavier than basil tomato, with diced plum tomatoes, garlic, onions, parsley and basil.

Classic pesto of puréed fresh basil, parsley, garlic, olive oil, parmesan, romano and pine nuts.

Made with an intensely flavored purée of roasted plum tomatoes, herbs and heavy cream.

Olive oil, butter and garlic tossed with fresh parsley.

Mozzarella, parmesan and basil.

Pesto, mozzarella, ricotta and romano.

Sausage, onions, mushrooms and mozzarella.

Spaghetti tossed with bolognese sauce and stuffed into Bella's bread. Topped with mozzarella and baked.

Bella's meatballs, bruschetta sauce and mozzarella cheese on Bella's bread.

Sautéed chicken breast topped with mozzarella, basil-tomato sauce and fresh grated parmesan.

A folded pocket of pizza dough stuffed with ham, salami, pepperoni, mozzarella, tomato and green peppers.

Chicken breast breaded in romano and panko bread crumbs. Topped with provolone and artichoke-lemon basil butter.

Chicken breast sautéed with red and green peppers and caramelized onion. Topped with melted provolone cheese and a smear of caponata aioli.

Chicken breast topped with provolone, lettuce, tomato and onion. Served with a spicy honey-mustard sauce.

Chicken breast with herbed goat cheese and roasted red peppers.