De-stress with an Espresso Martini at Bella Luna
Bella Luna opened its doors in Navarre in 2016, and they have grown to establish themselves as an authentic Italian dining experience. They are family owned and operated and treasure being a part of the Navarre community.
In 2025, manager Pete Salvucci took over as the new owner of Bella Luna.
“After working alongside the original owner, Guglielmo Ianni, for 10 years in Navarre and 30+ years overall, we decided it was time for me to take over Bella Luna,” Pete said. “I plan to keep the tradition going and continue serving authentic Italian cuisine to Navarre and its surrounding areas.”
In 2025, Bella Luna started serving prime meat, hand cut in house. Their juicy Ribeye steak and Filet Minot are a must-try. Bella Luna is the only restaurant in the area that offers fresh veal.
They also have an elegant full bar in the back of the restaurant, serving wine, beer and cocktails. Some of the specialty cocktails include their Espresso Martini, Limoncello Martini, Italian Margarita, White Chocolate Martini and their Lemon Spritz Veneziano, which comes garnished with a basil leaf and lemon.
The manager and new owner Pete Salvucci, head chef Vincenzo Saponaro and the original owner Guglielmo Ianni and are all originally from Italy and carried their family recipes to Bella Luna to bring a little taste of Italy to Navarre.
The restaurant was named after the Guglielmo’s daughter’s nickname. Bella Luna means “beautiful moon” in Italian, and that describes the ambiance of the restaurant to a T. As you walk in, the calming lighting and smell of Italian seasonings fills your senses, and you can “feel the authenticity.”
Typically, when people hear Italian food, they think of pasta, but “we have so much more than pasta,” Pete said.
Bella Luna serves a variety of genuine Italian dishes, from Caprese Salad and Eggplant Parmesan to Filet Minot and New Zealand Lamb Chops.
Another misconception is that pasta adds to the waistline, “but that’s not true. We cook our pasta al dente, which means it is not cooked as much as normal and makes the pasta easier to digest,” Pete said.
Pete grew up in a small village in Italy called Sarnano, about three hours northeast of Rome. He made the big move from Italy to America in 1996 to start a new adventure.
The Italian authenticity is very important to Bella Luna. A lot of the restaurant’s ingredients are imported directly from Italy.
Peter’s favorite dish is the New Zealand Lamb Chops. The most popular dish Bella Luna serves is the Linguine Pescatore, a delicious plate of pasta served with an assortment of seafood including clams, mussels, shrimp, scallops and fish with choice of red or white wine sauce.
“We really appreciate the local community. It’s because of them that we’ve been able to stay in business this past decade,” Pete said.
Bella Luna plans to serve Navarre for years to come.
“It’s been a great 10 years, and it will be a great many more to come,” he said. “We plan to be here for the long run.”
Bella Luna
7289 Navarre Parkway
Open Monday – Saturday 4 to 9:30 p.m.
850-396-5090
www.bellalunanavarre.com