Bella Sera Urban Trattoria

Found the menu was interesting, and my entre and salad were excellent. The waitress was experienced, friendly, and attentative. Good wine. Would have liked to have bread to soak up some of the savory sauces.

Bella Serra is an Italian gem in downtown.
They have some of the best, most delicious wine options — including organic. What really impressed me was their effort at sustainability and buying local when they can.
The only reason they didn’t get 5 stars was because the menu is slightly limiting. But the food is great!

Absolutely wonderful. First time visitor and thought it was great. Walking into this place from downtown is quiet a relief with their intimate set-​up, low lighting (little candles EVERYWHERE), great background music, friendly waiters, and open set-​up.
The food is a little higher than you might expect ($ 6 for soup, $ 10 for salad, $ 20 entrees) but in the realm of reasonable. The food we ordered was absolutely delicious and perfect portions (sorry, you probably won’t need a take home bag). Also, you have to admire their mission to have a green facility and source locally where they can, which is worth the little bit of extra price that you might pay over going to Max and Ermas.
Only small complaint is no draft beer (lots of bottles though), but to be honest, I was so relaxed after being in here an hour, probably no beer necessary (especially if hitting a nearby show).
Definitely will be back… and bringing friends! :)

As a traveler, this place was perfect. Great portion size, really good menu and solid wine list. Reasonable prices and very good service. I had a small salad and the penne with meatballs. Just right.
Also a fun area if it’s not pouring rain… oh well, can’t have it all.
Thanks Unilocalers!!!

I enjoyed the décor and the bar tender and staff were friendly and attentive. The food options were somewhat limited, portion sizes were small, and the presentation was so-​so. Overall, the meal was OK, but pricey.

Went for dinner for 2 on a Tuesday night and was pleasantly satisfied. The wine list is fairly large, with nice selections of wine by the glass if your partner would rather beer. I have a hard time going anywhere and not ordering a cheese plate if offered (it must be my time living in Wisco) so, we started with the cheese and antipasto plate. It was really good, with yummy meats and cheeses, accompanied with fig sauce and relished onions. But the best part was the bread. All together yummy and would make for a great stop after work downtown.
For dinner, I had the linguini in red clam sauce and my friend had the stuffed banana peppers. As others have commented on, the portion size was smaller than typically expected, but frankly it was the right amount for anyone of a normal size (ie less than 250lbs) to get your fill. The stuffed banana peppers were quite spicy, in a really good way, and the linguini was good, maybe not spectacular, but a staple.
We did go on a Tuesday night fairly late (~8p), so I wasn’t surprised there were only a couple of other tables there. However, it did make for excellent service. Our waitress was attentive and nice.

Went last night. Good food, good prices, music could have been better. No one was in the restaurant. Spaghetti and Meatballs were great. Will go back for lunch, maybe dinner

I’ve been wanting to come here for a little bit, but had never had the opportunity until the other day. I was sad to visit a couple days after the holidays when I want pasta. Okay, I DID want it, but I had just eaten my weight in shrimp cocktail and stuffing in the last couple days. I decided to venture in anyway, looking for a pasta alternative…
The place is really tiny, but super cute. Very dimly lit, with romantical candle light. A great place for a date out with your boo! The server is also really great. Our bartender had only been there for three weeks but was already knowledgeable and praising the food.
The salad menu looked decent. At around $ 10-​$ 15 a pop I was hoping for a decent sized salad, but secretly thinking I’d end up with a house size salad instead. So me and Aja J ordered the Polenta and Gulf Fried Shrimp. The sauce was DELICIOUS! Although I thought the pencatta was a little too cooked, the rest of the dish was excellent! A great starter!
For my salad pick, I was really tempted to go with the tomato salad, but stayed away, since my beloved tomato’s are no longer in season. I opted for the Grilled Salmon salad. It came with a honey bourbon glaze, chevre, blueberries and citrus vinaigrette. I honestly didn’t expect much from the salad, but the perfectly cooked salmon mixed with the berries and cheese was ah-​maz-​ing! Honestly, you can EASILY make a boring salad, but this was anything BUT! I would strongly suggest this for a lunch or light dinner option. You won’t be dissatisfied for not picking pasta, I promise:)
Hot tip: It’s SO tiny you really should make reservations if your intent is to eat here. We stopped in on a Tuesday night on a whim and the tables were all taken, so we sat at the bar. Not a big deal, but if you want a guaranteed table, call ahead.

Went here yesterday at the recommendation of several co-​workers. It is next to NOLA. Food was decent but portions are definitely on the small side. Ordered the Veal Parmesan. 3 small pieces were on the plate with a very small side of pasta and aspargus. The side salad for $ 5 was a joke. I ordered a shrimp appetizer and was told that it was 5 jumbo shrimp. It came with 3 medium shrimp for $ 12. Definitely overpriced. The entrees were in the low $ 20’s. My 2 coworkers got the crab cake dinner (liked it) and spaghetti and meatballs (decent).
Waitress was not very friendly but service was otherwise OK.

Great environment… service also very good… food was «OK»…had mussels, salad (nicely dressed) meatballs (really dense for veal) and penne vodka (sauce more «meaty», not real creamy). If a good romantic spot is more important than slightly above average food, this is your spot! We’ ll be back.

Dinner here was really, really OK. No, I mean it. Absolutely adequate. It won’t hurt you at all. You might not remember it, though. The atmosphere is absolutely present. Also, the service happens.

The food and wine were yummy, and the prices were decent. The atmosphere is cozy and quaint. I have to say though, our service was extremely slow, and we were the only table (with the exception of two bar patrons) in the entire place. Finally, when we were finished, we had to ask her to stop folding silverware and bring us our bill, even though we were already just sitting there for over 5 minutes waiting.

Stumbled across this place my last night in Pittsburgh and was very impressed. Great build out, very quaint and rustic with exposed brick and dark wood furniture. Definitely a great «date» restaurant (unfortunately, I was with my co-​worker so their was no cuddling up over a bottle of Pinot).
Our server, Jodi was super friendly and outgoing. She was actually getting ready to leave Pittsburgh for Boulder, Colorado; likely a big loss for the restaurant because she made us feel at home and she did a great job of walking us through the menu.
The owner and executive chef, Jason Capps was actually working on some new menu items and he was kind enough to let us test an appetizer and a side dish. He was really personable and you could tell he was passionate about his restaurant and food. He checked in with us throughout the meal and we shared stories about some of the restaurants we tried in Pittsburgh as well as our favorite places to eat in Los Angeles. He has just visited LA so we had plenty to talk about. Apparently Bella Sera is a fairly new restuarant and a compliment to his already successful catering company. All I can say is that Jason is great guy, chef and I am confident that his restaurant will be as successful as his catering business.
He made us some amazing veal /​sausage meatballs — definitely amazing. The taste and texture was spot on the gravy was top notch as well. He also made us some brussel sprouts and panchetta ham; blanched and cooked in oil; let me say WOW. Generally speaking, I loathe brussel sprouts but these were delicious. They were not at all bitter and melted in your mouth. I’ll never complain about panchetta being incorporated into any meal; fantastic!
I was nursing a pretty rough hangover and felt the need for something heavy and comforting so I ordered the chicken carbonara and was blown away. It was everything I hope for; succulent and creamy but not overwhelmingly rich. The portion was perfect too — just enough to feel satisfied but not enough for an immediate «carb nap.»
My colleague ordered the special; half a baked chicken on the bone with a mustard rub, garlic roasted potatoes and mixed vegetables. He ranted and raved about how much it loved it. I tried a piece of his chicken and the rub was to die for.
In the end, I felt vindicated after having a string of «so-​so» meals in Pittsburgh. I would highly, highly recommend that you give this place a try. For me, a big part of dining out is the experience, the ambiance, the service, etc. etc. Obviously, the food is important but it is only one piece of the puzzle for me. This place is the total package — you will not be disappointed.

I have been to Bella Sera a couple of times now, and last night was more than exceptional. Market Square has become one of my favorite areas of downtown Pittsburgh. It always has been, but since they renovated the area, it has such a great vibe to it. Bella Sera sits back towards the one corner, and it’s such a hidden gem. It’s not a big place — and it’s perfect for a quiet dinner or happy hour. I was there last night for a networking happy hour and there were about 50 people in the group. We had the whole front area and part of the bar. There were some other people dining but they didn’t seem to mind the energy that we brought into the mix. Their wine selection is amazing — and I enjoyed a nice glass of red myself. I recommend this place to anyone looking for something different in Pittsburgh — very down to earth and trendy at the same time!

Beautiful intimate atmosphere with good food and decent wine/​beer selection. Their pasta was a little greasy, but it balanced well with the stout beer.

Stopped in for lunch. Nice Place. Fast and Friendly service. Loved the rustic décor. Nice wine list.

I’ve been meaning to try Bella Sera for a while now, and finally had the gumption to walk in from Market Square.
I must say, I was pleasantly surprised. The lunch menu was comprised of 3 or 4 specials, 4 – 5 salads from $ 9 – 12, 5 – 6 sandwiches at $ 10 and 5 entrees from $ 10 – 20. A bit on the pricey side for my lunch tastes, but definitely manageable.
As I have said before, while not a true vegetarian, I often find vegetarian dishes to be a true test for a new (to me) restaurant. I had the Salata Verde and was delighted. The salad was a bed of butter leaf lettuce (which I believe is semi-​local), asparagus (not so local this time of year), house-​made pesto, house-​made pickles, pepperocinis, and generous shavings of hard asiago. The pickles and pesto absolutely made the salad, and I still have a good lingering flavor on my palate.
Next time I’ll be back for the focaccia grilled eggplant sandwich!

It’s kind of a hybrid between Italian and American styled food. The interior is nice looking place with a bar, high tables, low tables and a deli-​style counter towards the back. I had the grilled fish sandwich ($ 10 + tax) and it came with a small pasta side dish and (homemade?) potato chips. The sandwich was pretty good and had a nice sauce to go with it. The best part of the meal was the pasta side dish. It is hard to describe but it was cold white pasta shells in a vinegary type dressing. The chips tasted like potato chips except they were moist in grease as if they had been freshly cooked. They seemed to negate my healthy fish meal, however.
Average lunch prices appear to be about $ 12. It gets pretty crowded at lunch.
Food Quality/​Taste = 3 Stars
Portion Size Given Price = 2 Stars
Relative Price = 2 Stars
Service = 4 Stars
Experience with Staff = 4 Stars
Décor = 4 Stars
Clean (yes/​no) = yes

This was hands down my best «find» in Pittsburgh. Having some time to kill before a flight back home I just happened to walk by this place. An urban style Italian trattoria and wine bar with original exposed bricks creating that sought after rustic look.
There are plenty of wines from Italy as expected, but also has many other wines from Oregon, California, Washington, Argentina, Spain, New Zealand, South Africa, and Australia. I’m sure I forgot a few countries, however this variety tells me that the owner knows how to choose their wines and create a nice diversified list.
The service I received was superb with the bartender being very knowledgeable and an excellent host to an out of town guest. I know this place is new and I feel it has what it takes to succeed. Great ambiance/​décor, great wine selection by bottle and glass list, and service that knows what they are doing.
If or whenever back in Pittsburgh I will check this place out again to see how it has evolved.

A colleague and I were in Pittsburgh to meet with clients. We were staying downtown and needed a place to go to for dinner that was not going to break the bank. As we headed out and started wondering around we stumbled upon Bella Sera.
This is a small bar and restaurant, serving only appetizers, sandwiches, salads, and a nightly special. Its Italian in theme and the wine selection is great — a large portion of their wine menu is available by the glass. It is new, and there were not a lot of people, since it was a Monday night, but this place will be packed on weekends, and in the summer!
I had the grilled chicken with artichoke aioli and arugula sandwich which was very good, and just a little messy. They make their own potato chips, which were just a tad on the salty side, but great nonetheless. Sandwiches also come with home made pickles (very spicy, YUM) and a side salad of tomatoes, cucumber, and onion.
We sat at the bar and the bartender was very helpful and friendly. Once he new we were from out-​of town, he was a wealth of knowledge about what to see and where to go while we were in town. This is the kind of place that I would go to very often if I lived or worked nearby. It was friendly and unpretentious, but downtown and hip.