The food they serve here is by FAR the best Italian food I have ever had! Everything is homemade which is evident by the immense flavors and freshness. Tonight, we had the lasagna, spaghetti with meatballs, and a cannoli. With every single bite we died just a little bit. I've had some phenomenal Italian food before, but this meal blew every other meal out of the water. I'm so glad I've saved my first experience eating a cannoli until tonight. It was totally worth it! I would definitely say the prices are lower than they should be for the quality of the food. Everything on the menu averaged around $10 each, and the portions are pretty large. We will be going back to eat here many, many, many more times. Love it!
Review Source:This family owned and operated spot has great tasting food made from scratch at very affordable prices. I'm pretty sure all the entrees are under $10. The converted bank space makes for a cool setting. They have a full bar, outside boccie court and live music on the weekends- often jazz. Â This is a real deal Foodie family. The owners are brothers of the guy who owns and operates Blue Oven Bakery, so you know you are in for tasty goodness! Â My favorite items are the blush sauce, mom's chocolate chip meringues and the meatball sub.
Review Source:This was our second trip, it was great. This pizza was good, not my favorite, but it was good. We had great service, they had entertainment which was great, but the topper was desert. We ordered their fresh cannoli, which might be the best I've ever had. They were the real deal, cheese filled, not too small, and tasted fantastic.
Review Source:Let's call it 3 1/2 stars. Â I really enjoyed the service and the building (old bank with vaults, very cool!) I ordered a couple of different pizzas and the meat lasagna and found both quite tasty. Â If you like VERY thin crust pizza then you should enjoy this place but I will say the crust was more reminiscent of a crepe and not a pizza...it was just much too thin. I will say it was 1/8" thick in most places, I think the aluminum pan it was served on weighed more than the pizza. Having said that, the pizza was quite tasty with a nice sauce and flavorful toppings. Â The lasagna was a moderate portion and decent overall. Â Considering the ambiance is trying to be slightly upscale Italian, I would have hoped for some bread with olive oil/balsamic herb dip to make up for pizza that will leave you hungry. Â As I mentioned at the top, the service was excellent but my glass of red wine was a short pour (couldn't have been over 3 oz and came in small tumbler glass). The biggest disappointment was the gelato in that it was gritty (icy) and more like a cheap store bought ice cream. If my bill was 25% less than what I paid and if they had a optional, slightly thicker, pizza then I would consider going back.
Review Source:I really wanted to like this place. Cute, family owned, neighborhood joint. Cheese filled breadsticks with sauce were pretty good but the pizza was yeech. Inconsistent crust, not enough cheese, odd tasting sauce. I am not that picky but this was not even up to my basic standards. Â Service was good. waitress was nice and attentive - we sat at the bar outside to eat and everyone was checking on us, refilling water etc... but it was sort of odd when our waitress/bartender the bar pulled out a big slice of birthday cake and ate it right in front of us . No plans to return here. So disappointing! Wish the food was as good as the service.
Review Source:4s and 5s? Seriously?
1) They have Big Lots for-the-home window curtains hanging OUTSIDE the front door. Not bad enough? They didn't double them up so that the seamed sides were together and just the nice sides show. Â No, the have the seamed sides showing. Classy all the way around!
2) The place has OK decor but instead of decent plates they bought cheesy CORREL! Yeah, the stuff that's only claim to fame is that it never breaks! Looks pretty dumb in a place that's trying to to take itself seriously.
3) The food - I ordered the vegetable lasagna - had some weird peppers in it; not spicy -I like spicy. No these were just some nasty tasting thigs I've never had before or since. And that 's ALL that's in there along with some cheese. I like food and was hungry but I couldn't eat it. I took a bite and my spouse took a very small one-that was all that was eaten. The guy who waited on us never asked if things were all right, saw that almost all the lasagna was still there - never said a thing. He charged us for it, too - obviously didn't give a ____.
4) I went back once (not by my choice) and had pizza. Dry, skimpy toppings. That is NOT New York style - it's just cheap. Family recipies is their big claim. Must be a pretty skinny bunch of people.
5) The second time I was there was for lunch. In daylight I saw why they keep it dimly lit at night - not really all that clean! And they were putting food together for a catering job on tables in the dinning room-pretty sure that's not a board of health approved process.
5) They book rehearsal dinners and seat them right down the center of that small  dinning room, pushing all the little tables together. You walk in the door and you're just a couple of inches away from the end of the last table. Boom - your just right there at the table!  That party is needing all this service so your service suffers. The wedding party is getting up and making their toasts and saying all this personal stuff and you're like trying not to listen, but they're practically in your lap so it's impossible. And they're naturally going to be loud so you can hardly have a conversation at your table. Way to respect all your paying guests!
6) Sat at the bar one time and the bartender was so busy trying to get lucky with this girl that it was like the rest of us weren't even there.
7) New outdoor patio space? Great if you like lung cancer.
4s and 5s? Employees? Family/friends? Maybe because it's the ONLY restaraunt in Dayton.
No thanks.
First visit last night. Based on all the other Yelp reviews, I came with high expectations. They were exceeded. Unique, comfortable, interesting atmosphere. Genuinely friendly greeting. Cool neighborhood folks at the bar, who were more than happy to provide suggestions. Outstanding thin & crispy crust. Super-fresh toppings. Joseph the bartender (and member of owning family) ended our meal with a complimentary serving of homemade (by his brother) white chocolate and raspberry gelato. We then played a game of bocce in the newly developed back deck/bar/bocce area. We truly could not have had a better experience. So, yes, it is as good as it gets.
Review Source:My quest to eat through Polly Campbell's Pizza Hall of Fame started here with Buonavita Pizzeria. So, we hopped in the car and made our way over to Dayton, KY. To be honest, I had never been further than Virgil's on Kentucky Route 8 so this was definitely going to be an adventure.
We found the place packed on a Friday night (Good sign, right?), and only waited a couple minutes for a table. We were taken to a room in the back where we were able to watch an entire episode of Undercover Boss on the TV (Not by choice, that's just what was on). The service started out kinda slow - took a while to get our appetizer, but our waiter found a rhythm and things got better as the experience moved along.
The old bank vault dining area was clever, but pizza was just okay to me. I could have it or not have it again and be okay with it. Crust left something to be desired, and I'm not sure I got the customary extra-cheese that I asked for. That was a big let-down.
Is there any busier day for a restaurant than St. Valentine's Day? Nope.
I re-read my last review and have to say Buona Vita has improved and showed it on a busy, hectic St. V day.
I had made a reservation and the table was actually reserved with our name on it. They hadn't squeezed someone in an hour before hoping that party would leave in time. We were welcomed nicely by the host and sat quickly. Our waitress was quick and attentive and some long haired guy who I assume was either the owner or the manager did a nice job of checking in with each table throughout the hour plus that we were their.
Bottom line is that the staff was attentive without being intrusive. Pitch perfect in my opinion.
And this was in a place that had the menu and prices of your average neighborhood pizza parlor.
Oh, and the food was great but on this visit I was blown away by the staff.
Looking for a new spot in the OH/KY area? Â In the mood for pizza? Â Look no further - and call for reservations before heading out!
We went during the holidays and were surprised to find a full house. Â For our group of 5 we were seated in about 15 minutes in the "vault". Â We were literally in the old bank vault. Â This was cool for the experience but because they were so busy it was VERY difficult to get the attention of the wait staff since we couldn't see them. Â So, I just got up to find him when it was necessary. Â Other than that, our experience was flawless.
The thin crust is DELICIOUS and our whole table enjoyed what they had. Â 2 calzones were devoured (including the ooey-gooey Uncle Vincenzo's Cheese Calzone), a meat pizza, and my AMAZING Pizza Margarita which was incredibly fresh! Â The wine was sub-par but was enjoyable. Â The beer list was decent. Â While the gelato did not come close to the gelato I had in Italy - it was still very good.
Overall this place was DELIZIOSISSIMA and we WILL return! Â Enjoy!
I am happy to report that, after 18 months of exhaustive research, I have found the best pizza in Cincinnati, I just had to go to Kentucky to find it! Buonavita Pizzeria in Dayton, KY is a family-owned business situated in an old bank building. In fact, one of the old vaults is used as a private dining room for guests! The restaurant has only been in business for a few years, but the room has a very old feel to it. The marble floor extends from the front door to the bar at the far end. There's a bit of quirkiness to the environment: The bar seats are somewhat uneven in height. My wife was 3 inches higher that me, providing her with endless pleasure throughout the meal!
There are numerous schools of thought when it comes to pizza. Some like traditional New York-style like you would find at Ramundo's in Mt. Lookout. Others prefer a Chicago deep-deep like the famed Gino's East. Donato's offers its partons a very thin crust with salty pepperoni. The boys at Buonavita use a gas oven, cooking directly on the stone. The dough yields a thin crust, somewhere between Ramundo's and Donato's. It reminded me of DiPietro's of Trenton NJ but with a uniform shape. There are clear burn marks on the bottom of the crisp crust, a result of direct exposure to the stone. This is not a style of pizza that dictates a plethora of ingredients. We stuck to our usual: all onion with half pepperoni and half sausage. It was the perfect combination. I could see the oregano sprinkled over top of the pie. I was able to perform a classic New York slice fold with ease and devour the delicious food!
I can't forget the service, which what over-the-top terrific. I had  asked my wife if I might borrow her iPhone. She warned me that the battery was extremely warn down. Joseph, the bartender (one of the family members) overheard her comment and rushed back with an iPhone charger and plugged it in while we waited for our pie!
This is the official pizzeria of the Bond household. Expect to see us as a regular fixture in this Dayton haunt!!
This was highly recommended by a friend and we actually wound up being disappointed. Â Yes, the crust is very thin but it also wound up being tough to chew. Â You had to work at it to tear through the darn thing. Â I did appreciate the zesty / spicy flavor in their meat pie but ultimately the crust brought the whole experience down.
Review Source:We were dragged here by some friends of ours. We don't often venture out of Ohio but I think this place was worth the drive. When we walked in the restaurant had a very homey feel to it. It was not a fancy place by no means but it did feel have a quirky/fun vibe. The place was pretty crowed, you could tell that this place was a favorite among the community. I think this says something pretty great about a restaurant.
I loved the pizza. It was super-hot when it came out to our table but defiantly yummy. I love thin crust pizza and this one was well made. Not to mention it was also good the next day which sometimes is the ultimate test. But I didn't really care for the ranch dressing though. In my world, pizza cannot be eaten without a good ranch dressing present for dipping present. Next time I will skip the ranch.
We also order a bottle of wine which was priced fairly well and came out at the appropriate temperature. Our service was pretty good as well. I really did enjoy our outing here and will probably be back.
After my husband and I moved around here we were looking for a new "go to" restaurant. We heard about this place from a coworker of his and decided to check it out.
I was skeptical because the pizza was thin crust, which isn't usually  my favorite. To my surprise it was amazing! We got the calabrese style which has pepperoni and a spicy kick to it.
The staff was very busy but still very nice, including the very personable owner. He enjoyed the business and seemed to enjoy meeting new people.
It's a very friendly pizza place with great food and alcohol.... What more could you ask for?
We ate at this pizzeria on thursday for lunch and as I told the server this was the best thin crust pizza we have ever eaten. Yes this beats out the pizzeria in Scottsdale arizona. We normally do not prefer the thin crust since the thicker crusts have the yeast flavor, but this definitely is a winner! Keep up the great flavor. The atmosphere and decor are just right. Â Â Â Â Sandy and Barry
Review Source:The recently expanded Buona Vita pizza has quickly become my new favorite pizza place!
I can't speak much for atmosphere, as I've only gotten carry out, but the main building has an old-school, classic charm. It fits in well with the nearby the rows of historic Bellevue homes. Upon pick up, the staff has been consistently friendly, and it seems that Buona Vita attracts a lot of families.
The pie is what really stands out here. It's a super thin, crisp crust, but not cracker-like. It has a good flavor and texture. It's similar to bar-style pizza, but much better. The toppings are good quality, and I love the extra spices that they add.
I haven't tried anything other than the standard pepperoni pie, but I'm looking forward to sampling other menu items.
I love pizza. I love crisp, brick-oven crusts and garden-fresh veggies. I love flavorful sauce and melty mozzarella. I love Buonavita pizza because it is all those things served in a charming family-run restaurant.
We both had salads to start--simple, fresh, and well-priced ($3.50) with field greens and spinach with a little freshly shredded mozzarella on top and a thick, creamy, herb-y, house-made ranch on the side. Even the croutons were good! There was initially a tiny mix-up with my husband's salad, but they brought his out before he even took an offered bite of mine.
We did "Sara's Special" pizza which is a pick your own toppings version. Â I got spinach, mushrooms, onions, and green peppers on my half and my husband got what I'm going to refer to as "the pregnant lady's midnight special": jalepenos, bacon, pepperoni, and pickles on his half. I really liked how they put fresh, shredded spinach on after the bake. We split a large and it was big enough to each take a slice home and still be very full (without salads, could have finished it off).
Service was friendly and warm and the atmosphere is really charming. Our tab (before tip) was $25. I can't wait to go back and try a calzone or one of their pastas, but I have a feeling I'll keep coming back for the pizza.
I've been to Buona Vita a number of times and have always had a great experience. Recently I discovered that this is not just a great pizza place, but that the other dishes on the menu are reminiscent of the mom and pop Italian restaurants I was used to back in NY where I grew up. I would highly recommend the vegetable lasagna - fresh veggies, firm (never mushy) noodles, mozzarella cheese, and a sauce of perfectly seasoned, tomato-ey goodness. Yum!
Review Source:I'm admittedly not a big pizza lover and never have been, but Buonavita is definitely the exception! The atmosphere of the restaurant is great and the former bank building gives it a lot of character- I really want to snag the table in the old vault one day! The staff is also awesome and always very personable and welcoming. It is the perfect place for a nice laid back meal!
Review Source:Thinnest crust I've ever had on a pizza, but not tasteless and cracker-like like other thin crust tends to be. Â I love thin crust, when it's done correctly, and Buonavita has it down. Â My husband chose the spicy pepperoni pizza, which he enjoyed, but said he'd order just the regular pepperoni pizza next time. Â I had the pick three pizza (both pizzas have specialty names that I cannot remember since it's been a few weeks!) and chose mushrooms, sausage, and pepperoni. Â All three toppings had a strong, individual, and delicious taste. Â The cheese was the perfect amount. Â The pizzas came out piping hot and stayed that way, even with the thin crust.
The service was the best part, Â It seems as if everyone that works there is family, and you can tell they take pride in their restaurant and want to do whatever they can to please their guests. Â I felt like I was in Brooklyn, NY, not Dayton, KY. Â I will definitely return!
We went here as a family and it was packed. Â The setting is cool - in an old bank. You can sit in the vault. Â It was loud the night we went, but I think that was due to a table of 12 that was having too much fun. Â
The pizza was pretty good. Â The Margarita pizza was good, but not the best I've ever had. Â Their sausage is very good. Â The service was pretty good, but they seemed to be struggling with the crowd the night we were there.
I am definitely heading back sometime soon.
I typically just order pizza for carryout and eat it in the comfort of my apartment. Â However, when I do, I go with the intention of only eating two slices then putting the rest of it in the refrigerator. Â I end up dropping by a local grocery store, too, picking up a Mountain Dew 2-liter and devouring everything in an hour (well, with some "Yahoo! Mountain Dew" left over).
The sauce is excellent, arguably the best tasting I've ever experienced on a pizza. Â It has to be made straight from the tomato rather than processed paste, but I could be wrong. Â The pepperonis, sausage...nice. Â The crust is very thin on their pizzas; their pizzas are also cooked at over 500 degrees in an actual stone oven, which secures the natural ingredients' taste and doesn't give you the sense that it was cooked in your run-of-the-mill gas or electric oven. Â You should try their outstanding lasagna, too, although in my opinion it's slightly overpriced.
If you eat inside, you can have your meal at one of like two small tables inside an old bank vault, which just adds to the ambiance of eating inside a historic old bank in an old, urban, riverside town. Â Service is almost always really good, too.
When you drive by, don't be fooled into thinking that there's nobody there, even though that may be easy to believe when you look at the tinted windows. Â They are closed on Sundays and Mondays but open the other five days from (I think) 11am-8pm. Â It's the best pizza in Northern Kentucky, hands down, and possibly the best pizza I've ever had.
Been here four times and have loved it every time. Â The pizza is unique and delicious. Â The crust is thin but surprisingly soft and delicious! Â My wife and I both love the cheese filled bread sticks. Â The place has a lively atmosphere on Friday and Saturday nights (can be a little loud). Â Week nights are pretty quiet, and finding a table is never a problem. Â I suggest you check it out.
Review Source:Buona Vita is a pizza joint located in the heart of Dayton Kentucky, on the main drag. Â Housed in an old bank, the family run business is a great example of what food should be.
The pizza you get here is a bit different than the pies you find at your typical national chains. Â The only grease to be found on the pies is if you order a meaty one. Â All the ingredients appear to be fresh, and the dough homemade.
I've tried almost all their pizzas, and keep going back to the margarita (spelled wrong I know). Â It's light and flavorful.
The atmosphere is very warm. Â Rat pack on the stereo, Service is fine and I always feel very welcomed here.
Buona Vita is a pizza shop located right down the street from me, previously operating in a small store, they recently moved into a new space that used to house a bank.
They have pizza as well as other italian dishes and its all pretty good. The pizza has definitely improved from when they first opened and its worth a trip to go eat there when you want a good pie. It's light years better than the chains and you'll also be supporting a local business.
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