Within view of the breakers on Strandhill’s glorious shorefront, Bella Vista is well situated for the kind of all-day family trade it most appeals to. Benches and half barrel tables set up for outdoor dining in finer weather, while the atmosphere inside on the ground floor is cosy.
It’s basically a large pub offering a limited range of popular food at lunchtime, but that food – toasted sandwiches, pasta and pizza, for example - is unusually good. Soup has real homemade flavour and comes with dark, dense brown bread. A typical offering, a bacon, lettuce and tomato toasted sandwich, is served with a fresh salad accompaniment and ingredients are of really good quality.
Best of all, the service is wonderfully cheerful and prompt, perhaps because of the bouncy attitude of the Australian host, who built up his business just a few doors down at the Bella Vista pizza outlet.
In the evenings the menu ranges more widely, with a focus on steaks and seafood and there is plenty of space upstairs to accommodate happy diners.
* Coeliac Friendly - have always done gluten free pizza bases but we now have started making their own gluen free bases, also have gluten free pasta dishes, all beef burgers are gluen free, Cod can be done in a gluen free batter. They also make their own scones and baps which are gluten free.
Seats 100 (outdoors, 20). Food served daily, 10am-10pm (from 12 Sun); L 12-5pm, D 5-10pm. House wine from €17.50; sc 10% on groups 10+. Reservations recommended at weekends, children welcome (high chair, childrens menu, baby changing facilties). MasterCard, Visa, Laser.
