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  • Bistro Bella Vita

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Reserve at Bistro Bella Vita

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Bistro Bella Vita
Bistro Bella Vita

Bistro Bella Vita Details

  • Dining Style: Casual Elegant
  • Website: http://www.bistrobellavita.com
  • Email: info@bistrobellavita.com
  • Phone: (616) 222-4600
  • Hours of Operation: Lunch: Monday - Friday: 11:00am - 3:00pm; Dinner: Monday - Tuesday: 5:00pm - 10:00pm, Wednesday - Saturday: 5:00pm - 11:00pm, Sunday: 4:00pm - 9:00pm; Saturday & Sunday Brunch: Special Occasions Only
  • Payment Options: AMEX, Carte Blanche, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
  • Cuisine: Mediterranean, French, Italian
  • Executive Chef: Patrick Wise
  • Dress Code: Casual Dress
  • Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
  • Additional Details: Banquet/Private Rooms, Beer, Cafe, Chef's Table, Full Bar, Non-Smoking Area, Non-Smoking Restaurant, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Smoking Area, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Private Party Facilities: A Dining Experience Like No Other. Treat yourself and your guests to the ultimate dining experience: Bistro's chef’s table. Enjoy an exclusive, multi-course meal featuring creative dishes prepared Bistro-style with only the very best, hand-selected, seasonal ingredients. Executive Chef Patrick Wise personally presents each course as it’s served with a history of the food, details about the dish and the complexity of its flavors. You also can enjoy your chef’s table experience like no other.
  • Private Party Contact: Julie Wise (616) 222-4600

Getting there

  • Cross Street: Weston and Market
  • Parking: Public Lot
  • Parking Details: Metered street parking and 4 lots and ramps are located either adjacent to the building or within a short walking distance.
A word from Bistro Bella Vita
At Bistro Bella Vita delivers the maximum guest experience with superior food, beverage and service. Their specialty is natural Mediterranean Country Cuisine made from scratch daily. French Flair and Italian Twist. Fresh. Natural. Local. Bistro Bella Vita takes pride in their cuisine. The house-made… recipes feature delicious flavors of the Mediterranean prepared in a brick oven, grill and rotisserie with the highest quality ingredients, because fresher ingredients make the freshest cuisine. In-season, the restaurant uses chemical-free produce from local farmers because it's healthier and tastes best. But don't take their word for it... come in and taste for yourself.

Pair your meal with a glass or bottle of wine from our wine list featuring over 100 bottles from around the world. Or enjoy a hand-shaken martini from West Michigan’s largest martini bar. Specialty menu items are available for gluten-free, lactose intolerant, vegetarian and vegan diets.Continued
Foodspotting photos
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Awards voted by OpenTable diners
  • Diners' Choice WinnerBest Overall
  • Diners' Choice WinnerBest Food
  • Diners' Choice WinnerBest Service
Diner Reviews
  • "We had our second meal at Bistro Bella Vista and were as satisfied as before. The prices are reasonable and the menu has many different options with plentiful servings. My hummus and pita as appetizer could have been a meal. I loved the smoked chicken with lots of vegetables. My husband had the seafood stew which he pronounced "yummy"--we would have liked bread with the dinner. You could have it, but it cost extra. I thought that was a little stingy. Service was excellent, but the noise level made it difficult to have a conversation without yelling."
    Dined on 4/12/2014
  • "beautiful place. great food. inattentive, indifferent server diminished experience. a bit too noisy."
    Dined on 4/12/2014
  • "i have been to bistro bella vita twice, and thoroughly enjoyed it both times. the paella was a little spicy for my wife's taste, but perfect for me. my daughter loved the fromaggo (sp?) pizza. the waitress was very friendly & helpful with the meal, as well as advising us on our plans while in grand rapids."
    Dined on 4/10/2014
  • "Satisfied. My favorite restaurant in GR proves again why it is my favorite restaurant in GR."
    Dined on 4/9/2014
  • "We had not been to Bistro Bella Vita in awhile because of poor service the past few visits, but this time the service was superb. The food was delicious. We ordered a variety of dishes and were not disappointed by any. We'll definitely go back again soon."
    Dined on 4/5/2014
  • "This restaurant was a wonderful stop for dinner for my best friend and I. We enjoyed the food, drinks and service!"
    Dined on 4/5/2014
  • "Wanted to try a new quaint restaurant near the Marriott Courtyard - walking distance. My son found this on his IPhone and it was wonderful. The food was great, service was excellent and the ambiance was pleasing. We ate early (5:00 reservations) and there were a few tables occupied. Loved the experience and would definitely go there again!"
    Dined on 4/3/2014
  • "I was in Grand Rapids this weekend for a conference and wanted a nice meal, so after looking around online we decided on Bistro Bella Vita. They have an extensive drink menu and a large specials list so what you see on the menu online is not all that they have. We both ordered off if the specials list. My friend had the Mixed Grill which had duck, tuna, and chicken over quinoa. The quinoa was almost like a fried rice, with peas mixed in. It was so good she kept talking about it the next day. I chose the balsamic braised beef which was also a special and was served over cauliflower, sweet potato, and Brussels sprouts. I would highly recommend it, the portion was a good size and the flavor and mix of vegetables was excellent."
    Dined on 4/4/2014
  • "Bistro is such a great place to go for any reason. We love to take out-of-town guests here because it has such a festive and fun atmosphere as well as great food and cocktails."
    Dined on 3/29/2014
  • "Always one of my favorites in the city of bountiful dining choices"
    Dined on 3/28/2014
  • "Bella Vita never disappoints. Honest, professional wait staff coupled with an outstanding menu make for a lovely experience, no matter the occasion."
    Dined on 3/22/2014
  • "Bistro Bella Vita always has great service! Their servers are always on top of things and we never have to ask for refills, to order, or for the bill. Everything was done so that we did not have to ask. The food was also very good! Always impressed. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone!"
    Dined on 3/21/2014
  • "Great food, great service, good drinks and great atmosphere. I have dined at this restaurant three times and every time was a good experience."
    Dined on 3/22/2014
  • "Always great food, good wine and cocktail service, table service fantastic overall. Really can't go wrong in choosing Bistro Bella Vita for a night out."
    Dined on 3/22/2014
  • "I went to Bistro Bella Vita with a small corporate group and found the whole experience excellent. I would definitely recommend it to other small groups with out-of-town visitors. The atmosphere was great, as was the food."
    Dined on 3/20/2014
  • "Overall a very nice dinner. I used Open Table for my reservations and as usual I had no problems once I got to the restaurant. My requested table was waiting and food and service was first rate as usual."
    Dined on 3/17/2014
  • "We went to Bistro for our anniversary on Monday and we had a great time. The service was great (thanks Denis) and the Paella was amazing. We had a bad experience with paella while traveling in Puerto Rico so we were both a little weary to order it again, but i am glad we did! We decided to make Bistro Bella Vita a yearly tradition."
    Dined on 3/17/2014
  • "A great fine in the city. The menu had mass appeal and unique dishes that were excellent."
    Dined on 3/16/2014
  • "Excellent service and very accommodating for a group of 7! Delicious meals had by all!"
    Dined on 3/16/2014
  • "We had a very nice time at the Bistro. The menu is great and the food fresh and tasty. They honored my open table request for a window seat. It was a bit loud for conversation, but we made it work. I will definitely return."
    Dined on 3/15/2014
  • "We visited Bistro for dinner to celebrate my birthday. We had the BEST service I have ever had there, which is saying a lot because the service there is always great. Our waiter's name was Dennis. He made great recommendations, was very fun & friendly. He checked on us without hovering & made sure our drinks we kept full. He was great! We had the grilled cheese appetizer from the specials list. The combination of bread, cheese & fruit in this simple yet delicious starter was amazing. We both ordered the filet mignon for dinner. It was cooked perfectly! The side & sauce complimented the steak nicely. We both said it was so good we could easily order another if we weren't full. I already LOVE Bistro and this trip confirmed my love."
    Dined on 3/11/2014
  • "A favorite of mine that has survived the test of time. Eclectic menu offers a pleasing option for most and everything is executed flawlessly."
    Dined on 3/11/2014
  • "Love the atmosphere and gluten free menu. Excellent wine. Excellent flourless chocolate cake! Check it out!"
    Dined on 3/10/2014
  • "My husband & I were in GR for a concert at Van Andel, and we ate here beforehand. It was a beautiful atmosphere, and at 5:30 on a Thursday was remarkably quiet. The interior is lovely & it was a place you could have a classy night out. My husband & I intentionally wanted a nice night out without spending too much--we had two servings of their dinner bread, split a thin crust pizza and a dessert, and just had waters to drink. I wasn't stuffed, but was definitely full; my husband was still a bit hungry afterwards (but we planned on a snack at our concert). But with this order, we were able to both eat at a classy restaurant for less than $30, including the tip! I'd say a "normal" night out would cost 2-3x more easily. I highly recommend it!"
    Dined on 3/6/2014
  • "Great food that is reasonably priced. Everything is very fresh and unique."
    Dined on 3/7/2014
  • "Te menu provides a wide variety and allows you to make value selections or go all out for a special dinner. The kitchen maintains a high standard of quality despite the broad menu. Very nice place."
    Dined on 3/7/2014
  • "Great spot for dinner with friends. Delicious food. Nice wines. Perfect service. Warm spinach salad, amazing! The entrees were all good, but the Moroccan Chicken was the 'winner'. For dessert the warm chocolate cake & pound cake with sorbet all good, but the blackberry sorbet... I would've eaten an entire pint! Great wine selection, too. By only criticism (which didn't detract overall) were the cocktails. The cocktails seem to rely on the skill, knowledge and expertise of the spirit maker and not the bartender. By that I mean most of the cocktails seemed to rely on flavored spirits. It may just be perception from the way they were described but the cocktails don't seem reflect the same careful attention to skill that the food does."
    Dined on 3/6/2014
  • "Great food, great service, always love the opportunity to visit."
    Dined on 3/2/2014
  • "Though it is a bit pricey, the food and service is well worth it. We typically only go here for special occasions due to price, but we have always had a great experience. The staff is very tentative and friendly. The food is fresh and delectable. I especially recommend the 'warm chocolate cake' to top off your dinner."
    Dined on 3/2/2014
  • "Excellent dining at Bistro every time. The food seems to get better each time I dine there, and where I initially thought the martinis were the major draw other than this restaurant's ambience, now I wonder if the food isn't really where it's at. The seafood paella is outstanding, as is every other appetizer and main I've had here. Keep up the fabulous work!"
    Dined on 2/15/2014
  • "The waiterhelped create a good rapport. The food was delicious. The atmosphere was elegant, yet comfortable Though we found choices for us, we appreciated the willingness to adapt entrees to vegetation."
    Dined on 2/22/2014
  • "Enjoyed a special night out with my wife. We both enjoyed our food immensly. The service was excellent, and our food was ready quickly even though they were very busy. All in all a great night out!"
    Dined on 2/22/2014
  • "Always a great selection of specials, food cooked as requested and always an amazing meal. Highly recommend the mushroom crostini appetizer."
    Dined on 2/22/2014
  • "The food was very good. We both really loved our entrees (I recommend the paella!), and the hummus appetizer was great. It was very very loud though (Friday night), and we found it hard to hear each other across the table. I think I said "What?" about 50 times."
    Dined on 2/21/2014
  • "Great food. Love to eat locally grown food. Awesome service. Thanks for a great night out."
    Dined on 2/22/2014
  • "We love Bistro. One of the things that we look most forward to is a relaxing meal away from our 15 month old :) We relaxed when we sat down and my husband ordered a drink. We looked over the menu, asked questions, and made our decisions. I ordered the bread service and a pasta meal. My husband ordered duck. Our meal came out in less than 5 minutes... and 5 minutes later my bread came out. Both my husband and I looked at each other wishing we would have ordered an appetizer so we could have had a little more time. Then halfway through our meal a server came up and asked if I needed a box. I did... but not yet. We ordered dessert just to keep the meal a bit longer.... and even that felt rushed."
    Dined on 2/22/2014
  • "I've been here several times with my husband and friends, the last time also with friends before the griffins game. The atmosphere is always great. The food is always fantastic too!!! and the martinis always a big hit!"
    Dined on 2/21/2014
  • "Lots going on in downtown Grand Rapids that evening, with a full house at 6pm. Very good and prompt service, interesting dishes. The fish was cooked perfectly, the lobster sauce was great, the beans were very good but a bit heavy on the taste as an accompaniment to the fish. Good selection of wines by the glass. Made it out on time for your evening plans. Valet parking."
    Dined on 2/21/2014
  • "Had a wonderful time with my wife, not to loud but not dead either. Loved the food and renovated building. Worth the money and will go again when the occasion arises."
    Dined on 2/16/2014
  • "Be prepared to spend a chunk of change, but it will be very worth it!!! Everything that we had from wine, beer, appetizers, lunch (duck ravioli is to die for), down to dessert, nothing could have been better. The staff was friendly and happy to offer suggestions for us first timers. Can't wait to go there again."
    Dined on 2/18/2014
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Diners' Choice Awards
  • Grand Rapids / Western Michigan Winners
  • Best Overall
  • Fit for Foodies
  • Good for Groups
  • Notable Wine List
  • Most Booked
  • Grand Rapids Winners
  • Best Overall
  • Best Food
  • Best Service
  • Fit for Foodies
  • Good for Groups
  • Neighborhood Gem
  • Notable Wine List
  • Most Booked
Learn more ›