A summer time assignment from my editor found Spencer and I driving down to the Pasadena area for a late lunch to meet with the owner of a local Restaurant. Finding a good restaurant is always a treat. Finding good Italian food is especially wonderful. And meeting someone like Beagio, the owner of Bella Napoli, is an experience unto itself.

The guy makes his own mozzarella and it’s simply amazing stuff!

Seriously good, family style Italian – it’s not fancy, the restaurant is simple, attractive and welcoming and the menu full of everything from recognizable classics to a bit more unusual fare. And it’s all amazingly good.

We had the joy of watching Beagio in the kitchen as he went about business, directing the comings and goings of his staff, making the cheese, and assembling several of his favorite dishes. They even make their own bread – as in fresh, every day!

It’s not very often you find an old-fashioned, everything cooked in house, nothing out of a pre-made anything place these days… and oh is the food a treat!

Make no mistake – to Beagio, it’s all about the food, but he can’t resist being more than a little bit of a showman as well…

Filed under: Eating Out Tagged: Bella Napoli, Italian, mozzerella, Pasadena, pizza, Restaurant Review