63 by Bella Napoli

I had lunch at 63 earlier this week. Trying to be as unbiased as possible, I have not been a fan of Bella Napoli since around 1970. So with an open mind, I ordered the lunch-​sized portion of spaghetti and meatballs and side salad. Hard to screw that up – and they didn’t. Was it special? No. Would I return for lunch again? Yes. The meatballs were small, and similar to the frozen ones you find at Sam’s Club or Costco. If they were home-​made, they certainly were run-​of-​the-​mill. The salad was surprisingly fresh. They served excellent warm rolls with our lunch. There was a mixed bag of Tennis West people and other patrons. About half full. Service was very good on this visit. Between Pasta Avanti and 63, I’d probably pick Pasta Avanti, but the outdoor area at 63 overlooking the lake is pretty compelling on a nice day.

Glad to find this hidden gem because we really miss the old Bella Napoli. Restaurant is located inside Tennis West and was empty on Valentine’s Day at 3 pm. (not a bad thing!!) We sat on the patio and absolutely loved the atmosphere. Very relaxed near the pond.
Our server was very attentive and patient with our indecisiveness. She was very helpful in pointing is in the right direction on what to order. We will definitely be back.

Do not rely on the menu and prices that are posted on their social media. I ordered food for pickup and not only did they forget to give us part of the order but everything was more expensive than advertised. I asked about this and was told that it is what it is. Half of the staff was sitting on the ground charging their phones and the waiter behind the cash register was standing there with his arm around his girlfriend. This place will not last long if they continue to operate this way.

The old Bella Napoli gets a second life inside Tennis West. The dining experience is tops in the 2 things that matter most: Food & Service.
The dining room is by a fountain, pond, pool and tennis courts. The room is sunny and well-​lit.
The kitchen looks a bit smaller than in the old Mesa Street location. The menu is a bit smaller than the old place, but filled with their best items.
The antipasto salad is improved: gone is the iceberg lettuce, replaced by romaine. It’s filled with olives, bleu cheese, pepperoni, salami, & banana peppers. The calamari was well-​presented and tasty.
Chicken Jerusalem, marsala, saltimbocca, piccatta, & parmigiana are tasty as usual. The pizzas are all highly in demand. Desserts hit the spot, so save some room for tiramisu (the cake was fresh & tasty, chocolatey), and/​or spumoni.
The old Chianti bottles are still on the tables, but no longer hang from the ceiling. The checkered tablecloths have been replaced by black or white tablecloths. The Italian or opera music is gone, today’s pop hits in their stead. But the Bella Napoli food & friendly, attentive service is right there.