La Bella Italia is an award-winning Italian restaurant, deli and cooking school in Petone, Wellington, run by owner and host Antonio Cacace. The business describes itself as passionate about traditional, authentic Italian products and cuisine, offering guests the experience of Italy through its restaurant, retail shop, cooking classes, catering, and Antonio's own Italian tours.
The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner across dedicated menus, sourcing fresh local ingredients alongside the best of its regional Italian suppliers. For something more personal, guests can book Antonio's NO MENU Table — a meal created especially for the diner on the day, dedicated to Antonio's late father Luigi and his concept of how a restaurant should be. Special dietary options are noted within the regular menus, and staff are available to help guests unsure of what suits their needs. Celebration cakes can be ordered directly through the restaurant, since outside cakes (BYO) are not permitted.
Beyond dining, La Bella Italia runs a retail shop stocked with pantry goods, beverages, formaggi (cheeses), salumi (meats), cookware, hampers and gifts, and seasonal Christmas products, alongside La Bella Recipe Meal Kits for cooking at home. The business also offers cooking classes, catering for events, venue and office space for hire, and wholesale supply to select cafes, restaurants and shops. Reviewers have described La Bella Italia as one of the true gems of Petone's dining scene, with Antonio praised as an ever-present, passionate champion of all things Italian.
La Bella Italia is an Italian restaurant, deli and cooking school in Petone, Wellington, run by owner and host Antonio Cacace. The business describes its mission simply: to let guests experience the best of Italy, whether through a meal, a bottle of wine from the shop, a cooking class, or a guided tour of Italy itself.
At the heart of La Bella Italia is its restaurant, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner with dishes built from fresh local ingredients and supplies sourced from the best regional Italian producers. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday, with separate breakfast, lunch/dinner, dessert and drinks menus. Special dietary options are noted within the menus, and staff are on hand to help any guest unsure of what will work for them.
For something more personal than the standard menu, guests can book Antonio's NO MENU Table — a meal created especially for the diner on the day. The experience is dedicated to Antonio's late father Luigi and reflects his concept of how a restaurant should be, priced at $120 per person excluding drinks, or $165 per person with matched wines included. For special occasions, guests can also order celebration cakes directly through the restaurant, since outside (BYO) cakes are not permitted.
La Bella Italia extends well beyond the dining room. Its retail shop stocks a genuine range of Italian pantry goods, beverages, formaggi (cheeses) and salumi (cured meats), alongside cookware, hampers and gifts, La Bella Recipe Meal Kits for cooking at home, and seasonal Christmas products. The business also runs cooking classes teaching the hands-on Italian way, offers catering to bring the taste of Italy to private events, and has a spacious, beautifully furnished venue and office space available for hire.
On the trade side, La Bella Italia operates a wholesale arm, supplying exclusive cafes, restaurants and shops with Italian products. And for those wanting to experience Italy itself, Antonio runs his own Italian tours, including a specific La Primavera tour.
La Bella Italia has picked up recognition including an NZBL Awards 2018 gold honour, a Best Restaurants listing, and a TripAdvisor 2019 Certificate of Excellence, alongside more recent 2023 recognition. Guest reviews echo this reputation: one visitor called it "one of the true gems in the Petone gastro crown," praising Antonio as "an ever present bona-fide champion of all things Italian and a real pleasure to be around," with the food and coffee described simply as "bellissimo." Another reviewer noted that from the moment you step through the door, you feel like you're in Italy.
La Bella Italia is located at 10 Nevis Street, Petone, Wellington, and is open Tuesday to Friday from 8:30am to 9:00pm, and Saturday from 9:00am to 9:00pm. It is closed on Sundays and Mondays. Takeaway is available Tuesday to Saturday, 11:00am to 7:00pm. The restaurant can be reached at 04 566 9303, and holds a liquor licence under I Gusti D'Italia Limited.