ASHLAND — Rita Edwards, the owner of Bella’s 220 and More, says she’s been working in the restaurant business her whole life.
“I love to cook and, you know, I love people and I love all that,” she said.
So when the pandemic hit, she decided to move her business — named after her grandmother Isabelle, though Edwards’ dog Bella “got all the credit” — into downtown Ashland, setting up shop at a location on Center Street.
From there, she dished out a plethora of food items like cookies, chips, breads, soups, sandwiches, and casseroles, all from the location’s small kitchen, equipped with an induction oven.
Recently, Edwards decided to move Bella’s one more time to a larger venue on Church Street that has family ties.
“This was my parents’ place and my grandparents’ place, so this building has a lot of memory to me,” she said. “I wanted to come back in here if I could and get it all fixed up. Cause I had gutted it about nine years ago and just decided to put it back together.”
She equipped the new location with brand new floors, a new ceiling, woodwork, a new sprinkler system, and a full kitchen complete with a grill, which has allowed Bella’s to expand its catering options.
“So we’re always out catering, also. And we do box lunches offsite and we cater offsite, just lunches, breakfasts. We do all of that,” she said.
Meanwhile, Bella’s old Center Street location was converted into a bakery that has a few items ready for carryout.
After a month of moving, Bella’s 220 opened its doors in early February, welcoming diners into its country rustic dining room. And so far, customer reviews are positive, Edwards said.
“I think they love it,” she said.
