It’s just the place that the area needed; pizza, coffee, wine, and a great place to gather. Whether you’re sipping wine in the backyard, a latte on the porch, or munching a pizza inside, Bel Tavolo Pizzeria e Caffe Bar, in New Ulm, Texas, is where everyone can gather.
Sunnie and Lou Sidera opened Bel Tavolo Pizzeria in September 2022, hoping to bring something to the small community they didn’t have yet - great pizza. It has since grown to so much more. When I walked up the front steps and went inside, I was immediately greeted by smiles, the aroma of coffee, and the chatter of delighted customers.
Their atmosphere had a distinct vibe that can only be described as relaxed and welcoming. If it’s a nice day, you can sit out under the shade on the deck, or for an even more peaceful feeling, take a glass of wine to the seating area in the backyard.
Lou Sidera grew up cooking with his family, “to get [him] closer to the food”. He described how he learned that if he helped cook, he got to snack while he worked - instead of having to wait until dinner was served.
Now, most of the foods they serve at the restaurant is based on his family recipes, while some are based on Sunnie’s travels through Italy.
In 2022, Lou was traveling for work, a week home then a week away. With Sunnie, home alone with their kiddos, the youngest only two at the time, it was getting to be too much. They discussed what was next, and settled on the idea of opening a restaurant. There was a little cafe in New Ulm, a town of about 400 people, that closed in 2020 when the owners fell sick and never recovered enough to open it back up. The owners were friends with Sunnie’s parents and knowing she was looking to open a restaurant, offered her the spot.
Now, they’re going on their third year open, and have continued to grow and dream up new ways to improve themselves and their contributions to the community every step of the way.
The first thing I thought when the food came out was this is a great “date” type of place in my book.
The first dish to come out was the antipasto board. A beautiful board covered with savory salami and pepperoni, cubes of mozzarella, fresh fruits, nuts, and hunks of the most amazing focaccia. Beautiful flavors to mix, match, and munch while you sip a glass of red wine.
The caprese came to the table shortly after. Thick slices of mozzarella, sweet tomatoes, and pungent basil leaves all drizzled with a high-quality extra virgin olive oil and balsamic glaze. A slice of focaccia was served on the side and is a delicious crunchy pair with the smooth mozzarella. Just FYI, if more than just one person is enjoying this platter, I suggest ordering extra focaccia. I know I wouldn’t have shared my piece!
The hot Italian came out next. Calm down ladies, calm down! It was a sandwich, dang!
But it was hot and delicious. A garlic-buttered hoagie roll, stuffed with layers of ham, salami, roasted red peppers, and banana peppers then topped with provolone and Italian dressing. Then, it's toasted to a warm, gooey, perfection. It was ser
ved with a side of pasta salad. A beautiful helping of fusilli pasta tossed with green bell peppers, mozzarella cubes, tomatoes, pepperoni, and Italian dressing. Lou did tell me that he rotates through a few different pasta salads, though, so it looks like I need to go back to try the others too! Fresh, bright, and cool; it was the perfect complement to the warm, saucy, savory sandwich.
Only Lou and a couple of other people know the recipe for the pizza dough. It’s based on his Grandmother’s Neapolitan-style pizza, with some influence from his uncle’s pizzeria in Connecticut. The crust of my margarita pizza was incredible; tender but crusty, nicely charred, and brushed with garlic butter so every bite was flavorful. Topped with hunks of buffalo mozzarella for extra creaminess, fresh basil leaves, and a home-style tomato sauce. The sauce was perfectly a balanced combination of savory with a hint of sweetness, and it maintained some of the tomato texture. A perfect pizza, in my opinion.
No beautiful Italian meal is complete without a cappuccino and dessert. Well, that’s what I told myself as I ordered a cappuccino and three desserts.
The cappuccino was a beautifully roasted, rich espresso, with a cloud of dense foam on top. The foam stayed perfectly composed as I sipped, and didn’t dissolve away into the hot brew, keeping the drink well balanced.
Tiramisu is almost always a dessert I will order. This one was as amazing as the rest of the meal. Perfectly softened lady finger cookies, a rich espresso flavor, smooth Mascarpone cream, and that beautiful dusting of cocoa. It was as appealing to the eyes as to the tastebuds. The ladyfingers were softened from the espresso, but not mushy. And overall it was a perfect compliment to the cappuccino.
There’s something about the opposition of the crunch of a cannoli shell against the smooth, sweet ricotta filling. Add in a bit of whipped cream, chocolate drizzle, and a few chocolate chips because we like it fancy around here. I would not recommend trying to share this, you might get hurt, at least if you tried to share mine, you would.
Both of the previous desserts were amazing, but the lemon blueberry cake blue me away. See what I did there? HAH! Two layers of subtlely lemon cake, with plump blueberries baked into the cake. A layer of cream between the cakes, and a very thin layer of whipped icing on top. All of the textures and flavors combined to create a dream of a cake.
Next time you’re looking for an amazing pizza, delectable dessert, or decadent cup of coffee, take the backroads on over to Bel Tavolo Pizzeria e Caffe Bar. Tell Sunnie and Lou I said hi, and make sure you take a friend to share this experience with! You’ll be glad you did!
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639 Taylor Street New Ulm TX 78950
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