-- Boston's Hidden Restaurants --

Bella Luna

405 Centre Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
(617) 524-6060 Find location!

Photo of Bella Luna, Jamaica Plain, MA Common sense dictates that there are some things in life that one should simply not do. For instance, don't iron your clothes while you are still wearing them, or avoid swinging that one iron on a golf course while a thunderstorm is directly overhead (though some folks say that even God can't hit a one iron, but that's another story for another day). And, never, ever have dinner at a restaurant attached to a bowling alley. Perhaps this last one isn't quite as relevant in Boston these days, however, as the dining spots at both Kings in the Back Bay and the Milky Way Lounge and Games in Jamaica Plain have gotten good reviews from media folks and diners alike. And it is this latter restaurant--Jamaica Plain's Bella Luna--that is in the spotlight here, as it is a rather unusual hidden gem that could easily stand on its own without the bowling going on one floor below.

People often think of bowling alleys as being rather traditional places where regular folks hang out, but both the Milky Way and, especially, Bella Luna have a quirky, almost New Age/hippie feel to them. From the cheerful sign out front (and the terrific mural along the side) to the funky colors of the interior to the artwork on the dishes, Bella Luna is certainly a unique place, even by Jamaica Plain standards. In addition to the warm, inviting dining room, a small patio can be found out back that is made more private by its high walls. The waitstaff is especially accommodating here, with staffers who are unfailingly polite and always smiling.

Bella Luna's Italian offerings won't knock your socks off, but it is good, solid chow, and a whole lot better than the burgers and chicken fingers you typically get at your typical bowling alley restaurant. Items on the menu at Bella Luna include a delicious spinach ravioli in garlic ginger cream sauce, a decent thin-crust pizza (including a positively weird white pizza that contains garlic mashed potatoes, bacon, cheddar, and scallions with sour cream), and several other dishes, such as steak frites, homemade meatballs, vegetable lasagna, and potato gnocchi. Bella Luna also serves all kinds of drinks, from beer to wine to sangria to classic mixed drinks.

Jamaica Plain has a number of outstanding restaurants, so it is usually tough to choose which one to go to on any given trip to this quirky Boston neighborhood. And while there are certainly better restaurants in quality than Bella Luna, there are few restaurant in JP--or for that matter all of Boston--as offbeat as Bella Luna. Plus, where else can you bowl a couple of strings, then dine on food that isn't just edible, but is actually quite good? Looking at it from this angle, Bella Luna is pretty much in a league of its own.