Courtesy photo
Bella Limone has opened at 100 S. Main St., Royal Oak.
A long-standing building at Main Street and 11 Mile Road in downtown Royal Oak has been reimagined as sister Italian restaurants.
The rooftop restaurant Bella Limone officially opened Thursday at 100 S. Main St., with plans to open Little Bella’s Pizza and Wine Bar below it this fall, as well as a banquet space that can accommodate large parties and events.
The building is the former home to Pinky’s Rooftop, Pearl’s Deep Dive, and Bohemia. While those restaurants were all different concepts, restaurant group Royal Oak Good Times founder Adam Merkel says Bella Limone and Little Bella will augment one another, and be run by all-new staffs.
“It’s a whole Italian complex,” Merkel says, adding, “They play off each other really well … they’re similar cuisines, but they’re completely different menus.”
Merkel, who previously opened Cello Italian Restaurant in downtown Howell and is a partner in the new Big Rock Italian Chophouse in Birmingham, says he was inspired by a trip to Italy’s Amalfi Coast as well as Sunday family dinners hosted by his Grandma Rosie.
“It’s just such a pure lifestyle with quality ingredients,” he says. “It’s simple, but the technique is advanced. It’s the way food should be.”
Bella Limone means “beautiful lemon,” an ingredient featured heavily in the menu in dishes like Lemon Spaghetti, a Chicken Limoncello (with crispy herb crust, arugula, pecorino, pickled red onion, and lemon herb vinaigrette), and a house-made limoncello liqueur made using a traditional two-month process.
Dishes are available in small portions for individuals as well as larger family-style portions to be passed around and shared.
Merkel describes the menu as elevated yet approachable.
“It is a great spot for an intimate date night but at the same time it’s casual enough to bring the family and the kids and come once a week,” Merkel says, adding, “It’s not pretentious. It’s not a white tablecloth place.”
Courtesy photo
Bella Limone is located in the former Pinky’s Rooftop space.
The wine menu also features all bottles from Italy.
“There’s so many underrated, amazing, affordable Italian wines,” Merkel says.
To welcome diners, Bella Limone is offering 50% off its food menu through Sept. 30 as well as daily deals on select wines for the first hour of business each day.
Merkel says his young daughter helped him decorate the spaces with furniture and artwork.
“We went from here to Tennessee to all the coolest antique markets,” Merkel says. “We personally selected probably over 300 vintage pieces of art, and mirrors, all kinds of old-world Italian stuff. It’s got a lot of charm in it now.”
He adds, “We had a lot of fun.”
Regarding other projects, Merkel has partnered with Columbus-based Cameron Mitchell, who owns dozens of restaurants across the country. Mitchell operates Big Rock Italian Chophouse, which opened this summer in Birmingham’s former Big Rock Chophouse, and plan to also open a private dinner club in Naples, Florida, later this year.
“Adam brings authenticity, creativity, and heart to everything he does,” Mitchell said in a statement. “Bella Limone captures that spirit beautifully, and I’m excited to see it thrive.”
Initial hours for Bella Limone are 4-9:30 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 4-10:30 p.m. Friday, 3-10:30 p.m. Saturday, and 3-8:30 p.m. Sunday.
More information is available at bellalimone.com.
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