Cafe BellaLuca
303 Jones St, Truth Or Consequences, NM, 87901
Cafe BellaLuca Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Truth Or Consequences for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Truth Or Consequences for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Truth Or Consequences for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
303 Jones St
Truth Or Consequences, NM, 87901 - Phone (575) 894-9866
- Website https://cafebellaluca.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Classy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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Ben B.
I was in Truth or Consequences for weeks doing work at the spaceport. We had a bunch of Texans and a big group of Purdue students, and everyone found something they liked. The wine and beer selection was really impressive. I went to every restaurant I could in TorC, and this is by far the best one.
(5)Jamie A.
Delicious modern Italian place in T or C. We have eaten here many times. The sangria is my favorite item. It is homemade and so just so darn delicious!! They add cinnamon and tons of berries. Everything we have had on the menu has been great. The calamari app is crispy and has wonderful flavor. The Caesar salad is ok but the eggplant croutons on it are very good and add something different. Their pizza is yummy. The white pizza is my favorite and we add grilled chicken. The tiramisu is the perfect way to finish the meal. We have had some pasta dishes and they have all been quite tasty. At times they lack wait staff but the atmosphere and the food make up for it. Some items are a bit pricey but I think overall Bella Luca is worth it.
(5)Lesley G.
Food is good - though when we visited on Labor Day, they were out of a lot of the items. Caprese salad is a must have. Service was friendly. But be prepared to go home with a light wallet if you have anything more than pizza....it's a pretty pricey place.
(3)Shelly A.
A friend told me not to miss Bella Luca, and he was right! We enjoyed the complimentary marinated olives and bread with artfully presented olive oil and balsamic vinegar and our fantastic pancetta wrapped scallops in pesto appetizer. My husband was thrilled with the impressive selection of bottled beer; the house made blueberry pomegranate sangria didn't carry much of a punch, but it was very tasty. Our entrees were top-notch - my lobster carbonara was almost as good as my husband's beef risotto. The only disappointment was dessert. After our fabulous meal, we had high hopes for the bread pudding. It was small, dry and over-priced.
(5)Amanda S.
What a surprise to find this in T or C! It is so modern and upscale (without being pretentious or too expensive)! We stopped in for dessert and a bottle of wine. They have a great wine selection. The creme brulee was really good, and the flourless chocolate cake with berry sauce was rich but not overly filling. The service was so great and friendly. I would love to come back and try their food!
(4)Noel C.
Excellent Italian restaurant in T or C. Stopped for dinner with friends and had a great meal. Great wine and bottled beer selection We shared the Arugula salad and Calamari as an appetizer. The Calamari was excellent and the salad was just the right amount of goat cheese and roasted red peppers. We also ordered the Capone pizza. It was baked perfectly with a crispy crust and just the right amount of sauce. We finished off sharing the Pistachio Gelato, flourless chocolate cake and pear bread pudding. They were all excellent! The price point is just right for the food and portions sizes. Will have to stop by again one day if traveling through there again. I would have rated 5 stars, but they were out of Tiramisu and the restrooms needed a little more TLC, especially the ladies restroom according to my wife and our friend.
(4)Phylonyous P.
The Jewel of the high desert! Great food! Great Wine and Beer selection! Great people!
(5)Corey C.
The restaurant was hotter inside than the July day was outside. One employee was serving all the tables, and hosting. Service was very slow. It took two tries to bring out the correct food we ordered. Eggplant Parmesan: watery sauce, falling apart overcooked noodles. Eggplant was tough, and the breading was grossly thin and soggy. Caesar salad w/ chicken: fried eggplant crutons were burnt and chewy. Tasted extremely strong of anchovies. Would not recommend.
(1)David W.
Really great food! Bolognaise was awesome, lasagna and Maine Lobster carbarnara were excellent as well. Quite the pleasant surprise in a small town in NM. Would definitely return.
(5)Laura B.
If you like sweltering heat, poor communication and food that takes an eternity, this place is for you!!! Traveling through T or C on our way back to ABQ on Sunday, our restaurant options were limited. We decided to stop here for a late lunch and we wished we had kept driving. On a 90 degree plus day, the restaurant felt like an inferno, was the AC broken? No mention or apology for the unbearable heat or the slow service. I realize there were a lot of customers, but a polite mention of being understaffed goes a long way!!! After an hour baking, we decided to get the food to go and still no sincere comment about any of the things we experienced. To top it off, after ordering, we were notified much later that they didn't have one of our selections, had to reorder, server also forgot about a minor special request on a salad and getting refills on water, don't bother.
(1)Aaron B.
Believe it or not... quite possibly the best Italian food in NM. Don't be afraid to order one of the higher priced entrees. It is worth it. I can't imagine a better cioppino or risotto
(5)Lisa D.
Says open til 10 on Saturday night. Walked up there from our hotel at 8pm and it is closed. No note on the door to say why. WTF?
(1)Jimmy G.
Beautiful atmosphere, punctuated with engaging artwork by local artists. Friendly service. Great food! The pasta with clams in a garlic, white wine sauce was exquisite. We will definitely visit again the next time we are in Truth or Consequences.
(5)Henry Q.
DONT BOTHER Bottom line - Nice place, bad/slow service, average to below average food, and overpriced. Food We ordered a sangria, arugala salad, New Mexico calzone, and rigatoni bolognese. Sangria - too much fruit, taste too much like juice and no hint of wine. Arugala salad - good arugala, cold roasted garlic Calzone - the worst ever. Most of the dough was uncooked. Rigatoni - the only thing that was worth eating. Service Our waiter kept walking past us and not come to our table. There were 4 waiters in the restaurant and the restaurant was only half full. Total of 3 different servers came to our table to take our order, bring us food, and bring us check. Why don't they designate servicer to their own tables? Even with their combined effort, the service was terribly slow.
(2)Boris S.
After a relishing soak in the natural hot springs of truth or consequences, I arrive with a posse of individuals, fine wine connoisseurs, veal critics and a pheasant of hungry liberals waiting to eat with or without the issues of gay marriage or rifle policy. Everyone is anxious but before the shackles go off we must wait and contemplate and understand the wait at the DMV. My mother passed out as we understood primarily that the meal she offered to pay for amounted to 500 Hong Kong dollars. She said and I quote, "my blouse is seeping with chicken broth and calamari." Long wait; impossible, food; possible, price; the mean of the two. Good will hunting.
(2)Richard A.
Truth or Consequence, a stark conversation between lovers perhaps, and no better place to have it than at BellaLuca in the afore mentioned town. An oyster within the shell of a small New Mexican hamlet. The lights from the extremely cosmopolitan restaurant are possibly the only warm illumination after the hour of eight and deservedly draw an eclectic crowd of discerning hungry. All upon the menu deserve both tasting and credit and to single anything would not do justice.. This is truly a hidden oasis in New Mexico's southern reaches, the food, the clientele and the staff are always different, and always exceptional.....
(5)Eloy W.
Probably the best place to eat in Truth or Consequences, NM. This place is located in the heart of T or C! We had a nice soak at the hot springs and got our Pasta on here at Cafe BellaLuca. One complaint...It's hot, no A/C and it is stuffy. Delicious Salads to start out dinner and a good selection of beer. Beer here? I'll take 10. (Simpsons Reference) The Pizzas are a good quantity and enough to feed 4 of ya, we had a hard working server who was very attentive with all the tables she had to tackle. You will enjoy your meal and this place!
(4)Ty F.
There are not a lot of choices to have dinner on a weekend night in T or C so we stopped by the BellaLuca. Our first dinner here was meh. The ribeye steak was gristly and fatty. It was served with "spinach" which looks and tasted like arugula which is normally okay, unless you're expecting spinach. The steak was topped with a sprinkling of what appeared to be canned corn. The whole thing was so slippery and greasy, ugh. My bf had the lasagne which was fine. The next night when there was no place open, we reluctantly headed to BellaLuca again, this time only for a the antipasto plate (which was fab and delish!) and their caprese salad (also yummy). The bf and I agreed that BellaLuca's forte are the cold dishes. Water-spotted wine glasses and service can be slow, but what are you gonna do? First dinner 2 stars. Second dinner 3.5 stars, so I rounded to 3 stars total. If you're used to soft, buttery steaks, don't care to eat your 100 fat grams in one meal and prefer to drink out of wine glasses you can see through, you may want to look elsewhere.
(3)Forrest W.
Well we were in T or C for a week and ate here 3 times. Food is consistently excellent. Tried pizza one night and loved it. Service was a little slow one night but the food is worth the wait. Just plan on taking your time. Wine mark up is about 3X. Didn't ask but you may want to ask about a corking charge and take your own. Still easily 5 stars!
(5)Natsu C.
Had the grown up mac and cheese for my birthday dinner and it was excellent! My fiancé, who is really picky about his alfredo, loved theirs.
(5)Dave J.
This is a beautiful restaurant. However don't go to it if you are not willing to drop some serios dough. I went because it was located near the fire water hotel where I was staying. I didn't just go to it was close, I went to it because I wanted a high end restaurant experience. However I thought the prices were too high. Now that being said, the salad I ordered was good but overpriced. All that being said I think if my food budget was higher for this trip I would have dropped more money on an actual dinner and enjoyed it much more. So my recommendation is to go to this restaurant only if you're willing to spend some money, because I think the food is going to be worth it. What was not worth it was getting a salad. The wait staff was super nice, the wine was great.
(3)Craig L.
Great beer selection and even better food. There was an issue with our order but they more than made up for it with some free drinks. They obviously cared about the customer experience and wanted to ensure that each person was taken care of.
(5)Jennifer J.
We ate here last night. This was our second visit in a year. At 8pm in February it was surprisingly full. The service was a bit hit or miss. It took a long time to get our salads which came with a small basket of bread. When we asked, the first time, for more bread, the manager/host told us "okay." After 10 minutes, and no bread, we asked our waitress who said "okay." Another 5 minutes and no bread (and no dinner), we flagged down the busboy who said extra bread was $2. Ridiculous. How much does bread cost? Especially when the restaurant makes pizza. We heard other customers ask for bread also, which they never received either. Management needs to let this absurd policy and charge go. The meals were okay. I had the shrimp bruschetta which was flavorful, though a bit salty. We were distracted by another very upset customer who was having issues with an order. It seems that there are some management issues here, but the food can be good.
(3)Monica W.
Lovely surprise to be graciously seated and served close to closing time on a Thursday night. Oliver did a wonderful job of serving us. The clams with garlic and white wine were tender and flavorful served with crispy slices of garlic bread on top. The short ribs with papardelle was magnificent (according to my boyfriend).. plenty of tender meat in a hearty sauce on al dente pasta. The only downside was the wine pourings were small for the price. Such a nice surprise late at night in a small town!
(4)Jim M.
A-OK KINDA SORTA. THE ONLY place for dinner in T or C. Hadn't eaten there in 2 or 3 years, when EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT. Got there just after 5 30. No hostess. Two waiters No busser. Ordered calamari and glass of wine to start. No wine. Finally wine. Calamari tasty, but mostly breading. Entre' Pasta w/ Calabacitas and cream sauce. Calabacitas clearly just defrosted. Just had it tonite for leftovers. Brought it back to full life with the wine sauce that I cooked scallops in. I have no idea who owns this restaurant, but there is NO SIGN of an owner, much less a manager.
(3)Lunar B.
This was probably the worst service I have ever received at a restaurant. My dining partner and I stood at the entrance for five minutes or more waiting for someone to even greet us. We were finally seated and then waited another ten minutes for someone (a woman who looked like either the owner or GM) to take our drink order. We also ordered the calamari to start and when it arrived, it was awful--totally overcooked and bland. We took a few bites and then asked for the check (when we told her it was overcooked she just said, "OK"). It then took another fifteen minutes or so just to pay and get out the door. All in all, it took us an hour to be seated, get served two drinks and an appetizer, and then pay the check. We could see dishes dying in the window and plates getting sent back the whole time we were there, and at least one other table got up and left before ordering because they couldn't seem to get anyone to wait on them. Overall, a really bad dining experience.
(1)Renee P.
Check out this place!!! First time in town and saw this place on yelp. The BEST sangria I have ever had in my life! I ordered the rigatoni and it was fantastic! My gf had the fettuccine and she loved it!
(5)Nory B.
Excellent Italian restaurant just off the main drag. The Napa pizza was one of the lightest, most flavorful pizzas I've ever had! My husband loved the grownup grilled cheese, and my mother-in-law adored the deconstructed sandwich. If you're on the road to Albuquerque or Santa Fe, this is definitely worth a stop to have such a gourmet, satisfying meal at very reasonable prices.
(4)Tracy S.
The food is very good - had the Calabasitas Fettucine. But, I was not that impressed with the service. Our waiter seemed to forget about us. When I asked which wine he recommended, he told us about one - the most expensive one. He didn't bother to ask if we like red, white, sweet or dry. For what we paid, I would have liked a more attentive waiter.
(2)Chris O.
The chef/owner was very friendly and helpful. We had the Space-Portabellos for an appetizer, the Santa Barbara pizza, and creme brûlée and chocolate decadence for dessert. Everything was high quality and very delicious. Great service and worth the cost.
(5)Jonathan M.
Gluten free heaven! Everything was gorgeous and cooked perfectly, the sangria was out of this world!
(5)Jordana G.
Delicious food, attractive interior. The only bad part was the service, which was AWFUL! We waited forever for our food because they were so understaffed. They had signs on the door with open positions, and boy do they need to get those positions filled. I will return because the food is excellent, but don't come if you are in a hurry unless they are up to speed on staffing.
(4)Rob E.
first thing. place is hot, no Air Conditioning? i was sweating just sitting down at my seat. had to get a beer and it took about 15 minutes for him to bring it out but i got it! only 1 server dude for the whole restaurant!? no wonder service is slow. poor guy. we ordered our pizza. waited for awhile... feel like i'm still waiting. had to order a calzone, salad or pizza. because they were in between lunch and dinner? that blows. we were really dissapointed. we have been to 2 places now like that in a row! jeez, don't like that at all. anyway, pizza was good! ordered a pepperoni and we mowed it down Place is nice. they got a window wall that bring in a lot of heat but it looks cool. it's modern with nice bathrooms and decor. kind of fancy. not a bad place, not amazing either, purely average.
(3)Billy B.
The Santa Barbara calzone was soooo good. The brie and garlic melted together with the spinach was amazing. My mouth is watering thinking about it. My wife had the veggie lasagna and it was amazing. Noodles perfectly al dente, prepared perfectly and put together so well. This was one of the best meals I've had in years.
(4)Marcos O.
We went to TorC to get married. Their restaurant was closed for 3 hours on a Friday, so they could revamp their menu. WELL, they heard we were in town to get married all the way from TX and the Owner opened the restaurant just for us and served us. The staff was so nice, helpful and the food was soooo good, we went there to celebrate the next day right after our wedding. Very gay friendly, awesome staff and amazing food. Thank you Cafe BellaLuca for not just a wonderful experience, but for welcoming us as we traveled alone to a town for our biggest day, EVER! We will return for our 1st year anniversary!
(5)Virginia F.
Vegan friendly! We got the Cannelli Beans and Greens and it was fantastic! I wasn't expecting such a well prepared vegan dish. We got sorbet for dessert - it comes with 4 scoops so you can mix and match the flavors.
(4)Michael J.
As noted. one of the best dining choices town. We were served quickly and our server was fine. Rigitoni Bolognese was excellent. Eggplant parm w pasta was excellent as well. Clean plate club! Calzone was ok. I think caprese salad would be better served as a true shareable appetizer rather than as a single serving salad. Brava.
(5)Carianne C.
I'm giving it 5. It would be a 4 in Tucson, but when you are in the middle of nowhere and can get food this tasty with such a fab beer and wine list, it's a 5! Really enjoyed the al dente puttanesca and the calabacitas fettuccine. Very nice service, and not slow at all as others remarked (maybe I just really enjoy the company of my sweetie). We started with a antipasto plate, which was delivered quickly. The olives are especially delicious. Desserts were standard and boring, but the rest of the meal was fantastic.
(5)Meredith R.
There are two things worth doing in T or C. One of them is bathing in hot springs; the other is eating at this restaurant. Yelp, this is legit Italian food in the middle of nowhere with a world-class wine and beer menu. Yes yes, it is expensive and service can be slow. Nobody cares when the food and drinks are this good. My favorite dishes are whatever special ravioli they have that night, or the calabasitas fettuccine, or basically any pizza. And a glass of wine, or a cold glass of peach lambic beer. They also have the best balsamic reduction ever, which makes bread disappear and transforms an already delicious caprese salad into something straight from heaven. And how could I forget the creme brulee with a glass of raspberry port... But my personal entree preferences don't mean anything. You have to experience this restaurant for yourself. So remember, if you ever find yourself in the middle of nowhere NM, life just got so very much more delicious. You're welcome.
(5)Michelle C.
We went for their Thanksgiving Buffet. It was wonderful! I have to say the vegetables were the star of the show, but everything was excellent. My only complaint was at $30 a head I was surprised that I was charged extra for coffee. Most buffets come with beverages
(4)Dennis M.
My husband and I have returned to BellaLuca for our second time, first time was for lunch and last night was for dinner....absolutely wonderful food, the wine we choose was excellent, he had the seafood stew Ciopinio and I had chicken Milanese which was prepared to perfection. Will keep returning each and every time we come to T or C.
(5)Heather K.
Considering the lack of dinner options in T or C, this was the only place open on a Sunday afternoon. There were just two other tables eating, and when we were seated the server told us that we came in during the time that the kitchen was switching between lunch and dinner so the menu would be limited; however she didn't specify what was and wasn't available. My friend ordered a beer that came in an open bottle with no glass, and said it tasted flat like it had been opened earlier in the day. While we were waiting for our entrees, the table nearest us had a lengthy discussion with the manager about how unprofessional their server had been for giving them a dessert menu while they were still eating their food (?). I ordered eggplant parmesan that was unevenly cooked and had a weird texture. Overall it was pretty mediocre and overpriced Italian food, and if I ever go through T or C again I won't bother coming back.
(2)Amanda D.
What a pleasant surprise this place is! We came here for the tour in Spaceport America, looking for some quality food after. Big dining hall with good selection of wine and nice atmpsphere.I think it might be a little pricey for the area. But definitely suggested if you are just visiting
(5)John R.
Great food great service. Can't believe this place was empty, if it was in Albuquerque they'd be packed all the time.
(5)S M.
The white pizza was amazing but we had to wait over an hour for them to make it and it wasn't busy...
(3)Lauren G.
I haven't posted a review in quite some time on Yelp, but we had such a terrible experience here I thought a review in order. I'm only giving this one star because of the great hostess, and a few kind waiters - not our own. We made a reservation for four last weekend after hearing from multiple parties how wonderful this place is. When we arrived the place was busy, so we sat outside for a short wait. The hostess was lovely and accommodating, but when she told us she should have been off her shift 2 hours prior, that should have been the first clue. A longer wait than anticipated was no big deal, and our lovely hostess made sure our appetizer order went in as we were being seated, and she was leaving for the evening. A waitress came by a bit later and took our orders, all seemed fine. From that point on we never saw our waitress. The appetizers arrived and were fine, but antipasto is pretty hard to mess up. We waited for over an hour for our main courses, and after some investigating and assistance by random waiters, they eventually showed up. One dish was piping hot (I suspect having been microwaved), the other three were cold. The sauce on the linguini with clams had actually congealed. Two of our party were so hungry they decided to eat their dishes anyway, but I had to go hunting for someone to ask for the dishes to be sent back. I ended up speaking to a chef who said he was the manager, and who promised to rectify the situation immediately. More than 20 minutes later we received our fresh dishes. They were hot, but disappointing. A pricey scallop dish had three scallops on a plate with a white bean "cassoulet" - tasteless beans drowning in greasy chicken stock. The cioppino tasted as if the base was Campbell's tomato soup. The linguini with clams had about two fork-fulls of pasta underneath a mound of clamshells. Upon finishing, we then had to hunt down another waiter to get the bill. Unsurprisingly, we were charged the full amount for everything. I haven't had a dining experience this poor in a very long time. I think it's also important to note that when I was talking to the manager and asking about our absentee waitress, he told me, looking pained, it was the owner of the restaurant. And as we were leaving, when I asked to talk to the owner, the waiter who went to find her came back with the news that, of course, she had already left for the evening. This waiter was conscientious enough to ask for our feedback, but this should have come from the manager, who was well aware of the situation. It's distressing that several people we encountered that evening, all on the lower end of the employee hierarchy, were showing more dedication and interest than the owner of the establishment. Perhaps this restaurant was once capable of more, or simply the lower expectations for the area artificially elevated reviews, but if this level of inattention on the level of the owner is any indicator, this restaurant is on it's way out. Do yourself a favor and try one of the other restaurants in town.
(1)Molly A.
Excellent food. I enjoyed a seasonal calabacitas pasta with green chile, and the grilled goat cheese pizza another night. The smallest pizza was huge. It could have fed two of us. I enjoyed the beer and wine selection and liked the patio, with fun wall art and plants. Like another reviewer, we noticed it was very warm in the restaurant. The service was a bit slow at times...
(4)Jereme D.
By fare the best pizza in the state of New Mexico, and a top contender for the world. The crust tastes like it was made by tiny Angeles and gently placed in a stone oven to be cooked to perfection. There were three of us there and we all ordered different pizza's. We all greatly enjoined the spectacular deliciousness of our selections. I highly recommend this fine establishment if you want some good beer and pizza. They also have other Italion food selections and sandwiches.
(5)Emily J.
Ate here on a Monday night, which didn't seem to be all that terribly busy. I only say this because our service was lacking. Our food took a long time to arrive and the waiter seemed rushed and didn't bother to check on us after our food was delivered. That being said I'm still giving this place four stars because the food was that good. My kids ordered a pepperoni pizza, which I had to steal a piece of because it smelled wonderful. I ordered the Calabasitas Fettuccini and it was amazing (and I'm not a big pasta lover). The fettuccini had a great flavor and all the vegetables were fresh (and I like the fact that some of the vegetables in this dish were locally grown and organic). Wish I could say that the service was on par with the food but after all that pasta I left here thirsty since I was never offered a refill on my drink. Also took a long time to receive the check after we were done eating. We probably waited about 15 minutes before we finally flagged our waiter down to for it.
(4)Vanessa S.
Overpriced food, rude waiters. We asked for clarification on the menu and the waitress told us to look at the menu, which we had. We asked what was in the caper dressing and the waitress told us it was capers, oil, and herbs. When our baby spinach (listed on the menu as including shaved fennel, marcona almonds, caper dressing) salad arrived, it was arugula with a pile of roasted red bell pepper on top. We sent it back, and then it came back as roasted red pepper on spinach. We sent that back, and they clearly just scraped some of the bell pepper off the spinach and added sliced almonds. I am allergic to bell pepper, so we asked that it be made fresh. Or responses were confused, not rude. The waitress returned and scolded me for not telling her I had (air quotes)allergies(air quotes), and that the caper dressing did have bell peppers in it, but they could make it with balsamic dressing. The salad was remade, this time with sliced almonds (not Marconas), no shaved fennel (there were sweet, possibly caramelized onions) and two sliced grape tomatoes, no dressing. The entree (cannelloni beans and greens) was bland and the beans were undercooked, hard and even crunchy in places. The waitress avoided us the rest of the evening. Clearly we were unhappy and waiting for a long time for the bill, but no one checked in or even apologized.
(1)Marina V.
We unfortunately discovered this place on our way OUT of town.. the night before, Sierra Grande Lodge had recommended Los Arcos and we were sorely disappointed. The next day, we walked through town and found BellaLuca. Now why hadn't they mentioned this place?? When we saw the Godfather pizza on the menu (pizza with asparagus, arugula, a butterflied ribeye steak, and a whole bunch of other stuff), we whole-heartedly agreed we would've gotten that the night before and it would've most likely kicked the butt of the Los Arcos steak we had. We sat outside on the patio with our dog, and our server was awesome!! I ordered the chicken melt (grilled chicken breast with dill havarti, roasted red peppers, pesto, and avocado on focaccia) and C ordered the meatball hoagie. The bread was incredible-- I meant to ask if they made it in house but we were in kind of a hurry to get back on the road. They MUST-- both my focaccia and his baguette were perfectly crispy and chewy in all the right places. The fries they came with were tasty too, but could've been a tad bit crispier. The meatballs were shockingly delicious!!! (I'm from Jersey, c'mon!) I was really surprised to happen upon this place in small-town T or C! It definitely has a bigger-city feel to it, right down to the spacious interior and high, tiled ceilings. Next time we're in town, i know where we're coming for dinner!
(4)Michael M.
Salad was good but expensive and minuscule. I will never dine here again.
(2)Wendy J.
A bit of big city in rural NM. Weekend specials are worth ordering as are the ravioli (also weekends only) which remind of grandma's sunday sauce. For a lunchtime snack the grilled pizza, crab cake and santa Barbara pizza are super yummy. Coffee is reliably good and strong. For pasta my fav is the chef's own boasted best dish, the rigatoni, second to that I really really like the carbonara. The pear ale rocks but can be a bit sweet for mixing with a meal, the wine collection is quite sophisticated. Enjoy!!
(5)John H.
Strike three. If you can look past the cold service, cold plate, cold food, cold restaurant, long waits, puny portions, and expense, there is good food at Cafe BellaLuca. But too many drawbacks. We're tired of being disappointed, tired of being treated poorly, and will make due elsewhere when we visit this wonderful little town.
(2)Skip G.
My wife and i were driving across country and stumbled into a little town called truth or consequences new mexico and we were so hungry. We stumb;ed upon this family owned resturant and fell in love with it it was called Cafe Bell Luca and everything from the time we arived to the time we left was great. We highly recommend anyone and everyone to try this great place.
(5)Cat B.
The pizza was amazing. They were under staffed, plan two hours to eat.
(4)tara s.
Stellar - food, wine, and service I was trying to avoid eating wheat, not easy in a italian restaurant, and the waitress mentions that they have gluten free pasta!!!! GF people - eat here! It was DELICIOUS. Everything was, and so beautifully prepared. Plus a killer wine selection. You can not go wrong here. It is a hidden gem.
(5)Sue R.
I live in town and have become addicted to their pizza and Calzones......one can get creative and choose from an array of ingredients to build your own pizza. They have the best pizza crust I have ever eaten! They make their own pasta and sauces like tomato or basil pesto sauces or Alfredo and all ingredients are fresh and tasty. Their salads are wonderful and their dressings home made and so scrumpteous. You can take home sauces, pasta, dressings, and other deli meats and cheeses from their own take out DELI. I work at a local hotel and recommend them to all the guests
(5)Paul P.
This is a great place. We walked here from Sierra Grande Lodge - just a few blocks away. Nice selection of pastas and pizza as well as beer and wine. They had a selection of 'reserve' beers on the menu. I had a Steelhead Double IPA. We almost came here both nights we were in T or C.
(4)Megan F.
FANTASTIC! Delicious food, great portions. My boyfriend and I split the the arugula salad, vegetarian lasagna with meat sauce and olives. I couldn't believe how good everything was! I highly recommend this spot if you're in TorC. It's a nice way to round out the evening after a day of soaking.
(5)M S.
My fiancé and I love Bella luca and make sure to stop here on each T or C visit. I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 because I think it's a tad overpriced given the location and also the up charges are pretty pinche. $3 to split? $2 for more bread? .50 cents for to go? If you're paying almost $40 bones for a steak you'd think you could be a little less chinch on the small extras. In any event food is delicious, wine list is great and service is also fantastic, We will be back and suggest this would suggest this place to friends.
(4)Jennie L.
This was the worst experience at a restaurant I've ever had. Myself and four friends had a 7pm Sunday reservation and were not seated till 7:20 even though there were plenty of empty tables. We were ignored & people seated after us were served bread and orders were taken. One of us had to leave the table to ask a waiter if they were ever going to take our order. The rude waiter, who was aggressive & disrespectful took our order at 8:05 and assured that our order would take 10min. He rushed us & made it clear we didnt matter. Still no bread. The table guests in front of us went to speak to the owner about the same issue & pointed out that we had been waiting also. The owner rudely brushed her off & told her not to lean on the art. Nobody cared. We finally decided to leave at 8:30. No apology. They other guest walked out also. Save your money! Dont waste your precious time nor let them ruin your stay in t or c. We had a great time everywhere else in this city, except for here. They tarnish the reputation of this charming town. Zero stars.
(1)Mark H.
For a smallish town, Cafe BellaLuca is a star. I had three meals there during my recent weekend stay in Truth or Consequences. Everything I ordered was stellar. BellaLuca is located in the old 'downtown' area of TorC - which has a number of funky old shops and hot spring hotels. I was surprised to find a place like BellaLuca in this town - which has just a few restaurants - but given the influx of artists and other people fleeing larger cities it made sense. Based on the recommendation of my server, Jacklyn, I tried the risotto with scallops (I had mine with grilled shrimp) which was very, very good. Most restaurants don't cook the rice long enough to avoid a kind of pastiness. BellaLuca's risotto was superb - soft Arborio rice stewed in a rich broth with 5 large, fresh Gulf shrimp) and better than similar dishes I've had in DC or Boston. I had the restaurant's Capri salad which was made with fresh organic tomatoes, a rich balsamic vinegar and mozzarella. Delish. The pizza didn't disappoint - I tried it with a grilled crust which was a bit like a cracker. The only disappointment was the chicken marsala which was a bit overcooked but still full o flava. Desserts include truffles made in house in addition to the usual stuff (tiramisu, flourless chocolate cake...). The decor is modern - almost industrial - which is a relief from the typical NM style. It does get a bit loud due to the hard surface areas. Give BellaLuca a try if you visit Truth or Consequences. It is a wonderful place.
(4)Brian O.
We stopped at the Cafe BellaLuca on our way home from attending the 2012 Festival of the Cranes. Our dinner experience was an excellent one. Our service was very good and our food was delicious. We shared a Roman pizza and each had a side salad. The pizza had plenty of cheese and ample toppings. Would definitely return.
(5)Cesar G.
This place is a diamond in the rough. I would of never expected T or C to have such an awesome place to eat. They have a very good beer and wine selection. The food is some of the best Italian food have ever had. Also, try their homemade sangria.
(5)GAYA G.
Free-range eggs. Fresh produce. Fine olive oil. And they graciously cater to selective eaters such as myself who order an omlette at brunch, with selective veggie pickings. This kind of order most definitely racks a fairly high bill in the end. I wish it was more "organic" as in choosing mainly GMO-free and non-pesticide for veggies. It seems like a place that would lean in this direction, so perhaps in reality they do? Clean establishment. Semi-open kitchen. Friendly staff.
(4)AntimatterCrusader T.
Great stuff! Pleasant Atmosphere... nothing better after a good soak in the hot springs.
(4)Michelle Z.
I really wanted to like this place. My husband and I were looking for a romantic place to celebrate our anniversary weekend in T or C. The atmosphere is very nice and modern, upscale and romantic. The food however was just not as nice as the decor would lead you to believe. I ordered a caesar salad to split with my husband before our entree. What we got was romaine lettuce saturated (and I do mean DRENCHED) with what tasted like mayonnaise. An anchovy floated in the sea of the mystery mayonnaise sauce and what appeared to be a roasted red tomato, but I was not about to eat that since it was bathing in mayo with the anchovy. Gross. Our entree was better, but not the best I've ever had. I had fettucini alfredo and my husband had spaghetti. It was just okay. I've had better, but it was not completely unpleasant. The olive oil and bread were also just okay. I've had way better and it appeared that there was a lone drop of balsamic vinegar in the olive oil. Perhaps they intended it this way, but I will never know because the menu is not descriptive or helpful in anyway. My husband and i were seated near the bathroom and we observed an employee leaving the restroom tucking his shirt into his pants as he walked back to the kitchen. I found him sticking his hand in his pants while exiting the bathroom to be repulsive. Our waitress was nice enough I suppose, but I wouldn't describe her as friendly. She just did her job and that was it. There was another woman filling up our waters and she seemed very nice as she always responded to us when we said thank you and she always kept our glasses filled with water. I probably will not go back to this place next time I come to T or C.
(2)Jeff S.
Good food, had the seafood stew, large shrimp. My girlfriend had the scallops, they were a good flavor but were not cleaned well, lots of large grain sand.
(4)Andrew G.
Delicious surprise! Nice wine list, wonderful pasta dishes, inviting ambience... Will return!
(4)Elia P.
I live in California and was traveling through Arizona and New Mexico. This place is the best place we had eaten at on our whole trip. We went there twice in the day and a half that we were there. The chicken avocado, New Mexico pizza, fettuccini Alfredo and even the spaghetti and meatballs were all good. Oh, and I can't forget the creme brûlée and the tiramisu. The whole family loved it. It's a winner!
(5)Joseph B.
The seafood stew (not cioppino, forgot the name of it) was superb. It had a lot of seafood with a light essence of anchovies. VERY tasty. (I know- seafood in New Mexico? But most of the seafood we get anymore is frozen and it what the chef does with it.. which was GOOD.) The barbara was very good. On the other hand the pizza was middle of the road. It would have been better if the goat cheese was the only cheese on the pizza. Excellent service- very knowledgeable, good ambiance (thought the light was low and I didn't bring my glasses which made it hard to read).
(4)Debbie C.
Nice decor but in a weird area, right across the street from the "pink apartment complex." That's your view out the floor to ceiling windows. They do have private outdoor seating that is fenced off so you don't have a view of the parking lot. We were seated right away. They served bread, with 4 large (tasty) olives and some oil with only one drop of balsamic vinegar. Like the other reviewer, one more drop won't break the bank and will add a bit more flavor! No bread plates, which was a litte odd and a little messy. What do you do, push the bread crumbs to the center of the table or swipe them onto the floor? I ordered the SCALLOPS WITH ASPARAGUS RISOTTO. It was very very good. The risotto was perfectly cooked and not dry at all. The generous amount of asparagus was cut up in small pieces so it blended in nicely. Five large scallops adorned the meal and were perfectly cooked. My husband had the PORTABELLA MUSHROOM and CALZONE. He said both were very good. We ordered a red wine from Argentina that was very tasty. SERVICE was excellent. No DESERT. We were too full. Highly recommend Cafe BellaLuca.
(4)Marlos M.
This was our second time here, first was two years ago. Food is still great, if you are in T or C, this is the place for a good dinner
(4)lynda M.
We went to this restaurant totally based on the reviews!!! I must disagree with the star rating entirely! Nice open kitchen with a very impressive menu, considering the size of the town and location! First impressions were just OK, but we have been surprised before when first entering a restaurant! I believe it was listed as , An elegant ambience ???? Not really!!! Our waiter started out OK but he totally lost it! He served the wrong meal to myself and the next table! Didn't have answers to the questions I asked about the menu! Didn't seem to care about our questions,seemed in a rush, brought the appetizer and salad at the same time!The calamari was good but not as good as reviews I had read! Had an overpowering pepper taste! We had the Wedge salad which was the best part of our meal! I ordered the lasagne with a few side meatballs;my husband ordered the rigatoni with meat sauce! His meal came, mine was not what I ordered, so we were not in sync! He had to wait until my meal arrived!!! My lasagne was good but not """ the best I,ve ever had""" as previously rated!!! Once I unearthed it from the way too much ,sour, bitter sauce, it was pretty tasty!!! The sauce tasted old!!!!My husbands dinner was very meatless for a bolognese sauce and much to creamy!!! Over all we were very disappointed ! Would not recommend this place if you know GOOD Italian cooking !
(1)Kent R.
I ordered two calzones for take out, so I can't speak to their in restaurant service. Unfortunately, the calzones were burnt on the outside and doughy on the inside. I'm not usually picky but I couldn't finish mine and ended up throwing away most of the $9 meal.
(1)Lindsay C.
Very disappointed in this "classy establishment". We were one of only 3 tables of patrons. The waitress was friendly and nice but slow. We waited at least 15 minutes before placing our drink order.The food took almost an hour to arrive. And was fair at best when we finally got it. If we ever go back to T or C we will NOT be stopping here again.
(1)Ryno M.
I wish I could give Bella Luca 0 stars but thier drinks deserve 1 star I guess. Waited 15 minutes to get waters and menus after asking the hostess for waters. Finally our spacey server arrived and told me thy were out of any flavor pelligrino, I got a delicious rasberry italian soda. My girlfriend got the blueberry sangria which was also delicious. The calamari was good and the side salad was pathetic. Additional salad dressing and marinara for calamari will cost you extra by the way... Chicken for alfredo was overcooked and dried out, roman pizza was so greasy it makes me sick to think about. Thank goodness the "to go" box soaked up the grease and made it edible. Chefs got too crazy with the toppings on that, there was some sort of pork that was so salty I almost spit it out. Another server saw how peeved I was after being ignored by our server for at least 30 minutes that she asked if I needed anything, at which point we got boxes. I could go on about how bad the service was, but the real kicker was that the restaurant was never more than half full, and our server only had 2 other small tables besides ours. Dont fall victim to thinking Bella Luca is the only restaurant in T or C. I wish we could redo the night and had fun and good food at Groovy Grits and paid a quarter of the price.
(1)D M.
Good food in T or C with great ambience. We had calzones that were tasty for a very good price--the house-made gelatto (I had the fig) and sorbet is really good too. The only downside with this place is the slow service. It took over 2 hours from start to finish. Not a big deal if you aren't in a hurry, but I would choose something else if you are on a schedule.
(3)Belinda M.
This is tricky. I would love to warn you off this place, but I cant. First impressions were rotten for me as i was neglected at the front door for 5 minutes or more as the owner and chef? Sat out front and had a cigarette. The warehouse bistro style allowed the entire dining room to watch me wait. Just as i tried to leave a table hailed the not-so-busy waitress to come notice me.. Which she didn't seem too thrilled to do. I honestly cant believe i stayed. The service was so rotten. I watched another table come in only to be ignored for a couple minutes. But, considering I'm in T or C... I take a chance on perhaps having a nice meal. Which was delicious. Cannelini beans and greens (chard) over penne with garlic white wine sauce was just what I needed Baby green salad with homemade balsamic barely dressing was quite fine and half the price of all other salads? The beer selection is impressive. The wine selection i found to be not so. If you want a bottle, you re in business, but by the glass is weighted heavily in Merlot and sangiovese. Lacking many varietals i would've chosen. Strange that, considering the manager was only dealing with wine inventory instead of noticing her dining room at 8 pm. Many many service points were overlooked, but this is t or c's best restaurant Id dare say. Big fish/Small pond
(3)Jay K.
This place was a real winner, I was surprised to find such good Italian food and in such an upscale setting. I had the beans and greens pasta and it was really tasty (although the pasta was a bit too al dente). My partner had the eggplant Parmesan pasta (same, too al dente) which he also enjoyed. The service was very kind and helpful and our waitress was The same gal that served us at passion pie. The prices were fairly reasonable and I would definitely go again.
(4)Jon S.
I cannot fault Cafe BellaLuca; the food was exquisite, the service exceptional, the beer selection brilliant, space inside and out was fabulous and the price was very reasonable. If I ate at a place like this in any big city I'd be really very pleased but this is Truth or Consequences in NM, that fact alone could make this place awesome but the truth is it is a truly exceptional place whether it is in the middle of nowhere or the middle of a big city. We are both vegetarian and while the menu looked pretty meat orientated we were told just about anything on it could be done for us too. The two of us both had pasta: a lasagne and a canolini and greens in a white wine sauce, one desert and a load of beers; it all came to only $50.
(5)Leslie A.
One night after soaking in the springs we got some food to go and it was ok. I highly recommend the flan but the shrimp risotto was pretty heavy and rich for my taste. I could only eat a little bit before my mouth and stomach needed a break. But when we stopped in the atmosphere looked nice and romantic, so maybe if we had stayed we would have enjoyed our food more...
(3)Wayne B.
Having read many reviews about this venue, we decided to try it, fully expecting to wait a while. We were pleasantly surprised though. Our water arrived very quickly, and our drink order were taken and delivered within less than five minutes. For dinner, we had the wild salmon and the Piedmont pizza, both of which were very good. Our waitress and the kitchen were very accommodating to some food allergies I have. We were very impressed with the venue, and did not experience any problems or delays.
(5)Eileen B.
We ate at this restaurant three times in the last six weeks, and the quality/consistency of the food and service appears to depend on the owner and/or head chef being present, because the first two times they were present and the food was superb, but the third time they were not there and the food was mediocre to poor. If the owner and head chef are not there, would recommend not eating there.
(2)Clark H.
I didn't expect to find such a great Italian food restaurant in such a small town. If I were driving down I25 around dinner time, I'd pull off the highway and find this spot! Excellent and inventive menu.
(5)Margaret M.
The best place to eat in this dusty little town, it is open on Sunday too, a real bonus as the only other place seemed to be a drive through! I ate on the patio the first night and service was slow, I think they forgot I was out there, so the second night I ate inside and service was excellent. The food is exceptional, great wines, the Creme brûlée was to die for! What a treat!
(5)Jenni S.
I have to agree with Jon - this would be a great restaurant anywhere, but the fact that it's in Truth or Consequences is phenomenal! The food was excellent, the staff very courteous and attentive, and for extra bonus points we got to watch the local entertainment of someone being placed in handcuffs across the street! A great restaurant and very reasonably priced. If we ever make our way back here we'll definitely be back!
(5)Kacey W.
I dream about my meals here. Love, love everything I've ever eaten. All of the pizzas are just fantastic and I've had the bolognese twice now. We come to T or C every year for the past 5 years and without fail eat at BL 2 of the 3 nights we're there. Mo is the best waiter, too!
(5)mc t.
This place is probably the only nice thing about TorC. Food is great and totally exceeded our expectation of this town.
(4)Joyce H.
I originally wrote this review on HaochiDC, a food blog for the region I write. Unfortunately, I am in the desert. And its March. So when I ordered the Bruchetta at Cafe BellaLuca in Truth or Consequences, I shouldn't have expected the 'perfect' celebration of the tomato I so love. What drove me to order something so obviously out of season? Perhaps the hot spring water I soaked in for an hour before dinner got to me. When a plate of toasted bread heaping with not-so-ripe looking tomatoes and a bunch of other stuff, to include olive oil, balsamic, mozzerellla, basil, lettuce, and at least 2-3 other things was presented, I shouldn't have been surprised. I was decidedly unhopeful for my dinner, but given that I didn't want Mexican or Dairy Queen and am in the middle of nowhere, I was happy to find somewhere that even made a go at Italian food. The amazing thing? It was DELICIOUS. Its all about the vinegar. It was just pungent enough to compensate for the lack of taste inherent in tomatoes out of season, and they were cautious enough with its application not to overpower the good-quality cheese. I was taken aback. I am going to return home, reexamine all of my fresh tomato-based dishes that I normally file away until June, and see what may be salvageable with the application of some fine vinegar (although I too have a tendency to overdo a good thing, and ruin it when it comes to vinegar; I think I would drink the stuff directly out of the bottle were no one looking). I was suddenly very optimistic for the whole meal! Unfortunately, nothing else lived up to this early creative and well-executed dish. I got the lasagna, which I think used canned or frozen spinach. Now if there is a single ingredient for which there is no equivalent non-fresh version, it's spinach. You can taste the bitterness of frozen/canned immediately, and it completely overpowers a dish. Add large pieces of obviously canned tomatoes (or maybe just the bruchetta's more tasteless cousins), and it was not good. Even more painful was the $14 price tag for a small dish. For a small meatless pasta dish, made with primarily non-fresh ingredients, this was outrageous. There were a variety of other pastas, pizza, and a few steak/seafood options. Maybe I just choose poorly, but given the quality control on what I did get, I am not hopeful. I hope dessert would redeem, and perhaps the lasagna was a one-off bad choice, but alas, the cannoli, for which I was initially excited as it was not covered in pistachios like most, was dry and tasteless. Now I like a cannoli that is a little sour on the inside with a sweet crunchy shell, or a shell that is flaky and strong-tasting with a sweet creamy filling, but these were the unfortunate combination of a sour filling with a bland dry shell. I didn't even finish them. Me. I didn't finish my dessert. Unheard of. Add the fact the expresso machine was broken, and the second two-thirds of this meal were profoundly disappointing. I should have tried the Gelato. Other deserts were your typical Olive Garden variety, although I imagine at least homemade- Tiramisu, Creme Brulee, molten chocolate cake. I was reluctant to go for them as the presence of all three made it seem a bit too chain-Italian generic. If only one were on the menu, and a few other more unique options, I would have felt more confident. Now perhaps I am being judgy, given where BellaLuca is located. I am only here a night, but I get the distinct sense that Truth or Consequences is not brimming with culinary masterpieces. Given the choices, it seems like a pretty good option. The interior is warm, open, and inviting, , the initially overly cheesy aggressive approach of the waiter, once it was clear I just wanted to read in by the window and not make lame jokes the service was polite, effective and excellent. It took a long time to get my food, but I was there early, so it could have just been that the pan of lasagna wasn't ready yet. Fresh beats quick, and it wasn't too long (about 20 min). Worth going, if you are in T or C, but mostly beacuse there are few other options. Even the attempt to have something nice and interesting is commendable here- I hope the chef keeps trying, and works on every dish count. For now, just order two plates of Bruchetta, and get some ice cream at Dairy Queen!
(3)Julian T.
Considering it's TorC and the other options available, BellaLuca is a delightful surprise - friends of ours initially recommended it to us. We've actually now been numerous times over the years and I must admit, the service can be hit or miss. Sometimes it's spot on, and sometimes you feel like you're being ignored. . . I know it can be difficult to keep good staff in a small town (like TorC), but it should be consistently spot on. The food is typically very good, we love the shrimp arrabiata - nice spice and beautifully grilled, large, tiger shrimp. The wine has also been hit or miss at times, I'm not sure the storage temps are always right - we've had turned bottles (and not just once). All in all, BellaLuca is the place we like to go when we visit TorC, and we've tried most of the other noteworthy places in the area. Even though the service and wine quality have been somewhat inconsistent, we still enjoy it overall and plan to return when in town.
(4)Margaret H.
Our original restaurant destination was closed, so I turned to yelp, and the positive reviews here are very well deserved. I was super pleased with the wine and beer lists. We were there for lunch, and the sandwiches were really yummy and full of fresh ingredients. I of course went for the first sandwich with chile and loved it. Highly recommend the stop if you are in the area around lunch time.
(4)R C.
One of the few reliably yummy places to eat in town. They like to use locally grown, organic produce. Their vanilla creme brule is outstanding, outstanding, outstanding. I like sitting in the booths -- like most everything else, they're stylishingly-decorated and provide very nice ambiance!
(4)Ryan S.
This is a great option in T or C. The food is very fresh and very good. Service can be a little slow, but it is worth the wait for the food. I love the bolognese and the calamari appetizer. Pizza is also very good.
(4)Michael R.
I would have thought I'd never stumble across a really good Italian restaurant in a little out-of-the-way town in New Mexico, but it happened last night. In Bellaluca we had excellent entrees (seafood putanesca & chicken marsala), very good wine (slightly pricey), & the service & decor were quite nice. We'll go back.
(5)Fred A.
Finally, a place in T or C that I can highly recommend. We've eaten here twice, and I look forward to visiting again. They have a very commendable Italian menu. My partner has had the Asparagus Risotto with grilled scallops both times, and both times came away with enough for a decent lunch. The service was fast and friendly, and while I don't care for the open kitchen, she likes it a lot. I think I'd give them 4 1/2 stars, but in any event, if you're anywhere near here, this is the best place in town. Oh, and they have free wifi also, even out on the patio, which would be a great place for a cool drink on a hot evening. **REVISED** Well, I hate to say this is one of the only places I have been to before and recommended highly that I have walked out of due to poor (lack of) service on a highly anticipated return visit, but that's what I gotta spew. One of our party arrived before some of the others and told the (reluctant) host how many would be there and was told they'd be seated right after the previous party was. There were several empty tables, and the others arrived, but nobody even bothered to look at us, much less say anything to us. Another party walked in without reservations and was immediately seated at a booth. One of us went up to one of the wait staff who apologized and got us to a table. We got menus and eventually water, then not so much as a look from the supercilious wait staff that breezed by us trying to hype wine to other tables. After 15 minutes, we walked out. The menu may look great, but I was exceptionally disappointed and recommend you stay away. Unfortunately, there are not many great choices in T or C, but you shouldn't have to experience such a disappointment as we did. **RE-REVISED 11/26/12** OK, they have redeemed themselves. My partner convinced us to go back and try one more time, and get pizzas. We were seated and waited on promptly, and the pizzas were superb. When the host heard of our bad experience the other night, she comped us to dessert. I learned that they have a bit of a staffing problem, but they're actively working on solving that, and I'm raising the rating back to 4 stars from the downgrade I did the other day.
(4)A.B. C.
I went mid-afternoon, neither lunch nor dinner- they serve pizza and calzone only from about 3-5 (estimated). The pizza was quite tasty and well priced, the menu looked great, I really wish I had been able to eat there for more meals! Possibly closed Mondays. The space is really lovely too. I think it was the best T or C meal I had :)
(5)Pete R.
What was I thinking!? Italian seafood in a landlocked New Mexican city. I am sure glad we stopped in. Bella Luca is special. We happened upon the restaurant as we walked from our hotel looking for a place to eat. After being seated by a thoroughly delightful and helpful waitress we ordered wine and the Pan Seared Sea Scallops in a Asparagus Risotto. There was a mix up with the wine that was graciously taken care of and the risotto was grand. Loved the place, if you are in T or C Bella Luca's is a must. The pizza oven is a piece of art in of it's self, take a look behind the bar at it. Next time in I'll try the pizza.
(5)nathalie f.
The space is lovely, the food is even better. I had the grilled pizza; superthin pie with garlic, goat cheese and caramelized onions. It was one of the best I've ever had. Killer creme brulee, as well. Highly recommended.
(5)Heather K.
Considering the lack of dinner options in T or C, this was the only place open on a Sunday afternoon. There were just two other tables eating, and when we were seated the server told us that we came in during the time that the kitchen was switching between lunch and dinner so the menu would be limited; however she didn't specify what was and wasn't available. My friend ordered a beer that came in an open bottle with no glass, and said it tasted flat like it had been opened earlier in the day. While we were waiting for our entrees, the table nearest us had a lengthy discussion with the manager about how unprofessional their server had been for giving them a dessert menu while they were still eating their food (?). I ordered eggplant parmesan that was unevenly cooked and had a weird texture. Overall it was pretty mediocre and overpriced Italian food, and if I ever go through T or C again I won't bother coming back.
(2)Amanda D.
What a pleasant surprise this place is! We came here for the tour in Spaceport America, looking for some quality food after. Big dining hall with good selection of wine and nice atmpsphere.I think it might be a little pricey for the area. But definitely suggested if you are just visiting
(5)John R.
Great food great service. Can't believe this place was empty, if it was in Albuquerque they'd be packed all the time.
(5)S M.
The white pizza was amazing but we had to wait over an hour for them to make it and it wasn't busy...
(3)Jordana G.
Delicious food, attractive interior. The only bad part was the service, which was AWFUL! We waited forever for our food because they were so understaffed. They had signs on the door with open positions, and boy do they need to get those positions filled. I will return because the food is excellent, but don't come if you are in a hurry unless they are up to speed on staffing.
(4)Lauren G.
I haven't posted a review in quite some time on Yelp, but we had such a terrible experience here I thought a review in order. I'm only giving this one star because of the great hostess, and a few kind waiters - not our own. We made a reservation for four last weekend after hearing from multiple parties how wonderful this place is. When we arrived the place was busy, so we sat outside for a short wait. The hostess was lovely and accommodating, but when she told us she should have been off her shift 2 hours prior, that should have been the first clue. A longer wait than anticipated was no big deal, and our lovely hostess made sure our appetizer order went in as we were being seated, and she was leaving for the evening. A waitress came by a bit later and took our orders, all seemed fine. From that point on we never saw our waitress. The appetizers arrived and were fine, but antipasto is pretty hard to mess up. We waited for over an hour for our main courses, and after some investigating and assistance by random waiters, they eventually showed up. One dish was piping hot (I suspect having been microwaved), the other three were cold. The sauce on the linguini with clams had actually congealed. Two of our party were so hungry they decided to eat their dishes anyway, but I had to go hunting for someone to ask for the dishes to be sent back. I ended up speaking to a chef who said he was the manager, and who promised to rectify the situation immediately. More than 20 minutes later we received our fresh dishes. They were hot, but disappointing. A pricey scallop dish had three scallops on a plate with a white bean "cassoulet" - tasteless beans drowning in greasy chicken stock. The cioppino tasted as if the base was Campbell's tomato soup. The linguini with clams had about two fork-fulls of pasta underneath a mound of clamshells. Upon finishing, we then had to hunt down another waiter to get the bill. Unsurprisingly, we were charged the full amount for everything. I haven't had a dining experience this poor in a very long time. I think it's also important to note that when I was talking to the manager and asking about our absentee waitress, he told me, looking pained, it was the owner of the restaurant. And as we were leaving, when I asked to talk to the owner, the waiter who went to find her came back with the news that, of course, she had already left for the evening. This waiter was conscientious enough to ask for our feedback, but this should have come from the manager, who was well aware of the situation. It's distressing that several people we encountered that evening, all on the lower end of the employee hierarchy, were showing more dedication and interest than the owner of the establishment. Perhaps this restaurant was once capable of more, or simply the lower expectations for the area artificially elevated reviews, but if this level of inattention on the level of the owner is any indicator, this restaurant is on it's way out. Do yourself a favor and try one of the other restaurants in town.
(1)Molly A.
Excellent food. I enjoyed a seasonal calabacitas pasta with green chile, and the grilled goat cheese pizza another night. The smallest pizza was huge. It could have fed two of us. I enjoyed the beer and wine selection and liked the patio, with fun wall art and plants. Like another reviewer, we noticed it was very warm in the restaurant. The service was a bit slow at times...
(4)Jereme D.
By fare the best pizza in the state of New Mexico, and a top contender for the world. The crust tastes like it was made by tiny Angeles and gently placed in a stone oven to be cooked to perfection. There were three of us there and we all ordered different pizza's. We all greatly enjoined the spectacular deliciousness of our selections. I highly recommend this fine establishment if you want some good beer and pizza. They also have other Italion food selections and sandwiches.
(5)Emily J.
Ate here on a Monday night, which didn't seem to be all that terribly busy. I only say this because our service was lacking. Our food took a long time to arrive and the waiter seemed rushed and didn't bother to check on us after our food was delivered. That being said I'm still giving this place four stars because the food was that good. My kids ordered a pepperoni pizza, which I had to steal a piece of because it smelled wonderful. I ordered the Calabasitas Fettuccini and it was amazing (and I'm not a big pasta lover). The fettuccini had a great flavor and all the vegetables were fresh (and I like the fact that some of the vegetables in this dish were locally grown and organic). Wish I could say that the service was on par with the food but after all that pasta I left here thirsty since I was never offered a refill on my drink. Also took a long time to receive the check after we were done eating. We probably waited about 15 minutes before we finally flagged our waiter down to for it.
(4)Vanessa S.
Overpriced food, rude waiters. We asked for clarification on the menu and the waitress told us to look at the menu, which we had. We asked what was in the caper dressing and the waitress told us it was capers, oil, and herbs. When our baby spinach (listed on the menu as including shaved fennel, marcona almonds, caper dressing) salad arrived, it was arugula with a pile of roasted red bell pepper on top. We sent it back, and then it came back as roasted red pepper on spinach. We sent that back, and they clearly just scraped some of the bell pepper off the spinach and added sliced almonds. I am allergic to bell pepper, so we asked that it be made fresh. Or responses were confused, not rude. The waitress returned and scolded me for not telling her I had (air quotes)allergies(air quotes), and that the caper dressing did have bell peppers in it, but they could make it with balsamic dressing. The salad was remade, this time with sliced almonds (not Marconas), no shaved fennel (there were sweet, possibly caramelized onions) and two sliced grape tomatoes, no dressing. The entree (cannelloni beans and greens) was bland and the beans were undercooked, hard and even crunchy in places. The waitress avoided us the rest of the evening. Clearly we were unhappy and waiting for a long time for the bill, but no one checked in or even apologized.
(1)Marina V.
We unfortunately discovered this place on our way OUT of town.. the night before, Sierra Grande Lodge had recommended Los Arcos and we were sorely disappointed. The next day, we walked through town and found BellaLuca. Now why hadn't they mentioned this place?? When we saw the Godfather pizza on the menu (pizza with asparagus, arugula, a butterflied ribeye steak, and a whole bunch of other stuff), we whole-heartedly agreed we would've gotten that the night before and it would've most likely kicked the butt of the Los Arcos steak we had. We sat outside on the patio with our dog, and our server was awesome!! I ordered the chicken melt (grilled chicken breast with dill havarti, roasted red peppers, pesto, and avocado on focaccia) and C ordered the meatball hoagie. The bread was incredible-- I meant to ask if they made it in house but we were in kind of a hurry to get back on the road. They MUST-- both my focaccia and his baguette were perfectly crispy and chewy in all the right places. The fries they came with were tasty too, but could've been a tad bit crispier. The meatballs were shockingly delicious!!! (I'm from Jersey, c'mon!) I was really surprised to happen upon this place in small-town T or C! It definitely has a bigger-city feel to it, right down to the spacious interior and high, tiled ceilings. Next time we're in town, i know where we're coming for dinner!
(4)Michael M.
Salad was good but expensive and minuscule. I will never dine here again.
(2)Wendy J.
A bit of big city in rural NM. Weekend specials are worth ordering as are the ravioli (also weekends only) which remind of grandma's sunday sauce. For a lunchtime snack the grilled pizza, crab cake and santa Barbara pizza are super yummy. Coffee is reliably good and strong. For pasta my fav is the chef's own boasted best dish, the rigatoni, second to that I really really like the carbonara. The pear ale rocks but can be a bit sweet for mixing with a meal, the wine collection is quite sophisticated. Enjoy!!
(5)John H.
Strike three. If you can look past the cold service, cold plate, cold food, cold restaurant, long waits, puny portions, and expense, there is good food at Cafe BellaLuca. But too many drawbacks. We're tired of being disappointed, tired of being treated poorly, and will make due elsewhere when we visit this wonderful little town.
(2)Skip G.
My wife and i were driving across country and stumbled into a little town called truth or consequences new mexico and we were so hungry. We stumb;ed upon this family owned resturant and fell in love with it it was called Cafe Bell Luca and everything from the time we arived to the time we left was great. We highly recommend anyone and everyone to try this great place.
(5)Cat B.
The pizza was amazing. They were under staffed, plan two hours to eat.
(4)tara s.
Stellar - food, wine, and service I was trying to avoid eating wheat, not easy in a italian restaurant, and the waitress mentions that they have gluten free pasta!!!! GF people - eat here! It was DELICIOUS. Everything was, and so beautifully prepared. Plus a killer wine selection. You can not go wrong here. It is a hidden gem.
(5)Sue R.
I live in town and have become addicted to their pizza and Calzones......one can get creative and choose from an array of ingredients to build your own pizza. They have the best pizza crust I have ever eaten! They make their own pasta and sauces like tomato or basil pesto sauces or Alfredo and all ingredients are fresh and tasty. Their salads are wonderful and their dressings home made and so scrumpteous. You can take home sauces, pasta, dressings, and other deli meats and cheeses from their own take out DELI. I work at a local hotel and recommend them to all the guests
(5)Paul P.
This is a great place. We walked here from Sierra Grande Lodge - just a few blocks away. Nice selection of pastas and pizza as well as beer and wine. They had a selection of 'reserve' beers on the menu. I had a Steelhead Double IPA. We almost came here both nights we were in T or C.
(4)Megan F.
FANTASTIC! Delicious food, great portions. My boyfriend and I split the the arugula salad, vegetarian lasagna with meat sauce and olives. I couldn't believe how good everything was! I highly recommend this spot if you're in TorC. It's a nice way to round out the evening after a day of soaking.
(5)M S.
My fiancé and I love Bella luca and make sure to stop here on each T or C visit. I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 because I think it's a tad overpriced given the location and also the up charges are pretty pinche. $3 to split? $2 for more bread? .50 cents for to go? If you're paying almost $40 bones for a steak you'd think you could be a little less chinch on the small extras. In any event food is delicious, wine list is great and service is also fantastic, We will be back and suggest this would suggest this place to friends.
(4)Jennie L.
This was the worst experience at a restaurant I've ever had. Myself and four friends had a 7pm Sunday reservation and were not seated till 7:20 even though there were plenty of empty tables. We were ignored & people seated after us were served bread and orders were taken. One of us had to leave the table to ask a waiter if they were ever going to take our order. The rude waiter, who was aggressive & disrespectful took our order at 8:05 and assured that our order would take 10min. He rushed us & made it clear we didnt matter. Still no bread. The table guests in front of us went to speak to the owner about the same issue & pointed out that we had been waiting also. The owner rudely brushed her off & told her not to lean on the art. Nobody cared. We finally decided to leave at 8:30. No apology. They other guest walked out also. Save your money! Dont waste your precious time nor let them ruin your stay in t or c. We had a great time everywhere else in this city, except for here. They tarnish the reputation of this charming town. Zero stars.
(1)Mark H.
For a smallish town, Cafe BellaLuca is a star. I had three meals there during my recent weekend stay in Truth or Consequences. Everything I ordered was stellar. BellaLuca is located in the old 'downtown' area of TorC - which has a number of funky old shops and hot spring hotels. I was surprised to find a place like BellaLuca in this town - which has just a few restaurants - but given the influx of artists and other people fleeing larger cities it made sense. Based on the recommendation of my server, Jacklyn, I tried the risotto with scallops (I had mine with grilled shrimp) which was very, very good. Most restaurants don't cook the rice long enough to avoid a kind of pastiness. BellaLuca's risotto was superb - soft Arborio rice stewed in a rich broth with 5 large, fresh Gulf shrimp) and better than similar dishes I've had in DC or Boston. I had the restaurant's Capri salad which was made with fresh organic tomatoes, a rich balsamic vinegar and mozzarella. Delish. The pizza didn't disappoint - I tried it with a grilled crust which was a bit like a cracker. The only disappointment was the chicken marsala which was a bit overcooked but still full o flava. Desserts include truffles made in house in addition to the usual stuff (tiramisu, flourless chocolate cake...). The decor is modern - almost industrial - which is a relief from the typical NM style. It does get a bit loud due to the hard surface areas. Give BellaLuca a try if you visit Truth or Consequences. It is a wonderful place.
(4)Brian O.
We stopped at the Cafe BellaLuca on our way home from attending the 2012 Festival of the Cranes. Our dinner experience was an excellent one. Our service was very good and our food was delicious. We shared a Roman pizza and each had a side salad. The pizza had plenty of cheese and ample toppings. Would definitely return.
(5)Cesar G.
This place is a diamond in the rough. I would of never expected T or C to have such an awesome place to eat. They have a very good beer and wine selection. The food is some of the best Italian food have ever had. Also, try their homemade sangria.
(5)GAYA G.
Free-range eggs. Fresh produce. Fine olive oil. And they graciously cater to selective eaters such as myself who order an omlette at brunch, with selective veggie pickings. This kind of order most definitely racks a fairly high bill in the end. I wish it was more "organic" as in choosing mainly GMO-free and non-pesticide for veggies. It seems like a place that would lean in this direction, so perhaps in reality they do? Clean establishment. Semi-open kitchen. Friendly staff.
(4)AntimatterCrusader T.
Great stuff! Pleasant Atmosphere... nothing better after a good soak in the hot springs.
(4)Michelle Z.
I really wanted to like this place. My husband and I were looking for a romantic place to celebrate our anniversary weekend in T or C. The atmosphere is very nice and modern, upscale and romantic. The food however was just not as nice as the decor would lead you to believe. I ordered a caesar salad to split with my husband before our entree. What we got was romaine lettuce saturated (and I do mean DRENCHED) with what tasted like mayonnaise. An anchovy floated in the sea of the mystery mayonnaise sauce and what appeared to be a roasted red tomato, but I was not about to eat that since it was bathing in mayo with the anchovy. Gross. Our entree was better, but not the best I've ever had. I had fettucini alfredo and my husband had spaghetti. It was just okay. I've had better, but it was not completely unpleasant. The olive oil and bread were also just okay. I've had way better and it appeared that there was a lone drop of balsamic vinegar in the olive oil. Perhaps they intended it this way, but I will never know because the menu is not descriptive or helpful in anyway. My husband and i were seated near the bathroom and we observed an employee leaving the restroom tucking his shirt into his pants as he walked back to the kitchen. I found him sticking his hand in his pants while exiting the bathroom to be repulsive. Our waitress was nice enough I suppose, but I wouldn't describe her as friendly. She just did her job and that was it. There was another woman filling up our waters and she seemed very nice as she always responded to us when we said thank you and she always kept our glasses filled with water. I probably will not go back to this place next time I come to T or C.
(2)Jeff S.
Good food, had the seafood stew, large shrimp. My girlfriend had the scallops, they were a good flavor but were not cleaned well, lots of large grain sand.
(4)Andrew G.
Delicious surprise! Nice wine list, wonderful pasta dishes, inviting ambience... Will return!
(4)Elia P.
I live in California and was traveling through Arizona and New Mexico. This place is the best place we had eaten at on our whole trip. We went there twice in the day and a half that we were there. The chicken avocado, New Mexico pizza, fettuccini Alfredo and even the spaghetti and meatballs were all good. Oh, and I can't forget the creme brûlée and the tiramisu. The whole family loved it. It's a winner!
(5)Joseph B.
The seafood stew (not cioppino, forgot the name of it) was superb. It had a lot of seafood with a light essence of anchovies. VERY tasty. (I know- seafood in New Mexico? But most of the seafood we get anymore is frozen and it what the chef does with it.. which was GOOD.) The barbara was very good. On the other hand the pizza was middle of the road. It would have been better if the goat cheese was the only cheese on the pizza. Excellent service- very knowledgeable, good ambiance (thought the light was low and I didn't bring my glasses which made it hard to read).
(4)Debbie C.
Nice decor but in a weird area, right across the street from the "pink apartment complex." That's your view out the floor to ceiling windows. They do have private outdoor seating that is fenced off so you don't have a view of the parking lot. We were seated right away. They served bread, with 4 large (tasty) olives and some oil with only one drop of balsamic vinegar. Like the other reviewer, one more drop won't break the bank and will add a bit more flavor! No bread plates, which was a litte odd and a little messy. What do you do, push the bread crumbs to the center of the table or swipe them onto the floor? I ordered the SCALLOPS WITH ASPARAGUS RISOTTO. It was very very good. The risotto was perfectly cooked and not dry at all. The generous amount of asparagus was cut up in small pieces so it blended in nicely. Five large scallops adorned the meal and were perfectly cooked. My husband had the PORTABELLA MUSHROOM and CALZONE. He said both were very good. We ordered a red wine from Argentina that was very tasty. SERVICE was excellent. No DESERT. We were too full. Highly recommend Cafe BellaLuca.
(4)Marlos M.
This was our second time here, first was two years ago. Food is still great, if you are in T or C, this is the place for a good dinner
(4)lynda M.
We went to this restaurant totally based on the reviews!!! I must disagree with the star rating entirely! Nice open kitchen with a very impressive menu, considering the size of the town and location! First impressions were just OK, but we have been surprised before when first entering a restaurant! I believe it was listed as , An elegant ambience ???? Not really!!! Our waiter started out OK but he totally lost it! He served the wrong meal to myself and the next table! Didn't have answers to the questions I asked about the menu! Didn't seem to care about our questions,seemed in a rush, brought the appetizer and salad at the same time!The calamari was good but not as good as reviews I had read! Had an overpowering pepper taste! We had the Wedge salad which was the best part of our meal! I ordered the lasagne with a few side meatballs;my husband ordered the rigatoni with meat sauce! His meal came, mine was not what I ordered, so we were not in sync! He had to wait until my meal arrived!!! My lasagne was good but not """ the best I,ve ever had""" as previously rated!!! Once I unearthed it from the way too much ,sour, bitter sauce, it was pretty tasty!!! The sauce tasted old!!!!My husbands dinner was very meatless for a bolognese sauce and much to creamy!!! Over all we were very disappointed ! Would not recommend this place if you know GOOD Italian cooking !
(1)Kent R.
I ordered two calzones for take out, so I can't speak to their in restaurant service. Unfortunately, the calzones were burnt on the outside and doughy on the inside. I'm not usually picky but I couldn't finish mine and ended up throwing away most of the $9 meal.
(1)Lindsay C.
Very disappointed in this "classy establishment". We were one of only 3 tables of patrons. The waitress was friendly and nice but slow. We waited at least 15 minutes before placing our drink order.The food took almost an hour to arrive. And was fair at best when we finally got it. If we ever go back to T or C we will NOT be stopping here again.
(1)Ryno M.
I wish I could give Bella Luca 0 stars but thier drinks deserve 1 star I guess. Waited 15 minutes to get waters and menus after asking the hostess for waters. Finally our spacey server arrived and told me thy were out of any flavor pelligrino, I got a delicious rasberry italian soda. My girlfriend got the blueberry sangria which was also delicious. The calamari was good and the side salad was pathetic. Additional salad dressing and marinara for calamari will cost you extra by the way... Chicken for alfredo was overcooked and dried out, roman pizza was so greasy it makes me sick to think about. Thank goodness the "to go" box soaked up the grease and made it edible. Chefs got too crazy with the toppings on that, there was some sort of pork that was so salty I almost spit it out. Another server saw how peeved I was after being ignored by our server for at least 30 minutes that she asked if I needed anything, at which point we got boxes. I could go on about how bad the service was, but the real kicker was that the restaurant was never more than half full, and our server only had 2 other small tables besides ours. Dont fall victim to thinking Bella Luca is the only restaurant in T or C. I wish we could redo the night and had fun and good food at Groovy Grits and paid a quarter of the price.
(1)D M.
Good food in T or C with great ambience. We had calzones that were tasty for a very good price--the house-made gelatto (I had the fig) and sorbet is really good too. The only downside with this place is the slow service. It took over 2 hours from start to finish. Not a big deal if you aren't in a hurry, but I would choose something else if you are on a schedule.
(3)Belinda M.
This is tricky. I would love to warn you off this place, but I cant. First impressions were rotten for me as i was neglected at the front door for 5 minutes or more as the owner and chef? Sat out front and had a cigarette. The warehouse bistro style allowed the entire dining room to watch me wait. Just as i tried to leave a table hailed the not-so-busy waitress to come notice me.. Which she didn't seem too thrilled to do. I honestly cant believe i stayed. The service was so rotten. I watched another table come in only to be ignored for a couple minutes. But, considering I'm in T or C... I take a chance on perhaps having a nice meal. Which was delicious. Cannelini beans and greens (chard) over penne with garlic white wine sauce was just what I needed Baby green salad with homemade balsamic barely dressing was quite fine and half the price of all other salads? The beer selection is impressive. The wine selection i found to be not so. If you want a bottle, you re in business, but by the glass is weighted heavily in Merlot and sangiovese. Lacking many varietals i would've chosen. Strange that, considering the manager was only dealing with wine inventory instead of noticing her dining room at 8 pm. Many many service points were overlooked, but this is t or c's best restaurant Id dare say. Big fish/Small pond
(3)Jay K.
This place was a real winner, I was surprised to find such good Italian food and in such an upscale setting. I had the beans and greens pasta and it was really tasty (although the pasta was a bit too al dente). My partner had the eggplant Parmesan pasta (same, too al dente) which he also enjoyed. The service was very kind and helpful and our waitress was The same gal that served us at passion pie. The prices were fairly reasonable and I would definitely go again.
(4)Jon S.
I cannot fault Cafe BellaLuca; the food was exquisite, the service exceptional, the beer selection brilliant, space inside and out was fabulous and the price was very reasonable. If I ate at a place like this in any big city I'd be really very pleased but this is Truth or Consequences in NM, that fact alone could make this place awesome but the truth is it is a truly exceptional place whether it is in the middle of nowhere or the middle of a big city. We are both vegetarian and while the menu looked pretty meat orientated we were told just about anything on it could be done for us too. The two of us both had pasta: a lasagne and a canolini and greens in a white wine sauce, one desert and a load of beers; it all came to only $50.
(5)Leslie A.
One night after soaking in the springs we got some food to go and it was ok. I highly recommend the flan but the shrimp risotto was pretty heavy and rich for my taste. I could only eat a little bit before my mouth and stomach needed a break. But when we stopped in the atmosphere looked nice and romantic, so maybe if we had stayed we would have enjoyed our food more...
(3)Wayne B.
Having read many reviews about this venue, we decided to try it, fully expecting to wait a while. We were pleasantly surprised though. Our water arrived very quickly, and our drink order were taken and delivered within less than five minutes. For dinner, we had the wild salmon and the Piedmont pizza, both of which were very good. Our waitress and the kitchen were very accommodating to some food allergies I have. We were very impressed with the venue, and did not experience any problems or delays.
(5)Eileen B.
We ate at this restaurant three times in the last six weeks, and the quality/consistency of the food and service appears to depend on the owner and/or head chef being present, because the first two times they were present and the food was superb, but the third time they were not there and the food was mediocre to poor. If the owner and head chef are not there, would recommend not eating there.
(2)Clark H.
I didn't expect to find such a great Italian food restaurant in such a small town. If I were driving down I25 around dinner time, I'd pull off the highway and find this spot! Excellent and inventive menu.
(5)Margaret M.
The best place to eat in this dusty little town, it is open on Sunday too, a real bonus as the only other place seemed to be a drive through! I ate on the patio the first night and service was slow, I think they forgot I was out there, so the second night I ate inside and service was excellent. The food is exceptional, great wines, the Creme brûlée was to die for! What a treat!
(5)Jenni S.
I have to agree with Jon - this would be a great restaurant anywhere, but the fact that it's in Truth or Consequences is phenomenal! The food was excellent, the staff very courteous and attentive, and for extra bonus points we got to watch the local entertainment of someone being placed in handcuffs across the street! A great restaurant and very reasonably priced. If we ever make our way back here we'll definitely be back!
(5)Kacey W.
I dream about my meals here. Love, love everything I've ever eaten. All of the pizzas are just fantastic and I've had the bolognese twice now. We come to T or C every year for the past 5 years and without fail eat at BL 2 of the 3 nights we're there. Mo is the best waiter, too!
(5)mc t.
This place is probably the only nice thing about TorC. Food is great and totally exceeded our expectation of this town.
(4)Joyce H.
I originally wrote this review on HaochiDC, a food blog for the region I write. Unfortunately, I am in the desert. And its March. So when I ordered the Bruchetta at Cafe BellaLuca in Truth or Consequences, I shouldn't have expected the 'perfect' celebration of the tomato I so love. What drove me to order something so obviously out of season? Perhaps the hot spring water I soaked in for an hour before dinner got to me. When a plate of toasted bread heaping with not-so-ripe looking tomatoes and a bunch of other stuff, to include olive oil, balsamic, mozzerellla, basil, lettuce, and at least 2-3 other things was presented, I shouldn't have been surprised. I was decidedly unhopeful for my dinner, but given that I didn't want Mexican or Dairy Queen and am in the middle of nowhere, I was happy to find somewhere that even made a go at Italian food. The amazing thing? It was DELICIOUS. Its all about the vinegar. It was just pungent enough to compensate for the lack of taste inherent in tomatoes out of season, and they were cautious enough with its application not to overpower the good-quality cheese. I was taken aback. I am going to return home, reexamine all of my fresh tomato-based dishes that I normally file away until June, and see what may be salvageable with the application of some fine vinegar (although I too have a tendency to overdo a good thing, and ruin it when it comes to vinegar; I think I would drink the stuff directly out of the bottle were no one looking). I was suddenly very optimistic for the whole meal! Unfortunately, nothing else lived up to this early creative and well-executed dish. I got the lasagna, which I think used canned or frozen spinach. Now if there is a single ingredient for which there is no equivalent non-fresh version, it's spinach. You can taste the bitterness of frozen/canned immediately, and it completely overpowers a dish. Add large pieces of obviously canned tomatoes (or maybe just the bruchetta's more tasteless cousins), and it was not good. Even more painful was the $14 price tag for a small dish. For a small meatless pasta dish, made with primarily non-fresh ingredients, this was outrageous. There were a variety of other pastas, pizza, and a few steak/seafood options. Maybe I just choose poorly, but given the quality control on what I did get, I am not hopeful. I hope dessert would redeem, and perhaps the lasagna was a one-off bad choice, but alas, the cannoli, for which I was initially excited as it was not covered in pistachios like most, was dry and tasteless. Now I like a cannoli that is a little sour on the inside with a sweet crunchy shell, or a shell that is flaky and strong-tasting with a sweet creamy filling, but these were the unfortunate combination of a sour filling with a bland dry shell. I didn't even finish them. Me. I didn't finish my dessert. Unheard of. Add the fact the expresso machine was broken, and the second two-thirds of this meal were profoundly disappointing. I should have tried the Gelato. Other deserts were your typical Olive Garden variety, although I imagine at least homemade- Tiramisu, Creme Brulee, molten chocolate cake. I was reluctant to go for them as the presence of all three made it seem a bit too chain-Italian generic. If only one were on the menu, and a few other more unique options, I would have felt more confident. Now perhaps I am being judgy, given where BellaLuca is located. I am only here a night, but I get the distinct sense that Truth or Consequences is not brimming with culinary masterpieces. Given the choices, it seems like a pretty good option. The interior is warm, open, and inviting, , the initially overly cheesy aggressive approach of the waiter, once it was clear I just wanted to read in by the window and not make lame jokes the service was polite, effective and excellent. It took a long time to get my food, but I was there early, so it could have just been that the pan of lasagna wasn't ready yet. Fresh beats quick, and it wasn't too long (about 20 min). Worth going, if you are in T or C, but mostly beacuse there are few other options. Even the attempt to have something nice and interesting is commendable here- I hope the chef keeps trying, and works on every dish count. For now, just order two plates of Bruchetta, and get some ice cream at Dairy Queen!
(3)Julian T.
Considering it's TorC and the other options available, BellaLuca is a delightful surprise - friends of ours initially recommended it to us. We've actually now been numerous times over the years and I must admit, the service can be hit or miss. Sometimes it's spot on, and sometimes you feel like you're being ignored. . . I know it can be difficult to keep good staff in a small town (like TorC), but it should be consistently spot on. The food is typically very good, we love the shrimp arrabiata - nice spice and beautifully grilled, large, tiger shrimp. The wine has also been hit or miss at times, I'm not sure the storage temps are always right - we've had turned bottles (and not just once). All in all, BellaLuca is the place we like to go when we visit TorC, and we've tried most of the other noteworthy places in the area. Even though the service and wine quality have been somewhat inconsistent, we still enjoy it overall and plan to return when in town.
(4)Margaret H.
Our original restaurant destination was closed, so I turned to yelp, and the positive reviews here are very well deserved. I was super pleased with the wine and beer lists. We were there for lunch, and the sandwiches were really yummy and full of fresh ingredients. I of course went for the first sandwich with chile and loved it. Highly recommend the stop if you are in the area around lunch time.
(4)R C.
One of the few reliably yummy places to eat in town. They like to use locally grown, organic produce. Their vanilla creme brule is outstanding, outstanding, outstanding. I like sitting in the booths -- like most everything else, they're stylishingly-decorated and provide very nice ambiance!
(4)Ryan S.
This is a great option in T or C. The food is very fresh and very good. Service can be a little slow, but it is worth the wait for the food. I love the bolognese and the calamari appetizer. Pizza is also very good.
(4)Michael R.
I would have thought I'd never stumble across a really good Italian restaurant in a little out-of-the-way town in New Mexico, but it happened last night. In Bellaluca we had excellent entrees (seafood putanesca & chicken marsala), very good wine (slightly pricey), & the service & decor were quite nice. We'll go back.
(5)Fred A.
Finally, a place in T or C that I can highly recommend. We've eaten here twice, and I look forward to visiting again. They have a very commendable Italian menu. My partner has had the Asparagus Risotto with grilled scallops both times, and both times came away with enough for a decent lunch. The service was fast and friendly, and while I don't care for the open kitchen, she likes it a lot. I think I'd give them 4 1/2 stars, but in any event, if you're anywhere near here, this is the best place in town. Oh, and they have free wifi also, even out on the patio, which would be a great place for a cool drink on a hot evening. **REVISED** Well, I hate to say this is one of the only places I have been to before and recommended highly that I have walked out of due to poor (lack of) service on a highly anticipated return visit, but that's what I gotta spew. One of our party arrived before some of the others and told the (reluctant) host how many would be there and was told they'd be seated right after the previous party was. There were several empty tables, and the others arrived, but nobody even bothered to look at us, much less say anything to us. Another party walked in without reservations and was immediately seated at a booth. One of us went up to one of the wait staff who apologized and got us to a table. We got menus and eventually water, then not so much as a look from the supercilious wait staff that breezed by us trying to hype wine to other tables. After 15 minutes, we walked out. The menu may look great, but I was exceptionally disappointed and recommend you stay away. Unfortunately, there are not many great choices in T or C, but you shouldn't have to experience such a disappointment as we did. **RE-REVISED 11/26/12** OK, they have redeemed themselves. My partner convinced us to go back and try one more time, and get pizzas. We were seated and waited on promptly, and the pizzas were superb. When the host heard of our bad experience the other night, she comped us to dessert. I learned that they have a bit of a staffing problem, but they're actively working on solving that, and I'm raising the rating back to 4 stars from the downgrade I did the other day.
(4)A.B. C.
I went mid-afternoon, neither lunch nor dinner- they serve pizza and calzone only from about 3-5 (estimated). The pizza was quite tasty and well priced, the menu looked great, I really wish I had been able to eat there for more meals! Possibly closed Mondays. The space is really lovely too. I think it was the best T or C meal I had :)
(5)Pete R.
What was I thinking!? Italian seafood in a landlocked New Mexican city. I am sure glad we stopped in. Bella Luca is special. We happened upon the restaurant as we walked from our hotel looking for a place to eat. After being seated by a thoroughly delightful and helpful waitress we ordered wine and the Pan Seared Sea Scallops in a Asparagus Risotto. There was a mix up with the wine that was graciously taken care of and the risotto was grand. Loved the place, if you are in T or C Bella Luca's is a must. The pizza oven is a piece of art in of it's self, take a look behind the bar at it. Next time in I'll try the pizza.
(5)nathalie f.
The space is lovely, the food is even better. I had the grilled pizza; superthin pie with garlic, goat cheese and caramelized onions. It was one of the best I've ever had. Killer creme brulee, as well. Highly recommended.
(5)Ben B.
I was in Truth or Consequences for weeks doing work at the spaceport. We had a bunch of Texans and a big group of Purdue students, and everyone found something they liked. The wine and beer selection was really impressive. I went to every restaurant I could in TorC, and this is by far the best one.
(5)Jamie A.
Delicious modern Italian place in T or C. We have eaten here many times. The sangria is my favorite item. It is homemade and so just so darn delicious!! They add cinnamon and tons of berries. Everything we have had on the menu has been great. The calamari app is crispy and has wonderful flavor. The Caesar salad is ok but the eggplant croutons on it are very good and add something different. Their pizza is yummy. The white pizza is my favorite and we add grilled chicken. The tiramisu is the perfect way to finish the meal. We have had some pasta dishes and they have all been quite tasty. At times they lack wait staff but the atmosphere and the food make up for it. Some items are a bit pricey but I think overall Bella Luca is worth it.
(5)Lesley G.
Food is good - though when we visited on Labor Day, they were out of a lot of the items. Caprese salad is a must have. Service was friendly. But be prepared to go home with a light wallet if you have anything more than pizza....it's a pretty pricey place.
(3)Shelly A.
A friend told me not to miss Bella Luca, and he was right! We enjoyed the complimentary marinated olives and bread with artfully presented olive oil and balsamic vinegar and our fantastic pancetta wrapped scallops in pesto appetizer. My husband was thrilled with the impressive selection of bottled beer; the house made blueberry pomegranate sangria didn't carry much of a punch, but it was very tasty. Our entrees were top-notch - my lobster carbonara was almost as good as my husband's beef risotto. The only disappointment was dessert. After our fabulous meal, we had high hopes for the bread pudding. It was small, dry and over-priced.
(5)Amanda S.
What a surprise to find this in T or C! It is so modern and upscale (without being pretentious or too expensive)! We stopped in for dessert and a bottle of wine. They have a great wine selection. The creme brulee was really good, and the flourless chocolate cake with berry sauce was rich but not overly filling. The service was so great and friendly. I would love to come back and try their food!
(4)Noel C.
Excellent Italian restaurant in T or C. Stopped for dinner with friends and had a great meal. Great wine and bottled beer selection We shared the Arugula salad and Calamari as an appetizer. The Calamari was excellent and the salad was just the right amount of goat cheese and roasted red peppers. We also ordered the Capone pizza. It was baked perfectly with a crispy crust and just the right amount of sauce. We finished off sharing the Pistachio Gelato, flourless chocolate cake and pear bread pudding. They were all excellent! The price point is just right for the food and portions sizes. Will have to stop by again one day if traveling through there again. I would have rated 5 stars, but they were out of Tiramisu and the restrooms needed a little more TLC, especially the ladies restroom according to my wife and our friend.
(4)Phylonyous P.
The Jewel of the high desert! Great food! Great Wine and Beer selection! Great people!
(5)Corey C.
The restaurant was hotter inside than the July day was outside. One employee was serving all the tables, and hosting. Service was very slow. It took two tries to bring out the correct food we ordered. Eggplant Parmesan: watery sauce, falling apart overcooked noodles. Eggplant was tough, and the breading was grossly thin and soggy. Caesar salad w/ chicken: fried eggplant crutons were burnt and chewy. Tasted extremely strong of anchovies. Would not recommend.
(1)David W.
Really great food! Bolognaise was awesome, lasagna and Maine Lobster carbarnara were excellent as well. Quite the pleasant surprise in a small town in NM. Would definitely return.
(5)Laura B.
If you like sweltering heat, poor communication and food that takes an eternity, this place is for you!!! Traveling through T or C on our way back to ABQ on Sunday, our restaurant options were limited. We decided to stop here for a late lunch and we wished we had kept driving. On a 90 degree plus day, the restaurant felt like an inferno, was the AC broken? No mention or apology for the unbearable heat or the slow service. I realize there were a lot of customers, but a polite mention of being understaffed goes a long way!!! After an hour baking, we decided to get the food to go and still no sincere comment about any of the things we experienced. To top it off, after ordering, we were notified much later that they didn't have one of our selections, had to reorder, server also forgot about a minor special request on a salad and getting refills on water, don't bother.
(1)Aaron B.
Believe it or not... quite possibly the best Italian food in NM. Don't be afraid to order one of the higher priced entrees. It is worth it. I can't imagine a better cioppino or risotto
(5)Lisa D.
Says open til 10 on Saturday night. Walked up there from our hotel at 8pm and it is closed. No note on the door to say why. WTF?
(1)Jimmy G.
Beautiful atmosphere, punctuated with engaging artwork by local artists. Friendly service. Great food! The pasta with clams in a garlic, white wine sauce was exquisite. We will definitely visit again the next time we are in Truth or Consequences.
(5)Tracy S.
The food is very good - had the Calabasitas Fettucine. But, I was not that impressed with the service. Our waiter seemed to forget about us. When I asked which wine he recommended, he told us about one - the most expensive one. He didn't bother to ask if we like red, white, sweet or dry. For what we paid, I would have liked a more attentive waiter.
(2)Chris O.
The chef/owner was very friendly and helpful. We had the Space-Portabellos for an appetizer, the Santa Barbara pizza, and creme brûlée and chocolate decadence for dessert. Everything was high quality and very delicious. Great service and worth the cost.
(5)Henry Q.
DONT BOTHER Bottom line - Nice place, bad/slow service, average to below average food, and overpriced. Food We ordered a sangria, arugala salad, New Mexico calzone, and rigatoni bolognese. Sangria - too much fruit, taste too much like juice and no hint of wine. Arugala salad - good arugala, cold roasted garlic Calzone - the worst ever. Most of the dough was uncooked. Rigatoni - the only thing that was worth eating. Service Our waiter kept walking past us and not come to our table. There were 4 waiters in the restaurant and the restaurant was only half full. Total of 3 different servers came to our table to take our order, bring us food, and bring us check. Why don't they designate servicer to their own tables? Even with their combined effort, the service was terribly slow.
(2)Boris S.
After a relishing soak in the natural hot springs of truth or consequences, I arrive with a posse of individuals, fine wine connoisseurs, veal critics and a pheasant of hungry liberals waiting to eat with or without the issues of gay marriage or rifle policy. Everyone is anxious but before the shackles go off we must wait and contemplate and understand the wait at the DMV. My mother passed out as we understood primarily that the meal she offered to pay for amounted to 500 Hong Kong dollars. She said and I quote, "my blouse is seeping with chicken broth and calamari." Long wait; impossible, food; possible, price; the mean of the two. Good will hunting.
(2)Richard A.
Truth or Consequence, a stark conversation between lovers perhaps, and no better place to have it than at BellaLuca in the afore mentioned town. An oyster within the shell of a small New Mexican hamlet. The lights from the extremely cosmopolitan restaurant are possibly the only warm illumination after the hour of eight and deservedly draw an eclectic crowd of discerning hungry. All upon the menu deserve both tasting and credit and to single anything would not do justice.. This is truly a hidden oasis in New Mexico's southern reaches, the food, the clientele and the staff are always different, and always exceptional.....
(5)Eloy W.
Probably the best place to eat in Truth or Consequences, NM. This place is located in the heart of T or C! We had a nice soak at the hot springs and got our Pasta on here at Cafe BellaLuca. One complaint...It's hot, no A/C and it is stuffy. Delicious Salads to start out dinner and a good selection of beer. Beer here? I'll take 10. (Simpsons Reference) The Pizzas are a good quantity and enough to feed 4 of ya, we had a hard working server who was very attentive with all the tables she had to tackle. You will enjoy your meal and this place!
(4)Jonathan M.
Gluten free heaven! Everything was gorgeous and cooked perfectly, the sangria was out of this world!
(5)Ty F.
There are not a lot of choices to have dinner on a weekend night in T or C so we stopped by the BellaLuca. Our first dinner here was meh. The ribeye steak was gristly and fatty. It was served with "spinach" which looks and tasted like arugula which is normally okay, unless you're expecting spinach. The steak was topped with a sprinkling of what appeared to be canned corn. The whole thing was so slippery and greasy, ugh. My bf had the lasagne which was fine. The next night when there was no place open, we reluctantly headed to BellaLuca again, this time only for a the antipasto plate (which was fab and delish!) and their caprese salad (also yummy). The bf and I agreed that BellaLuca's forte are the cold dishes. Water-spotted wine glasses and service can be slow, but what are you gonna do? First dinner 2 stars. Second dinner 3.5 stars, so I rounded to 3 stars total. If you're used to soft, buttery steaks, don't care to eat your 100 fat grams in one meal and prefer to drink out of wine glasses you can see through, you may want to look elsewhere.
(3)Forrest W.
Well we were in T or C for a week and ate here 3 times. Food is consistently excellent. Tried pizza one night and loved it. Service was a little slow one night but the food is worth the wait. Just plan on taking your time. Wine mark up is about 3X. Didn't ask but you may want to ask about a corking charge and take your own. Still easily 5 stars!
(5)Natsu C.
Had the grown up mac and cheese for my birthday dinner and it was excellent! My fiancé, who is really picky about his alfredo, loved theirs.
(5)Dave J.
This is a beautiful restaurant. However don't go to it if you are not willing to drop some serios dough. I went because it was located near the fire water hotel where I was staying. I didn't just go to it was close, I went to it because I wanted a high end restaurant experience. However I thought the prices were too high. Now that being said, the salad I ordered was good but overpriced. All that being said I think if my food budget was higher for this trip I would have dropped more money on an actual dinner and enjoyed it much more. So my recommendation is to go to this restaurant only if you're willing to spend some money, because I think the food is going to be worth it. What was not worth it was getting a salad. The wait staff was super nice, the wine was great.
(3)Craig L.
Great beer selection and even better food. There was an issue with our order but they more than made up for it with some free drinks. They obviously cared about the customer experience and wanted to ensure that each person was taken care of.
(5)Jennifer J.
We ate here last night. This was our second visit in a year. At 8pm in February it was surprisingly full. The service was a bit hit or miss. It took a long time to get our salads which came with a small basket of bread. When we asked, the first time, for more bread, the manager/host told us "okay." After 10 minutes, and no bread, we asked our waitress who said "okay." Another 5 minutes and no bread (and no dinner), we flagged down the busboy who said extra bread was $2. Ridiculous. How much does bread cost? Especially when the restaurant makes pizza. We heard other customers ask for bread also, which they never received either. Management needs to let this absurd policy and charge go. The meals were okay. I had the shrimp bruschetta which was flavorful, though a bit salty. We were distracted by another very upset customer who was having issues with an order. It seems that there are some management issues here, but the food can be good.
(3)Monica W.
Lovely surprise to be graciously seated and served close to closing time on a Thursday night. Oliver did a wonderful job of serving us. The clams with garlic and white wine were tender and flavorful served with crispy slices of garlic bread on top. The short ribs with papardelle was magnificent (according to my boyfriend).. plenty of tender meat in a hearty sauce on al dente pasta. The only downside was the wine pourings were small for the price. Such a nice surprise late at night in a small town!
(4)Lunar B.
This was probably the worst service I have ever received at a restaurant. My dining partner and I stood at the entrance for five minutes or more waiting for someone to even greet us. We were finally seated and then waited another ten minutes for someone (a woman who looked like either the owner or GM) to take our drink order. We also ordered the calamari to start and when it arrived, it was awful--totally overcooked and bland. We took a few bites and then asked for the check (when we told her it was overcooked she just said, "OK"). It then took another fifteen minutes or so just to pay and get out the door. All in all, it took us an hour to be seated, get served two drinks and an appetizer, and then pay the check. We could see dishes dying in the window and plates getting sent back the whole time we were there, and at least one other table got up and left before ordering because they couldn't seem to get anyone to wait on them. Overall, a really bad dining experience.
(1)Renee P.
Check out this place!!! First time in town and saw this place on yelp. The BEST sangria I have ever had in my life! I ordered the rigatoni and it was fantastic! My gf had the fettuccine and she loved it!
(5)Nory B.
Excellent Italian restaurant just off the main drag. The Napa pizza was one of the lightest, most flavorful pizzas I've ever had! My husband loved the grownup grilled cheese, and my mother-in-law adored the deconstructed sandwich. If you're on the road to Albuquerque or Santa Fe, this is definitely worth a stop to have such a gourmet, satisfying meal at very reasonable prices.
(4)Rob E.
first thing. place is hot, no Air Conditioning? i was sweating just sitting down at my seat. had to get a beer and it took about 15 minutes for him to bring it out but i got it! only 1 server dude for the whole restaurant!? no wonder service is slow. poor guy. we ordered our pizza. waited for awhile... feel like i'm still waiting. had to order a calzone, salad or pizza. because they were in between lunch and dinner? that blows. we were really dissapointed. we have been to 2 places now like that in a row! jeez, don't like that at all. anyway, pizza was good! ordered a pepperoni and we mowed it down Place is nice. they got a window wall that bring in a lot of heat but it looks cool. it's modern with nice bathrooms and decor. kind of fancy. not a bad place, not amazing either, purely average.
(3)Billy B.
The Santa Barbara calzone was soooo good. The brie and garlic melted together with the spinach was amazing. My mouth is watering thinking about it. My wife had the veggie lasagna and it was amazing. Noodles perfectly al dente, prepared perfectly and put together so well. This was one of the best meals I've had in years.
(4)Marcos O.
We went to TorC to get married. Their restaurant was closed for 3 hours on a Friday, so they could revamp their menu. WELL, they heard we were in town to get married all the way from TX and the Owner opened the restaurant just for us and served us. The staff was so nice, helpful and the food was soooo good, we went there to celebrate the next day right after our wedding. Very gay friendly, awesome staff and amazing food. Thank you Cafe BellaLuca for not just a wonderful experience, but for welcoming us as we traveled alone to a town for our biggest day, EVER! We will return for our 1st year anniversary!
(5)Virginia F.
Vegan friendly! We got the Cannelli Beans and Greens and it was fantastic! I wasn't expecting such a well prepared vegan dish. We got sorbet for dessert - it comes with 4 scoops so you can mix and match the flavors.
(4)Michael J.
As noted. one of the best dining choices town. We were served quickly and our server was fine. Rigitoni Bolognese was excellent. Eggplant parm w pasta was excellent as well. Clean plate club! Calzone was ok. I think caprese salad would be better served as a true shareable appetizer rather than as a single serving salad. Brava.
(5)Carianne C.
I'm giving it 5. It would be a 4 in Tucson, but when you are in the middle of nowhere and can get food this tasty with such a fab beer and wine list, it's a 5! Really enjoyed the al dente puttanesca and the calabacitas fettuccine. Very nice service, and not slow at all as others remarked (maybe I just really enjoy the company of my sweetie). We started with a antipasto plate, which was delivered quickly. The olives are especially delicious. Desserts were standard and boring, but the rest of the meal was fantastic.
(5)Jim M.
A-OK KINDA SORTA. THE ONLY place for dinner in T or C. Hadn't eaten there in 2 or 3 years, when EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT. Got there just after 5 30. No hostess. Two waiters No busser. Ordered calamari and glass of wine to start. No wine. Finally wine. Calamari tasty, but mostly breading. Entre' Pasta w/ Calabacitas and cream sauce. Calabacitas clearly just defrosted. Just had it tonite for leftovers. Brought it back to full life with the wine sauce that I cooked scallops in. I have no idea who owns this restaurant, but there is NO SIGN of an owner, much less a manager.
(3)Meredith R.
There are two things worth doing in T or C. One of them is bathing in hot springs; the other is eating at this restaurant. Yelp, this is legit Italian food in the middle of nowhere with a world-class wine and beer menu. Yes yes, it is expensive and service can be slow. Nobody cares when the food and drinks are this good. My favorite dishes are whatever special ravioli they have that night, or the calabasitas fettuccine, or basically any pizza. And a glass of wine, or a cold glass of peach lambic beer. They also have the best balsamic reduction ever, which makes bread disappear and transforms an already delicious caprese salad into something straight from heaven. And how could I forget the creme brulee with a glass of raspberry port... But my personal entree preferences don't mean anything. You have to experience this restaurant for yourself. So remember, if you ever find yourself in the middle of nowhere NM, life just got so very much more delicious. You're welcome.
(5)Michelle C.
We went for their Thanksgiving Buffet. It was wonderful! I have to say the vegetables were the star of the show, but everything was excellent. My only complaint was at $30 a head I was surprised that I was charged extra for coffee. Most buffets come with beverages
(4)Dennis M.
My husband and I have returned to BellaLuca for our second time, first time was for lunch and last night was for dinner....absolutely wonderful food, the wine we choose was excellent, he had the seafood stew Ciopinio and I had chicken Milanese which was prepared to perfection. Will keep returning each and every time we come to T or C.
(5)