Authentic Italian food often proves elusive when looking for a bite to eat in Panama City Beach, Florida. Thankfully, you can count on Bella Roma Tuscan Grill to come through for you when pizza and pasta cravings hit in full force. Chef and owner Guglielmo brought all the best recipes and cooking techniques straight from Italy when he came to the US at age 21. Upon opening the doors to his eatery, his recipes have never failed to impress patrons nor have his unmatched skills in the kitchen.
While making your way into the restaurant, the first thing you are sure to notice is the lovely scent of garlic wafting through the air. Then, within moments of arriving, you’ll receive the friendliest service around and a chance to soak in their chill atmosphere. All of this sets the stage for the meal of a lifetime whether you choose to sit on their patio, in the dining room, or even take your order to go.
As you put in your drink order, always take a little bit extra time to browse through all the options on the menu. You must read through the ingredients a few times over to really get a feel for what awaits. But beware, as you check out all the options, it is likely to get harder and harder to choose between the various items awaiting your enjoyment. Thankfully, you can come back time and time again to try them all if you wish.
Top choices on their menu include:
Fried Ravioli
Fried Ravioli takes your favorite dish and sends it soaring to the next level with just a quick dip in the fryer. They create this spectacular appetizer by lightly coating their cheese ravioli in seasoned breadcrumbs. Then, it goes for a dunk in the fryer until golden brown and steaming hot. Marinara arrives alongside for dipping, though you should also ask for ranch dressing too.
Rigatoni Alla Ciociara
When you need a little bit of spice with your pasta, order up the Rigatoni Alla Ciociara. The spicy Italian sausage kicks it up a notch and beautifully complements the shitake, porcini, and fancy mushrooms. Everything lands in a decadent pink sauce along with the noodles then gets a dusting of parmesan cheese to finish it off right.
Blackened Grouper
When you get a taste of the Blackened Grouper, you will never have this fish another way. The party starts with a generous sprinkle of blackening seasonings on the fillet of grouper, which is then pan-seared to perfection. To complete the dish, sautéed mushrooms, capers, scallions, and lemon butter sauce go over the top, while the veggies of the day slide in alongside.
If you just need a tasty pizza covered in all your favorite toppings, they can handle that, too. They start by making all their dough by hand each day and dividing it up to create a multitude of 14” pies. As each pizza order comes through the kitchen, they roll the dough out thin, then spread white or red sauce across the top. After that, they pile on the toppings to order and bake it in the oven until the cheese starts bubbling. You can choose from a variety of iconic recipes, including monte Bianco and Margherita, or build your own using all their awesome toppings.
Insider Tips:
– Evenings and weekends get busy, but there is a way to avoid the wait. Just give them a call a few hours prior to get on the waitlist and they will let you know when to expect a table to open up.
– Need more of their tantalizing rolls and olive oil dip? Just ask for a refill. It is well worth the extra charge.