Bottega is how you make a great neighbourhood restaurant. It opened over a decade ago as a bottega (Italian for ‘shop’) importing groceries and produce from Italy, and today, the family-owned deli-slash-grocer continues to entice crowds with authentic Italian all-day dining, daily aperitivos, and wine and board platters.
The menu is tried-and-true Italian. Bottega leans heavily on well-made classics: burrata is served alongside parma ham, marinated heirloom tomatoes and white anchovies; the Pecaminosa pizza is a perennial favourite loaded with porchetta, pumpkin and white anchovies; and the bolognese pasta features house-made tagliatelle with five-hour slow-cooked pork ragout in a rich tomato sauce. Desserts are by no means an afterthought: the tiramisu and the pistachio gelato are beautiful finishers. If you’re after Italian with a fun, unfussy feel, this one’s for you.