Bella Sera Italian Restaurant in Marble Falls, TX

Basic Information:

Pizza: Bella Sera Italian Restaurant

Number of Locations: 1
Location Reviewed: 701 N. Highway 281 in Marble Falls, TX
Website: https://www.bellaseratx.com/
Date of Review Visit: February 2025
What I Ordered: large (16") pizza with pepperoni and sausage
Price: $18.49 (pizza only; includes tax but not drink or tip)
Photos:

Summary Review: 4 stars (out of 5)

 

Detailed Review:

Crust: The pizza at Bella Sera Italian Restaurant has a New York style crust.  It has a soft bready texture, but it is very thin underneath.  My pizza was baked just the right amount.  This crust is not exemplary, but it's not offensive either.  Score: 7/10

Sauce: I could taste something Texas in the sauce, but I'm not sure if it was spice or peppers.  It has a different flavor; not bad but different.  The sauce appears in acceptable quantity.  Score: 8/10

Cheese: The cheese is 100% mozzarella.  It appears in decent quantity but also produces a decent amount of grease.  Score: 7/10

Toppings: The sausage is of the horrible pellet variety, but at least it has a little flavor and spiciness.  The pepperoni comes in nice thick slices with a pleasant seasoned pork flavor.  Both toppings appear in acceptable quantity.  Score: 8/10

Overall Taste: There is just enough flavor from the sauce and the toppings to avoid being bland without being overspiced.  Score: 9/10

Pizza Appearance: The pizza's appearance is fine if you can get over the pellet sausage.

Dining Atmosphere: I ordered carry out, but Bella Sera has a large dining room with a pleasant dining atmosphere.

Customer Service: The service was quick and attentive.

Monetary Value: The price is a little high for this quality of pizza but only a little.

The Final Judgment:

For a small town pizza place, Bella Sera makes a very nice pizza.  If you find yourself in Marble Falls, I recommend taking a bella sera, which is Italian for beautiful evening, and dining here.  Score: 81/100

Slow Rise Slice House Pizza in Waco, TX

Basic Information:

Pizza: Slow Rise Slice House

Number of Locations: 2, both near Waco, TX
Location Reviewed: 1620 North M.L.K. Jr. Blvd.
Website: https://www.slowrisewaco.com/
Date of Review Visit: February 2025
What I Ordered: 2 slices of The Butcher (5 meats pizza); fountain drink
Price: $12.92 (includes drink and tax)
Photo:

Summary Review: 4 stars (out of 5)

 

Detailed Review:

Crust: Slow Rise Slice House sells whole New York style pizzas and pizza by the slice.  Having nowhere to store leftovers, I ordered pizza by the slice.  The crust has the usual hard, over-crispy texture of reheated pizza, but I've had worse crusts in that regard.  At least the crust is strong enough to hold all of the toppings.  Score: 6/10

Sauce: This pizza does not have much sauce, but what sauce it does have has a fresh tomatoey taste.  Score: 7/10

Cheese: This pizza has a decent amount of cheese.  The cheese doesn't have much flavor, but it also does not produce much grease.  Score: 9/10

Toppings: The sausage appears in small wads and has a nice fresh taste.  The bacon has a pleasant pork flavor without being too salty.  The ham, pepperoni, and hamburger don't add much flavor.  The toppings appear in adequate quantity.  Score: 8/10

Overall Taste: There isn't a lot of sausage or bacon, so the overall taste is a little on the bland side, plus the crust is too hard.  Score: 7.5/10

Pizza Appearance: As usual for an all-meats pizza, the toppings dominate the appearance.  The pizza comes in nice large slices that fill the tray.

Dining Atmosphere: Here's where Slow Rise shines: they have a great, large outdoor patio overlooking the Brazos River.  I have reviewed over 180 pizza places, and this may be the most scenic place I have ever eaten pizza.

Customer Service: The service was quick and attentive.

Monetary Value: Slow Rise offers solid pizza at a reasonable price, and the counter service saves on the tip.

The Final Judgment:

Slow Rise is a popular dining spot, and for good reason.  If you order carry out, you will miss what makes this place special.  I really enjoyed dining here even though the pizza is slightly above-average at best.  Score: 83/100