Our Origin Story
Bella Italia was born on April 26, 1996 out of a simple desire: to bring friends together around the table. Over thirty years later, that idea still lives at the heart of everything we do — for our Port Angeles community and all who come through our door.
Our owner and executive chef, Neil Conklin, originally moved to the Olympic Peninsula 37 years ago to start an organic garlic farm. His lifelong love for food, flavor, and family soon turned into a new venture when he gathered a group of creative, enterprising friends. Together, they created a restaurant rooted in warm, Italian hospitality — one that featured fresh, local ingredients; showcased creative, elevated cooking; rooted deeply in its community; and offered a convivial atmosphere where everyone could feel at home.
These values — conviviality, community, care, and cuisine — live on to this day.
The lasting relationships we've formed with the people and land around us continue to offer the deepest nourishment. The Olympic Peninsula's rich, glacial soils, temperate climate, and abundant biodiversity keep us endlessly grateful and inspired. We're proud to source fresh, wild caught salmon and halibut from the Makah and the Quiluete Tribes, and mussels and clams from shellfish farms along the Hood Canal. We feature organic, local produce year-round from Graysmarsh and Lazy J farms in the Dungeness Valley, and are always introducing new ingredients and producers to our menu.
We owe a deep well of gratitude to Mirella Lorena Benedetti of Bologna and Mirella Hunley of Catania, Sicily, whose warmth and expertise shaped Bella's original menu and the exceptional spirit of hospitality that our staff carries today.
We also share deep gratitude for Stephanie Meyers' Twilight book series, which placed Bella Italia on the internal stage and continues to draw Twilight fans near and far to the Port Angeles and Forks communities.
To all who've been part of our story over the past thirty years — thank you. We're honored to gather around the table with you.