Dining and Restaurant Search

Zagat Rated — Authentic Italian Cuisine

There are restaurants that serve Italian food and then there are Italian restaurants, the difference being not one of simple presentation, but of atmosphere and taste. When you walk into Bellini Bar & Ristorante, Carlo and Marylena Pisano’s Zagat Survey-rated El Paseo eatery, there is no denying you are in an authentic Italian restaurant. And if you use your imagination, you might even think you’ve awakened in Italy.

Now entering their 13th season in Palm Desert, the Pisanos have built their reputation serving traditional and eclectic menu selections spanning the length of Italy, course to course. Every dinner begins with a complimentary offering of traditional ciabatta bread served with homemade olive pâté. The appetizer menu features an array of tantalizing items including Calamari Fritti or Beef Carpaccio. A plate of steaming Pasta Pomodoro is divine, though more adventurous diners will appreciate the Lobster Ravioli bathed in a lobster cognac cream sauce or Cannelloni Florentine, light and tasty.

It’s the house specialty veal, prepared in several entrée variations, that is the foundation on which Bellini has earned its reputation. One can order veal scaloppini at restaurants that serve Italian food, yet Bellini goes a step further offering items like Osso Buco Milanese and Grilled Veal Chop Portobello.

Wine enthusiasts can order the finest Italian wines by the glass or enjoy a selection from the full bar. The menu of delicious appetizers is especially selected to complement the wines and the lively bar scene extends to the heated outdoor patio.

No visit is complete without a taste of their signature drink, the Prosecco cocktail Bellini, an elixir made for lovers, perfected by gourmets, and served nightly. Or if you prefer, on a warm afternoon when you feel like escaping to Italy for a day.

Open for lunch and dinner. Reservations are recommended.

“When you walk into Bellini on El Paseo, there is no denying you are in an authentic Italian restaurant.”

Text by Wendy Duren