The Upper West Side dinnertime staple recently revamped its menu and interior ahead of its 37th year in the neighborhood.
UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — When Upper West Side restaurateur Turgut Balikci first set foot in a restaurant kitchen nearly 60 years ago, he was a boy in Istanbul, sent to put charcoal in the ovens of his father’s restaurant before the chefs arrived.
Now, more than six decades later, Balikci is celebrating a major milestone: Bella Luna, the Italian restaurant on Columbus Avenue and West 88th Street, is about to mark 37 years in November as one of the neighborhood’s most beloved dining rooms.
“Restaurant is my life,” Balikci told Patch. He runs the restaurant with his business partner, Guray Yuksel.
“I love to cook, I love to serve, I love to talk to people,” Balikci said.
To mark the anniversary, Balikci enlisted consulting chef Cesare De Chellis to refresh the menu, adding fresh takes on classics like beef carpaccio, panzanella salad, and tagliatelle Bolognese with Turkish spices.
Signature dishes like linguini with clams and truffle-topped pizza remain, alongside desserts like tiramisu and chocolate mousse cake.
The restaurant also went through renovations earlier this year, and now has a brand new look that pays homage to the neighborhood and the restaurant’s history, while looking toward the future, Balikci told Patch.
The restaurant features new green velvet banquettes and bronze fixtures designed by Balikci’s friend, the late sculptor Arturo Di Modica, best known for Wall Street’s Charging Bull.
On the walls, the Balikci has restored a 1930s mural of Central Park, and hung photos of his father’s restaurant in Istanbul, alongside historic images of the space’s former life as an Irish pub.
The personal touches are everywhere — Balikci also grows herbs in his Connecticut garden, bringing fresh basil, mint, and chives directly to the kitchen.
Bella Luna isn’t the restaurateur’s only restaurant, but it is his longest-lasting and most personal, he said.
Balikci has developed 20 restaurants, including the former Diva on West Broadway and Bodrum, an acclaimed Upper West Side Mediterranean eatery.
Since opening, Bella Luna has weathered recessions, 9/11, and the pandemic — all while staying true to its neighborhood roots. West Siders who dined at Bella Luna as children now return with their own children, Balikci said.
“We’ve gone through everything, but we’re still standing,” Balikci said.
It’s his energy and zest for life keeping the place running — at 72, Balikci still cycles around 70 miles every weekend.
“It keeps me in shape for the restaurant business,” he said. That energy carries into Bella Luna, where he continues to greet guests, check on tables, and oversee every detail.
“Now it’s about the whole package — good food, good service, good wine, good design. It’s teamwork,” he said.
Bella Luna is located at 574 Columbus Ave., New York, NY 10024. The restaurant is open daily, with brunch on weekends and happy hour weekdays from 3–6 p.m.
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