Bella Via: Namesake Dish Lives Up to the View

More than their sumptuous alfredo, Bella Via's biggest accomplishment is achieving the feeling of eternal springtime behind its floor to ceiling windows. The name is hardly a misnomer as the view is expansive and opens onto a wide section of Long Island City's Vernon Boulevard but the food is the main attraction by far. This Italian restaurant's namesake pie is a pizza of such flavorful punches of sweet sausage crumbles, mozzarella and broccoli rabe that to deny yourself a slice would border on criminally insane. The aforementioned fettuccine alfredo is among the best in the borough but should be undertaken with caution for fear of filling up before the main course hits the table.

Another standout dish is the mustard-tinged Cornish hen. Its flavors transform with each bite and will have you corralling the sauce into a miniature bread dipping puddle halfway through the meal. The interior of Bella Via is warm and relaxing, with a mixture of glass-panelled views or an exposed brick bar area. Service remains consistently good unless you opt for the cozy-looking corner where no waitstaff has ever dared to venture. With plentiful parking, convenient subway access and reasonable prices, Bella Via's future as an Italian favorite appears assured.

INFO:

Bella Via

(718) 361-7510

4746 Vernon Blvd.