Bella Italia Pizzeria Ristorante Cafe

This wonderful and cosy restaurant called Bella Italia, which serves mainly western food Italian style, is located at the ground floor of Jesselton Hotel. Jesselton Hotel is one of the longest running hotel in Kota Kinabalu City that boasts a local ownership. Belle Italia now occupies the place formally held by Gardenia Restaurant. Gardenia Restaurant was established since 1959 and many KK Lites have fond memories of this place as it was on the busy Gaya Street of yesteryear. Today the local management of Gardenia Restaurant has teamed up with an Italian group to set up a new business, hence the creation of Bella Italia Pizzeria Ristorante Cafe.

bella italia - interior

Check out the menu in Bella Italia, almost all the food names are in Italian, so some Italian language practice is needed to make orders. Luckily the description of the courses is in English, so that we do know what we are ordering. Like all Italian restaurants, there are plenty of pastas and pizzas to choose from. At the moment Belle Italia is giving great value for one's money when one decides to dine at Belle Italia from 5pm to 7pm, all pasta and pizza has a knocked down price of 50%. Now everyone can eat.

insalata dello stretto

Note: The description of the Italian platters is at the end of this article.

bella italia menu

Appetizers, drinks, juices, pastas, pizzas, snacks and soups are the many items on Bella Italia's menu. Bella Italia also has value dinner that comes with two or three courses, and they are only available from 6pm to 10pm. Below is a sample value dinner with three courses. The course begins with a Blue Marlin and yellow tuna fish, as starter. Next comes the main course Medaglioni Di Manzo, a beef grilled tenderloin, very nicely prepared. Here it is done in raw to medium. The course ends with a dessert in the form of Tiramisu'. On top of all these one gets a complimentary hot tea or coffee to go with the meal.

blue marlin and yellow fin tuna

medaglioni di manzo

tiramisu'

crema di funghi

Other than offering super Italian Cuisine, Bella Italia still keeps some of the great local delights that make Gardenia Restaurant popular. Oxtail Asam Pedas, Hainanese Steamed Chicken Rice, Chicken Curry, Curry Laksa, Crispy Fried Noodle and ABC are just some of the items that are still being served here. Now Belle Italia also has pizzas on delivery, call (088) 313 366 for more details.

curry laksa

crispy jesselton noodle

abc

bella italia

Bella Pasta
Large portion of pasta served with chili olives, capers, anchovies, squid, prawns, baby clams, mussels and crab simmered in tomato sauce

Blue Marlin and yellow fin tuna
Carpaccio topped with lemon zest, mix peppercorn, lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil

Crema di funghi
Cream of wild mushroom soup

Insalata dello stretto
Braised squid, prawns, olives, cherry tomato, baby clams, capers, mussels & grilled veggie all tossed in lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil

Medaglioni di manzo
Beef grilled tenderloin medallion served with soft green peppercorn, market vegetables and potatoes of the day

Tiramisu'
Creamy mascarpone and lady finger biscuit soaked in espresso coffee

Bella Italia Pizzeria Ristorante Cafe,
The Jesselton Hotel, 69 Jalan Gaya,
88000 Kota Kinabalu.
Email: kkbellaitalia@yahoo.com