Bella Villa Italian Restaurant is the collaboration of effort in 1987, between Liz Varnedoe and her Sicilian born husband Vinny Vindigni.  Vinny was a colorful character, coming to America when he was only 18 as a stowaway on a ship from Italy that finally docked at
Ellis Island in New York. 

He was also a genuinely nice man, always quick with a smile and  a friendly greeting.  And the man could cook.  He took pride in his meal presentation and he loved to watch people enjoy a good meal in the restaurant.

Tragically, Vinny passed away after a long illness in 1999.  But Liz has carried on and continued the tradition.

"We still cook the way he taught me to cook," she says.

The method she uses requires lots of preparation.  Home cooking and fresh ingredients are the rule.  For the house sauce, she doesn't use paste or a pre-made sauce.  Varnedoe uses fresh carrots, onions, and celery to thicken her sauce.  In her Alfredo sauce, ingredients include heavy cream, eggs and butter. 

Because of this meticulous attention to detail, Liz is usually at the business every morning at 7:30 am.  She says, "Everything is homemade and because we cook every dish to order, customers can add or delete anythng."

Although Varnedoe learned to cook authentic Italian food in Italy with Vinny, she doesn't mind experimenting and expanding the restaurant's fare. 

If patrons suggest a recipe to her that turns out good, she puts it on the menu and names
it after them.

Some examples are Lee's Ravioli, Sue's Chicken Cacciatore, Sabrina's Seafood, etc.

The reason?

Over the last 22 years, the loyalty of the local customers is the biggest constant.  "If it weren't for our regular customers, we would not be in business," says chef Liz.  That is a big reason for Bella Villa's longevity.