ST. GEORGE —Love carbs however hate the bloat and remorse?
Made by skilled cooks and backed by a registered nurse, this restaurant serves genuine Italian dishes and pizza, all utterly redesigned with well being in thoughts.
“Our menu is huge,” Perez mentioned. “It’s not solely Italian meals, however it’s additionally pizza. In reality, we’re the one Italian restaurant on the town that carries each genuine New York thin-crust brick oven pizza, and selfmade Italian meals.”
Initially from New Jersey and prepared for a more healthy local weather, Marie Perez and her associate Richard Doerr made the transfer to St. George in 2008. What would usually be seen as contrasting careers – Perez a registered nurse and Doerr a chef – ended up being the right match to start out their very own enterprise – Bella Marie’s Pizzeria and Restaurant.
Doerr, whose mom is Sicilian, mentioned he took his first job as a pizza maker at an Italian pizza store in 1981. He then moved up within the ranks to change into a supervisor, then basic supervisor of huge chain eating places such because the Olive Backyard. As a registered nurse, Perez mentioned seeing many well being points similar to most cancers, alongside together with her personal reactions to preservatives and MSG, led her to be “very choosy” about her meals.

Combining their careers and information, the couple determined to open their very own east coast-inspired Italian restaurant on South Silicon Means in 2009, however with one situation – Perez would take Sicilian household recipes and give attention to various, health-conscious substances. Utilizing much less dairy and concentrating on fresh-cut veggies, the menu now offers the identical Italian flavors with a more healthy twist.
“You might be the richest particular person, however in the event you’re sick, what do you do together with your cash? Well being is priceless,” Perez mentioned.
At Bella Marie’s Pizzeria, each meal is produced from scratch when ordered with solely contemporary substances. Targeted totally on garlic pepper and Italian spices, Perez mentioned she makes all of the spice blends herself, taking out the necessity for preservatives or MSGs.
Hand-making all their pizza dough, Bella Marie’s Pizzeria solely makes use of unbleached flour that’s processed naturally, which suggests it’s uncovered to the air as an alternative of chemical compounds. This leads to no potassium bromate – a doable human carcinogen added to most flour, and an ingredient that she mentioned is within the high 5 for cancer-causing brokers.

“I can get flour for $10 a bag,” Doerr mentioned. “Or, I can get our flour for $22 a bag. Most chains don’t do their analysis and so they’re going to get the most cost effective product they will get to make their meals. We spend slightly more cash to make high-quality meals. And that’s the place the nurse facet actually is available in.”
Persevering with the genuine east coast Italian type of pizza making, their pizza dough is hand-stretched and cooked in an “old style” New York/New Jersey brick oven.
“The distinction in high quality is selfmade meals you’d get at residence, “Doerr mentioned. “And that’s what we do right here.”
Whereas Bella Marie’s Pizzeria has been open for over 13 years, the primary location was shut down for six months whereas they renovated the new restaurant location, which opened in April. So as to preserve meals high quality, the couple mentioned one in all them is at all times on the restaurant both cooking or overseeing the method.
As for future plans, the couple plans to renovate a separate house contained in the restaurant that may present personal, upscale eating by reservation solely.
“That is the right location, the right place for what we wish to do,” Doerr mentioned. “It’s a journey. So now, we’re simply at that time the place we wish everybody to know we’re right here.”
Bella Marie’s Pizzeria and Restaurant is positioned at 720 E. 700 South in St. George. For extra data, go to their web site or Fb.
Photograph Gallery

The unique location of Bella Marie’s Pizzeria is proven in St. George, Utah, Aug. 2016 | Photograph courtesy of Marie Perez, St. George Information

Marie Perez and Richard Doerr, co-owners of Bella Marie’s Pizzeria and Restaurant, pose collectively for a photograph on opening day of their St. George restaurant, 2009 | Photograph courtesy of Marie Perez, St. George Information

The grand opening of Bella Marie’s Pizzeria incorporates a ribbon chopping, St. George, Utah, 2009 | Photograph courtesy of Marie Perez, St. George Information

An indication inside Bella Marie’s Pizzeria advertises wholesome italian meals with no preservatives or MSGs, St. George, Utah, Aug. 2016 | Photograph courtesy of Marie Perez, St. George Information

An indication exhibits a 2018 award given to Bella Marie’s Pizzeria, location and date unspecified | Photograph courtesy of Marie Perez, St. George Information

A pizza made at Bella Marie’s Pizzeria is proven in St. George, Utah, 2016 | Photograph courtesy of Marie Perez, St. George Information

Meatball Linguine from Bella Marie’s Pizzeria is proven, St. George, Utah, date unspecified | Photograph courtesy of Marie Perez, St. George Information

Tiramisu dessert from Bella Marie’s Pizzeria is proven, location and date unspecified | Photograph courtesy of Marie Perez, St. George Information

Rooster Marsala from Bella Marie’s Pizzeria is proven, location and date unspecified | Photograph courtesy of Marie Perez, St. George Information

Calamari from Bella Marie’s Pizzeria is proven, location and date unspecified | Photograph courtesy of Marie Perez, St. George Information

The skin of the brand new location for Bella Marie’s Pizzeria is proven, St. George, Utah, Dec. 14, 2022 | Photograph by Jessi Bang, St. George Information

The skin of the brand new location for Bella Marie’s Pizzeria is proven, St. George, Utah, Dec. 14, 2022 | Photograph by Jessi Bang, St. George Information

The highway signal for Bella Marie’s Pizzeria is proven, St. George, Utah, Dec. 14, 2022 | Photograph by Jessi Bang, St. George Information

A hand-crafted margarita pizza from Bella Marie’s Pizzeria is proven, St. George, Utah, Dec. 14, 2022 | Photograph by Jessi Bang, St. George Information

A breaded rooster and pasta dish from Bella Marie’s Pizzeria sits on a eating desk, St. George, Utah, Dec. 14, 2022 | Photograph by Jessi Bang, St. George Information

Marie Perez exhibits the pizza oven inside Bella Marie’s Pizzeria, St. George, Utah, Dec. 14, 2022 | Photograph by Jessi Bang, St. George Information

Richard Doerr and Marie Perez, co-owners of Bella Marie’s Pizzeria, pose inside their restaurant, St. George, Utah, Dec. 14, 2022 | Photograph by Jessi Bang, St. George Information
Copyright St. George Information, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.