Fave Five: Bellina Alimentari
(c) Bellina Alimentari
Say you're in the mood to make pasta from scratch and want to learn how. Or you'd like to wow your in-laws this holiday season but aren't sure what to get them. Perhaps you're simply in desperate need of some wine and an antipasti plate after work. Or maybe you’re looking for a place to host your next gathering in an intimate yet not boring setting.
Would you believe me if I told you there’s one place in Atlanta where you can do all of the above?
It’s called
and it’s a market, restaurant, bar and cooking school in one. And it opens at Ponce City Market today!
The market at Bellina Alimentari
Expect to see antipasti, sandwiches and pasta dishes on their seasonal menu
I was lucky enough to grab a sneak peek of the beautiful Italian shop and my little foodie heart
about burst the second I stepped inside. Here’s how the place works: You can pop in for a glass of Chianti or a negroni, browse Bellina’s extensive selection of oils and vinegars, pastas and sauces and Italian sweet treats, pick up a few fresh ingredients for making dinner at home and maybe some handmade pottery as a gift (potentially for the aforementioned in-laws), and sign up for a cooking class (which are taught in Bellina’s dough room!) all within the same four walls.
The intimate bar
Private dining
Oh, but it gets better: You don’t
have
to finish your adult beverage at the bar -- you can roam with it, either inside Bellina or on the PCM property. You can do the same with food: Order a meat-and-cheese plate, a pasta dish or a sandwich and enjoy it at the 14-seat bar, at one of the tables inside the market, or out in PCM the food hall.
Mushroom ragu from the current menu
The date night package from the market, which comes with a recipe card and all ingredients you need
Whatever you choose, Bellina is sure to fill you with the charm of an authentic Italian dining experience. Its motto is “La vita e bonta,” which encompasses food as a way of life, and it very much comes through in every aspect of the shop.
P.S.: I realize the number of my favorite things about Bellina Alimentari exceeds five, but I can't help myself -- I'm in love with this place! See the recipe card in the photo above? You can find them throughout the store, not just as part of a package -- just another reason to love this shop!