Bellini Bar & Ristorante
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.

Shown Above: Just a few of the delicious creations of Owner/Chef Carlo Pisano from the extensive “La Cena” (dinner menu), clockwise from the top — Two exquisite desserts, Millefogli Bellini and Bongo Bongo; Peach Bellini Champagne Cocktail, their signature drink; Veal Chop Portobello; Spaghetti Diavola; and Fillet of Pacific Sole Piccatina. Shown with fresh pasta, vegetables, and focaccia bread served at this Zagat Survey-rated El Paseo restaurant. Photographed before Song of Portofino, a painting by Tom Swimm from Sensafine, Inc. of Palm Desert.

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

MENU HIGHLIGHT

APPETIZERS & SALADS
Calamari Fritti
Beef Carpaccio
Caprese Salad
Tricolore Salad

PASTA AND RISOTTO
Lobster Ravioli
Cannelloni Florentine
Spaghetti Shrimp Diavola
Penne Contadina
Risotto
Fettuccine Bolognese
Gnocchi
Wild Porcini Mushroom Ravioli

ENTRÉES
Chicken Caprese
Veal Scaloppine
Veal Parmigiana
Ossobuco Milanese
Pacific Sole
Shrimp Scampi
Grilled Veal Chop Portobello
Veal Chop Milanese

DESSERTS
Bongo Bongo Al Cioccolato
Cannoli Al Limoncello
Strawberry Napoleon
Chocolate Soufflé Fondant Cake
Sorbets
Spumoni Ice Cream
Cappuccino Ice Cream

BEST OF THE CELLAR

ITALIAN RED WINES
Antinori
Brunello di Montalcino
Amarone Della Valpolicella
Barolo
Barbaresco
Ruffino Gold
Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano
Tignanello
Barbera d’Asti

ITALIAN WHITE WINES
Pinot Grigio Felluga
Pinot Grigio Santa Margherita
Orvieto
Gavi Di Gavi
Gaja
Terre Di Tufi
Italian Chardonnay

CALIFORNIA WINE SELECTIONS
Rutherford Hill
Ferrari-Carano
Jordan
Cakebread
Joseph Phelps
Chimney Rock
St. Francis
Rodney Strong
Sonoma-Cutrer
Silverado
Chalk Hill
Caymus

BELLINI BAR & RISTORANTE
THE GALLERIA CENTER
73-111 EL PASEO
PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA 92260
(760) 341-2626

More Information - Websites, Maps and Directions

BY WENDY DUREN
PHOTOGRAPHY: ARTHUR COLEMAN/ASSISTANT: MEGAN CHANEY
FOOD STYLIST: ROLAND BIERI