Bella’s Italian Restaurant in Rockland Closing
Bella’s Restaurant in Rockland will be closing its doors on May 31. They have been in Rockland at their Hingham St location since 1986. Many will also remember their Braintree location that closed years ago at Braintree 5 corners. Many people have memories of 1st dates, family special ocassions and more. Thanks to the Weymouth foodies FB group for letting us know.
It has a mixed bag of reviews Hockomock Swamp Supper Club Group lately which is sad since it been around for over 30 years. Poor service and food quality have gone downhill.
The Bella’s story began more than 50 years ago with Marie and Patrick Barnes, Sr. of Braintree, MA. Before Bella’s, Marie’s parents, Bella and Frank Richardi, owned and operated Richardi’s Sub Shop in Braintree for many years. That tradition continues today, as the shop is still run by family.
Over the course of two decades, Pat and Marie owned more than a dozen sub shops across towns like Rockland, Weymouth, Scituate, Natick, Worcester, Stoughton, and Wellesley. Some of these locations still carry the family name under “Maria’s Sub Shop.”
In 1974, Marie and Patrick opened the first Bella’s at Braintree Five Corners, a small, family-style Italian restaurant. Marie ran the kitchen with passion while Patrick oversaw the business side. Many family members, including Marie’s mother, joined them in building the restaurant’s foundation.
With Bella’s success, the Barnes family expanded in 1986 by opening Bella’s of Rockland. Their children also became part of the family business. Son Lenny and his wife Patti helped manage daily operations, while son Patrick Jr. opened his own restaurant, Caffé Bella, in Randolph.
Though Marie and Patrick are no longer with us, their spirit remains the heart of Bella’s. Their legacy lives on through the love, dedication, and family traditions that shaped the restaurant.
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