Bella Tuscany is Windermere's neighborhood Italian restaurant and just celebrated its tenth anniversary in September. Carlos Sciortino, the owner, originally had several pizzerias throughout the area and landed on Bella Tuscany to hone in on where their real passion is fine Italian food. As a result, they put out high-quality food that you'd typically find at only the most prestigious spots in the country. Every dish is handcrafted from scratch, from pasta and sauces to dressings and even dough.
The Executive Chef, Driss Aloui Tahiri, has been with Bella Tuscany since the beginning and has always pushed his talent to create beautiful dishes that will tantalize each customer's taste buds. He won't serve a dish unless he has perfected how it looks and tastes. Chef Driss is constantly crafting high-quality dishes and using the freshest locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. Some of their specials include the duck breast, which I consider the best-tasting variation I've ever tried, the Blue Cheese Fiocchi, which is a purse-shaped pasta stuffed with pear and cheese, and the white clam linguine. However, Chef Driss doesn't limit the menu to only "traditional pasta" dishes. He will also have items on the menu such as Chilean Sea Bass, Lobster Ravioli, and even a Sicilian Snapper with Shrimp.
Not only are they known for their exception Italian food, but they are also known for their wine collection, which carries over 500 bottles. When you want a glass of wine, you can choose from hundreds of bottles of wine at Bella Tuscany. Since all their wine is opened via coravin, each glass will be as good as the first glass poured from that bottle. This attention to the customer's ultimate experience goes back to their goal of ensuring each customer feels like they are the most important person. Whether it be one of the many theme park executives that frequent the restaurant or the young couple grabbing a pizza together after school, everybody will be given the same "white glove" treatment as the next.
This successful strategy has led them even to open up a new location in Ocoee, where Rusteak (see our story on them in the June 2022 issue) was located. This new location will still carry an extensive wine list as well as the same award-winning Italian food found at the original restaurant. Not only do they have wine, they also carry many local Florida beers on tap and a full bar. Bella Tuscany, being the "Neighborhood Restaurant," is huge on community outreach and is consistently working with local schools and organizations to help with charity events and programs. All of this strengthens their relationship with the community and perfectly shows why they are the favorite neighborhood spot for locals.
Bella Tuscany has one of the strongest happy hours in Central Florida. Their happy hour is every day from 2 pm-7pm and contains deals such as $6 house wine and $6 cocktails plus much more. If you have the time to stop by at lunchtime or eat at the bar, you to check out their Duck Wings! These lightly breaded, deep-fried wings are tossed in a teriyaki glaze and are one of the more unique but tasty things you'll find on the menu.
You will surely have an impressive experience at Bella Tuscany, whether it be from their massive wine collection, incredible food, or the equally spectacular decor throughout both locations. You will leave feeling like you just had an amazing dinner at a world-class restaurant, all without leaving your hometown.
For more information or to make reservations call Bella Tuscany at 407-656-2355 or visit www.BellaTuscany.com or @BellaTuscanyWindermere. They are located at 13424 Summerport Village Pkwy in Windermere (34786) and 1681 Amazing Way in Ocoee (34761).
