Cucina Bella Owners Bring Neapolitan Pizza To Downtown Algonquin

LAKE COUNTY, IL — The owners of Algonquin's popular Cucina Bella have brought a long-time requested menu item to their newest restaurant: an authentic Italian pizza place just steps from their already beloved pasta hotspot in downtown Algonquin.

Tony and Brittany Colatorti, who own Cucina Bella, opened Bella's Wood Fire in a former yoga studio at 123 S. Main St. Tony's longtime partner, Jose Moreno, has joined the couple on their newest venture, which started serving up their Neapolitan pies on April 19.

So far, the public's response to their pizza has been great, Tony and Brittany Colatorti told Patch this past week.

The pizza is meant to mimic authentic pizza as its served up in Italy, where the couple has visited several times over the years since Tony's family — who immigrated from Italy — still has a home.

The dough, which is very thin, is made from scratch and is hand tossed, Tony said. Customers say they "like the chew on it" — it's not too hard and has a really great texture, Brittany added.

"We have olive oil and parmesan cheese and they like to dip the rest of it in that after," Brittany said.

Tony opened Cucina Bella 18 years ago and has been fine-tuning his pasta dishes ever since. His family moved to the United States in 1970 and Tony was the first child in his family — he is the youngest of eight — to be born in the U.S.

Needless to say, he did grow up eating plenty of authentic Italian food.

Now, on top of owning Cucina Bella and Bella's Wood Fire, he also has his own pasta sauce company, which sells his sauces at select grocery stores.

Those sauces are also being used on his pizza, including his popular arrabiatta sauce, which he uses on the "Spicy Bella" — a pizza that also has fresh mozzarella, red pepper flakes and basil.

Bella's Wood Fire's version of a Margherita pizza has Cucina Bella's Suprema sauce, which is a combination of Alfredo and marinara. Other ingredients on the Margherita include mozzarella, fresh basil and extra virgin olive oil.

Another popular option is a dessert pizza, the pizza Nutella, which has a half-size or full-size option. The dessert is pizza dough stuffed with Nutella and cream custard and topped with powdered sugar, whipped cream, banana slices and chocolate drizzle

The decision to open Bella Wood Fire has been on the mind of Brittany and Tony for several years.

"People started asking us, 'are you guys going to do pizza?' So, that has been on our mind," said Brittany Colatorti, referring to a request they've often gotten from their Bella Cucina customers.

But the couple decided they didn't want to add it to the Cucina's already packed menu. Tony and Brittany also wanted a location close to Cucina Bella.

So when Melt Pilates & Yoga closed, they jumped at the opportunity to purchase it. Since then, they've been transforming the space to make it work for a restaurant.

Tony said people visiting are often surprised over how much space they have inside. From the outside, it looks very small, but the multi-level building has 3,000 square feet.

In the future, they hope to open an upstairs space that will seat an additional 60 people.

For the couple, who stays plenty busy with three businesses and three children ages 19, 15 and 7 years old, they believe their 13 years running Cucina Bella has helped then launch Bella's Wood Fire.

Tony says he's been grateful he's been able to keep Cucina Bella going, and thriving, despite the ups and owns in the economy, especially during and following the COVID-19 pandemic. Brittany says they have customers who will visit both of their restaurants in the same night — coming to Bella's Wood Fire for a drink and then making the short trek to Cucina Bella for dinner.

"I think because of the time we've been there — that consistency — we have been there able to continue to draw people in," Tony said.

Bella Wood Fire is open from 12 to 9 p.m. on Sundays, 4 to 9 p.m. on Mondays through Thursdays, 4 to 10 p.m. on Fridays and 12 to 10 p.m. on Saturdays.

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