Bella Vita Bistro and Catering opens inside Carson Mall

A new restaurant that prides itself on originality is bringing their cuisines to Carson City.

Bella Vita Bistro and Catering opened its doors today, bringing together new cuisines, a family atmosphere and a community feel.

“We are so excited to be here, it’s a dream come true,” said owner Lori Baxter. “I was very excited about what is happening in Carson City and it felt right (to come here) because it was the kind place where our cuisine would be very welcomed.”

Baxter is no stranger to the restaurant world. She relocated to Carson City after shutting down Flight Restaurant in Gardnerville in October and has owned five other restaurants and a catering business.

“I am passionate about food and I love to serve people, I love being in this business,” Baxter said. “I enjoy tending to people and the social aspect of a restaurant- getting to know people through food and drink and to be able to visit and have relationships with people. It feeds my soul.”

For those who were familiar with Baxter’s previous restaurants may recognize some of the menu items, but, with Bella Vita, she built a whole new menu.

“It is Americana with a twist,” Baxter said. “Everything is made from scratch from our salad dressings to our homemade chips and dip.”

The menu offers everything from wings to salads to sandwiches to steaks. They will also have a take out and delivery option for people on the run and Baxter said they will also be starting a grab-and-go breakfast option so patrons can have a hearty, but nutritious breakfast on the go.

“I am so excited for that because we will offer different kinds of breakfast burritos, avocado toast, vegan oatmeal and more,” Baxter said. “That way if you are in a rush on your way to work, you can start your morning with something delicious and good for you.”

One thing Baxter prides her restaurant on is the community feel it provides, from the locally sourced food to the atmosphere of Bella Vita.

“We just really wanted a family-feel that is warm and welcoming,” Baxter said. “We are local and family-run and we love being involved in our community.”

“My philosophy is that I do what I have to do to earn my business here. We go the extra mile and strive for super customer service.”

Bella Vita- which translates to “The Good Life” in Spanish- is bringing a piece of the good life to Carson.

When you walk into the restaurant, it looks like a comfy and chic place with a bit of Nevada flair- though the decor is modern, the walls are plastered with past Nevada Appeal news clippings showing off Carson’s history.

“We are 100 percent excited to join the Carson community,” Baxter said. “...It was my daughter Rachel’s idea (to use the newspaper), we wanted to tie in to the community, we even did the same thing at my first restaurant with the Record Courier.”

In addition to being open for lunch and dinner most days, Bella Vita will offer a Sunday brunch complete with a mimosa and Bloody Mary bar.

“We didn’t want just the normal bacon and eggs because you can get that anywhere, we are going to have a killer Sunday brunch,” Baxter said.

And that’s not all. Every night, the restaurant will have happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m. with drink and appetizer specials, as well as karaoke on Thursdays and a live band on Fridays starting next week.

“We wanted to do fun things, different things and we wanted to keep that family vibe,” Baxter said.

Patrons can find Bella Vita at the Carson Mall, on the Stewart Street side. They will be open for lunch/brunch Sunday and Monday and lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday. For more information visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/bellavitathegoodlife/ or call them at 775-515-4300.