18 S Beaver St
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
*Disclaimer: We were not paid for this review. All opinions are our own and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
La Bellavia is a cute little restaurant in historic downtown Flagstaff. As one of Flagstaff's older restaurants, it maintains an old-fashioned ambiance which most other restaurants in the area are lacking. As this restaurant is minuscule, you may miss it on your first passing. It doesn't help that La Bellavia is located next door to Macy's, an uber popular breakfast and coffee shop.
Despite the popularity, Macy's is an overrated experience and you will find that both the breakfast and quieter ambiance of La Bellavia make it a more attractive morning breakfast and coffee choice.
Update: La Bellavia is now Brandy's. Although ownership has changed much of the menu remains the same as the owners of La Bellavia also owned Brandy's Restaurant.
The food at La Bellavia was quite good, although way overpriced, especially considering the tiny portion sizes. La Bellavia is one of the few breakfast places in town to offer a homemade Quiche of the Day. The veggie Quiche I tested was quite tasty, although overpriced at $9 with no side included.
We also tried one of the basic egg plates which included an English Muffin (too dried out), potatoes or pancakes (the potatoes were good), and sausage (we went with the turkey which was just OK). Again, it was good, although overpriced. Also be aware that they have recently increased the prices of everything on their menu, although this does not reflect on their online menu.
The Swedish Oat Pancakes are rumored to be quite good. The rest of the menu includes your standard diner breakfast fare like Eggs Benedict, French Toast, and Burritos. A full espresso menu is available. I have never tried any of the drinks, although I would imagine that they cannot be much worse than Macy's next door, which over roasts their beans. The lunch menu is very basic and includes salads, soups, burgers and sandwiches.
Weekday breakfast specials are a better value if you can make it out here between the hours of 6:30-8:30am.
Update: Despite the rebranding, they have kept many of the iconic menu items like Swedish Oats Pancakes and the Spuds Medley featuring country potatoes, topped with tomatoes, sauteed onions, tomatoes, melted swiss and cheddar and sour cream. I have tried this dish at Brandy's Restaurant and really enjoyed it!
Service was a bit lackluster as opposed to the typically friendly diner atmosphere you find in other areas of the country. On a positive note, the food did not take long at all.
The ambiance is pretty quiet with an old time vibe only remaining in a few Flagstaff establishments as more modern businesses and chains begin to take over the area. If you are looking to skip the noisy, trendy, foodie type establishments, then La Bellavia is likely for you. La Bellavia, although not perfect, is one of the better choices in a downtown lacking many decent breakfast options.
While La Bellavia would not be my 1st choice for breakfast (that honor would go to Horseman's Lodge), it's an option if you are looking for something quick downtown. For a home-cooked meal in company of a local vibe and a laid-back ambiance, La Bellavia is a decent choice.
