Ciao Bella

Ciao Bella is one of the nearest sit down restaurants to International Hall. Boasting extensive indoor and outdoor seating, the traditional Italian cuisine is impressive in both presentation and taste. The meal starts with a complimentary course of olives, crackers and cheese. Ciao Bella hosts an overwhelming wine collection, including an impressive house red, and offers meat courses, pasta and pizza. Highly recommended is the Spaghetti Ala Carbonara, which is bacon, egg and cream sauce over traditional spaghetti noodles. The meals are quite large, and make a good meal if you’re very hungry, or can be taken home and stretched into two portions. The staff is friendly, and the service is extremely quick considering the superior quality of the food.

During the day, no reservation is required. However, at night or during peak hours it’s advisable to schedule in advance. The prices are reasonable for food of such high quality. A large portion of pasta or pizza runs about 8-10 pounds, and the meat dishes are closer to 20 pounds. The interior of the restaurant is decorated with photographs of major older film and music stars, sometimes autographed. On the shelves around the dining area, bottles of wine fill every available inch. The close location of the restaurant to International Hall and it’s position along the route to the AHA classrooms makes it perfect for a quick bite to eat before class.