Bottega Cafe
2242 Highland Ave South, Birmingham, AL, 35205
Bottega Cafe Menu
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Appetizers
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Main Course
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Sides
Healthy Meal suggestions for Bottega Cafe
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Appetizers
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Main Course
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Sides
Visit below restaurant in Birmingham for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Birmingham for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
2242 Highland Ave South
Birmingham, AL, 35205 - Phone (205) 933-2001
- Website https://bottegarestaurant.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Valet
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Classy
Noise Level : Very Loud
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Wed, Thu, Sat
Coat Check : Yes
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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Craig N.
Always consistently good. Service is always pleasant and nothing is ever too much to ask. Went for a late dinner last night (9:30) and got right in. Perfect time to go on a Saturday night. Wife had the chicken scallopini which was perfectly prepared and very flavorful. I had the Bucateli pasta with field peas and they added shrimp for me for a protein. Don't eat pasta much at all any more, but if I'm going to eat it, it better be good and this was. Perfectly al dente pasta with a simple sauce of fresh tomatoes and field peas. Little light parmesan and perfectly cooked shrimp. Normally don't do dessert, but threw caution to the wind and went for the dulce de leche cheese cake..Wow perfect end to the night.
(4)Miranda R.
Been to Bottega a few times but apparently never reviewed! So, last night popped in for a birthday dinner. We ordered the cold soup of the day. I don't remember the name of it as I don't like cold soup. What's wrong with hot soup on a hot summer day! I don't get it. But, it pleased the rest of the table. The flat bread with 3 spreads was very delicious: babaghanoush, tzatziki, htipiti. The htipiti was the table favorite. Very good. I had the chicken scaloppine. I only wish there was more of it! Very good. Polenta is such a warm delight! Offset by the capers and arugula...yah! Gimme more. For dessert we did both gelato and sorbet. All the flavors were amazing (especially lemon and salted caramel). Neither of us (3 of us) were very keen on blackberry? Very dense/fluffy/almost warm?? It was bizarre. The others at my table had the porchetta (i had a bite, it was flavorful) and one had the burger. It was a lovely time. Our server was very friendly and attentive. Even the mayor stopped in for a visit! :P I don't think you can have a bad time at Bottega Cafe.
(4)Max M.
What a beautiful building! That impressed me first off. My party and i were a little put off by the fact that Bottega is actually two different restaurants... It seems like there should be two different clearly displayed signs to indicate the two sides of the restaurant, but oh well, i guess if you've been there b4, then you know that... and i'll know that next time, so i'll let that go. Other than that initial weirdness, we really liked the Bottega Café! We got two appetizer items. The first, the funghi (mushroom) pizza was really tasty. I loved all the different types of mushrooms with their flavors blended together. Yum. The other item, the baked feta, to me, was a disappointment. It was basically marinara sauce, with the flavor of the feta indecipherable from the marinara, so i wondered why it was called baked feta. A misnomer if i ever tasted one... I didn't enjoy it, but the toast points that came along with the baked marinara were pretty good. As for my entrée, it was delicious! The chicken scaloppine was perfectly cooked with the bread coating perfectly done. The polenta underneath it was creamy and delicious. My co-diners got two fish entrées and they were oh so right too! They've got some good chefs in that kitchen i would say. There was only one slight issue i had with the food... there was a little salt shift: the pizza was too salty, while the chicken and one of the fish entrées weren't quite salty enuf, but i forgive them for that. We informed them that it was our friend's birthday and they graciously and complimentarily brought him a tiramisu dessert. It was small, (but then again it was free...). However, it was fantastic!... one of the best tiramisus i've ever had. And it was a nice touch that the words Happy Birthday were drizzled in chocolate on the plate. Overall, good job Bottega!
(4)Joe L.
Be prepared to valet the car! Limited parking. Fantastic dinner and experiences. Naturally everything was above average or spectacular that is the standard with any of Frank's Restaurants.
(4)Mark T.
I'm a big fan of Bottega Cafe. The atmosphere of this place is pretty lively and the food is great. I've ordered several items here (the pizza, the fish sandwich, the cafe mac and cheese) and everything has been very good. It's a nicer place, but it isn't overpriced by any means. If you're looking for a nicer meal but you want a more laid back spot, Bottega Cafe is ideal.
(4)John-Bryan H.
Wonderful Italian food brought to you by James Beard award winning chef Frank Stitt. Monday night Crab Cakes...Wonderful
(5)FromScratch M.
The food was good but not great. They are shoveling out a lot of clever sounding food in a popular place. The service was excellent.
(3)Pat W.
While the service was great, the food was something else. If you have high blood pressure - avoid this place. Everything was salty even the bread. You have to drink 2-3 large glasses of water to adjust the salt levels of everything you eat.
(2)Mike F.
Absolutely delicious food! There are a great amount of simple dining options and a nice full service bar. I last visited for lunch and had the chicken scallopine which was divine. It is chill no frills cafe food with extreme flavor. The best part is dessert! At this time of year they no doubt have some sort of pumpkin inspired sweets. Go before you get hungry as there is usually a wait............or you could make reservations.
(4)LCAandJon B.
We travel to Birmingham for work annually, and were really happy to randomly find this place in 2010. Great building, cozy atmosphere, friendly staff, great food and drinks, etc., so naturally we headed straight back a year later, and were even looking forward to it. Enter 2011, and suddenly the place is swarming with the most obnoxious clientele imaginable--seriously, you could not have crammed one more shrieking woman in a high-waisted satin minidress and 4-inch heels through the door. (I happen to own a couple pairs of 4-inch heels, but I can't condone them when they allow a mass of shriekers to shriek from higher in the atmosphere.) Even if that was somehow just a bad night to be there, the lousy staff (not so much rude as glassy-eyed/not-so-smart or just inattentive, aside from our very earnest waiter) and totally mediocre food made it clear Bottega has slid. We ordered four different items and two signature drinks (both genuinely icky; BF couldn't even finish his, though I soldiered through in a misguided attempt to get my money's worth and dull the aforementioned shrieking), and the best thing we ate was the side of potato chips served with spinach/artichoke dip, which were clearly straight out of a bag. In short, really obnoxious atmosphere, and anyone who thinks the food is amazing honestly just hasn't traveled enough.
(1)Tom W.
not even sure where to begin...after receiving many recommendations for Bottega, we decided to give it a whirl. At best, the food was fair and I am being generous. A sardine appetizer that could have been plated directly from a can, an unimaginative romaine salad, overcooked farm raised salmon, and a skirt steak that was fatty (not the melt in your mouth fat that is typically characteristic of skirt steak), chewy and very unappetizing. Sometimes you can give a restaurant another "look" if the food is close, but there was a large gap here. I couldn't recommend Bottega nor would I return. And considering the price point was fairly high, there's no question about my decision. Or maybe it is a pizza and beer cafe?
(1)Sheri P.
I went there for my birthday a few weeks ago with a group of my friends. We waited for about an hour and half and sat outside with some drinks. The hostess brought us some bread and olive oil which was nice. I love the atmosphere. My friends were not too impressed with the pizza. Mine was okay. I thought it would be better. I got a free delicious dessert because it was my birthday. I will still go back over and over.
(4)Leslie B.
LOVE the place. We had 2 apps and shared a pizza as it was just me and 2 girlfriends catching up. Fabulous dirty martini to start - they make it and set the extra in the shaker in front of you instead of dumping it like most bars do - then refill your glass as you sip it down. Well worth the $12, as it felt like 3 martini's!! Food excellent, service excellent, dessert sampler-fabulous! Great atmosphere, young fun professional crowd! Love it, when I'm home for a visit!
(4)Doug T.
Usually when you're from out of town and you ask the front desk at the hotel for a dinner recommendation you get sent to Ruby Tuesday or something along those lines (Nothing against Ruby Tuesday,always a safe, albeit unexciting dining experience). Thankfully that didn't happen this time around as I was told to turn left past the Ruby Tuesday and proceed to Bottega. I throughly enjoyed the Rustica Pizza (prosciutto, coppacola, provolone and ricotta with caramelized onions) and noted that it was cooked in a wood fired oven (pizza crust perfection). Although initially a little salty for my taste, the server brought some crushed red pepper and a side of marinara sauce which smoothed things out for me. I washed it down with an ice cold draft Guinness (for good health), which complimented the pizza and would have been perfectly content... It appears however, that I made the same mistake that others have made, and went to the "cafe" side as opposed to the "restaurant" side of Bottega (which apparently has a different menu). Prior to ordering, but after sitting down, I had mentioned to the maître d' that I was really in the mood for ravioli, but he said this was only available on the menu in the formal side. Oh well! I resigned myself to pizza. While I was munching on my pizza, and to my surprise, the maître d' brought out a small plate of ravioli compliments of the chef which was perfectly prepared and extremely tasty! Wow! I have very rarely experienced this level of service, which in my mind is unsurpassed and for me this small gesture turned an otherwise "four star" rating into a "five star" rating! A nice restaurant with both great food and great service! What a novel concept! This place gets it!
(5)Lillie P.
Long wait. Pretentious environment. Over-hyped food and overpriced drinks. Very loud inside, hard to have conversation. Good company and the peach cobbler is the only reason this place is even getting 3 stars.
(3)Christy T.
I usually enjoy but was placed at a hot table by the restroom where I have NEVER seen anyone before. Not fun!
(2)Becky E.
I prefer the laid-back atmosphere of Frank Stitt's cafes. You still get great food but in a more comfortable setting. The breads they serve here and the olive oil are delicious, and I love the pizza with the smoked salmon and capers. Also, Frank Stitt's burgers are the best in town. Awesome crab cakes and fish selections too. Don't forget to order an "orange thing" while you're there!!! So yummy.
(5)Meredith H.
We enjoyed a fantastic lunch here a few weeks back. Really nice decor and atmosphere. We sat at the bar in order to avoid the wait and I would recommend it for sure. Service was great and the food was perfect for a nice lunch. We enjoyed some Good People beer (which is always 5 stars in my book!) and the delicious goat cheese/marinara appetizer. The rate at which we atethe dish was seriously embarrassing. The bartender noticed and joked "wow, that must have been terrible" :) The 1/2 pizza and salad lunch special was perfect and absolutely worth the price. Toppings were fresh and the salad had some zip to it. All in all, it was a truly great experience. I can't wait to go back and dine on "the other side"!
(5)Sheila L.
Bottega Cafe is a jewel! I've been several times and have always received fabulous service and great food & drinks. They have a good selection of wine and can make a mean dirty martini! You must try a Stitt-restaurant signature drink - Orange Thing! Delicioso! I'll wager that their hamburger is as good as Chez FonFon's. The bun holds up to the juicy beef. They'll cook it to perfection (mine is medium rare - pretty red with a nice char) and give you a choice of cheese. Add to that carmelized red onions and homemade potato chips . . . what a meal.
(4)Catherine H.
I recently moved to CA from AL. If there's one thing I miss, it's Bottega Cafe. Frank Stitt is a well known chef in the Birmingham area, and he gives bigger cities a run for their money with his restaurants! This place has great cocktails, wonderful atmosphere, great outdoor dinning, and the chicken scallopinne is to die for! If you are ever visiting from out of the area and looking for a fab place to eat, go here. You won't be sorry. My 0.02 ... start with beef carpaccio or house salad, then you won't go wrong with anything else. Bread pudding is a great treat, too! And if you go during the summer, order a strawberry fields cocktail.
(4)Alan B.
Much like Frank Stitt's Chez Fon Fon, Bottega Cafe is a wonderfully accessible and extremely appetizing restaurant. The quality of the food is nearly unmatched by any other in this price point in the Birmingham area. This is a perfect spot for lunch or a casual dinner. There is something magical about their olive oil. It is out of this world. And if you want some to take home they even sell bottles of the stuff. A little known fact is that Bottega cafe supplies all the desserts for Frank's other restaurants. If you are interested in getting a whole coconut cake from Chez Fon Fon call Bottega Cafe and they'll usually be able to accommodate you given enough notice. Besides all the consistently wonderful food on the menu you must try the Cellotini. It is a phenomenal limoncello and vodka martini. Truly delicious.
(5)Dennis U.
Had dinner in the outdoor cafe this week and thought it was great. I had a chicken scaloppine which while not what I thought a scalopine was, was superb. Definitly worth a revisit.
(4)vanessa r.
I was in town a few months ago visiting a friend in Montgomery, Alabama. We headed up to Birmingham for a night of kicking up our heels, which started here and ended with a performance by the divine Miss Trinity Taylor. Clearly, good times were had by all. None better. But the restaurant! The restaurant was great. I hate to go around fulfilling stereotypes, but we San Franciscans are indeed restaurant snobs and we tend to think we have all the good ones (allowing that maybe New York does okay, too). This place honestly put to shame anywhere I had been out to eat in San Fran for a while! The food was top-notch. There was gourmet pizza and a nice seafood pasta and a fancy burger, and some excellent mussels in broth and carpaccio, if I am remembering correctly. Something along those lines. And delicious cocktails! Extremely generous and strong, too. Real kick to 'em. They practically give you two drinks, because you get the whole shaker full of extra cocktail. The service was also ridiculously friendly and warm and fun. Here I go again with the stereotypes, but I really enjoyed the Southernness of it all. And the warm nights! We sat outside until 10 or 11 p.m. with hardly a jacket. You can't do that in San Francisco! This restaurant is only one of the reasons I'd love to go back to Birmingham, but it's definitely near the top of the list.
(5)Chay O.
What is the difference between this place and the High Land Bar and Grill? I know that it's supposed to be an Italian restaurant but the menu is almost identical to its sister's restaurant (Highland). I am a frequenter of the Highland so I thought I would give Bottega a try. The food was excellent - very much like the Highland. The reason why I gave it a three star is the poor service and the attitude that my party received from the Front of The House. We waited forever for our table even though we had a reservation. There were many empty tables but they didn't seat us until 15 minutes after our reservation. Worst is that they didn't feel apologetic for it. Just a bad impression overall. Why would I come back here when I can go to the Highland and eat the same caliber of food but with a more hospitable environment.
(3)Carrie F.
GREAT Pizza and hamburgers. The desserts are awesome...typical Stitt restaurant!
(5)Louay B.
Another Frank Stitt creation off of highland ave. I could rave all day about the ambiance, drinks, and service, but the food is the best thing about this place. I suggest the chicken scalopinie served over cheese polenta and covered with a lemon bur blanc sauce. Grab an orange thing martini and enjoy a wonderful dinner. If you ever find yourself in Birmingham, I highly recommend this place.
(5)Zee M.
I'm not sure I understand some of the reviews here...I've gone to Bottega countless times over the years and NEVER had a bad time. Yes, the wait CAN be longish (it isn't always), for this is a popular place. As for whether people are pretentious here, what has that to do with a food review? You can find pretentious people in parking lots, churches, snack bars, movie theatres, lines at the zoo...you get the idea. What counts here is we've always had good service, though we do get the occasional zoned-out waitron. There are a number of things I love here, but tops is the beef carpaccio. Also a fave are the variations on roasted pork loin, sometimes with wilted greens, sometimes (seasonal) with pumpkin. Wow. I seem to recall getting the "white" pizza with fennel sausage...NO onions...and enjoying it, but that was some time ago, as I'm from out of town. I've also asked to see the main restaurant's menu, for a few of the different offerings, and succeeded, though they have on occasion seemed taken aback. I've enjoyed everything there, although I can't recount each dish. But believe me, if I'd felt cheated or if I'd had anything I considered tasteless, I'd have remembered! I'll give them a try next time I'm in BHM and, if they're up or down, I'll update. But I'm rarin' to go back...!
(4)Chris S.
Perhaps it was the tornado sirens in the air, perhaps it was the lack of sleep, or perhaps it was simply a great time with a group of friends but Bottega Cafe was truly enjoyable dining experience. Since they don't take reservations you can expect a bit of a wait (45min for us) but this is fine as long as you don't mind $6-8 beers, ouch! The food menu is the opposite of the drink menu, straight forward, unpretentious, and reasonably priced. A great place with good food and good prices!
(5)Steve M.
Exceptional restaurant by international standards. Had dinner there 8 January 2010 and found service, wine list, bread, selection of ingredients all to be spectacular. Prices reasonable for a Five-Star and though fully booked, when i called at 5pm to ask if they could accommodate a San Diegan and a Londoner for dinner at 6:30 they say 'come on by'. Strongly recommended and buy Frank Stitt's latest book when you are there. I brought it home for the wife - BIG hit!
(5)Deborah K.
We read about Frank Stitt in a NY Times article and wanted to check out one of his restaurants for lunch while visiting Birmingham. Bottega Cafe did not disappoint! We were lucky enough to sit in the overflow area which is actually the formal Bottega restaurant. I cannot believe that none of the reviews mentioned the macaroni and cheese -- it was incredible. I also loved the sweet tea with homemade mint syrup. We're readjusting plans for the rest of the weekend to see how many Frank Stitt restaurants we can hit up.
(5)Ananda Z.
Frank Stitt's cosy creation in the Highlands never fails to dazzle. "Its so good its almost a sexual experience," says a friend. The pork chops are always cooked to perfection, tender, complex, and golden brown served up with a perfectly paired bed of wilted greens and polenta. This will be my meal in heaven. The chicken is also exceptional. Even friends skeptical of gourmet eating fell in love with the lively neighborhood ambience, mouthwatering entrees and desert, and the friendly knowledgeable wait staff. How have you lived this long without trying Bottega? Go NOW!
(5)Kelly A.
My husband and I were in town recently and tried Bottega. He is from Alabama and is familiar with Birmingham. I am much less so and right off the bat, I loved the neighborhood. The building is also really cool and sure enough, I was just as impressed when I walked in the door. Our server, Vic, was everything you want in a server. He was really knowledgeable, suggested delicious dishes, and was fun and friendly. The cocktails were yummy. I had something with blackberries in it and everything is fresh squeezed. We started with peaches wrapped in prosciutto and they were out of this world. My husband got a meatball sandwich and I got a white pie pizza. Once again, so flavorful with unique flavors. For dessert, we had what they call a semi-fredo, or partially frozen concoction. I had never tasted anything like it. It wasn't an ice cream, but was cold and creamy with berries, fresh whipped cream topping, with pistachio pieces, all on a little almond cookie. It is possibly the best dessert my husband and I have ever had. We'll be passing through again in a couple of years and Bottega will be at the top of the list.
(5)Nathan B.
There is such a thing as Southern hospitality, and Bottega embodies it. The Bottega Cafe (the fancier restaurant is housed in the same building) is a fantastic and decently priced restaurant. The staff is friendly, knowledgeable and casual, and the food was creative, well-prepared and served in a timely fashion. We sat outside on a rather cool but pleasant night, and I enjoyed a salmon special that they served over polenta. I sampled a few other items from my friends and everything was outstanding, including a couple of the appetizers that they brought us. The music that they played was totally entertaining, as we heard things from standard contemporary FM fare to Ween's "Bananas and Blow." First time for that one in a restuarant. Not only that, our server came to the concert I was performing that night and GAVE us 5 slices of some killer tiramisu for dessert since we said we didn't have time earlier. When in Birmingham folks, go to Bottega!!!
(5)Janet S.
After reading the reviews below, I was stunned, perhaps we arrived on a bad night. Firstly the noise level is unbelievably loud, do not go here if you are intending to have any kind of conversation other than "pick up". I think maybe the chef was off and someone had to deputize, this is the only acceptable reason for the recipes being prepared so badly. Four of us had less than acceptable food. The lamb kebab appetizer was actually lamb kofte, highly seasoned but not blended. It was overcooked. The house Leaf salads were OK. The Bruschetta which was not Bruschetta but toast with a bowl of topping which tasted like tomato soup and cheese blended was amateur. Carbonara - now guys if you are going to try this, look up how to cook it, a carbonara is not an alfredo, there should be no sauce in the dish - it coats the pasta, and its not creamy. The pizza was tasty but presentation was abysmal, I thought pizzas were flat....not bowl shaped. Maybe its a Birmingham Thang. The salmon was over cooked and finally I cant even remember what the fourth entree was, it was so unmemorable. On a more boring note yes I have travelled extensively including Italy so perhaps my expectation is high, when the waitress asked me and my husband how wonderful our food was and we said less than adequate she was confused....no reduction in billing was offered. Cocktails super weak and unimaginative.
(1)Stacey W.
This was a cute place..loved the architectural design of the building. Perhaps, it was that I was so excited and overjoyed to see my date...but I found myself not paying much attention to the food. I'd rate the food at about average. I had the salmon which was very good, no complaints, but the bread was disappointing and why on earth do people insist on refrigerating red wine! Ugh! The wait staff was great, paid attention and serviced us frequently! Did this place stand out to me as a place that I'd die to go back to? nah. But I'd be up for trying the Bottega Italian Restaurant next door.
(3)Craig N.
Always consistently good. Service is always pleasant and nothing is ever too much to ask. Went for a late dinner last night (9:30) and got right in. Perfect time to go on a Saturday night. Wife had the chicken scallopini which was perfectly prepared and very flavorful. I had the Bucateli pasta with field peas and they added shrimp for me for a protein. Don't eat pasta much at all any more, but if I'm going to eat it, it better be good and this was. Perfectly al dente pasta with a simple sauce of fresh tomatoes and field peas. Little light parmesan and perfectly cooked shrimp. Normally don't do dessert, but threw caution to the wind and went for the dulce de leche cheese cake..Wow perfect end to the night.
(4)Tammy B.
D-licious! The best burger we had in B'ham (compared to Silvertron and J. Clyde's). The bolognese was rich and perfect on a misty and cold afternoon. Service was prompt and professional, but mildly stiff and awkward. On their Saturday lunch menu we didn't see wines by the bottle, so we asked. Yes, they serve by the bottle. The bourbon negroni is not as good as the traditional negroni. Reasonably priced considering the atmosphere and quality of the food.
(4)William W.
Service was excellent and food came out promptly. I had the mac and cheese but added the sausage....recommend.
(5)Miranda R.
Been to Bottega a few times but apparently never reviewed! So, last night popped in for a birthday dinner. We ordered the cold soup of the day. I don't remember the name of it as I don't like cold soup. What's wrong with hot soup on a hot summer day! I don't get it. But, it pleased the rest of the table. The flat bread with 3 spreads was very delicious: babaghanoush, tzatziki, htipiti. The htipiti was the table favorite. Very good. I had the chicken scaloppine. I only wish there was more of it! Very good. Polenta is such a warm delight! Offset by the capers and arugula...yah! Gimme more. For dessert we did both gelato and sorbet. All the flavors were amazing (especially lemon and salted caramel). Neither of us (3 of us) were very keen on blackberry? Very dense/fluffy/almost warm?? It was bizarre. The others at my table had the porchetta (i had a bite, it was flavorful) and one had the burger. It was a lovely time. Our server was very friendly and attentive. Even the mayor stopped in for a visit! :P I don't think you can have a bad time at Bottega Cafe.
(4)Andrea R.
During my quick 24 hours in Birmingham I kept hearing about the fabulous food scene. While we didn't have time for many meals (there was work to be done), we were able to fit in a lovely dinner at Bottega Cafe. Bottega is one restaurant with 2 sides. Apparently one side is very expensive and one is a bit more reasonable. We sat on the "more reasonable" side, which I found to be relatively inexpensive...then again I'm comparing to Chicago prices. We sat on their lovely patio and enjoyed the southern hospitality from our waiter, which even included some ghost stories from his college. I blame him for keeping me up that night, but he also gets credit for stellar service. I was sold as soon as I saw homemade potoato chips on the menu and they lived up to the hype. So delish. We also ordered the olive delived eggs to start. I found them odd, but really liked them. It may just be me though because one of my dining companions told me she wasn't too impressed. Oh well- more for me! For my entree my olive deviled egg hating companion and I split the broken fried egg on polenta salad and a grilled chicken with sweet peppers (among other things). I loved the salad- apparently I was in a egg mood that evening! The pizza didn't really do it for me so I'd probably skip that next time. No room for dessert, especially after all those homemade potato chips. Our water was nice enough to call us a cab and we were on our way back to the hotel with bellies full of delicious eggs and more.
(4)Matthew F.
Food is great.... However service is pretty awful tonight. Which is surprising given that normally it is top notch service.
(2)Andrew M.
While I have been here for dinner before and enjoyed it, I stopped by this weekend for a mid-afternoon drink and snack on the patio, and I could not have picked a better place. The service was fast and friendly, the patio was inviting, the cocktails were refreshing and the "antipasto platter" was the perfect snack. Light but flavorful. I suggest you spend a spring afternoon on their patio. You won't regret it.
(4)Will L.
You know it's going to be amazing, food wise, because of it's well known owner/chef. But wait, there's more... I'm generally turned off a bit by fancy pants restaurants that take themselves too seriously. The Cafe meets you right in the middle. They cut the prices in half, let the wait staff and bartenders become more relatable, and still give you the award winning food. While everything on the menu is top notch, I generally stick with the baked feta with focaccia and spicy marinara to dip appetizer (it's hot, melted, and ridiculously delicious) and a chicken Caesar salad with anchovies. If you add alcohol, you will clearly add to the price. If not, you will escape with a meal that's hard to beat, at a price that beats most.
(5)Michael D.
The Bottega Cafe' is a complete experience from the time you hit the door. The staff, the extensive wine list, the creative Italian make-your-taste-buds-sing food, the staff, did I say the food yet too....They have their act together and it shows in their attention to detail in everything they do. Frank Stitts hit's the nail on the head, repeatedly, with this under-stated bistro style restaurant and the superb team that makes it go just off of Highland Blvd. By the way, thank you Francesco for a fantastic evening and exceptionally superb service. The next time we go I'm having the Highland Martini with blue cheese stuffed olives....... oh yeaaaaahhhhh. Expect to pay for what you get, a fantastic meal and service too. I recommend the Highland Martini (cheese stuffed olives please) fritto misto appetizer (seafood so fresh, cooked in a tempura style batter, you don't need a sauce) and the Paparadella (braised duck, morel mushrooms, and homemade pasta). A robust Italian red alongside the above will set your tastebuds to singing. Enjoy!!!
(5)Thomas C.
Lower-key bistro-type ambience with the same outstanding food from Frank Stitt Ambience/Service: The Cafe side of Bottega is a more low-key place compared to the restaurant next door. Everything from being able to watch the staff in the back working the woodfire grill for their pizzas to more open seating and a big communal table. Service is always polite. I typically go to sit at the bar and the bartenders are all good at what they do. Food (I'm vegetarian): There are always some vegetarian dishes at all of Frank Stitt's restaurant which I appreciate. I've sampled a lot of his recipe but always come back for the pizzas. From margherita (which isn't on the menu but really delicious) to their seasonal menu which changes every few months, they are always excellent with a light and crispy crust and some of the best flavor combinations you can think of. The last one I had was asparagus, buffalo mozzarella and mint. Who knew. Their salads are great too. The food can't be beat. Overall: I've started to make this a regular place I go to for a high-quality but relaxed atmosphere place. Would highly recommend to anyone who wants great food without needing to get dressed up.
(5)Jeremy E.
If you are looking for some delicious food from Chef Frank Stitt, but aren't up for spending as much as you would at Highlands or the main dining room of Bottega, then definitely check out Bottega Cafe! There is nothing really negative to say about this place. I want to say first off that their pizzas are about the best that I have had in Birmingham. The salmon pizza is incredible...craving one now that I am writing this! The cocktails are top notch as well. The only negative to me in that the inside, while a beautiful space, gets very loud when it is crowded (which is most of the time.) I know that a lot of people are fans of community tables and banquette seating, but I am not...and these make up the majority of the seating inside. I will wait for an outside table if I have to, because that is the place to be here. The courtyard patio, nestled behind neatly trimmed hedges, is awesome, and such a relaxing spot to enjoy a great meal or just cocktail with friends.
(5)Scott L.
Stopped in for lunch on the way through town. On the trip out had a delicious meal at the restaurant side of Bottega. Ordered a Bourbon Negroni - which is very similar to a Boulevardier - delicious drink. Ordered the Veal Scallopine with a side of Butter Beans and Dill. The butter beans were good with the dill but they wanted something. The Chicken Scallopine was very nice. I've had chicken that was more tender but that's not a major complaint. Well cooked and the salad accompaniment had a light, lemony vinaigrette that was just right and paired well with the chicken. All in all, a very nice meal. Hannah was our server - attentive, informed, delightful.
(4)Calvin S.
The friendly waitstaff here would be one of the reasons I would consider giving this place four stars. I actually came here from a recommendation to try their pizza, but the waitstaff, while helping me with alcoholic choices, recommended that I get the piadine. It was a great choice- except half the bread was burnt. Which may be the way that it's supposed to be, but charred bread and arugula aren't my preferable choice. The waiter was polite enough through my nitpicking and offered to return it to the kitchen. The ambience of this place is like a private club. There's more than a few individuals who have grown up from a higher socioeconomic status, and it percolates into the way that everyone dresses and talks. Not like I wanted to overhear people's conversations, but they were as plastic as much as I love that bracelet that your mom gave you from Africa. Dress up more than down. Oh, and for parking, you better make sure to carpool. There aren't that many non-valet spots.
(3)Laurie H.
We took a long car ride on a Saturday afternoon expecting to have a lovely lunch in a new, somewhat upscale restaurant that had great reviews. Unfortunately we did not enjoy it and could not get out of there soon enough. I have no doubt that people would love the atmosphere as the reviews certainly indicated. For us, it was like walking into a very crowded cocktail party. We were all stuffed into a small place sitting so close to those near you that wait staff and diners had to pause to let others pass by. I watched one woman wait and wait until she could merge into a path only to give up and go a very long less popular route cutting between the tight tables. However the worse part was the noise of all those folks just rolled and rolled throughout the room aided by the very high ceiling and the nature of the older building. There were multiple noise buffering fabric pieces hanging from the ceiling but they did not help reduce the din at all. Drinking cocktails was an obvious draw for the majority of the tables there which certainly helped to fuel the level of noise. Crowds waiting for tables also added to the noise and atmosphere. My husband and I could not talk without leaning in and raising our voices and accepting that we still might not get heard. I would recommend sitting on the patio even if it is not something you typically do. The food was hard for us to enjoy however the bread was delicious. We had a cold tomato cucumber soup that was tasty and main dishes. At the end of my meal, I realized I had consumed a lot of olive oil. It is offered to dip your bread into and was put on the soup as a garnish with basil. My pasta had a pesto sauce which was basil leaves and pine nuts floating in a fair amount of olive oil. So our main dishes were not impressive. Our service was okay but nothing really rose above the noise for us. Since only one other reviewer mentioned the noise, I thought I might offer this review for those who might be looking to enjoy their dining companions with their food.
(2)SouthernFoodie M.
Amazing. I would be here all the time if I lived in the Ham. Seriously, the best service from the moment you step in the door (which is opened up for you.) We had a great waiter, and he gave us some great guidance on the menu. We snacked our way through the menu .... started out with this amazing gazpacho like cold tomato soup, followed by marinated olives. Then had the trip of Greek dips .... luckily the hubby and I each had our favorites which we inhaled. (the tzatiki is so fresh and dill-y!). We wrapped up with splitting a pizza and could not finish it we were so stuffed.... amazing experience and perfect food. Thanks!
(5)Amy C.
I definitely get the mixed the reviews of this place.. some things are much better than others! I've been wanting to try one of Frank Stitt's restaurants for a while and decided to start with Bottega Cafe and work my way up as to not be disappointed with it compared to the others. I was not disappointed in the least, but here is a breakdown of what we ate: Beef carpaccio: amazing!!! A solid 10 (out of 10) for me. If you like rare steak this is the appetizer for you. I think next time I would just order two of these as a main course. It's so smooth and buttery but also really fresh and clean tasting. One of the best things I've ever eaten in my life. Homemade potato chips with French onion dip: probably as good as potato chips can get, so I give these babies an 8.5 the French onion dip is a slightly more gourmet version of the kind you get at the the grocery store , and the chips are pretty great in all their rustic glory Smoked salmon pizza: probably also an 8.5. The dough is amazing: crispy and fluffy; I don't mind the burnt bits as much as some reviewers did. Just eat around them, it's NBD. The dill mascarpone was amazing, as we're the capers and smoked salmon. It was just a little too salty for me but I know that's kind of how smoked salmon rolls. Tiramisu: 10 10 10! Best Tiramisu Ive ever had. I love how they used chocolate shavings instead of cocoa powder. There was some sort of creamy deliciousness all over the plate which made it even more divine. Drinks: next time I'm just going to forego cocktails and stick with the wine. I had something with prosecco and grapefruit juice in it.. it was a glorified mimosa and not worth $10. My husband had something with tea syrup and it was waaay to sweet. Maybe I just think of myself as a pretty darn good home bartender but I'd only give the cocktails here a 5 . I definitely recommend Bottega Cafe for a fun date night or group outing. You won't be disappointed!
(4)Ee Vonn Y.
You could not ask for a better restaurant setting with the worst parking. Even if you are reluctant to valet parking, the men running this show are very polite and professional. In about 10 seconds from handing over your keys, you've already forgotten about your parking woes because this restaurant has to be the one of the prettiest in Birmingham. You're welcomed in this world of nicely dressed individuals who are looking for the night off. Although the unspoken rules of attire is that you dress to impress, I got the feeling everyone was here just got off work and were ready to unwind for the night. Everyone who waited for a seat all had a drink in hand and seemed happy to be there. The outdoor wine bar also drew me. I almost wanted to stay just so I could sit at the wine bar on the restaurant side. As expected, I came here for the pizza since my boss had raved about their pizza, so this had to be added to my extensive pizza list. While I can see where his admiration came from, selecting the right pizza is important. Get the lamb sausage. Even if you can't taste that much of the lamb, the large chunks of feta cheese, hummus, and diced mint on the pizza sends you away. If you're secretly trying to impress someone and don't want to break your budget and have something delicious that you don't get every day, this is real deal. A big guy can finish this by himself so treat this like an appetizer if you're sharing. The white pie was really plain. It tasted great but even as I'm typing this review, I can't remember what it tasted like. It looks almost like a normal sausage pizza you'd find at any pizza place but in pint-sized portions. While the size of the lamb sausage pizza didn't feel like an issue because of the interesting flavors and presentation, the white pie falls flat. Refrigerator Test: Lamb sausage still tastes great and the giant chunks of delicious feta cheese helps. However, the white pie tastes like any sausage pizza.
(4)Kathryn L.
Bottega Cafe is so dependable when it comes to having a nice night out. The staff is always courteous, the cocktail selection always chic and exciting and the food of course never disappoints. We started with my favorite appetizer, beef carpaccio. It's served at several high end spots around town but this version is, to me, the most accurate and enjoyable. The horseradish is key! We then split a few pizzas which were fresh and flavorful, their brick oven is so hard to beat! In short, I can't imagine regretting picking this place when it comes to dinner and cocktails.
(5)Daniel D.
They are NOT open on Monday nights even though it says they are. Correct your info so you don't inconvenience your customers, please.
(2)Carolan D.
We were very disappointed in our evening at Bottega Cafe. The bartender was not very friendly, the drinks were overpriced ($16 for a house Cabernet!), and the food was poor to average. I had a un-appetizing salad with sardines that were almost inedible and undercooked potatoes. My husbands burger was average, but overall too much smoky flavor. The pork belly starter was the highlight, but it went down from there. And I appreciate our server removing the salad from the bill. Overall I feel that we wasted our money.
(1)Jarinda W.
I always get the chicken scallopine... Love it. Atmosphere is great especially if you get an outside table
(5)Ty T.
When I first moved back to Birmingham from Los Angeles, nothing represented the remarkable transformation in the local culinary scene like Frank Stitt's, Bottega Cafe. From the Gulf Shrimp Risotto to the Beef Tenderloin, everything is spot on. You quickly find out why Frank Stitt has won numerous James Beard awards. Im a huge fan of Tiramisu and Bottega's is excellent. The service is always very prompt and they are extremely knowledgeable about the menu. The care and passion they have for the restaurant is very evident. This is one of my favorite aspects of the restaurant. When my server cares, i care that much more. Bottega offers a great outdoor patio as well. Perfect for the Birmingham's fall weather. If you are visiting Birmingham and want to get the true Birmingham culinary experience, I highly recommend Bottega.
(5)Samantha D.
I really wanted to love this place, and I really did like it, but it was just a little short of five stars. We went there on a Wednesday night with five other people, a total of seven people. We did not have to wait very long, which was great. The bread and olive oil to start was really good. We got the potato chips appetizer and the baked feta... Both were okay but nothing spectacular. Two of our group got the steak, and the steaks were very good. If you are eating with me, there is about 100% chance that we are going to share food, so I tried everything first hand. The steaks were cooked perfectly. Another member of our group got the mac & cheese which was just like I like it, swimming in butter and various cheeses. One of the guys, the birthday boy, got the special of the evening which was a fish... I actually did not try it, but I did try his soup which was average. The salads that we got before the meal were very good, with a very vinegary vinaigrette. I got the farm egg pizza, and I give it an eight out of 10. After dinner: we got the peanut butter cake and the tiramisu. We had mentioned that it was one of our birthdays, and the restaurant decorated the tiramisu beautifully. See picture.. All in all the main restaurant is my preference but I would go back to the café again.
(4)Natasha G.
Though I'm embarrassed to admit that I had somewhat low expectations of the fine dining scene in this city, I was truly impressed by the food I had around Birmingham. Walking into Bottega, I could have been in Malibu (though hair/faces are more shellacked around these parts) -- the architecture, the menu, and the ambiance were very California-fancy-casual. The seasonal menu and great cocktail list make this a good foodie destination if you have the budget for it. I came in for lunch, and the crowd seemed to be a mix of people in suits having business lunches and ladies of leisure with a chair full of shopping bags. The service here is efficient, and the staff well-trained/attentive. I got a great lunchtime cocktail and the pasta special: calamarata pasta (shaped like rings of calamari) with mussels and guanciale in a light cream sauce. It was SO GOOD. Seriously. I ate all of it and scooped up the remaining sauce with some bread. The pasta tasted freshly-made, and the sauce wasn't overwhelming. I also got to try some of my table-mates' pizza it it, too, was well-executed. This place is a nice gem, and I bet it's even better for dinner and cocktail hour. A must-visit in Birmingham if you want a change of pace from heavy food and too-large portions.
(4)Alayne H.
Stopped in here for a late night cocktail and was very impressed. This must have been an old government or bank building transformed into a warm contemporary space. We only ordered drinks from the bar so can't comment on the food. I can't remember the exact name of the cocktail I ordered but it was a strawberry infused drink served in a martini glass. Very refreshing and satisfying. The bartenders were friendly and on point. The great service, awesome atmosphere and a great cocktail list will bring me back. But on the next visit I plan to have lunch or dinner.
(4)J M.
A bit pricey and usually busy, but consistently good food with nice atmosphere (especially the outdoor seating).
(4)Jessica M.
Delicious. We went to Bottega Cafe before a concert downtown a few Fridays ago. We were expecting to spend a lot more money that we actually did. For about $50 before tax and tip, we both got exactly what we wanted as our main dish (no skimping for something smaller/cheaper to make the bill less), and appetizer, and I even got a Diet Coke. My husband got a hamburger, which was SO good and came with potato chips and I got the "white pie". I was able to take half of the pizza with me to eat for lunch the next day. I have been craving the "white pie" ever since - especially since I have to drive by Bottega on my way home from work each day. The staff was great, friendly, and my husband said that our waiter was "a ninja waiter" because he kept refilling our drinks and making sure we had everything we needed without being disruptive to our conversation. We'll be back!
(4)Natasha S.
The atmosphere was relaxing and the service was good. Didn't have to ask for a drink, it was refilled constantly. The food was delicious and the portion size was pretty large. We went here for lunch, it was pretty busy so a bit slow. Otherwise, everything was great. Definitely a choice on the list.
(4)Levi S.
Excellent service, food and atmosphere. Our party enjoyed their salads, burgers, pasta dishes and pizza.
(4)Jessica G.
I went their expecting much more. Don't get the main restaraunt confused with the cafe. That is what I did. The Cafe is to the right of the building and the main dining area is to the left. The menu was very minimal and seemed to have reasonable prices for their pizzas. Although, I must say, excellent wait staff. I would try it again, but next time I'll go for lunch.
(3)Dan E.
Ok - so I'm going to come across as a California snob -- but then again, I travel alot for work and have a pretty open mind for the local fare wherever I go. That being said, this place was fantastically uninspiring: ** The calamari was bland and rubbery -- and cold too. ** Mussels tasted wonderfully like --- nothing, except salt -- lots of salt. So I guess that's good if you're into that sort of thing. ** Pasta was like eating warmed hay. ** Waitress was spacey and I think checked on us twice during the 2 hours we were there. ** And what's with all the 20 year olds pretending they're in Beverly Hills? There are better places in the area (e.g. Avo/Dram). Go there instead --better food, better staff.
(1)Alanna A.
Good food and great service. I will definitely recommend this place to anyone in town. I was in town for business and yelp'd this place after a recommendation. This place did not disappoint. I had the crab cake special and it was good. Also, shared the 16 layer cake which was amazing. The service is a little slow, but good for a casual dinner.
(4)Dax B.
Dan, sorry you had a bad outing at Bottega. Hopefully it was just a single misfire. Avo/Dram does not come close to comparing to Bottega Cafe.
(4)Walter P.
This place hits it spot on. Definitely putting BHam in a revival list of culinary arts. I actually prefer this to the next door sister bottega. Great white pie and amazing chicken dish. Worthy of all 5 stars.
(5)ben h.
Another great Frank Stitt restaurant. Great place to have lunch or meet a group after work for great food and nice cocktails. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Monday night or Tuesday lunch special is crab cakes--the best in town. Sit outside and enjoy the sun or the star light night. If too crowded, pop next door for true fine dining.
(5)Craig N.
Always consistently good. Service is always pleasant and nothing is ever too much to ask. Went for a late dinner last night (9:30) and got right in. Perfect time to go on a Saturday night. Wife had the chicken scallopini which was perfectly prepared and very flavorful. I had the Bucateli pasta with field peas and they added shrimp for me for a protein. Don't eat pasta much at all any more, but if I'm going to eat it, it better be good and this was. Perfectly al dente pasta with a simple sauce of fresh tomatoes and field peas. Little light parmesan and perfectly cooked shrimp. Normally don't do dessert, but threw caution to the wind and went for the dulce de leche cheese cake..Wow perfect end to the night.
(4)Lillie P.
Long wait. Pretentious environment. Over-hyped food and overpriced drinks. Very loud inside, hard to have conversation. Good company and the peach cobbler is the only reason this place is even getting 3 stars.
(3)Christy T.
I usually enjoy but was placed at a hot table by the restroom where I have NEVER seen anyone before. Not fun!
(2)Becky E.
I prefer the laid-back atmosphere of Frank Stitt's cafes. You still get great food but in a more comfortable setting. The breads they serve here and the olive oil are delicious, and I love the pizza with the smoked salmon and capers. Also, Frank Stitt's burgers are the best in town. Awesome crab cakes and fish selections too. Don't forget to order an "orange thing" while you're there!!! So yummy.
(5)Tom W.
not even sure where to begin...after receiving many recommendations for Bottega, we decided to give it a whirl. At best, the food was fair and I am being generous. A sardine appetizer that could have been plated directly from a can, an unimaginative romaine salad, overcooked farm raised salmon, and a skirt steak that was fatty (not the melt in your mouth fat that is typically characteristic of skirt steak), chewy and very unappetizing. Sometimes you can give a restaurant another "look" if the food is close, but there was a large gap here. I couldn't recommend Bottega nor would I return. And considering the price point was fairly high, there's no question about my decision. Or maybe it is a pizza and beer cafe?
(1)Sheri P.
I went there for my birthday a few weeks ago with a group of my friends. We waited for about an hour and half and sat outside with some drinks. The hostess brought us some bread and olive oil which was nice. I love the atmosphere. My friends were not too impressed with the pizza. Mine was okay. I thought it would be better. I got a free delicious dessert because it was my birthday. I will still go back over and over.
(4)Steve M.
Exceptional restaurant by international standards. Had dinner there 8 January 2010 and found service, wine list, bread, selection of ingredients all to be spectacular. Prices reasonable for a Five-Star and though fully booked, when i called at 5pm to ask if they could accommodate a San Diegan and a Londoner for dinner at 6:30 they say 'come on by'. Strongly recommended and buy Frank Stitt's latest book when you are there. I brought it home for the wife - BIG hit!
(5)Carrie F.
GREAT Pizza and hamburgers. The desserts are awesome...typical Stitt restaurant!
(5)Doug T.
Usually when you're from out of town and you ask the front desk at the hotel for a dinner recommendation you get sent to Ruby Tuesday or something along those lines (Nothing against Ruby Tuesday,always a safe, albeit unexciting dining experience). Thankfully that didn't happen this time around as I was told to turn left past the Ruby Tuesday and proceed to Bottega. I throughly enjoyed the Rustica Pizza (prosciutto, coppacola, provolone and ricotta with caramelized onions) and noted that it was cooked in a wood fired oven (pizza crust perfection). Although initially a little salty for my taste, the server brought some crushed red pepper and a side of marinara sauce which smoothed things out for me. I washed it down with an ice cold draft Guinness (for good health), which complimented the pizza and would have been perfectly content... It appears however, that I made the same mistake that others have made, and went to the "cafe" side as opposed to the "restaurant" side of Bottega (which apparently has a different menu). Prior to ordering, but after sitting down, I had mentioned to the maître d' that I was really in the mood for ravioli, but he said this was only available on the menu in the formal side. Oh well! I resigned myself to pizza. While I was munching on my pizza, and to my surprise, the maître d' brought out a small plate of ravioli compliments of the chef which was perfectly prepared and extremely tasty! Wow! I have very rarely experienced this level of service, which in my mind is unsurpassed and for me this small gesture turned an otherwise "four star" rating into a "five star" rating! A nice restaurant with both great food and great service! What a novel concept! This place gets it!
(5)Miranda R.
Been to Bottega a few times but apparently never reviewed! So, last night popped in for a birthday dinner. We ordered the cold soup of the day. I don't remember the name of it as I don't like cold soup. What's wrong with hot soup on a hot summer day! I don't get it. But, it pleased the rest of the table. The flat bread with 3 spreads was very delicious: babaghanoush, tzatziki, htipiti. The htipiti was the table favorite. Very good. I had the chicken scaloppine. I only wish there was more of it! Very good. Polenta is such a warm delight! Offset by the capers and arugula...yah! Gimme more. For dessert we did both gelato and sorbet. All the flavors were amazing (especially lemon and salted caramel). Neither of us (3 of us) were very keen on blackberry? Very dense/fluffy/almost warm?? It was bizarre. The others at my table had the porchetta (i had a bite, it was flavorful) and one had the burger. It was a lovely time. Our server was very friendly and attentive. Even the mayor stopped in for a visit! :P I don't think you can have a bad time at Bottega Cafe.
(4)Michael D.
The Bottega Cafe' is a complete experience from the time you hit the door. The staff, the extensive wine list, the creative Italian make-your-taste-buds-sing food, the staff, did I say the food yet too....They have their act together and it shows in their attention to detail in everything they do. Frank Stitts hit's the nail on the head, repeatedly, with this under-stated bistro style restaurant and the superb team that makes it go just off of Highland Blvd. By the way, thank you Francesco for a fantastic evening and exceptionally superb service. The next time we go I'm having the Highland Martini with blue cheese stuffed olives....... oh yeaaaaahhhhh. Expect to pay for what you get, a fantastic meal and service too. I recommend the Highland Martini (cheese stuffed olives please) fritto misto appetizer (seafood so fresh, cooked in a tempura style batter, you don't need a sauce) and the Paparadella (braised duck, morel mushrooms, and homemade pasta). A robust Italian red alongside the above will set your tastebuds to singing. Enjoy!!!
(5)Thomas C.
Lower-key bistro-type ambience with the same outstanding food from Frank Stitt Ambience/Service: The Cafe side of Bottega is a more low-key place compared to the restaurant next door. Everything from being able to watch the staff in the back working the woodfire grill for their pizzas to more open seating and a big communal table. Service is always polite. I typically go to sit at the bar and the bartenders are all good at what they do. Food (I'm vegetarian): There are always some vegetarian dishes at all of Frank Stitt's restaurant which I appreciate. I've sampled a lot of his recipe but always come back for the pizzas. From margherita (which isn't on the menu but really delicious) to their seasonal menu which changes every few months, they are always excellent with a light and crispy crust and some of the best flavor combinations you can think of. The last one I had was asparagus, buffalo mozzarella and mint. Who knew. Their salads are great too. The food can't be beat. Overall: I've started to make this a regular place I go to for a high-quality but relaxed atmosphere place. Would highly recommend to anyone who wants great food without needing to get dressed up.
(5)Jeremy E.
If you are looking for some delicious food from Chef Frank Stitt, but aren't up for spending as much as you would at Highlands or the main dining room of Bottega, then definitely check out Bottega Cafe! There is nothing really negative to say about this place. I want to say first off that their pizzas are about the best that I have had in Birmingham. The salmon pizza is incredible...craving one now that I am writing this! The cocktails are top notch as well. The only negative to me in that the inside, while a beautiful space, gets very loud when it is crowded (which is most of the time.) I know that a lot of people are fans of community tables and banquette seating, but I am not...and these make up the majority of the seating inside. I will wait for an outside table if I have to, because that is the place to be here. The courtyard patio, nestled behind neatly trimmed hedges, is awesome, and such a relaxing spot to enjoy a great meal or just cocktail with friends.
(5)Laurie H.
We took a long car ride on a Saturday afternoon expecting to have a lovely lunch in a new, somewhat upscale restaurant that had great reviews. Unfortunately we did not enjoy it and could not get out of there soon enough. I have no doubt that people would love the atmosphere as the reviews certainly indicated. For us, it was like walking into a very crowded cocktail party. We were all stuffed into a small place sitting so close to those near you that wait staff and diners had to pause to let others pass by. I watched one woman wait and wait until she could merge into a path only to give up and go a very long less popular route cutting between the tight tables. However the worse part was the noise of all those folks just rolled and rolled throughout the room aided by the very high ceiling and the nature of the older building. There were multiple noise buffering fabric pieces hanging from the ceiling but they did not help reduce the din at all. Drinking cocktails was an obvious draw for the majority of the tables there which certainly helped to fuel the level of noise. Crowds waiting for tables also added to the noise and atmosphere. My husband and I could not talk without leaning in and raising our voices and accepting that we still might not get heard. I would recommend sitting on the patio even if it is not something you typically do. The food was hard for us to enjoy however the bread was delicious. We had a cold tomato cucumber soup that was tasty and main dishes. At the end of my meal, I realized I had consumed a lot of olive oil. It is offered to dip your bread into and was put on the soup as a garnish with basil. My pasta had a pesto sauce which was basil leaves and pine nuts floating in a fair amount of olive oil. So our main dishes were not impressive. Our service was okay but nothing really rose above the noise for us. Since only one other reviewer mentioned the noise, I thought I might offer this review for those who might be looking to enjoy their dining companions with their food.
(2)SouthernFoodie M.
Amazing. I would be here all the time if I lived in the Ham. Seriously, the best service from the moment you step in the door (which is opened up for you.) We had a great waiter, and he gave us some great guidance on the menu. We snacked our way through the menu .... started out with this amazing gazpacho like cold tomato soup, followed by marinated olives. Then had the trip of Greek dips .... luckily the hubby and I each had our favorites which we inhaled. (the tzatiki is so fresh and dill-y!). We wrapped up with splitting a pizza and could not finish it we were so stuffed.... amazing experience and perfect food. Thanks!
(5)Amy C.
I definitely get the mixed the reviews of this place.. some things are much better than others! I've been wanting to try one of Frank Stitt's restaurants for a while and decided to start with Bottega Cafe and work my way up as to not be disappointed with it compared to the others. I was not disappointed in the least, but here is a breakdown of what we ate: Beef carpaccio: amazing!!! A solid 10 (out of 10) for me. If you like rare steak this is the appetizer for you. I think next time I would just order two of these as a main course. It's so smooth and buttery but also really fresh and clean tasting. One of the best things I've ever eaten in my life. Homemade potato chips with French onion dip: probably as good as potato chips can get, so I give these babies an 8.5 the French onion dip is a slightly more gourmet version of the kind you get at the the grocery store , and the chips are pretty great in all their rustic glory Smoked salmon pizza: probably also an 8.5. The dough is amazing: crispy and fluffy; I don't mind the burnt bits as much as some reviewers did. Just eat around them, it's NBD. The dill mascarpone was amazing, as we're the capers and smoked salmon. It was just a little too salty for me but I know that's kind of how smoked salmon rolls. Tiramisu: 10 10 10! Best Tiramisu Ive ever had. I love how they used chocolate shavings instead of cocoa powder. There was some sort of creamy deliciousness all over the plate which made it even more divine. Drinks: next time I'm just going to forego cocktails and stick with the wine. I had something with prosecco and grapefruit juice in it.. it was a glorified mimosa and not worth $10. My husband had something with tea syrup and it was waaay to sweet. Maybe I just think of myself as a pretty darn good home bartender but I'd only give the cocktails here a 5 . I definitely recommend Bottega Cafe for a fun date night or group outing. You won't be disappointed!
(4)Scott L.
Stopped in for lunch on the way through town. On the trip out had a delicious meal at the restaurant side of Bottega. Ordered a Bourbon Negroni - which is very similar to a Boulevardier - delicious drink. Ordered the Veal Scallopine with a side of Butter Beans and Dill. The butter beans were good with the dill but they wanted something. The Chicken Scallopine was very nice. I've had chicken that was more tender but that's not a major complaint. Well cooked and the salad accompaniment had a light, lemony vinaigrette that was just right and paired well with the chicken. All in all, a very nice meal. Hannah was our server - attentive, informed, delightful.
(4)Alayne H.
Stopped in here for a late night cocktail and was very impressed. This must have been an old government or bank building transformed into a warm contemporary space. We only ordered drinks from the bar so can't comment on the food. I can't remember the exact name of the cocktail I ordered but it was a strawberry infused drink served in a martini glass. Very refreshing and satisfying. The bartenders were friendly and on point. The great service, awesome atmosphere and a great cocktail list will bring me back. But on the next visit I plan to have lunch or dinner.
(4)J M.
A bit pricey and usually busy, but consistently good food with nice atmosphere (especially the outdoor seating).
(4)Ee Vonn Y.
You could not ask for a better restaurant setting with the worst parking. Even if you are reluctant to valet parking, the men running this show are very polite and professional. In about 10 seconds from handing over your keys, you've already forgotten about your parking woes because this restaurant has to be the one of the prettiest in Birmingham. You're welcomed in this world of nicely dressed individuals who are looking for the night off. Although the unspoken rules of attire is that you dress to impress, I got the feeling everyone was here just got off work and were ready to unwind for the night. Everyone who waited for a seat all had a drink in hand and seemed happy to be there. The outdoor wine bar also drew me. I almost wanted to stay just so I could sit at the wine bar on the restaurant side. As expected, I came here for the pizza since my boss had raved about their pizza, so this had to be added to my extensive pizza list. While I can see where his admiration came from, selecting the right pizza is important. Get the lamb sausage. Even if you can't taste that much of the lamb, the large chunks of feta cheese, hummus, and diced mint on the pizza sends you away. If you're secretly trying to impress someone and don't want to break your budget and have something delicious that you don't get every day, this is real deal. A big guy can finish this by himself so treat this like an appetizer if you're sharing. The white pie was really plain. It tasted great but even as I'm typing this review, I can't remember what it tasted like. It looks almost like a normal sausage pizza you'd find at any pizza place but in pint-sized portions. While the size of the lamb sausage pizza didn't feel like an issue because of the interesting flavors and presentation, the white pie falls flat. Refrigerator Test: Lamb sausage still tastes great and the giant chunks of delicious feta cheese helps. However, the white pie tastes like any sausage pizza.
(4)Kathryn L.
Bottega Cafe is so dependable when it comes to having a nice night out. The staff is always courteous, the cocktail selection always chic and exciting and the food of course never disappoints. We started with my favorite appetizer, beef carpaccio. It's served at several high end spots around town but this version is, to me, the most accurate and enjoyable. The horseradish is key! We then split a few pizzas which were fresh and flavorful, their brick oven is so hard to beat! In short, I can't imagine regretting picking this place when it comes to dinner and cocktails.
(5)Daniel D.
They are NOT open on Monday nights even though it says they are. Correct your info so you don't inconvenience your customers, please.
(2)Carolan D.
We were very disappointed in our evening at Bottega Cafe. The bartender was not very friendly, the drinks were overpriced ($16 for a house Cabernet!), and the food was poor to average. I had a un-appetizing salad with sardines that were almost inedible and undercooked potatoes. My husbands burger was average, but overall too much smoky flavor. The pork belly starter was the highlight, but it went down from there. And I appreciate our server removing the salad from the bill. Overall I feel that we wasted our money.
(1)Jarinda W.
I always get the chicken scallopine... Love it. Atmosphere is great especially if you get an outside table
(5)Ty T.
When I first moved back to Birmingham from Los Angeles, nothing represented the remarkable transformation in the local culinary scene like Frank Stitt's, Bottega Cafe. From the Gulf Shrimp Risotto to the Beef Tenderloin, everything is spot on. You quickly find out why Frank Stitt has won numerous James Beard awards. Im a huge fan of Tiramisu and Bottega's is excellent. The service is always very prompt and they are extremely knowledgeable about the menu. The care and passion they have for the restaurant is very evident. This is one of my favorite aspects of the restaurant. When my server cares, i care that much more. Bottega offers a great outdoor patio as well. Perfect for the Birmingham's fall weather. If you are visiting Birmingham and want to get the true Birmingham culinary experience, I highly recommend Bottega.
(5)Samantha D.
I really wanted to love this place, and I really did like it, but it was just a little short of five stars. We went there on a Wednesday night with five other people, a total of seven people. We did not have to wait very long, which was great. The bread and olive oil to start was really good. We got the potato chips appetizer and the baked feta... Both were okay but nothing spectacular. Two of our group got the steak, and the steaks were very good. If you are eating with me, there is about 100% chance that we are going to share food, so I tried everything first hand. The steaks were cooked perfectly. Another member of our group got the mac & cheese which was just like I like it, swimming in butter and various cheeses. One of the guys, the birthday boy, got the special of the evening which was a fish... I actually did not try it, but I did try his soup which was average. The salads that we got before the meal were very good, with a very vinegary vinaigrette. I got the farm egg pizza, and I give it an eight out of 10. After dinner: we got the peanut butter cake and the tiramisu. We had mentioned that it was one of our birthdays, and the restaurant decorated the tiramisu beautifully. See picture.. All in all the main restaurant is my preference but I would go back to the café again.
(4)Natasha G.
Though I'm embarrassed to admit that I had somewhat low expectations of the fine dining scene in this city, I was truly impressed by the food I had around Birmingham. Walking into Bottega, I could have been in Malibu (though hair/faces are more shellacked around these parts) -- the architecture, the menu, and the ambiance were very California-fancy-casual. The seasonal menu and great cocktail list make this a good foodie destination if you have the budget for it. I came in for lunch, and the crowd seemed to be a mix of people in suits having business lunches and ladies of leisure with a chair full of shopping bags. The service here is efficient, and the staff well-trained/attentive. I got a great lunchtime cocktail and the pasta special: calamarata pasta (shaped like rings of calamari) with mussels and guanciale in a light cream sauce. It was SO GOOD. Seriously. I ate all of it and scooped up the remaining sauce with some bread. The pasta tasted freshly-made, and the sauce wasn't overwhelming. I also got to try some of my table-mates' pizza it it, too, was well-executed. This place is a nice gem, and I bet it's even better for dinner and cocktail hour. A must-visit in Birmingham if you want a change of pace from heavy food and too-large portions.
(4)Tammy B.
D-licious! The best burger we had in B'ham (compared to Silvertron and J. Clyde's). The bolognese was rich and perfect on a misty and cold afternoon. Service was prompt and professional, but mildly stiff and awkward. On their Saturday lunch menu we didn't see wines by the bottle, so we asked. Yes, they serve by the bottle. The bourbon negroni is not as good as the traditional negroni. Reasonably priced considering the atmosphere and quality of the food.
(4)William W.
Service was excellent and food came out promptly. I had the mac and cheese but added the sausage....recommend.
(5)Calvin S.
The friendly waitstaff here would be one of the reasons I would consider giving this place four stars. I actually came here from a recommendation to try their pizza, but the waitstaff, while helping me with alcoholic choices, recommended that I get the piadine. It was a great choice- except half the bread was burnt. Which may be the way that it's supposed to be, but charred bread and arugula aren't my preferable choice. The waiter was polite enough through my nitpicking and offered to return it to the kitchen. The ambience of this place is like a private club. There's more than a few individuals who have grown up from a higher socioeconomic status, and it percolates into the way that everyone dresses and talks. Not like I wanted to overhear people's conversations, but they were as plastic as much as I love that bracelet that your mom gave you from Africa. Dress up more than down. Oh, and for parking, you better make sure to carpool. There aren't that many non-valet spots.
(3)Andrea R.
During my quick 24 hours in Birmingham I kept hearing about the fabulous food scene. While we didn't have time for many meals (there was work to be done), we were able to fit in a lovely dinner at Bottega Cafe. Bottega is one restaurant with 2 sides. Apparently one side is very expensive and one is a bit more reasonable. We sat on the "more reasonable" side, which I found to be relatively inexpensive...then again I'm comparing to Chicago prices. We sat on their lovely patio and enjoyed the southern hospitality from our waiter, which even included some ghost stories from his college. I blame him for keeping me up that night, but he also gets credit for stellar service. I was sold as soon as I saw homemade potoato chips on the menu and they lived up to the hype. So delish. We also ordered the olive delived eggs to start. I found them odd, but really liked them. It may just be me though because one of my dining companions told me she wasn't too impressed. Oh well- more for me! For my entree my olive deviled egg hating companion and I split the broken fried egg on polenta salad and a grilled chicken with sweet peppers (among other things). I loved the salad- apparently I was in a egg mood that evening! The pizza didn't really do it for me so I'd probably skip that next time. No room for dessert, especially after all those homemade potato chips. Our water was nice enough to call us a cab and we were on our way back to the hotel with bellies full of delicious eggs and more.
(4)Matthew F.
Food is great.... However service is pretty awful tonight. Which is surprising given that normally it is top notch service.
(2)Andrew M.
While I have been here for dinner before and enjoyed it, I stopped by this weekend for a mid-afternoon drink and snack on the patio, and I could not have picked a better place. The service was fast and friendly, the patio was inviting, the cocktails were refreshing and the "antipasto platter" was the perfect snack. Light but flavorful. I suggest you spend a spring afternoon on their patio. You won't regret it.
(4)Will L.
You know it's going to be amazing, food wise, because of it's well known owner/chef. But wait, there's more... I'm generally turned off a bit by fancy pants restaurants that take themselves too seriously. The Cafe meets you right in the middle. They cut the prices in half, let the wait staff and bartenders become more relatable, and still give you the award winning food. While everything on the menu is top notch, I generally stick with the baked feta with focaccia and spicy marinara to dip appetizer (it's hot, melted, and ridiculously delicious) and a chicken Caesar salad with anchovies. If you add alcohol, you will clearly add to the price. If not, you will escape with a meal that's hard to beat, at a price that beats most.
(5)Walter P.
This place hits it spot on. Definitely putting BHam in a revival list of culinary arts. I actually prefer this to the next door sister bottega. Great white pie and amazing chicken dish. Worthy of all 5 stars.
(5)ben h.
Another great Frank Stitt restaurant. Great place to have lunch or meet a group after work for great food and nice cocktails. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Monday night or Tuesday lunch special is crab cakes--the best in town. Sit outside and enjoy the sun or the star light night. If too crowded, pop next door for true fine dining.
(5)Jessica M.
Delicious. We went to Bottega Cafe before a concert downtown a few Fridays ago. We were expecting to spend a lot more money that we actually did. For about $50 before tax and tip, we both got exactly what we wanted as our main dish (no skimping for something smaller/cheaper to make the bill less), and appetizer, and I even got a Diet Coke. My husband got a hamburger, which was SO good and came with potato chips and I got the "white pie". I was able to take half of the pizza with me to eat for lunch the next day. I have been craving the "white pie" ever since - especially since I have to drive by Bottega on my way home from work each day. The staff was great, friendly, and my husband said that our waiter was "a ninja waiter" because he kept refilling our drinks and making sure we had everything we needed without being disruptive to our conversation. We'll be back!
(4)Natasha S.
The atmosphere was relaxing and the service was good. Didn't have to ask for a drink, it was refilled constantly. The food was delicious and the portion size was pretty large. We went here for lunch, it was pretty busy so a bit slow. Otherwise, everything was great. Definitely a choice on the list.
(4)Max M.
What a beautiful building! That impressed me first off. My party and i were a little put off by the fact that Bottega is actually two different restaurants... It seems like there should be two different clearly displayed signs to indicate the two sides of the restaurant, but oh well, i guess if you've been there b4, then you know that... and i'll know that next time, so i'll let that go. Other than that initial weirdness, we really liked the Bottega Café! We got two appetizer items. The first, the funghi (mushroom) pizza was really tasty. I loved all the different types of mushrooms with their flavors blended together. Yum. The other item, the baked feta, to me, was a disappointment. It was basically marinara sauce, with the flavor of the feta indecipherable from the marinara, so i wondered why it was called baked feta. A misnomer if i ever tasted one... I didn't enjoy it, but the toast points that came along with the baked marinara were pretty good. As for my entrée, it was delicious! The chicken scaloppine was perfectly cooked with the bread coating perfectly done. The polenta underneath it was creamy and delicious. My co-diners got two fish entrées and they were oh so right too! They've got some good chefs in that kitchen i would say. There was only one slight issue i had with the food... there was a little salt shift: the pizza was too salty, while the chicken and one of the fish entrées weren't quite salty enuf, but i forgive them for that. We informed them that it was our friend's birthday and they graciously and complimentarily brought him a tiramisu dessert. It was small, (but then again it was free...). However, it was fantastic!... one of the best tiramisus i've ever had. And it was a nice touch that the words Happy Birthday were drizzled in chocolate on the plate. Overall, good job Bottega!
(4)Joe L.
Be prepared to valet the car! Limited parking. Fantastic dinner and experiences. Naturally everything was above average or spectacular that is the standard with any of Frank's Restaurants.
(4)Mark T.
I'm a big fan of Bottega Cafe. The atmosphere of this place is pretty lively and the food is great. I've ordered several items here (the pizza, the fish sandwich, the cafe mac and cheese) and everything has been very good. It's a nicer place, but it isn't overpriced by any means. If you're looking for a nicer meal but you want a more laid back spot, Bottega Cafe is ideal.
(4)John-Bryan H.
Wonderful Italian food brought to you by James Beard award winning chef Frank Stitt. Monday night Crab Cakes...Wonderful
(5)Mike F.
Absolutely delicious food! There are a great amount of simple dining options and a nice full service bar. I last visited for lunch and had the chicken scallopine which was divine. It is chill no frills cafe food with extreme flavor. The best part is dessert! At this time of year they no doubt have some sort of pumpkin inspired sweets. Go before you get hungry as there is usually a wait............or you could make reservations.
(4)Meredith H.
We enjoyed a fantastic lunch here a few weeks back. Really nice decor and atmosphere. We sat at the bar in order to avoid the wait and I would recommend it for sure. Service was great and the food was perfect for a nice lunch. We enjoyed some Good People beer (which is always 5 stars in my book!) and the delicious goat cheese/marinara appetizer. The rate at which we atethe dish was seriously embarrassing. The bartender noticed and joked "wow, that must have been terrible" :) The 1/2 pizza and salad lunch special was perfect and absolutely worth the price. Toppings were fresh and the salad had some zip to it. All in all, it was a truly great experience. I can't wait to go back and dine on "the other side"!
(5)Sheila L.
Bottega Cafe is a jewel! I've been several times and have always received fabulous service and great food & drinks. They have a good selection of wine and can make a mean dirty martini! You must try a Stitt-restaurant signature drink - Orange Thing! Delicioso! I'll wager that their hamburger is as good as Chez FonFon's. The bun holds up to the juicy beef. They'll cook it to perfection (mine is medium rare - pretty red with a nice char) and give you a choice of cheese. Add to that carmelized red onions and homemade potato chips . . . what a meal.
(4)Catherine H.
I recently moved to CA from AL. If there's one thing I miss, it's Bottega Cafe. Frank Stitt is a well known chef in the Birmingham area, and he gives bigger cities a run for their money with his restaurants! This place has great cocktails, wonderful atmosphere, great outdoor dinning, and the chicken scallopinne is to die for! If you are ever visiting from out of the area and looking for a fab place to eat, go here. You won't be sorry. My 0.02 ... start with beef carpaccio or house salad, then you won't go wrong with anything else. Bread pudding is a great treat, too! And if you go during the summer, order a strawberry fields cocktail.
(4)Chay O.
What is the difference between this place and the High Land Bar and Grill? I know that it's supposed to be an Italian restaurant but the menu is almost identical to its sister's restaurant (Highland). I am a frequenter of the Highland so I thought I would give Bottega a try. The food was excellent - very much like the Highland. The reason why I gave it a three star is the poor service and the attitude that my party received from the Front of The House. We waited forever for our table even though we had a reservation. There were many empty tables but they didn't seat us until 15 minutes after our reservation. Worst is that they didn't feel apologetic for it. Just a bad impression overall. Why would I come back here when I can go to the Highland and eat the same caliber of food but with a more hospitable environment.
(3)FromScratch M.
The food was good but not great. They are shoveling out a lot of clever sounding food in a popular place. The service was excellent.
(3)Pat W.
While the service was great, the food was something else. If you have high blood pressure - avoid this place. Everything was salty even the bread. You have to drink 2-3 large glasses of water to adjust the salt levels of everything you eat.
(2)Zee M.
I'm not sure I understand some of the reviews here...I've gone to Bottega countless times over the years and NEVER had a bad time. Yes, the wait CAN be longish (it isn't always), for this is a popular place. As for whether people are pretentious here, what has that to do with a food review? You can find pretentious people in parking lots, churches, snack bars, movie theatres, lines at the zoo...you get the idea. What counts here is we've always had good service, though we do get the occasional zoned-out waitron. There are a number of things I love here, but tops is the beef carpaccio. Also a fave are the variations on roasted pork loin, sometimes with wilted greens, sometimes (seasonal) with pumpkin. Wow. I seem to recall getting the "white" pizza with fennel sausage...NO onions...and enjoying it, but that was some time ago, as I'm from out of town. I've also asked to see the main restaurant's menu, for a few of the different offerings, and succeeded, though they have on occasion seemed taken aback. I've enjoyed everything there, although I can't recount each dish. But believe me, if I'd felt cheated or if I'd had anything I considered tasteless, I'd have remembered! I'll give them a try next time I'm in BHM and, if they're up or down, I'll update. But I'm rarin' to go back...!
(4)Chris S.
Perhaps it was the tornado sirens in the air, perhaps it was the lack of sleep, or perhaps it was simply a great time with a group of friends but Bottega Cafe was truly enjoyable dining experience. Since they don't take reservations you can expect a bit of a wait (45min for us) but this is fine as long as you don't mind $6-8 beers, ouch! The food menu is the opposite of the drink menu, straight forward, unpretentious, and reasonably priced. A great place with good food and good prices!
(5)Dan E.
Ok - so I'm going to come across as a California snob -- but then again, I travel alot for work and have a pretty open mind for the local fare wherever I go. That being said, this place was fantastically uninspiring: ** The calamari was bland and rubbery -- and cold too. ** Mussels tasted wonderfully like --- nothing, except salt -- lots of salt. So I guess that's good if you're into that sort of thing. ** Pasta was like eating warmed hay. ** Waitress was spacey and I think checked on us twice during the 2 hours we were there. ** And what's with all the 20 year olds pretending they're in Beverly Hills? There are better places in the area (e.g. Avo/Dram). Go there instead --better food, better staff.
(1)Alanna A.
Good food and great service. I will definitely recommend this place to anyone in town. I was in town for business and yelp'd this place after a recommendation. This place did not disappoint. I had the crab cake special and it was good. Also, shared the 16 layer cake which was amazing. The service is a little slow, but good for a casual dinner.
(4)Dax B.
Dan, sorry you had a bad outing at Bottega. Hopefully it was just a single misfire. Avo/Dram does not come close to comparing to Bottega Cafe.
(4)Alan B.
Much like Frank Stitt's Chez Fon Fon, Bottega Cafe is a wonderfully accessible and extremely appetizing restaurant. The quality of the food is nearly unmatched by any other in this price point in the Birmingham area. This is a perfect spot for lunch or a casual dinner. There is something magical about their olive oil. It is out of this world. And if you want some to take home they even sell bottles of the stuff. A little known fact is that Bottega cafe supplies all the desserts for Frank's other restaurants. If you are interested in getting a whole coconut cake from Chez Fon Fon call Bottega Cafe and they'll usually be able to accommodate you given enough notice. Besides all the consistently wonderful food on the menu you must try the Cellotini. It is a phenomenal limoncello and vodka martini. Truly delicious.
(5)Dennis U.
Had dinner in the outdoor cafe this week and thought it was great. I had a chicken scaloppine which while not what I thought a scalopine was, was superb. Definitly worth a revisit.
(4)vanessa r.
I was in town a few months ago visiting a friend in Montgomery, Alabama. We headed up to Birmingham for a night of kicking up our heels, which started here and ended with a performance by the divine Miss Trinity Taylor. Clearly, good times were had by all. None better. But the restaurant! The restaurant was great. I hate to go around fulfilling stereotypes, but we San Franciscans are indeed restaurant snobs and we tend to think we have all the good ones (allowing that maybe New York does okay, too). This place honestly put to shame anywhere I had been out to eat in San Fran for a while! The food was top-notch. There was gourmet pizza and a nice seafood pasta and a fancy burger, and some excellent mussels in broth and carpaccio, if I am remembering correctly. Something along those lines. And delicious cocktails! Extremely generous and strong, too. Real kick to 'em. They practically give you two drinks, because you get the whole shaker full of extra cocktail. The service was also ridiculously friendly and warm and fun. Here I go again with the stereotypes, but I really enjoyed the Southernness of it all. And the warm nights! We sat outside until 10 or 11 p.m. with hardly a jacket. You can't do that in San Francisco! This restaurant is only one of the reasons I'd love to go back to Birmingham, but it's definitely near the top of the list.
(5)Louay B.
Another Frank Stitt creation off of highland ave. I could rave all day about the ambiance, drinks, and service, but the food is the best thing about this place. I suggest the chicken scalopinie served over cheese polenta and covered with a lemon bur blanc sauce. Grab an orange thing martini and enjoy a wonderful dinner. If you ever find yourself in Birmingham, I highly recommend this place.
(5)Levi S.
Excellent service, food and atmosphere. Our party enjoyed their salads, burgers, pasta dishes and pizza.
(4)Jessica G.
I went their expecting much more. Don't get the main restaraunt confused with the cafe. That is what I did. The Cafe is to the right of the building and the main dining area is to the left. The menu was very minimal and seemed to have reasonable prices for their pizzas. Although, I must say, excellent wait staff. I would try it again, but next time I'll go for lunch.
(3)LCAandJon B.
We travel to Birmingham for work annually, and were really happy to randomly find this place in 2010. Great building, cozy atmosphere, friendly staff, great food and drinks, etc., so naturally we headed straight back a year later, and were even looking forward to it. Enter 2011, and suddenly the place is swarming with the most obnoxious clientele imaginable--seriously, you could not have crammed one more shrieking woman in a high-waisted satin minidress and 4-inch heels through the door. (I happen to own a couple pairs of 4-inch heels, but I can't condone them when they allow a mass of shriekers to shriek from higher in the atmosphere.) Even if that was somehow just a bad night to be there, the lousy staff (not so much rude as glassy-eyed/not-so-smart or just inattentive, aside from our very earnest waiter) and totally mediocre food made it clear Bottega has slid. We ordered four different items and two signature drinks (both genuinely icky; BF couldn't even finish his, though I soldiered through in a misguided attempt to get my money's worth and dull the aforementioned shrieking), and the best thing we ate was the side of potato chips served with spinach/artichoke dip, which were clearly straight out of a bag. In short, really obnoxious atmosphere, and anyone who thinks the food is amazing honestly just hasn't traveled enough.
(1)Stacey W.
This was a cute place..loved the architectural design of the building. Perhaps, it was that I was so excited and overjoyed to see my date...but I found myself not paying much attention to the food. I'd rate the food at about average. I had the salmon which was very good, no complaints, but the bread was disappointing and why on earth do people insist on refrigerating red wine! Ugh! The wait staff was great, paid attention and serviced us frequently! Did this place stand out to me as a place that I'd die to go back to? nah. But I'd be up for trying the Bottega Italian Restaurant next door.
(3)Kelly A.
My husband and I were in town recently and tried Bottega. He is from Alabama and is familiar with Birmingham. I am much less so and right off the bat, I loved the neighborhood. The building is also really cool and sure enough, I was just as impressed when I walked in the door. Our server, Vic, was everything you want in a server. He was really knowledgeable, suggested delicious dishes, and was fun and friendly. The cocktails were yummy. I had something with blackberries in it and everything is fresh squeezed. We started with peaches wrapped in prosciutto and they were out of this world. My husband got a meatball sandwich and I got a white pie pizza. Once again, so flavorful with unique flavors. For dessert, we had what they call a semi-fredo, or partially frozen concoction. I had never tasted anything like it. It wasn't an ice cream, but was cold and creamy with berries, fresh whipped cream topping, with pistachio pieces, all on a little almond cookie. It is possibly the best dessert my husband and I have ever had. We'll be passing through again in a couple of years and Bottega will be at the top of the list.
(5)Nathan B.
There is such a thing as Southern hospitality, and Bottega embodies it. The Bottega Cafe (the fancier restaurant is housed in the same building) is a fantastic and decently priced restaurant. The staff is friendly, knowledgeable and casual, and the food was creative, well-prepared and served in a timely fashion. We sat outside on a rather cool but pleasant night, and I enjoyed a salmon special that they served over polenta. I sampled a few other items from my friends and everything was outstanding, including a couple of the appetizers that they brought us. The music that they played was totally entertaining, as we heard things from standard contemporary FM fare to Ween's "Bananas and Blow." First time for that one in a restuarant. Not only that, our server came to the concert I was performing that night and GAVE us 5 slices of some killer tiramisu for dessert since we said we didn't have time earlier. When in Birmingham folks, go to Bottega!!!
(5)Janet S.
After reading the reviews below, I was stunned, perhaps we arrived on a bad night. Firstly the noise level is unbelievably loud, do not go here if you are intending to have any kind of conversation other than "pick up". I think maybe the chef was off and someone had to deputize, this is the only acceptable reason for the recipes being prepared so badly. Four of us had less than acceptable food. The lamb kebab appetizer was actually lamb kofte, highly seasoned but not blended. It was overcooked. The house Leaf salads were OK. The Bruschetta which was not Bruschetta but toast with a bowl of topping which tasted like tomato soup and cheese blended was amateur. Carbonara - now guys if you are going to try this, look up how to cook it, a carbonara is not an alfredo, there should be no sauce in the dish - it coats the pasta, and its not creamy. The pizza was tasty but presentation was abysmal, I thought pizzas were flat....not bowl shaped. Maybe its a Birmingham Thang. The salmon was over cooked and finally I cant even remember what the fourth entree was, it was so unmemorable. On a more boring note yes I have travelled extensively including Italy so perhaps my expectation is high, when the waitress asked me and my husband how wonderful our food was and we said less than adequate she was confused....no reduction in billing was offered. Cocktails super weak and unimaginative.
(1)Leslie B.
LOVE the place. We had 2 apps and shared a pizza as it was just me and 2 girlfriends catching up. Fabulous dirty martini to start - they make it and set the extra in the shaker in front of you instead of dumping it like most bars do - then refill your glass as you sip it down. Well worth the $12, as it felt like 3 martini's!! Food excellent, service excellent, dessert sampler-fabulous! Great atmosphere, young fun professional crowd! Love it, when I'm home for a visit!
(4)Deborah K.
We read about Frank Stitt in a NY Times article and wanted to check out one of his restaurants for lunch while visiting Birmingham. Bottega Cafe did not disappoint! We were lucky enough to sit in the overflow area which is actually the formal Bottega restaurant. I cannot believe that none of the reviews mentioned the macaroni and cheese -- it was incredible. I also loved the sweet tea with homemade mint syrup. We're readjusting plans for the rest of the weekend to see how many Frank Stitt restaurants we can hit up.
(5)Ananda Z.
Frank Stitt's cosy creation in the Highlands never fails to dazzle. "Its so good its almost a sexual experience," says a friend. The pork chops are always cooked to perfection, tender, complex, and golden brown served up with a perfectly paired bed of wilted greens and polenta. This will be my meal in heaven. The chicken is also exceptional. Even friends skeptical of gourmet eating fell in love with the lively neighborhood ambience, mouthwatering entrees and desert, and the friendly knowledgeable wait staff. How have you lived this long without trying Bottega? Go NOW!
(5)Michael D.
The Bottega Cafe' is a complete experience from the time you hit the door. The staff, the extensive wine list, the creative Italian make-your-taste-buds-sing food, the staff, did I say the food yet too....They have their act together and it shows in their attention to detail in everything they do. Frank Stitts hit's the nail on the head, repeatedly, with this under-stated bistro style restaurant and the superb team that makes it go just off of Highland Blvd. By the way, thank you Francesco for a fantastic evening and exceptionally superb service. The next time we go I'm having the Highland Martini with blue cheese stuffed olives....... oh yeaaaaahhhhh. Expect to pay for what you get, a fantastic meal and service too. I recommend the Highland Martini (cheese stuffed olives please) fritto misto appetizer (seafood so fresh, cooked in a tempura style batter, you don't need a sauce) and the Paparadella (braised duck, morel mushrooms, and homemade pasta). A robust Italian red alongside the above will set your tastebuds to singing. Enjoy!!!
(5)Thomas C.
Lower-key bistro-type ambience with the same outstanding food from Frank Stitt Ambience/Service: The Cafe side of Bottega is a more low-key place compared to the restaurant next door. Everything from being able to watch the staff in the back working the woodfire grill for their pizzas to more open seating and a big communal table. Service is always polite. I typically go to sit at the bar and the bartenders are all good at what they do. Food (I'm vegetarian): There are always some vegetarian dishes at all of Frank Stitt's restaurant which I appreciate. I've sampled a lot of his recipe but always come back for the pizzas. From margherita (which isn't on the menu but really delicious) to their seasonal menu which changes every few months, they are always excellent with a light and crispy crust and some of the best flavor combinations you can think of. The last one I had was asparagus, buffalo mozzarella and mint. Who knew. Their salads are great too. The food can't be beat. Overall: I've started to make this a regular place I go to for a high-quality but relaxed atmosphere place. Would highly recommend to anyone who wants great food without needing to get dressed up.
(5)Jeremy E.
If you are looking for some delicious food from Chef Frank Stitt, but aren't up for spending as much as you would at Highlands or the main dining room of Bottega, then definitely check out Bottega Cafe! There is nothing really negative to say about this place. I want to say first off that their pizzas are about the best that I have had in Birmingham. The salmon pizza is incredible...craving one now that I am writing this! The cocktails are top notch as well. The only negative to me in that the inside, while a beautiful space, gets very loud when it is crowded (which is most of the time.) I know that a lot of people are fans of community tables and banquette seating, but I am not...and these make up the majority of the seating inside. I will wait for an outside table if I have to, because that is the place to be here. The courtyard patio, nestled behind neatly trimmed hedges, is awesome, and such a relaxing spot to enjoy a great meal or just cocktail with friends.
(5)Laurie H.
We took a long car ride on a Saturday afternoon expecting to have a lovely lunch in a new, somewhat upscale restaurant that had great reviews. Unfortunately we did not enjoy it and could not get out of there soon enough. I have no doubt that people would love the atmosphere as the reviews certainly indicated. For us, it was like walking into a very crowded cocktail party. We were all stuffed into a small place sitting so close to those near you that wait staff and diners had to pause to let others pass by. I watched one woman wait and wait until she could merge into a path only to give up and go a very long less popular route cutting between the tight tables. However the worse part was the noise of all those folks just rolled and rolled throughout the room aided by the very high ceiling and the nature of the older building. There were multiple noise buffering fabric pieces hanging from the ceiling but they did not help reduce the din at all. Drinking cocktails was an obvious draw for the majority of the tables there which certainly helped to fuel the level of noise. Crowds waiting for tables also added to the noise and atmosphere. My husband and I could not talk without leaning in and raising our voices and accepting that we still might not get heard. I would recommend sitting on the patio even if it is not something you typically do. The food was hard for us to enjoy however the bread was delicious. We had a cold tomato cucumber soup that was tasty and main dishes. At the end of my meal, I realized I had consumed a lot of olive oil. It is offered to dip your bread into and was put on the soup as a garnish with basil. My pasta had a pesto sauce which was basil leaves and pine nuts floating in a fair amount of olive oil. So our main dishes were not impressive. Our service was okay but nothing really rose above the noise for us. Since only one other reviewer mentioned the noise, I thought I might offer this review for those who might be looking to enjoy their dining companions with their food.
(2)SouthernFoodie M.
Amazing. I would be here all the time if I lived in the Ham. Seriously, the best service from the moment you step in the door (which is opened up for you.) We had a great waiter, and he gave us some great guidance on the menu. We snacked our way through the menu .... started out with this amazing gazpacho like cold tomato soup, followed by marinated olives. Then had the trip of Greek dips .... luckily the hubby and I each had our favorites which we inhaled. (the tzatiki is so fresh and dill-y!). We wrapped up with splitting a pizza and could not finish it we were so stuffed.... amazing experience and perfect food. Thanks!
(5)Tammy B.
D-licious! The best burger we had in B'ham (compared to Silvertron and J. Clyde's). The bolognese was rich and perfect on a misty and cold afternoon. Service was prompt and professional, but mildly stiff and awkward. On their Saturday lunch menu we didn't see wines by the bottle, so we asked. Yes, they serve by the bottle. The bourbon negroni is not as good as the traditional negroni. Reasonably priced considering the atmosphere and quality of the food.
(4)William W.
Service was excellent and food came out promptly. I had the mac and cheese but added the sausage....recommend.
(5)Amy C.
I definitely get the mixed the reviews of this place.. some things are much better than others! I've been wanting to try one of Frank Stitt's restaurants for a while and decided to start with Bottega Cafe and work my way up as to not be disappointed with it compared to the others. I was not disappointed in the least, but here is a breakdown of what we ate: Beef carpaccio: amazing!!! A solid 10 (out of 10) for me. If you like rare steak this is the appetizer for you. I think next time I would just order two of these as a main course. It's so smooth and buttery but also really fresh and clean tasting. One of the best things I've ever eaten in my life. Homemade potato chips with French onion dip: probably as good as potato chips can get, so I give these babies an 8.5 the French onion dip is a slightly more gourmet version of the kind you get at the the grocery store , and the chips are pretty great in all their rustic glory Smoked salmon pizza: probably also an 8.5. The dough is amazing: crispy and fluffy; I don't mind the burnt bits as much as some reviewers did. Just eat around them, it's NBD. The dill mascarpone was amazing, as we're the capers and smoked salmon. It was just a little too salty for me but I know that's kind of how smoked salmon rolls. Tiramisu: 10 10 10! Best Tiramisu Ive ever had. I love how they used chocolate shavings instead of cocoa powder. There was some sort of creamy deliciousness all over the plate which made it even more divine. Drinks: next time I'm just going to forego cocktails and stick with the wine. I had something with prosecco and grapefruit juice in it.. it was a glorified mimosa and not worth $10. My husband had something with tea syrup and it was waaay to sweet. Maybe I just think of myself as a pretty darn good home bartender but I'd only give the cocktails here a 5 . I definitely recommend Bottega Cafe for a fun date night or group outing. You won't be disappointed!
(4)Scott L.
Stopped in for lunch on the way through town. On the trip out had a delicious meal at the restaurant side of Bottega. Ordered a Bourbon Negroni - which is very similar to a Boulevardier - delicious drink. Ordered the Veal Scallopine with a side of Butter Beans and Dill. The butter beans were good with the dill but they wanted something. The Chicken Scallopine was very nice. I've had chicken that was more tender but that's not a major complaint. Well cooked and the salad accompaniment had a light, lemony vinaigrette that was just right and paired well with the chicken. All in all, a very nice meal. Hannah was our server - attentive, informed, delightful.
(4)Alayne H.
Stopped in here for a late night cocktail and was very impressed. This must have been an old government or bank building transformed into a warm contemporary space. We only ordered drinks from the bar so can't comment on the food. I can't remember the exact name of the cocktail I ordered but it was a strawberry infused drink served in a martini glass. Very refreshing and satisfying. The bartenders were friendly and on point. The great service, awesome atmosphere and a great cocktail list will bring me back. But on the next visit I plan to have lunch or dinner.
(4)J M.
A bit pricey and usually busy, but consistently good food with nice atmosphere (especially the outdoor seating).
(4)Ee Vonn Y.
You could not ask for a better restaurant setting with the worst parking. Even if you are reluctant to valet parking, the men running this show are very polite and professional. In about 10 seconds from handing over your keys, you've already forgotten about your parking woes because this restaurant has to be the one of the prettiest in Birmingham. You're welcomed in this world of nicely dressed individuals who are looking for the night off. Although the unspoken rules of attire is that you dress to impress, I got the feeling everyone was here just got off work and were ready to unwind for the night. Everyone who waited for a seat all had a drink in hand and seemed happy to be there. The outdoor wine bar also drew me. I almost wanted to stay just so I could sit at the wine bar on the restaurant side. As expected, I came here for the pizza since my boss had raved about their pizza, so this had to be added to my extensive pizza list. While I can see where his admiration came from, selecting the right pizza is important. Get the lamb sausage. Even if you can't taste that much of the lamb, the large chunks of feta cheese, hummus, and diced mint on the pizza sends you away. If you're secretly trying to impress someone and don't want to break your budget and have something delicious that you don't get every day, this is real deal. A big guy can finish this by himself so treat this like an appetizer if you're sharing. The white pie was really plain. It tasted great but even as I'm typing this review, I can't remember what it tasted like. It looks almost like a normal sausage pizza you'd find at any pizza place but in pint-sized portions. While the size of the lamb sausage pizza didn't feel like an issue because of the interesting flavors and presentation, the white pie falls flat. Refrigerator Test: Lamb sausage still tastes great and the giant chunks of delicious feta cheese helps. However, the white pie tastes like any sausage pizza.
(4)Kathryn L.
Bottega Cafe is so dependable when it comes to having a nice night out. The staff is always courteous, the cocktail selection always chic and exciting and the food of course never disappoints. We started with my favorite appetizer, beef carpaccio. It's served at several high end spots around town but this version is, to me, the most accurate and enjoyable. The horseradish is key! We then split a few pizzas which were fresh and flavorful, their brick oven is so hard to beat! In short, I can't imagine regretting picking this place when it comes to dinner and cocktails.
(5)Daniel D.
They are NOT open on Monday nights even though it says they are. Correct your info so you don't inconvenience your customers, please.
(2)Carolan D.
We were very disappointed in our evening at Bottega Cafe. The bartender was not very friendly, the drinks were overpriced ($16 for a house Cabernet!), and the food was poor to average. I had a un-appetizing salad with sardines that were almost inedible and undercooked potatoes. My husbands burger was average, but overall too much smoky flavor. The pork belly starter was the highlight, but it went down from there. And I appreciate our server removing the salad from the bill. Overall I feel that we wasted our money.
(1)Jarinda W.
I always get the chicken scallopine... Love it. Atmosphere is great especially if you get an outside table
(5)Ty T.
When I first moved back to Birmingham from Los Angeles, nothing represented the remarkable transformation in the local culinary scene like Frank Stitt's, Bottega Cafe. From the Gulf Shrimp Risotto to the Beef Tenderloin, everything is spot on. You quickly find out why Frank Stitt has won numerous James Beard awards. Im a huge fan of Tiramisu and Bottega's is excellent. The service is always very prompt and they are extremely knowledgeable about the menu. The care and passion they have for the restaurant is very evident. This is one of my favorite aspects of the restaurant. When my server cares, i care that much more. Bottega offers a great outdoor patio as well. Perfect for the Birmingham's fall weather. If you are visiting Birmingham and want to get the true Birmingham culinary experience, I highly recommend Bottega.
(5)Samantha D.
I really wanted to love this place, and I really did like it, but it was just a little short of five stars. We went there on a Wednesday night with five other people, a total of seven people. We did not have to wait very long, which was great. The bread and olive oil to start was really good. We got the potato chips appetizer and the baked feta... Both were okay but nothing spectacular. Two of our group got the steak, and the steaks were very good. If you are eating with me, there is about 100% chance that we are going to share food, so I tried everything first hand. The steaks were cooked perfectly. Another member of our group got the mac & cheese which was just like I like it, swimming in butter and various cheeses. One of the guys, the birthday boy, got the special of the evening which was a fish... I actually did not try it, but I did try his soup which was average. The salads that we got before the meal were very good, with a very vinegary vinaigrette. I got the farm egg pizza, and I give it an eight out of 10. After dinner: we got the peanut butter cake and the tiramisu. We had mentioned that it was one of our birthdays, and the restaurant decorated the tiramisu beautifully. See picture.. All in all the main restaurant is my preference but I would go back to the café again.
(4)Natasha G.
Though I'm embarrassed to admit that I had somewhat low expectations of the fine dining scene in this city, I was truly impressed by the food I had around Birmingham. Walking into Bottega, I could have been in Malibu (though hair/faces are more shellacked around these parts) -- the architecture, the menu, and the ambiance were very California-fancy-casual. The seasonal menu and great cocktail list make this a good foodie destination if you have the budget for it. I came in for lunch, and the crowd seemed to be a mix of people in suits having business lunches and ladies of leisure with a chair full of shopping bags. The service here is efficient, and the staff well-trained/attentive. I got a great lunchtime cocktail and the pasta special: calamarata pasta (shaped like rings of calamari) with mussels and guanciale in a light cream sauce. It was SO GOOD. Seriously. I ate all of it and scooped up the remaining sauce with some bread. The pasta tasted freshly-made, and the sauce wasn't overwhelming. I also got to try some of my table-mates' pizza it it, too, was well-executed. This place is a nice gem, and I bet it's even better for dinner and cocktail hour. A must-visit in Birmingham if you want a change of pace from heavy food and too-large portions.
(4)Calvin S.
The friendly waitstaff here would be one of the reasons I would consider giving this place four stars. I actually came here from a recommendation to try their pizza, but the waitstaff, while helping me with alcoholic choices, recommended that I get the piadine. It was a great choice- except half the bread was burnt. Which may be the way that it's supposed to be, but charred bread and arugula aren't my preferable choice. The waiter was polite enough through my nitpicking and offered to return it to the kitchen. The ambience of this place is like a private club. There's more than a few individuals who have grown up from a higher socioeconomic status, and it percolates into the way that everyone dresses and talks. Not like I wanted to overhear people's conversations, but they were as plastic as much as I love that bracelet that your mom gave you from Africa. Dress up more than down. Oh, and for parking, you better make sure to carpool. There aren't that many non-valet spots.
(3)Andrea R.
During my quick 24 hours in Birmingham I kept hearing about the fabulous food scene. While we didn't have time for many meals (there was work to be done), we were able to fit in a lovely dinner at Bottega Cafe. Bottega is one restaurant with 2 sides. Apparently one side is very expensive and one is a bit more reasonable. We sat on the "more reasonable" side, which I found to be relatively inexpensive...then again I'm comparing to Chicago prices. We sat on their lovely patio and enjoyed the southern hospitality from our waiter, which even included some ghost stories from his college. I blame him for keeping me up that night, but he also gets credit for stellar service. I was sold as soon as I saw homemade potoato chips on the menu and they lived up to the hype. So delish. We also ordered the olive delived eggs to start. I found them odd, but really liked them. It may just be me though because one of my dining companions told me she wasn't too impressed. Oh well- more for me! For my entree my olive deviled egg hating companion and I split the broken fried egg on polenta salad and a grilled chicken with sweet peppers (among other things). I loved the salad- apparently I was in a egg mood that evening! The pizza didn't really do it for me so I'd probably skip that next time. No room for dessert, especially after all those homemade potato chips. Our water was nice enough to call us a cab and we were on our way back to the hotel with bellies full of delicious eggs and more.
(4)Matthew F.
Food is great.... However service is pretty awful tonight. Which is surprising given that normally it is top notch service.
(2)Andrew M.
While I have been here for dinner before and enjoyed it, I stopped by this weekend for a mid-afternoon drink and snack on the patio, and I could not have picked a better place. The service was fast and friendly, the patio was inviting, the cocktails were refreshing and the "antipasto platter" was the perfect snack. Light but flavorful. I suggest you spend a spring afternoon on their patio. You won't regret it.
(4)Natasha S.
The atmosphere was relaxing and the service was good. Didn't have to ask for a drink, it was refilled constantly. The food was delicious and the portion size was pretty large. We went here for lunch, it was pretty busy so a bit slow. Otherwise, everything was great. Definitely a choice on the list.
(4)FromScratch M.
The food was good but not great. They are shoveling out a lot of clever sounding food in a popular place. The service was excellent.
(3)Pat W.
While the service was great, the food was something else. If you have high blood pressure - avoid this place. Everything was salty even the bread. You have to drink 2-3 large glasses of water to adjust the salt levels of everything you eat.
(2)Max M.
What a beautiful building! That impressed me first off. My party and i were a little put off by the fact that Bottega is actually two different restaurants... It seems like there should be two different clearly displayed signs to indicate the two sides of the restaurant, but oh well, i guess if you've been there b4, then you know that... and i'll know that next time, so i'll let that go. Other than that initial weirdness, we really liked the Bottega Café! We got two appetizer items. The first, the funghi (mushroom) pizza was really tasty. I loved all the different types of mushrooms with their flavors blended together. Yum. The other item, the baked feta, to me, was a disappointment. It was basically marinara sauce, with the flavor of the feta indecipherable from the marinara, so i wondered why it was called baked feta. A misnomer if i ever tasted one... I didn't enjoy it, but the toast points that came along with the baked marinara were pretty good. As for my entrée, it was delicious! The chicken scaloppine was perfectly cooked with the bread coating perfectly done. The polenta underneath it was creamy and delicious. My co-diners got two fish entrées and they were oh so right too! They've got some good chefs in that kitchen i would say. There was only one slight issue i had with the food... there was a little salt shift: the pizza was too salty, while the chicken and one of the fish entrées weren't quite salty enuf, but i forgive them for that. We informed them that it was our friend's birthday and they graciously and complimentarily brought him a tiramisu dessert. It was small, (but then again it was free...). However, it was fantastic!... one of the best tiramisus i've ever had. And it was a nice touch that the words Happy Birthday were drizzled in chocolate on the plate. Overall, good job Bottega!
(4)Joe L.
Be prepared to valet the car! Limited parking. Fantastic dinner and experiences. Naturally everything was above average or spectacular that is the standard with any of Frank's Restaurants.
(4)Mark T.
I'm a big fan of Bottega Cafe. The atmosphere of this place is pretty lively and the food is great. I've ordered several items here (the pizza, the fish sandwich, the cafe mac and cheese) and everything has been very good. It's a nicer place, but it isn't overpriced by any means. If you're looking for a nicer meal but you want a more laid back spot, Bottega Cafe is ideal.
(4)John-Bryan H.
Wonderful Italian food brought to you by James Beard award winning chef Frank Stitt. Monday night Crab Cakes...Wonderful
(5)Mike F.
Absolutely delicious food! There are a great amount of simple dining options and a nice full service bar. I last visited for lunch and had the chicken scallopine which was divine. It is chill no frills cafe food with extreme flavor. The best part is dessert! At this time of year they no doubt have some sort of pumpkin inspired sweets. Go before you get hungry as there is usually a wait............or you could make reservations.
(4)Meredith H.
We enjoyed a fantastic lunch here a few weeks back. Really nice decor and atmosphere. We sat at the bar in order to avoid the wait and I would recommend it for sure. Service was great and the food was perfect for a nice lunch. We enjoyed some Good People beer (which is always 5 stars in my book!) and the delicious goat cheese/marinara appetizer. The rate at which we atethe dish was seriously embarrassing. The bartender noticed and joked "wow, that must have been terrible" :) The 1/2 pizza and salad lunch special was perfect and absolutely worth the price. Toppings were fresh and the salad had some zip to it. All in all, it was a truly great experience. I can't wait to go back and dine on "the other side"!
(5)Sheila L.
Bottega Cafe is a jewel! I've been several times and have always received fabulous service and great food & drinks. They have a good selection of wine and can make a mean dirty martini! You must try a Stitt-restaurant signature drink - Orange Thing! Delicioso! I'll wager that their hamburger is as good as Chez FonFon's. The bun holds up to the juicy beef. They'll cook it to perfection (mine is medium rare - pretty red with a nice char) and give you a choice of cheese. Add to that carmelized red onions and homemade potato chips . . . what a meal.
(4)Catherine H.
I recently moved to CA from AL. If there's one thing I miss, it's Bottega Cafe. Frank Stitt is a well known chef in the Birmingham area, and he gives bigger cities a run for their money with his restaurants! This place has great cocktails, wonderful atmosphere, great outdoor dinning, and the chicken scallopinne is to die for! If you are ever visiting from out of the area and looking for a fab place to eat, go here. You won't be sorry. My 0.02 ... start with beef carpaccio or house salad, then you won't go wrong with anything else. Bread pudding is a great treat, too! And if you go during the summer, order a strawberry fields cocktail.
(4)Ananda Z.
Frank Stitt's cosy creation in the Highlands never fails to dazzle. "Its so good its almost a sexual experience," says a friend. The pork chops are always cooked to perfection, tender, complex, and golden brown served up with a perfectly paired bed of wilted greens and polenta. This will be my meal in heaven. The chicken is also exceptional. Even friends skeptical of gourmet eating fell in love with the lively neighborhood ambience, mouthwatering entrees and desert, and the friendly knowledgeable wait staff. How have you lived this long without trying Bottega? Go NOW!
(5)Chay O.
What is the difference between this place and the High Land Bar and Grill? I know that it's supposed to be an Italian restaurant but the menu is almost identical to its sister's restaurant (Highland). I am a frequenter of the Highland so I thought I would give Bottega a try. The food was excellent - very much like the Highland. The reason why I gave it a three star is the poor service and the attitude that my party received from the Front of The House. We waited forever for our table even though we had a reservation. There were many empty tables but they didn't seat us until 15 minutes after our reservation. Worst is that they didn't feel apologetic for it. Just a bad impression overall. Why would I come back here when I can go to the Highland and eat the same caliber of food but with a more hospitable environment.
(3)Leslie B.
LOVE the place. We had 2 apps and shared a pizza as it was just me and 2 girlfriends catching up. Fabulous dirty martini to start - they make it and set the extra in the shaker in front of you instead of dumping it like most bars do - then refill your glass as you sip it down. Well worth the $12, as it felt like 3 martini's!! Food excellent, service excellent, dessert sampler-fabulous! Great atmosphere, young fun professional crowd! Love it, when I'm home for a visit!
(4)Zee M.
I'm not sure I understand some of the reviews here...I've gone to Bottega countless times over the years and NEVER had a bad time. Yes, the wait CAN be longish (it isn't always), for this is a popular place. As for whether people are pretentious here, what has that to do with a food review? You can find pretentious people in parking lots, churches, snack bars, movie theatres, lines at the zoo...you get the idea. What counts here is we've always had good service, though we do get the occasional zoned-out waitron. There are a number of things I love here, but tops is the beef carpaccio. Also a fave are the variations on roasted pork loin, sometimes with wilted greens, sometimes (seasonal) with pumpkin. Wow. I seem to recall getting the "white" pizza with fennel sausage...NO onions...and enjoying it, but that was some time ago, as I'm from out of town. I've also asked to see the main restaurant's menu, for a few of the different offerings, and succeeded, though they have on occasion seemed taken aback. I've enjoyed everything there, although I can't recount each dish. But believe me, if I'd felt cheated or if I'd had anything I considered tasteless, I'd have remembered! I'll give them a try next time I'm in BHM and, if they're up or down, I'll update. But I'm rarin' to go back...!
(4)Chris S.
Perhaps it was the tornado sirens in the air, perhaps it was the lack of sleep, or perhaps it was simply a great time with a group of friends but Bottega Cafe was truly enjoyable dining experience. Since they don't take reservations you can expect a bit of a wait (45min for us) but this is fine as long as you don't mind $6-8 beers, ouch! The food menu is the opposite of the drink menu, straight forward, unpretentious, and reasonably priced. A great place with good food and good prices!
(5)Dan E.
Ok - so I'm going to come across as a California snob -- but then again, I travel alot for work and have a pretty open mind for the local fare wherever I go. That being said, this place was fantastically uninspiring: ** The calamari was bland and rubbery -- and cold too. ** Mussels tasted wonderfully like --- nothing, except salt -- lots of salt. So I guess that's good if you're into that sort of thing. ** Pasta was like eating warmed hay. ** Waitress was spacey and I think checked on us twice during the 2 hours we were there. ** And what's with all the 20 year olds pretending they're in Beverly Hills? There are better places in the area (e.g. Avo/Dram). Go there instead --better food, better staff.
(1)Alanna A.
Good food and great service. I will definitely recommend this place to anyone in town. I was in town for business and yelp'd this place after a recommendation. This place did not disappoint. I had the crab cake special and it was good. Also, shared the 16 layer cake which was amazing. The service is a little slow, but good for a casual dinner.
(4)Dax B.
Dan, sorry you had a bad outing at Bottega. Hopefully it was just a single misfire. Avo/Dram does not come close to comparing to Bottega Cafe.
(4)Alan B.
Much like Frank Stitt's Chez Fon Fon, Bottega Cafe is a wonderfully accessible and extremely appetizing restaurant. The quality of the food is nearly unmatched by any other in this price point in the Birmingham area. This is a perfect spot for lunch or a casual dinner. There is something magical about their olive oil. It is out of this world. And if you want some to take home they even sell bottles of the stuff. A little known fact is that Bottega cafe supplies all the desserts for Frank's other restaurants. If you are interested in getting a whole coconut cake from Chez Fon Fon call Bottega Cafe and they'll usually be able to accommodate you given enough notice. Besides all the consistently wonderful food on the menu you must try the Cellotini. It is a phenomenal limoncello and vodka martini. Truly delicious.
(5)Dennis U.
Had dinner in the outdoor cafe this week and thought it was great. I had a chicken scaloppine which while not what I thought a scalopine was, was superb. Definitly worth a revisit.
(4)Will L.
You know it's going to be amazing, food wise, because of it's well known owner/chef. But wait, there's more... I'm generally turned off a bit by fancy pants restaurants that take themselves too seriously. The Cafe meets you right in the middle. They cut the prices in half, let the wait staff and bartenders become more relatable, and still give you the award winning food. While everything on the menu is top notch, I generally stick with the baked feta with focaccia and spicy marinara to dip appetizer (it's hot, melted, and ridiculously delicious) and a chicken Caesar salad with anchovies. If you add alcohol, you will clearly add to the price. If not, you will escape with a meal that's hard to beat, at a price that beats most.
(5)Walter P.
This place hits it spot on. Definitely putting BHam in a revival list of culinary arts. I actually prefer this to the next door sister bottega. Great white pie and amazing chicken dish. Worthy of all 5 stars.
(5)ben h.
Another great Frank Stitt restaurant. Great place to have lunch or meet a group after work for great food and nice cocktails. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Monday night or Tuesday lunch special is crab cakes--the best in town. Sit outside and enjoy the sun or the star light night. If too crowded, pop next door for true fine dining.
(5)Jessica M.
Delicious. We went to Bottega Cafe before a concert downtown a few Fridays ago. We were expecting to spend a lot more money that we actually did. For about $50 before tax and tip, we both got exactly what we wanted as our main dish (no skimping for something smaller/cheaper to make the bill less), and appetizer, and I even got a Diet Coke. My husband got a hamburger, which was SO good and came with potato chips and I got the "white pie". I was able to take half of the pizza with me to eat for lunch the next day. I have been craving the "white pie" ever since - especially since I have to drive by Bottega on my way home from work each day. The staff was great, friendly, and my husband said that our waiter was "a ninja waiter" because he kept refilling our drinks and making sure we had everything we needed without being disruptive to our conversation. We'll be back!
(4)vanessa r.
I was in town a few months ago visiting a friend in Montgomery, Alabama. We headed up to Birmingham for a night of kicking up our heels, which started here and ended with a performance by the divine Miss Trinity Taylor. Clearly, good times were had by all. None better. But the restaurant! The restaurant was great. I hate to go around fulfilling stereotypes, but we San Franciscans are indeed restaurant snobs and we tend to think we have all the good ones (allowing that maybe New York does okay, too). This place honestly put to shame anywhere I had been out to eat in San Fran for a while! The food was top-notch. There was gourmet pizza and a nice seafood pasta and a fancy burger, and some excellent mussels in broth and carpaccio, if I am remembering correctly. Something along those lines. And delicious cocktails! Extremely generous and strong, too. Real kick to 'em. They practically give you two drinks, because you get the whole shaker full of extra cocktail. The service was also ridiculously friendly and warm and fun. Here I go again with the stereotypes, but I really enjoyed the Southernness of it all. And the warm nights! We sat outside until 10 or 11 p.m. with hardly a jacket. You can't do that in San Francisco! This restaurant is only one of the reasons I'd love to go back to Birmingham, but it's definitely near the top of the list.
(5)Steve M.
Exceptional restaurant by international standards. Had dinner there 8 January 2010 and found service, wine list, bread, selection of ingredients all to be spectacular. Prices reasonable for a Five-Star and though fully booked, when i called at 5pm to ask if they could accommodate a San Diegan and a Londoner for dinner at 6:30 they say 'come on by'. Strongly recommended and buy Frank Stitt's latest book when you are there. I brought it home for the wife - BIG hit!
(5)Carrie F.
GREAT Pizza and hamburgers. The desserts are awesome...typical Stitt restaurant!
(5)Louay B.
Another Frank Stitt creation off of highland ave. I could rave all day about the ambiance, drinks, and service, but the food is the best thing about this place. I suggest the chicken scalopinie served over cheese polenta and covered with a lemon bur blanc sauce. Grab an orange thing martini and enjoy a wonderful dinner. If you ever find yourself in Birmingham, I highly recommend this place.
(5)Deborah K.
We read about Frank Stitt in a NY Times article and wanted to check out one of his restaurants for lunch while visiting Birmingham. Bottega Cafe did not disappoint! We were lucky enough to sit in the overflow area which is actually the formal Bottega restaurant. I cannot believe that none of the reviews mentioned the macaroni and cheese -- it was incredible. I also loved the sweet tea with homemade mint syrup. We're readjusting plans for the rest of the weekend to see how many Frank Stitt restaurants we can hit up.
(5)LCAandJon B.
We travel to Birmingham for work annually, and were really happy to randomly find this place in 2010. Great building, cozy atmosphere, friendly staff, great food and drinks, etc., so naturally we headed straight back a year later, and were even looking forward to it. Enter 2011, and suddenly the place is swarming with the most obnoxious clientele imaginable--seriously, you could not have crammed one more shrieking woman in a high-waisted satin minidress and 4-inch heels through the door. (I happen to own a couple pairs of 4-inch heels, but I can't condone them when they allow a mass of shriekers to shriek from higher in the atmosphere.) Even if that was somehow just a bad night to be there, the lousy staff (not so much rude as glassy-eyed/not-so-smart or just inattentive, aside from our very earnest waiter) and totally mediocre food made it clear Bottega has slid. We ordered four different items and two signature drinks (both genuinely icky; BF couldn't even finish his, though I soldiered through in a misguided attempt to get my money's worth and dull the aforementioned shrieking), and the best thing we ate was the side of potato chips served with spinach/artichoke dip, which were clearly straight out of a bag. In short, really obnoxious atmosphere, and anyone who thinks the food is amazing honestly just hasn't traveled enough.
(1)Tom W.
not even sure where to begin...after receiving many recommendations for Bottega, we decided to give it a whirl. At best, the food was fair and I am being generous. A sardine appetizer that could have been plated directly from a can, an unimaginative romaine salad, overcooked farm raised salmon, and a skirt steak that was fatty (not the melt in your mouth fat that is typically characteristic of skirt steak), chewy and very unappetizing. Sometimes you can give a restaurant another "look" if the food is close, but there was a large gap here. I couldn't recommend Bottega nor would I return. And considering the price point was fairly high, there's no question about my decision. Or maybe it is a pizza and beer cafe?
(1)Sheri P.
I went there for my birthday a few weeks ago with a group of my friends. We waited for about an hour and half and sat outside with some drinks. The hostess brought us some bread and olive oil which was nice. I love the atmosphere. My friends were not too impressed with the pizza. Mine was okay. I thought it would be better. I got a free delicious dessert because it was my birthday. I will still go back over and over.
(4)Levi S.
Excellent service, food and atmosphere. Our party enjoyed their salads, burgers, pasta dishes and pizza.
(4)Jessica G.
I went their expecting much more. Don't get the main restaraunt confused with the cafe. That is what I did. The Cafe is to the right of the building and the main dining area is to the left. The menu was very minimal and seemed to have reasonable prices for their pizzas. Although, I must say, excellent wait staff. I would try it again, but next time I'll go for lunch.
(3)Doug T.
Usually when you're from out of town and you ask the front desk at the hotel for a dinner recommendation you get sent to Ruby Tuesday or something along those lines (Nothing against Ruby Tuesday,always a safe, albeit unexciting dining experience). Thankfully that didn't happen this time around as I was told to turn left past the Ruby Tuesday and proceed to Bottega. I throughly enjoyed the Rustica Pizza (prosciutto, coppacola, provolone and ricotta with caramelized onions) and noted that it was cooked in a wood fired oven (pizza crust perfection). Although initially a little salty for my taste, the server brought some crushed red pepper and a side of marinara sauce which smoothed things out for me. I washed it down with an ice cold draft Guinness (for good health), which complimented the pizza and would have been perfectly content... It appears however, that I made the same mistake that others have made, and went to the "cafe" side as opposed to the "restaurant" side of Bottega (which apparently has a different menu). Prior to ordering, but after sitting down, I had mentioned to the maître d' that I was really in the mood for ravioli, but he said this was only available on the menu in the formal side. Oh well! I resigned myself to pizza. While I was munching on my pizza, and to my surprise, the maître d' brought out a small plate of ravioli compliments of the chef which was perfectly prepared and extremely tasty! Wow! I have very rarely experienced this level of service, which in my mind is unsurpassed and for me this small gesture turned an otherwise "four star" rating into a "five star" rating! A nice restaurant with both great food and great service! What a novel concept! This place gets it!
(5)Lillie P.
Long wait. Pretentious environment. Over-hyped food and overpriced drinks. Very loud inside, hard to have conversation. Good company and the peach cobbler is the only reason this place is even getting 3 stars.
(3)Christy T.
I usually enjoy but was placed at a hot table by the restroom where I have NEVER seen anyone before. Not fun!
(2)Becky E.
I prefer the laid-back atmosphere of Frank Stitt's cafes. You still get great food but in a more comfortable setting. The breads they serve here and the olive oil are delicious, and I love the pizza with the smoked salmon and capers. Also, Frank Stitt's burgers are the best in town. Awesome crab cakes and fish selections too. Don't forget to order an "orange thing" while you're there!!! So yummy.
(5)Stacey W.
This was a cute place..loved the architectural design of the building. Perhaps, it was that I was so excited and overjoyed to see my date...but I found myself not paying much attention to the food. I'd rate the food at about average. I had the salmon which was very good, no complaints, but the bread was disappointing and why on earth do people insist on refrigerating red wine! Ugh! The wait staff was great, paid attention and serviced us frequently! Did this place stand out to me as a place that I'd die to go back to? nah. But I'd be up for trying the Bottega Italian Restaurant next door.
(3)Kelly A.
My husband and I were in town recently and tried Bottega. He is from Alabama and is familiar with Birmingham. I am much less so and right off the bat, I loved the neighborhood. The building is also really cool and sure enough, I was just as impressed when I walked in the door. Our server, Vic, was everything you want in a server. He was really knowledgeable, suggested delicious dishes, and was fun and friendly. The cocktails were yummy. I had something with blackberries in it and everything is fresh squeezed. We started with peaches wrapped in prosciutto and they were out of this world. My husband got a meatball sandwich and I got a white pie pizza. Once again, so flavorful with unique flavors. For dessert, we had what they call a semi-fredo, or partially frozen concoction. I had never tasted anything like it. It wasn't an ice cream, but was cold and creamy with berries, fresh whipped cream topping, with pistachio pieces, all on a little almond cookie. It is possibly the best dessert my husband and I have ever had. We'll be passing through again in a couple of years and Bottega will be at the top of the list.
(5)Nathan B.
There is such a thing as Southern hospitality, and Bottega embodies it. The Bottega Cafe (the fancier restaurant is housed in the same building) is a fantastic and decently priced restaurant. The staff is friendly, knowledgeable and casual, and the food was creative, well-prepared and served in a timely fashion. We sat outside on a rather cool but pleasant night, and I enjoyed a salmon special that they served over polenta. I sampled a few other items from my friends and everything was outstanding, including a couple of the appetizers that they brought us. The music that they played was totally entertaining, as we heard things from standard contemporary FM fare to Ween's "Bananas and Blow." First time for that one in a restuarant. Not only that, our server came to the concert I was performing that night and GAVE us 5 slices of some killer tiramisu for dessert since we said we didn't have time earlier. When in Birmingham folks, go to Bottega!!!
(5)Janet S.
After reading the reviews below, I was stunned, perhaps we arrived on a bad night. Firstly the noise level is unbelievably loud, do not go here if you are intending to have any kind of conversation other than "pick up". I think maybe the chef was off and someone had to deputize, this is the only acceptable reason for the recipes being prepared so badly. Four of us had less than acceptable food. The lamb kebab appetizer was actually lamb kofte, highly seasoned but not blended. It was overcooked. The house Leaf salads were OK. The Bruschetta which was not Bruschetta but toast with a bowl of topping which tasted like tomato soup and cheese blended was amateur. Carbonara - now guys if you are going to try this, look up how to cook it, a carbonara is not an alfredo, there should be no sauce in the dish - it coats the pasta, and its not creamy. The pizza was tasty but presentation was abysmal, I thought pizzas were flat....not bowl shaped. Maybe its a Birmingham Thang. The salmon was over cooked and finally I cant even remember what the fourth entree was, it was so unmemorable. On a more boring note yes I have travelled extensively including Italy so perhaps my expectation is high, when the waitress asked me and my husband how wonderful our food was and we said less than adequate she was confused....no reduction in billing was offered. Cocktails super weak and unimaginative.
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