Pure Italian, Bellagamba

Davide and Kathy Bellagambe are redefining authenticity with every dish at their new restaurant Bellagambe, blending heritage, heart, and house-made pasta on Las Olas.

In a town increasingly dominated by splashy restaurant openings and chef-driven concepts, Bellagambe reveals itself as a quietly confident, family-run, and anchored in old-world Italian tradition. Located on the ever-busy Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale, Bellagambe is the culinary expression of husband-and-wife duo Davide and Kathy Bellagambe, who, despite a bustling dining room and ambitions for future growth, still greet every guest like family.

“The kitchen is our home,” says Davide, who was born near Bologna, in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region. “We cook here the same way we cook on Sundays—simple, real, no tricks.”

Bellagambe opened in June 2024, but it’s the couple’s third venture in South Florida. Their first business was a small coffee shop called Coffee Break inside Kaiser University—more of an observational learning lab than a full-fledged restaurant. “We were studying the market,” says Kathy, who was born in Venezuela to an Italian father and French mother. “We wanted to understand how people here respond to food. Step by step, we learned.”

By the time Bellagambe debuted, they were more than ready.

The menu, a reflection of Italy’s north, south and central regions, is built on generational recipes handed down from both sides of their family. Kathy fondly recalls cooking alongside her father every Sunday. “My siblings hated it,” she says, laughing. “I was the only one who loved being in the kitchen.”
The restaurant’s signature pork shank—slow-smoked and braised for up to 14 hours in a reduction of Chianti and balsamic vinegar—is a testament to their approach: no shortcuts, no compromise. “It’s not a dish you find everywhere,” Davide says.

“And if you come too late, it’s probably sold out. There’s no rushing this.”

The pork shank is just one example of Bellagambe’s distinctive offerings, which also include spaghetti alle vongole and a traditional Bolognese that pays tribute to Davide’s hometown. And while many modern Italian spots blur the line between authentic and Americanized, Bellagambe draws a firm one. “People ask for chicken in their carbonara,” Davide says, shaking his head. “That’s like asking for a California roll with chicken. It doesn’t make sense.”

That kind of culinary integrity might come off as rigid elsewhere, but here, it’s welcomed.

The restaurant has already developed a loyal following of locals who trust Davide and Kathy to guide their dining experience. “We always ask: Are you local or visiting?” says Kathy. “If you’re local, we’ll start you with something classic, and then you come back to try more.”

While the food is undoubtedly the main draw, it’s the personal touch that makes Bellagambe truly singular. Davide and Kathy are always on the floor, checking on tables, pouring wine, and making menu suggestions. Their longtime friend and business partner, Claudio Minoprio, a self-described gastronomic enthusiast, has supported the couple’s vision from the start. “He’s family,” Kathy says. “We’ve known each other since we were eight years old.”

Bellagambe’s name itself is rooted in legacy and marketing savvy. When brainstorming options, a friend in branding urged Davide to use his surname. He resisted at first. “It felt like too much,” he says. But after informal polling of more than 30 people, “Bellagambe” emerged as the overwhelming favorite. “Everyone said it sounded Italian, was easy to pronounce, and felt elegant,” Davide says. “Plus, it means ‘beautiful legs.’ So now it’s a running joke.”

Running a restaurant is notoriously grueling, but the Bellagambes make it look graceful. They host, serve, and manage the day-to-day operations themselves. “There’s no ‘let me get the manager,’” says Kathy. “It’s ‘let me get the owner.’ And it’s always one of us.”

Though expansion is on the table—possibly Boca Raton or West Palm Beach—the couple is careful not to move too fast. “Our kids are involved, our partner’s daughter works with us. It’s a family thing,” Kathy says. “We want to grow, but not at the expense of who we are.”

In a city undergoing rapid transformation, Bellagambe offers a rare kind of consistency: the comforting aroma of slow-cooked sauces, the sincerity of a handwritten reservation note, the warmth of a meal prepared not just with technique, but with memory. It’s Italian cuisine the way it’s meant to be—served with respect, pride, and plenty of time to linger.

And in Fort Lauderdale, that’s proving to be exactly what people have been hungry for.

Bellagamba’s Fine Italian Restaurant

501 S.E. 2nd Street,
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Bellagamba’s Fine Italian Restaurant