The food was absolutely amazing! Everything was perfectly cooked, and the staff was very attentive to our large party. Wonderful place.
We shared a few appetizers so we could save room for dessert and I am so glad we did. The desserts were divine. The tiramisu was moist and delicious and the coconut pecan cake was divine. Our waiter was attentive and made great suggestions. Ask to be seated in James (Happy) area. He is such fun.
Wow! My second visit but first for lunch. Had dolphin fish, crab cake, chocolate torte, and veggie plate. Everything was great. For being so busy, the food came out less than 10 minutes after after—�Amazing!! Server was Matt. He was top notch (hope we didn’t put him the weeds w/mom’s need for bread lol). Definitely going again next time I’m in town🍴👍
We could not have selected a better place to celebrate a special occasion. The food was fabulous and the service was excellent. Thanks Bottega!!
Rebecca Martin Ethridge
+5
Best crab cakes in Birmingham. No doubt about it. Iced tea is perfect. Never had a bad meal there! Always impressive.
The atmosphere and food was amazing!!! Our group is in town on business. I would highly recommend �
Absolutely Womderful!! Great Food!! Great Service! James was on point!! Enjoyed it immensely!!
This is an amazing restaurant committed to creating a better Birmingham one dish at a time! They have a well educated staff who in turn shares this food and wine knowledge with you, locally source many of their ingredients, AND recycle just about everything! How many restaurants actually takes the time to recycle their glass bottles? No corners are cut here, dining at Bottega is not an experience you want to deny!
A welcome surprise in this Alabama city. Do not miss the Bolognese! Great wine list. Our service at the bar was big city for sure. With a wine � list that was impressive. Forgive my surprise but, I was. A great end to a very fortunate week in Alabama.
Jenanne Miller Edmonds
+5
Exceptional meal and service! We drove from the Atlanta area to celebrate birthdays and our experience was fabulous. Our server went the extra mile with recommendations. Will definitely be back!
The experience is "delicious" in every way! Divine food, excellent wine offering, superb service and the historic atmosphere...Thank you, Frank Stitt, for your passion and creative talent!
This is the first restaurant I visited in Birmingham 3 years ago! It’s still our favorite, hard to find a match for this southern Italian themed fine dining experience!
Always yummy and the lemon 🍋 drop martini was the bom!!!
One of our favorite restaurants in Birmingham. Always excellent food and service
You can not go wrong here. I have been going for years and never had one single thing wrong, ever. Seriously. The orange thing drink, thumbs up! Ever dish I have ever had, thumbs up. The service, the cleanliness....everything. is. Awesome.
My BFF and I had a late lunch this week in what we call "ole faithful"... Bottega's Cafe has been a delicious staple in the city of Birmingham for years. Chef Stitt created something unique with this cozy place. I had to get one of my favorites... Pork loin with the spinach and polenta. I am always pleased and happy when I'm there... Service is superb. This is a cool place for a fun girls night out (great wine selection)! But it is also small and chic for a date night with your spouse.
This is another one of the high end restaurants at 5 points Birmingham. It got two sections, one that opens for lunch and the other for dinner. The food is obviously good and the service is great.
Took my daughter to Bottega for her 21st birthday lunch. It's one of our favorite restaurants in Birmingham and it didn't disappoint yesterday! Such good food and amazing service. I had the Bottega burger and it was cooked perfectly. Desserts were really good as well.
Absolutely amazing. Frank Stitt's restaurants are all just fabulous. I've eaten some of the best meals that I've ever tasted here and the prices are so reasonable compared to the same quality fine dining restaurants that you'd go to in other cities with almost twice the cost. So pleased with this Birmingham gem.
Excellent in every way: food, service, atmosphere, wine choices. We had the Chicken Pizza, Black Grouper and the Spaghetti. All were exceptional. The Spaghetti (made in-house) was served with gulf crab, crawfish, and ramps -- superb. What's more, the bread service was equally great -- soft, freshly baked, with just the right amount of salt and rosemary. Classy, sophisticated atmosphere. Literally perfect service (provided by Francisco). One tip: if it's your first visit, please know that there are two restaurants in one building, the Bottega Cafe (lunch, dinner, no reservations) and Bottega Dining Room (dinner, reservations accepted). Facing the building, the Dining Room is the door on the left.
I always get the Chicken Scaloppini here. There food is delicious, the dish is not very big. If you are hoping for a big meal, this may not be the place for you. Besides that, it is a must visit!
This place is amazing. The food is so unique and so well prepared. The chef made my wife a specialty pasta with all vegis that she loved. The drinks and appetizers were amazing too. We are going back again this weekend.
Bottega Café is my favorite place in town. I've been going there for years and it's always been a good experience. Just wish they always had crème brulee on the menu.
The Parmesan souffle is one of the ten best things I've ever eaten. It is unbelievable. I've had nothing but good to great food here and can not wait to go back. Great service as well. Give it a try.
The menu is always good. Food and drinks are consistent and really hard to go here and have an off night on food or drinks. Always a good place to go.
A Thursday night at Bottega. Great food and wonderful service. all around wonderful evening.
You can't beat sitting outside at the Cafe on a beautiful day and sipping on a Venetian Spritzer!
Bottega cafe. I dont see the difference between the 2 restaurants - they both great food!!!
beef carpacio - we just have to
garganelli primavera, braised chicken,
pork loin, venetian spinach
flat iron steak with chimichurri
-----04 Mar, 2015-----
One of the best restaurants. Went to bottega dining room to celebrate my daughters birthday. the place is small but is packed.
great great simple selection. expensive but its worth every dollar.
beef carpaccio is a must
We were here for a corporate event. The pizza and fried oysters were an excellent appetizer option. Really enjoyed the wine list and I had the braised ribs which just fell off the bone. Tirimisu was a nice finish to the evening. All in all it was a spectacular dining experience. We will return.
Frank Stitt is Unstoppable. Frank continues his culinary dynasty with Bottega. Both the restaurant and the cafe serve consistently superb food in great environments with excellent service. I've dined at the restaurant once and the cafe nearly a dozen times. The restaurant's food is slightly better, but rightfully so given its price premium. Definitely save room for desserts; they're divine!
Bottom line: Eating at the cafe or restaurant, you can't go wrong. You're guaranteed to have sublime italian food and a very enjoyable dining experience!
My Daughter's Birthday. We went for dessert and drinks for my daughter's birthday. While we waited - went to the bar and asked for a cool looking non alcoholic drink to make my daughter feel important and she got the best drink ever she said! The desserts were unforgettable!!! Service was great and we had the best time!
Love it. Such a creative and wonderful chef! Best in the area!
Never been to the 'big' side, but the cafe is one of my favorites- great staff, fun bar. The open kitchen and bar is fun to watch- the patio is fantastic
I really only visit the cafe side. I'm not one for formal dinners often. Great community style dining. Best homemade desserts in town!
Long wait, but great food. Atmosphere a bit loud for me but tolerable. Food was excellent. Wait staff was superb. Martini lacked vodka. LOL. I'd go back, just won't order from the bar.
We prefer the cafe side. awesome patio and bar. Everything we have ever ordered has been a home run.
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Thanks to Bottega my mother gave me the silent treatment during lunch. I've been to Bottega Restaurant but never the Cafe side. Today I took my mother to the Cafe for lunch. Meals with Mom typically follow the same routine: she orders her food, it arrives, she picks at it and eats three or four bites, declares she's full, asks for a take out box and, suddenly not full anymore, orders the most expensive dessert in the world. The leftover entree sits in her refrigerator for a few weeks until she gets around to throwing it away. It used to bother me but I learned to accept it long ago.
We looked over our menus and right away Mom noticed the homemade lemonade and couldn't wait to try it. (She said it was wonderful). After studying the menu she told me she wanted the grilled salmon. I couldn't decide between the pennette and the rigatoncini and was all set to let the waitress decide for me. When she came to take our order she asked us if we wanted her to go over the fish specials. I wouldn't eat a fish if it came with a free BMW but Mom told her she would love to hear the fish specials. We heard all about red fish and trigger fish and happy fish and as soon as she finished Mom said, "I want the salmon." Without missing a beat our server smiled and said, "Excellent choice!" She then did something I wish more servers would do. She told Mom that the salmon is cooked "medium" and asked her if that would be okay. Once or twice Mom has been surprised with "sushi grade" tuna that came out half raw and she had to send it back. She told the waitress she'd like the salmon well done. Disaster averted thanks to the foresight of our waitress. Well done.
When asked, she told me that they couldn't leave the mushrooms out of the rigatoncini, as they were part of the sauce. That made my decision easy and I chose the pennette with sweet peas, asparagus, spring onions, grana padano and prosciutto. While we waited another fellow brought us some wonderful bread.
The pennette was very good. They weren't skimpy with the asparagus, or with anything else as far as that goes. But Mom's salmon--I can't remember the last time I saw anything like this. She took a bite as soon as it arrived and I said, "Hold on, I want to take a picture for Urban Spoon." She chewed and swallowed and took another bite while I was still aiming my phone. "Yo! I'm taking salmon pics here!" She said, "Nuts to Urban Spoon! They can get their own picture! This is delicious!" That's the last thing she said to me. I tried to have a conversation but she was through talking. She didn't stop eating until that plate was empty. She even ate the leafy garnish stuff.
I finally said, "Mom, did you smoke a doobie before I picked you up? I've never seen you with the munchies this bad." She was chasing the last potato around with her fork, unsuccessfully. She finally gave up and picked it up with her fingers and popped it in her mouth. There would be no take out box today. At last she was ready to talk to me again: "Why haven't you ever taken me here before?"
The waitress showed up to take our plates. "Would you like to hear about our desserts?" She asked. "I'm full," Mom said. "I couldn't eat another thing. Just box up the most expensive one and I'll take it home with me." I just got off the phone with her and she said the coconut pecan cake was incredible.
It was worth the $60 (for the both of us) to see her enjoy a meal that much. I just hope she doesn't expect it every day now.
Wonderful. Fabulous and flawless service. The duck is to die for. Love it!!!
Favorite Patio Bham. This is our favorite place to go in Bham. Since I just wrote a mediocre review for Highland and Chez Fonfon, I thought I would be fair and also praise Stitt for Bottega and Bottega Cafe. We have eaten here atleast 50 times over last seven years since moving to Bham. Always great service. Patio is our favorite place to catch a drink/meal when weather is nice. Great cocktails. Great atmosphere. The nicer side, Bottega Restaurant, is also great. More romantic and calm. Food is also fantastic with great menus on a consistent basis. We have had most everything on the menu as well. It is all really good.
Incredible. Great atmosphere. Wonderful service. I got the filet and it was perfect. My husband got veal and loved it.
Great resturaunt, and isn't too pricey. They have great waiters and really good food. Compares to Emerils, Commanders Palace, and Charlie trotters. Best in Birmingham I give it 4.9 out of five
Frank you did a good job :). I remember Dad always saying the sign of a good place to eat is when a place is always crowded and boy does this place ever pull in a huge crowd!
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Cafe-side for great pizza, restaurant side for great wine. Cafe side: Terrific pizza! I got the spicey one (don't remember the name they gave it) with a glass of Montepulciano wine. They seemed oddly a little slim on Italian wine choices by the glass. Service was smooth as glass. I will be back for warm weather outdoor dining.
Restaurant side: Wine selection is much better. The "Grale" from Tuscany was the best glass of wine I've had in a long time. The parmasean suffle with wild mushrooms was my favorite part of the meal besides the wine. Half way through, I thought to myself, "I should stop since I want to try dessert", but it was just too good! Which turned out to be a good call because I wasn't impressed with the seasonal peach cobbler. Entre of capellini bogetta was good. If I had remembered what capellini actually was, I probably would have picked something else, but it turned out to be very tasty.
For my money, I like the Cafe side. Atmosphere is more relaxed and prices are lower for a similar, lovely experience.
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Good, but disappointing service (at first). I've eaten at Bottega Cafe several times and have generally enjoyed it each time. I decided to take my mother there for her birthday in late March. She had only been a few times, and we decided it would be a nice change of pace. We got there around 7 pm and were told there would be a 30 minute wait. Not a problem, as it was peak dinner hour. We waited patiently for about 20 minutes until a table opened up outside.
We were given menus and proceeded to scan the offerings for the night while waiting for our server. And we waited. And we waited. And waited some more. After 15 minutes, we had seen no server, nor had we given even our drink orders. She (the server) finally showed up and introduced herself, smiling profusely. We returned the greeting and smiled back. Then she just stood there, smiling for what seemed like a very awkward length of time (even as my mother commented after the fact). She literally said nothing else until I decided I'd better make a move, at which time I asked if she'd like to take our drink orders. She evidently decided that would be a good idea. We placed the drink orders, and off she went. Someone else brought our drinks out while we continued to scan the menus. Our waitress passed our table multiple times but never checked back on us. I even rattled the menu once in an effort to get her attention as she flitted by. After waiting 20 more minutes, I had had enough.
I approached the matire 'd and told him that we were trying to celebrate my mother's birthday, but we had been sitting there over 30 minutes without a waitress. I asked him if there was some particular problem with our server our our table, to which he seemed a bit taken aback. To his credit, he immediately sent another server to our table. She was fantastic, thankfully. She apologized for the problem and said she'd be handling us for the remainder of the meal. She chatted professionally and stayed on top of everything - even bringing my mother a dessert with "Happy Birthday" written on it in chocolate sauce. Our original waitress passed us several times and would not even look at us. I felt it was a bit unprofessional of her at a restaurant of that quality not to at least offer an apology. It would have been a good face-saving gesture on her part.
In any event, the food was as good as it always is, and ultimately, so was the service. Thanks to the "replacement" for doing such a great job!
Went for the first time yesterday. I gotta say that my wife and I have been missing out. First class head to toe. Food was wonderful and if you go, make sure you save room for deserts.
Love it!. Recently went with friends and had the best time. They have a great cocktail menu and nice wine selections. I had the steak tartar and it was divine. The atmosphere paired with the knowledgeable servers makes this place a great place for dinner!
Our Go-To. Birmingham has several excellent fine-dining restaurants, but this one is our personal favorite. The wait staff are knowledgeable pros and the timing is perfect- I hate being rushed from course to course and I've never experienced that here. The Parmesan souffle is my favorite appetizer; the fritto misto is very generous in portion if not particularly exciting. I've never had an entree I didn't love- puttanesca, pappardelle with braised chicken, lamb, and multiple fish dishes. My husband, who is not particularly adventurous with food in general will try ANYTHING here because he trusts the chef so much, and he also has no complaints. For dessert, I prefer traditional creme brûlée or tiramisu.
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Good, great is a reach.. I recently dined at Bottega and opted for the Cafe side. We ordered a wonderful baked feta with mariana appitizer. The bread offered was warm, and was surprisingly good. The only complaint I had until then, was that I could reach out and touch the person next to me. The tables are very close, and this prompted for very close encounters with the waiter. The waiter reached over me, which usually does not faze me, but this was very annoying as the little amount of room meant it felt like he was in my lap.
The hanger steak for an entree, was good. The potatoes were perfect. The steak, ordered medium, was charred on the side. Although some do like this, I very strongly hate the taste of a charred steak, it ruins the taste altogether.
For desert, I opted for two different, small scoops of gelato. The biscotti with the gelato was a nice treat, and the gelato was sub-par. I could have gotten the same thing at Whole Foods, for 4 dollars cheaper.
Overall Bottega was good, reminded me of a small restaurant i dined at in New Orleans. But it was not a great meal. I would return maybe to try the pizzas or burgers.
Very stylish!. You can really get the feel for the B'ham elite here. Went on crab cake night and it was better than any I've ever had...even in Maryland! Great, knowledgeable server we had in Erin! A little steep price-wise but Stitt has to earn a living somehow! (g)!
Off night?. I have eaten at Bottega a few times over the years and have always looked forward to going. However, my last meal may cause me to pause. Our party of four choose 2 starters, 4 main courses, and 2 desserts. While the sweet potato ravioli was excellent, the Fritto Misto was uninspired. Two of our main courses, the tagliatelle and the grouper, were so salty that is really all we tasted. Our lamb chops were fine and the venison was a little tough and gamey(maybe that is the way it should be).
Most disappointing were the desserts. The bread pudding was average and my butterscotch tart really tasted like a granola bar at a markedly higher price.
I hope this was just a bad night with some bad choices on my part. But for a while, I have better options in Birmingham.
I have visited both the Restaurant and Café many times and have enjoyed every moment every time. The Sardines on the appetizer menu at the Café is one of my favorite bites!
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Another Great Stitt Restaurant. I recently dined at Bottega with my wife to celebrate our anniversary and it was another reminder that Frank Stitt truly is the best Birmingham has to offer. The wait staff was very knowledgeable and attentive and very willing to suggest their favorites, (this is important to me, I want to know that the waiter knows the menu and knows what is good and what is great) and in this our waiter did a great job. He suggested that we have the baked feta to start and then the braised duck pasta. The baked feta was such a great start to the meal, it was rich and flavorful and plenty to share between my wife and I. The duck entree was equally wonderful. I am a huge fan of duck to begin with and will usually order it if available. The duck was so tender and flavorful and the fresh pasta was just how pasta should be. My wife had the rustica pizza and loved it. Even though we were stuffed, we had to split a slice of the pumpkin cheesecake based on the rave review from our waiter, and it was a great encore to a wonderful meal. All in all it was a great anniversary outing and it just made choosing a favorite restaurant in Birmingham even more difficult.
Good, but. Very nice, but in the pantheon of top Birmingham restaurants, this one is 4 or 5 down from the top. Good place nontheless. I think that the staff is very impersonal. The selection is lacking somewhat.
Awesome service. I dined in the cafe with my family, the service was awesome and the food fantastic. I ate the best burger I have ever eaten. Everyone was pleased with their food, wood fired pizzas, spectacular salad. Mr Stitt visited took the time to visit our table. The service form all the staff was fabulous.
I will definitely go again and will be going to all Mr Stitt's restaurants.
Great restaurant with daily menus and an extensive wine list. The service was excellent. We had a late reservation and the place started to clear out leaving us to a romantic setting. Very nice. Highly recommend. Also, my steak was huge and very tasty.
Good but..... We ate in the restaurant. Food was excellent, service was good if a little impersonal. Wine list extensive. But would I rush back ? There seemed to be something lacking that I can't quite put my finger on, I think we would probably try the cafe next time.
A little pricey but good. Nice ambiance.
Wonderful Experience. My husband took me here for our anniversary. We had a wonderful dinner; everything from the knowledge and expertise of the servers to the food was outstanding! Even though we don't live in the area, we will definitely find a way to dine at Bottega again! I highly recommend this restaurant!
Bottega Restaurant Great. I have never eaten at the Cafe, but the fancier Bottega restaurant is wonderful. I love their Chicken Scaloppine and their desserts are all great. Definitely one of the best fine dining restaurants in Birmingham. I am hoping to try the Cafe soon.
The shrimp risotto is excellent. The food was heavenly.
Staple of fine food in B'ham. A traditional favorite. Frank Stitt set the standard for the finest dining in Birmingham. One of my favorites is the chicken scallopine. The beef carpaccio is also excellent. Crab cakes are always good. Great place to people watch in the evenings.
Always good food but the staff is spotty, which does not make sense since they are connected to Highlands. Staff is important enough to us where we often do not choose it, Highlands is more French in influence and the Veranda more of a New Orleans flair, Bottega emphasizes Italian. I am moody with this place.
Consistently great service and excellent food. I have gone to Bottega Cafe since it opened in the 80s. There have been periods of time I have not gone there over the years but that was not due to anything they were doing wrong. I say simply for the fact that I have always found the food and service to be excellent. I have picked up my visits there lately and in particular have strayed away from the easy menu picks of chicken scallopini (killer) and the pork loin (awesome) to more of the specials, in particular the fish dishes. I had the most delecious flounder last night, lightly breaded, with some carmelized onions, capers and almonds over some polenta and a little salad. It was fabulous! Had a beef carpachio appetizer which for me is the best in town. The server was polite, professional, and had good timing on when to appear at the table. Kudos to Frank Stitt.
Go eat here today! This place is a true neighborhood gem. Sit outside but be prepared to wait at the bar - they don't take reservations on the cafe side. Everyone raves about the pizzas which are all fabulous. If you're in the mood for something different, opt for the Chicken Scaloppine. It may not jump off the menu at you but trust me... do not skip over this one. I'm not usually one to order chicken when I'm dining out. But I tried the scaloppine upon a recommendation from a friend...so glad I did!
Perfect spot for casual dinner.. This is the step-sibling to Highlands, and we love it. Great atmosphere with a fun crowd. They offer pizzas and a host of other entrees which we have found to be universally pallatable. Their music selection is the best in the city, and for the price, you can't beat this place.
Frigging sweet place to dine! It's been a while since my last meal their, but a great meal each time I have been!
Very Good. Had a great meal, will go back.
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A Birmingham classic.. I've been coming to Bottega for years for one reason: great food. Sure, the atmosphere is great and service is impeccable... but it's the food that is the perennial draw. My experience last weekend was nothing short of what I've come to expect.
I started with the beef carpaccio. It's prepared the same way here as it is at Highlands, and for good reason. The beef was perfect, and accompanied by just the right amount of a fresh, creamy horseradish sauce and thin shavings of cheese. Awesome.
For an entree I had the grouper, which was prepared with an assortment of the finest olives, pistachios, pine nuts, and a healthy dose of lemon zest. Definitely one of the best pieces of fish I've had in town in a while, and the preparation was the epitome of what mediterranean should taste like.
I finished everything off with the white chocolate bread pudding. Delicious, and certainly enough to put me over the top and into a food coma for the evening.
And, on a final note, the bar keep makes a mean old-fashioned.
Very good yet very crowded atmosphere. We ordered 2 entrees. All were very good variety of food. The pizza was a little burned but they immediately brought out a new one once it was brought to their attention. A great place to eat!
Relaxing Place, Good Food. The best time to eat at the cafe is in the summer. Sit out in the sun and enjoy a good meal, at a fair price.
Food is good . The staff was very courteous and helpful. I ordered the pork loin and it was hard and dry I was disppointed since I rarely eat pork
Favorite spot in Birmingham. Great food, great atmosphere without being stuffy. I like to come here when I'm traveling on business. Always has good service. Pizzas are a very good option as well here.
Favorite in Birmingham. This is a great urban find. Nice room but tight tables. Nice people and great food from one of America's best chefs, Frank Stit. You can go to the restaurant but I like the vibe of the cafe.
True delight on Southside! Smoky oven fired pizzas are the best! Alittle pricey for lunch but worth every cent--& can't be beat for innovative Italian food. Very atmospheric in the p.m. Superior service--the front desk is always attentive.
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7/10. Bottega Café is the sister restaurant to the more upscale Bottega restaurant next door. Owned by famed local chef, Frank Stitt, Bottega Café is Stitt's take on Mediterranean Cuisine. The restaurant is often a scene for hipsters and the local "up and coming" or, at the very least, those that wish they were. The restaurant has a casual fine dining atmosphere and prices to match ($12-20 entrees). For all of its trendiness, Bottega gets the important stuff right, the food. Whether you go with a pizza (very traditional Italian "as in pizza you'd find in Italy" pizza) or the much loved Chicken Scaloppini, you will not be disappointed. Along with Chez Fon Fon and Café DuPont, this is probably the best lunch in town. Dinners are equally good and, for the price, well worth the usual 45 minute wait.
The beef carpaccio is a great starter, along with the house salad. The pork loin, chicken scaloppini and trout with butter sauce are well executed dishes served at both lunch and dinner.
Contact: myemail815@aol.com
Really great! Loud dining but awesome food! sweet roasted red pepper w/ goat cheese & capers.wood fired pizzas!!!!
Steel City Supper Club
+4.5
Bottega dining room presents a warm, sophisticated atmosphere. Italy inspires the cuisine, carefully crafted by linking ingredients from the American South and artisanal producers from the Italian countryside.
We chose to eat at Bottega this time of year because they decorate for Christmas! It was so pretty and festive and a perfect meal to celebrate the Holiday with friends!
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