We visited Bottega, one of Melbourne’s most enduring CBD dining spots, to try their newly launched winter menu.
Tucked into Bourke Street in Melbourne’s Italian quarter, Bottega strikes a balance between cosy and spacious. The venue is elegantly styled with a modern, minimalist feel, featuring sleek black finishes, polished timber tables and rows of wine bottles lining the dividers of the leather booths. A quirky touch comes in the form of a playful collection of wall-mounted plates featuring suited animals, adding character without overwhelming the space.
The ambiance is everything you want from a winter restaurant: warm, dim lighting, plush seating, and just the right amount of buzz without ever becoming loud. Tables are generously spaced, so you never feel crowded. It’s the kind of venue where you could comfortably settle in with a bottle of red and great conversation and forget what time it is.
We started with cocktails, ordering an Espresso Martini and the Fig + Honey. We’ve tried a lot of Espresso Martini’s over the years and, like all things coffee, they can be very hit or miss. This was a definite hit. It was smooth and well balanced, with none of the bitterness or cloying sweetness that can throw it off. The Fig and Honey (more lemon + honey than fig) was also a lovely, sour cocktail that hit the spot.
To begin, we shared the prosciutto and fontina croquettes, which had a great crunch and a fluffy, salty centre. A flavour-packed little bite.
For mains, we tried the grilled free-range Cape Otway pork chop, served with sautéed spigarello, pine nut purée and pork jus, and the 250g grain-fed flank steak with tre pepi butter and red wine jus. Both dishes were excellent, but the pork was the clear winner for us. The purée and jus combination was to die for, and the pork tender. The steak was delicious too, slightly smoky and cooked on the rare side of medium-rare. It’s a well-executed dish with great flavour, though if you’re keeping an eye on budget, one of the house-made pastas might offer even more bang for your buck.
While we didn’t try the pastas this time, they sounded very tempting. Bottega has built a reputation for its pasta, made fresh in-house every day, which we will definitely be returning to try.
If you’re in the CBD on a weekday, Bottega’s Express Pasta Lunch offers a rotating selection of handmade pastas for $28. For those heading to a show nearby, the Pre-Theatre Menu offers excellent value: two courses and a drink for $65, or three courses for $75.
Other dishes on the new winter menu which we didn’t get a chance to try, but which sound like standouts, include: veal ossobuco cappelletti with porcini crumb and celeriac purée and red wine braised beef cheek with soft polenta, confit baby carrots and orange gremolata.
To finish we shared two dessert options: Bottega’s tiramisu, gianduja and Valrhona white chocolate ganache, raspberry, milk crumb + whisky gelato. The tiramisu was a clear favourite. Light, fluffy and creamy, with a subtle caffeine kick and little chocolatey crunch balls on top that gave it texture and a touch of fun. The highlight of the white chocolate and raspberry dessert was the whisky gelato, but if I had to choose, I’d go tiramisu every time. Next visit, I’ll be trying selection of house-made gelato + sorbetti.
It’s easy to see why Bottega has remained a quiet favourite on the Melbourne dining scene for more than 20 years. The atmosphere strikes the perfect balance ideal for a romantic dinner, a relaxed lunch, or a pre-theatre meal.
Warm up your plans this winter and penne in a visit to Bottega here.