Bella Italia has launched its biggest ever new menu this May with over 20 new options for vegans.

Italian restaurant chain Bella Italia, which has 90 restaurants in the United Kingdom and Ireland, has updated its menu to include a wide range of tempting new dishes.

The restaurant already offered a comprehensive vegan menu with 26 tasty options to choose from but has added new options to meet the rapidly growing demand from its customers for vegan food.

To start, vegans can order Bruschetta made with toasted ciabatta topped with red and yellow baby vine tomatoes marinated in garlic, olive oil and basil or the newly released Polpette made with vegan meatballs baked in a spicy tomato sauce and topped with melting dairy-free cheese and served with toasted ciabatta.

New mains options joining the menu include the Pollo Pesto, a pasta dish made with gramigna pasta, onion, red peppers and pachino tomatoes in a basil pesto sauce and the Risotto Verdura which is a medley of seasonal vegetable risotto with asparagus, green beans, courgettes, peas and baby spinach.

Bella Italia has given customers the option to order a selection of its popular dishes with pulled meat alternatives from Oumph! to make them vegan-friendly such as bolognese, and the Marco Polo – a dish made from pulled duck (which can be substituted for pulled Oumph!), spring onions and mushrooms in a sweet plum sauce.

Pizza lovers can try the Pizza Vesuvio which comes topped with roast peppers, onion, fresh green chilli or the Pollo Barbecue which has also been given a vegan makeover.

Those with a sweet tooth will find it hard to resist the Cookie Dough Al Forno, a truly decadent pudding with a melting middle, topped with vegan vanilla gelato and caramel sauce.

If you prefer a fruity dessert then the new creamy Coconut Pannacotta dessert served with a zingy passionfruit, mango and strawberry salsa will surely tempt you.

Discussing the new menu options in a statement sent to Vegan Food & Living, Executive Chef Vittorio Lettieri said: “The Italians get it right when it comes to spending quality time as a family and the best moments in life are those spent with loved ones, sharing food, friendship and laughter. So, at Bella Italia we’ve developed a delicious menu that offers something for everyone.

“Whether it’s a mid-week family dinner, a quick stop for delicious dessert or even just a cocktail with friends, you can rest assured that you’ll find the perfect option for everyone whilst enjoying genuine Italian hospitality!”

Bella Italia’s new vegan options are available to enjoy in restaurants nationwide now.