New Livonia eatery’s allure: aroma of freshly-baked dough, great food

You know that delightful aroma that excites your sense of smell when you drive by a bakery early in the morning?

That’s the sensation you experience every time you step foot in Bellacino’s Pizza & Grinders, a fast-casual eatery that opened a few months ago at 33312 Plymouth Road in Livonia.

“What separates us from our competition,” said Bellacino’s Business Manager Suhani Patel “is that we arrive two hours before we open every day and make our dough from scratch, with no artificial preservatives.

“Because of the fresh ingredients in our dough, you don’t get that heavy feeling in your stomach like you do after you eat at other pizza and sub places. Our bread and dough is thick, but it’s light and airy. It’s the human touch we add to our food.”

Meticulous preparation

Thanks to the meticulous method in which it prepares its food — and a robust menu that offers everything from salads, grinders and a generous variety of pizza — Bellacino’s is already winning over scores of customers.

“We already have a lot of regular customers,” Patel said. “People tell us they were recommended to us by their friends and family who were regulars. Now, a lot of those people come in every day — more than the customers who recommended us.”

Patel smiled as she relayed the story.

While everything on the menu has reached popular status, Patel said one item in particular has earned the affection of many customers.

Go-to grinders

“Our Italian house grinder (ham, sausage, salami, mushrooms, onions, green peppers, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and mayo) has turned into our go-to for regulars,” she said. “Some of our everyday customers order it probably every other time they come in.

“That said, we’ve received great feedback on everything on the menu because people appreciate how we take great care in preparing everything by hand.”

Despite the eatery’s modest square footage, Patel said she loves the Plymouth Road location.

“I like that we’re in a pretty large shopping complex, so there’s plenty of traffic,” she said. “Being close to Las Palapas (Authentic Mexican restaurant) helps, too, because people who eat there see us and stop by to see what we’re about, and they end up becoming regular customers.”

Plenty for calorie-counting customers

In addition to its huge offering of pizzas and grinders, Bellacino’s also delivers light menu item for those customers counting their calories, and dessert, including brownies, cinnamon rolls and cinnamon sticks.

There is also a “Just For Kids” menu, the highest-priced item going for $5.49.

Google reviews of Bellacino’s praise the business’s quality ingredients, generous portions and friendly service, among other qualities.

“The bottom line is we take our time to make sure every order is delicious and made to order,” Patel said.

To learn more about Bellacino’s, visit its website by clicking here.

Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.