Bella Vita Bistro is a casual and classy Italian restaurant serving traditional dishes from different regions of Italy. While the rest of Shanghai seems to embrace fusion cuisine in all shapes and forms, Bella Vita stays true to what it does best: authentic, delicious, and classic Italian recipes.

BVB is the kind of restaurant that checks a lot of boxes for everyone. It's cozy and familiar for a casual meal with friends, but it can also be elegant and intimate for a special occasion. The villa location is both beautiful and versatile, accommodating small and large groups, with options to reserve the terrace and standalone dining rooms. It's the perfect venue for a special event, whether it's for a birthday, anniversary, or even a corporate event. Food-wise, they keep it simple using fresh ingredients and following traditional Italian recipes. Anyone who loves authentic Italian food should have no complaints here.

The Bistro concept is the group's latest addition in 2022, housed in a gorgeous multi-level villa in Xuhui, decked out with an expansive rooftop terrace and cozy dining rooms.

The look and feel of the entire space is precisely what you'd expect at a neighborhood bistro in Italy – warm, inviting, and great for all-day dining.

If you've been in China for a while, you'll know that Bella Vita is one of early players in the Western restaurant scene. The brand's first shop opened back in 2011 as part of Florentia Village in Tianjin, China's first luxury shopping outlet. They've since expanded to other cities, including two downtown locations in Shanghai. The Bella Vita on Haifang Lu is catered to more casual Italian fare, while Bella Vita Bistro offers a slightly more upscale experience.

The mastermind behind both the Bistro's food and wine menu is chef Andrea Botti, who, just last year, left his post in the Maldives for this gig with Bella Vita. You know he's serious about his work because he traded one of the most beautiful places on Earth to come here and to cook for us. If that's not pure dedication, we don't know what is.

The result is Italian food at its finest: classic, authentic, and traditional. We're talking pure, no-nonsense, no-fuss, Italian food. Specifically, at Bella Vita Bistro, pastas, seafood, and grilled meats are the main specialties.

Their pastas are made fresh daily, following recipes and styles from all over Italy. The Homemade Pacchero in Tomato sauce with fresh basil and burrata cheese is a rich, tomato-based dish from Naples, in the southern part of the country.

Their Crab Meat Fregola is another one of their signature pasta dishes. Fregola is a type of pasta from the Sardinia region and has a chewy round texture like couscous – it's quite rare to see this dish outside Europe and they do an impressive job at it.

The Mongolian Lamp Chops, while are from this part of the world, are cooked the Tuscan way, using a charcoal grill, and served with a side of mustard.

The wine fridge is fully stocked with mostly Italian vintages, starting at a very reasonable ¥70/glass or ¥300/bottle. Desserts are also made fresh, and include the usual suspects, tenerina, tiramisu, millefoglie, fruit tart, biscotti and more:

Check out the Bella Vita venues and deals on SmartShanghai APP: https://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/26074/bella_vita_bistro_tianping_lu