Bella Donna's at Grand Lake

...so we retired and moved to the beautiful Grand Lake of the Cherokees two years ago. We love it here, but one admitted drawback is a lack of true high quality restaurants. We were truly surprised to find a new Italian spot in Grove. Two other couples joined us last night as we took a beautiful boat trip up the lake and enjoyed a terrific dinner at Bella Donna! Great staff, lovely ownership (they made certain to see to your enjoyment) and the food is delicious and so plentiful that our fridge is jammed with yummy leftovers. Prices are more like 2010 than 2022...value is the key word. I brought up my family in South Philly and I'll attest to the "correctness" of our collective meals...Simply delicious. Great place, intelligently operated and just plain old fun!

2nd Visit was 8-31-22
Much better second visit. Crab was spot on and the meal was just right. Like the sausage, hush puppies, corn, taters, carrots but mostly the crab. Chairs are still uncomfortable with no back rests on bar chairs. Pita appitizer is unimpressive but I will be back for the crab.

First Visit was Unpleasant experience. 1.5 hr wait for food to table with a reservation. When we got it was not hot. 2 meals were uncooked and part of chicken was completely raw. I got food poisoning that night. Owners were not present on opening weekend. Owners never called after manager apologized and got my number.

Bella Donna's is a welcome addition to the Grove area. Finally a decent Italian restaurant! The place hadn't even been open a week when we went there. There were a few bumpy things that I am sure will be worked out after they have been there a little longer (reason for only 4 stars). First: checking in and waiting for a seat was a little weird. There is a window at the entrance that you talk through to give your party size. Then you sit outside to wait for your table. That might be a little uncomfortable during rain, winter or hot summer day. Second: there is a little bit of outside seating under nice umbrellas. Then there is a long outside "bench bar" seating. But it faces the inside of the place, instead of the lake. Kind of awkward to basically watch the inside tables as you eat ad the inside people watch the outside people as they eat. Third: the menu sucks. Not the food items but the actual printed menus. It looks like their Point-of-sales system had a print menu feature and they just used the default output. Forth: no fresh bread as you were seated. Fifth: no chocolate desert.

Now for the good stuff. Great location. Right on the water. Park your boat and walk up if you want. The staff was great. Though they were still learning their jobs they worked really well as a team and serviced the customers well. The food was great. We had a Charcuterie board for appetizer. The Chicken Florentine and Veal Marsala for entries. Key lime pie and cannoli for desert. Certainly worth your time to visit!!