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Bella Vida Garden Cafe
Category: Restaurants American (Traditional) American (Traditional) [Edit]
406 N BroadwayWest Cape May, NJ 08204
(609) 884-6332
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
20 reviews for Bella Vida Garden Cafe
20 reviews in English
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Review from Allyson D.
Essex, NJ
9/28/2011
This is the perfect restaurant for the couple that is one half veg and the other half omni. My boyfriend & I were so pleased to find a place like this, and we plan to come back since we are in the Wildwood/Cape May area once a year.
While the prices for dinner are steep, it was worth it to hear my boyfriend claim it was the best meatloaf he's ever had. He had so many positive things to say about it, from the taste, to texture (which I'd never know). He was totally smitten.
I did like my dish, the polenta cakes, but found it a bit weird because it tried to be so many things at once - it had black beans and rice, but some of the veggies were cooked in garlic, and the plate was served in sweet chili sauce. The polenta had the random-est of vegetables cooked in to it. It was a very confused plate. However, for the price, they give you ~a lot~.
Do not leave without trying dessert! The apple crisp a la mode was insanely good, and we almost ordered a second one! (They have plenty of vegan desserts, too)
The ambiance is definitely strange but I find it to match the quirkiness of the food and place in general. It's BYOB which is nice but I wish I knew beforehand!
I'm looking forward to coming back and trying the lunch sandwiches. I'm especially curious to try their "banana custard", which seems to be banana served like ice cream with mix-ins. That sounds like something out of my dreams! -
Review from Laryssa W.
Jersey City, NJ
8/19/2011
In Cape May, accommodating a vegan and someone with a gluten sensitivity isn't the easiest thing to do. When I saw Bella Vida's menu online, I wondered if it was too good to be true.
We made reservations for a party of four, brought two bottles of white wine, and easily found parking outside the restaurant. The exterior of the restaurant is very charming and inviting.
We were seated immediately at a booth table, and I noticed that the interior of the restaurant could use some updating. Our booth was decorated with one of those mirrored picture boxes that have moving dolphins inside it. While this might be considered quirky in another restaurant, it just seemed cheesy in this one.
Bella Vida also really needs to change its slogan: "A local cafe with... a wholesome aroma". What? Does that? Mean?!
I was really impressed with the variety on the menu. In addition to being able to add grilled chicken and other meat to the pasta dishes, diners can also add tempeh. This made me very happy!
I ordered the "Island Style Christina" (plantains, black beans and rice topped with pineapple mango salsa drizzled with rum glaze and coconut, $17). All entrees come with salad, and the house dressing is awesome! It tasted like a creamy, tangy pesto dressing.
My dinner was impressive. The food was flavorful and fresh, the plantains were cooked perfectly, and I had enough to bring home for another meal. Everyone else at the table really seemed to enjoy their dishes as well. I would definitely return. -
Review from Jane F.
Philadelphia, PA
6/26/2011
Ate here with my family and had an average dinner. Scallop appetizer with pineapple salsa was tasty, but stay away from the creamy crab dip. The only evidence that it contained crab was a slight fishy flavor. I got broiled grouper which was fine. They do have a decent selection of veggie options and my mom's plantain entree was fine, if a little sweet.
Service was good and they were very accommodating to my toddler. -
Review from Wes J.
Villas, NJ
6/30/2011
Really good breakfast, have eaten here 5 times and it's been consistently good. The cook needs to time his courses better, some food came out hot while some came out colder (having sat there to long). The 6 foot lady who works there, Elizabeth I think, is beyond rude and needs a course in customer service. Our waitress, Kate, was very friendly and attentive. Would I return, yes I would.
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Review from Deven P.
Cape May, NJ
6/6/2010
Easily one of my favorite places in Cape May, and one few great vegetarian options in town. I grew up in Cape May, and I always try to hit this place at least a few times when I come home from college. My parents go about every other week year round, frequently texting me pictures of the great food I'm missing out on.
I'd definitely recommend going for breakfast or lunch, though dinner is great too. The menu is really extensive, so make sure to take time to read over everything before you order. There are so many highlights that I'm just going to have to make a list.
1) The omlettes. So, so good. I particularly enjoy those with veggies, salsa, and cheese. "Ed's Back-Bay," with crab and Old Bay is also delicious.
2) Meat substitutes. I eat meatless bacon and sausage at home, but I can't usually find it at restaurants. Bella Vida is the rare exception.
3) The drinks. From the Costa Rican coffee, to the Vanilla Chai, to the fresh squeezed juices, you won't be able to choose.
4) The baked goods. Everything's freshly baked, but get there early because stuff sells out quickly.
5) The general atmosphere. Nice and homey, always makes me feel good to be back in Cape May.
One last thing- ask for Cassandra as your server. I'm not sure how much she serves now because of school, but she's a really great waitress (and also one of my best friends). She's even got sweet potato fries named after her. Just sayin.Listed in: The Best of Cape May
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Review from Juliet G.
New Cumberland, PA
Very disappointed after hearing all the good reviews. With that said my review is based on just one lunch experience. I ordered the chicken salad sandwich which was mediocre and cost me 9.50. I'm happy to pay that for a sandwich that has pizzazz but this was so ordinatry and contained limp lettuce leaves plus they charged me 1.00 extra when I ordered the multigrain bread. The sweet potato fries were again very ordinary. So I was charged 15.00 for a lunch I could have made better myself. Buyer beware...
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Review from Joey T.
8/23/2010
Food: Of all the Cape Cod restaurants, this seems to have the most vegetarian options, but also has the typical seafood options and a handful of authentic homemade Italian options. Plenty of appetizers and deserts to choose from as well. The menu is unique across the board and all the food is prepared by the chef, so it takes some time to come out. Most dinners come with a big "family salad bowl." The soup was steaming hot. The portions were very large.
Price: This isn't a "fine dining" restaurant like many at Cape Cod, so the prices are much more reasonable. A family of 5 ate for around $150 with appetizers and tip (no desert, no booze).
Drinks: BYOB. Unique Italian cream sodas to choose from.
Atmosphere: The interior is like an old Victorian house combined with a diner. When you first walk in and look around and smell the fish, it may be a little off-putting. But its a cozy feel.
Service: The service was somewhat confused but overall friendly. Our waitress forgot several things but was apologetic when she did. As mentioned above, the food takes quite a while to come out but is due to the solo chef preparing everything.
(+): comfortable atmosphere compared to a lot of the swanky places on the beach, good prices for good food, many vegetarian options
(-): no real negatives, but some average aspects could be improved
Would I go back again? Possibly. -
Review from Monica T.
Pittsburgh, PA
9/20/2010
Pros-extensive menu, ample vegetarian entrees. good food!
Cons- in dire need of a remodeling job. Ripped seats, no atmosphere. They could have at least straightened the pictures on the wall! -
Review from Cynthia M.
Orlando, FL
8/2/2011
Surprised by the huge menu and very delicious meals! Interesting choices, nice enough surroundings. Would go back to try more items. Loved the fruit/veg juice cocktail and omelets. Our server was friendly. Great sweet potato fries!
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Review from Jennifer T.
Monmouth Junction, NJ
7/25/2011
How has nobody mentioned the salad dressing?! Easily one of the best I've ever tasted. We tried to ask our server about it, but she wouldn't mention any ingredients.
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Review from AbJo E.
Sunnyside, NY
8/28/2010
We'd give it 3.5 stars if we could.
We came for all the vegetarian options and arrived right at 5:00 for the early bird special. What a great deal! The veggie polenta cakes were very flavorful and delicious! However, the "stuffed" Portobello mushroom was just alright. It wasn't stuffed but rather sitting on a gigantic bed of rice and other veggies and then smothered in cheese. Just not what I expected. The lunch menu looked more vegetarian friendly and was really what we came for.
This place also seemed to be pretending to be fancy, even though it wasn't. -
Review from Hanna B.
Portland, ME
10/7/2009
I've been here for breakfast twice and lunch a few times. I'm a vegetarian and they have a great selection of meat-free items. Everything I've ordered has been good.
Breakfast: The pancakes are exactly how I like pancakes to be. Home fries are decent. I ordered meat-free sausage as a side both times, but the first time they were out.
Lunch: My favorite thing is the vegetarian reuben (tempeh instead of roast beef). Tasted my friend's stuff as well--once a veggie panini that was not that awesome, once a salad that was really tasty.
Service: Meh. It's been lacking about 4 of the 6 times I've been. Have had to ask for drink refills (major pet peeve of mine). On more than one occasion, the waitresses have taken my same glass for a refill--which is fine, except they didn't dump anything out or get new ice... so when the new iced tea is poured on top it melts the ice and getes lukewarm. :( Random but it has happened several times! One time I ordered a sandwich and got nothing on the side (even had to ask twice for a pickle!) and the visit after that I got a pickle and chips without asking.
Overall, the menu is really big and there are lots of things I'd like to try. The stuff I have had is good. I crave that reuben on a regular basis! I would go here more if I could. Wish the service was a bit better. -
Review from Matt M.
Brooklyn, NY
7/14/2010
My wife and I really like this place. Great breakfast. When we would go to Cape May we would bike or walk here for breakfast. If you dont care about passive proselytizing with religious quotes.
I would go here again and again for breakfast. -
Review from Janet S.
Mountainside, NJ
8/6/2009
Great food in a casual dining experience.
Diverse menu which includes local seafood, pastas and children's menu
Sesame Tuna with wasabi mashed potatoes was the big hit.
BYOB
Good food and great value -
Review from Amy U.
Brick, NJ
8/18/2010
Came here for dinner about 2 years ago with my mother and husband on a weekend evening - we called ahead for the wait time and was rudely rushed off the phone by a woman who said "well you'll definitely have to wait a while for a table". We took the chance and came anyways. After being ignored we seated ourselves (there were many free tables) and saw a server roll her eyes and complain to another coworker while pointing at us. As if that wasn't awkward enough. We sat at our table with our bottles of unopened wine watching servers rush around waiting tables continuing to ignore us. Finally after 10 minutes we left. I emailed the owner and never got any response back. It's a shame because it was a cute cozy place inside and we come to Cape May usually twice a year trying out new places to eat every time. Oh well, their loss.
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Review from Lisa D.
Reston, VA
8/25/2011
Bella Vida was great! It's very beachy and laid back. I'm vegan and there were very many vegetarian options that could be made vegan. They even have vegan cheese and Vegenaise! I got The Jeannie Panini, subbing in the vegan cheese, and it was soooo good! I would go back there again and again. They also have a vegan brownie but I was too stuffed to try it. Warning, the meatless sausage contains eggs and dairy. The fakin bacon is vegan and they have a tempeh ruben that sounds very good. Our server was very nice and I highly recommend this place!
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Review from Steve T.
Bloomfield Hills, MI
8/20/2009
Very nice place. The settlng the music and mood are all good. Large selection of food.
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Review from Kirstin N.
Perkiomenville, PA
7/9/2010
We stopped in Bella Vida for dinner while on vacation based on a menu we saw and the food was DELICIOUS! Very fresh, creative, homemade and healthy options (even vegetarian). We liked it so much we came back for breakfast the next day and it was just as good! A must eat place in Cape May. Also wait staff is very friendly and accomodating. Also it's BYOB!
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Review from Marty D.
Haddonfield, NJ
9/3/2009
We've been here twice and both times the food was great and the service very friendly. Good diversity of Italian and seafood dishes.
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Review from Nickie B.
Staten Island, NY
8/18/2010
Took over 1 hour to get food from when we ordered. One appetizer was ordered and 45 minutes passed when waitress said it would be right out. 7 patrons of which 4 were kids and 3 adults ordered pasta dishes. It wasn't a busy night as tables were open. Although the food quality rates about 31/2 stars, kitchen management brings our overall rating down to 2 stars.
