Ciao Bella offers homemade Italian dishes at very reasonable prices.
Taking over the space previously occupied by caféM on the ground floor of Media One Hotel, the transformation from a cosy cafe to the colourful Italian restaurant, Ciao Bella, is one to be applauded.
With pops of colour from the vibrant upholstery, small basil plants adorning tabletops, and dried pasta blooming out of vases where flowers are expected to grow, Ciao Bella has managed to retain its quaint neighbourhood charm while elevating the cuisine tenfold.
Open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the contemporary Italian restaurant offers a reasonably priced menu that changes to reflect the time of day. For breakfast, you can expect Rustico (a puff pastry filled with bechamel, tomato, basil and mozzarella), stuffed cornetto’s (generously filled with smoked salmon, scrambled egg, mozzarella, parmesan and Rocca) and breakfast classics such as avocado on toast.
During lunch and dinner service, the menu transitions into fine Italian fare, including a hearty choice of pizza and pasta dishes, alongside fried calamari (AED 45), bruschetta (AED 35), bresaola carpaccio (AED 59), burrata salad (AED 65) and a selection of piping hot Panini’s served with fries or salad.
Based on our visit during a bustling mid-week lunchtime, we’d suggest ordering the gloriously golden Arancini Siciliani (AED 35), generously stuffed with mozzarella, parmigiana and spicy sausage. The Milanese de pollo (AED 65) is highly recommended for the main course. Presenting a simply plated spicy Sugo spaghetti topped with crumbed chicken breast and sprinkled with Parmigiano.
With pana cotta, gelato, and cool affogato available for dessert, it’s the tiramisu (AED 39) the piques our interest. Offering a unique twist on the classic Italian dessert, the espresso, cocoa and savoiardi are encased in a mascarpone dome and surrounded by various textures, marking a memorable end to an enjoyable lunch.
To mark the opening of the city’s latest Italian dining destination, Ciao Bella has launched some appealing offers to entice guests into the colourful restaurant. “Ciao Solei” is the restaurant’s daily Aperitivo that includes three beverages and an antipasti board from AED 89 per person, from 5pm to 7pm.
The “Bella Bites” business lunch menu runs Sunday to Thursday, from 12pm and 3pm and includes a medium Margarita, pepperoni or chicken pizza, a salad and a beverage for just AED 69 per person.
For the grape and cheese lovers, Tuesday and Thursday evenings are for “Pour Decisions”, where you can indulge in a selection of Italian cheese paired with unlimited Italian house grape, for AED189 per person, from 6pm to 10pm.
Whether visiting for hearty homemade Italian cuisine, after-work drinks, a date night or group gathering, Ciao Bella offers an authentic taste of Italy with its day to night Italian offering.
GO: Email ciaobella@mediaonehotel.com or call 04 427 1000 for reservations and more information.
