One area restaurant wants to make its customers feel like they are on a trip to Italy — if only for a meal. And it appears to be working.  For the fourth straight year, Bello Cucina earned the most votes to win Best Italian Restaurant in the SC Times/LOCALiQ 2020 Best of Central Minnesota Readers' Survey. The Times asked Bello Cucina owner Jason Mueller about what he believes has set the restaurant apart for voters for several years.

TIMES: You’ve won Best of Central Minnesota for Best Italian Restaurant four times in a row (2016-2019). What is it about Bello Cucina that you think keeps people coming back for more?

MUELLER: I believe people keep coming back to Bello Cucina for our original, as well as traditional, Italian dishes. We pride ourselves on trying to stay current with menu trends and changing our menu twice a year. Second, consistency —you can count on us. We eat here as well and enjoy the food we serve.