bottega restaurant and cafe

wonderful experience. my husband took me here for our anniversary. we had a wonderful dinner; everything from the knowledge and expertise of the servers to the food was outstanding! even though we don't live in the area, we will definitely find a way to dine at bottega again! i highly recommend this restaurant!

bottega restaurant great. i have never eaten at the cafe, but the fancier bottega restaurant is wonderful. i love their chicken scaloppine and their desserts are all great. definitely one of the best fine dining restaurants in birmingham. i am hoping to try the cafe soon.

my husband and i dined at the cafe recently. the food was excellent. we got there around 6:30 which was perfect. we were seated immediately upon arrival. i had the beef carpaccio and a dirty martini. it was incredible!! i crave this stuff. if you haven't had it, you must try it! you will find yourself craving it every now and then.


-----02 apr, 2009-----

bottega is a great restaurant that never disappoints. i love to people watch there. great food, great wine, and a festive atmosphere. what more could you ask for?

consistently great service and excellent food. i have gone to bottega cafe since it opened in the 80s. there have been periods of time i have not gone there over the years but that was not due to anything they were doing wrong. i say simply for the fact that i have always found the food and service to be excellent. i have picked up my visits there lately and in particular have strayed away from the easy menu picks of chicken scallopini (killer) and the pork loin (awesome) to more of the specials, in particular the fish dishes. i had the most delecious flounder last night, lightly breaded, with some carmelized onions, capers and almonds over some polenta and a little salad. it was fabulous! had a beef carpachio appetizer which for me is the best in town. the server was polite, professional, and had good timing on when to appear at the table. kudos to frank stitt.

had portions of the fried chicken livers - not good. the sicilian pizza - not good. bolognese - good but small entrée. i was looking forward to eating here after hearing a lot of good things, but i was very disappointed.

great food, but service could use a little help!

a birmingham staple! piadine #1, a vegetarian dish that is sure to satisfy anyone with bursting fresh flavors. outdoor patio was perfect in the evening. affordable, great food, first class service.


-----25 sep, 2010-----

a birmingham at#1 on the patio with a

go eat here today! this place is a true neighborhood gem. sit outside but be prepared to wait at the bar - they don't take reservations on the cafe side. everyone raves about the pizzas which are all fabulous. if you're in the mood for something different, opt for the chicken scaloppine. it may not jump off the menu at you but trust me... do not skip over this one. i'm not usually one to order chicken when i'm dining out. but i tried the scaloppine upon a recommendation from a friend...so glad i did!

perfect spot for casual dinner.. this is the step-sibling to highlands, and we love it. great atmosphere with a fun crowd. they offer pizzas and a host of other entrees which we have found to be universally pallatable. their music selection is the best in the city, and for the price, you can't beat this place.

we called ahead and asked if we could stop for lunch with a small pet and sit outside. they said that this is not a problem, and we are welcome to do so. when we arrived they refused to serve us. i have no problem with places that do not serve patrons with their pets outside, but please inform your staff of your policy. i usually go to bottega once a month with a big group of my clients, i will never take my clients there again. food is okay but what makes dinning out special is the experience.

frigging sweet place to dine! it's been a while since my last meal their, but a great meal each time i have been!

very good. had a great meal, will go back.

horrible service!!!!. we recently visited bottega cafe and were extremely dissapointed with the service. in the past, my husband and i have been very pleased with the service, but on our visit june 16, 2010 we unfortunately had the displeasure of being served by a rude and incompetent waitress by the name of erin, a blonde woman that obviously was under the influence of either alcohol or some sort of substance. the food was excellent as usual, but having to endure dinner in the presence of this server made the evening completely unenjoyable. in the future, if we decide to return, we will be sure to request a server other than erin. the owner should be sure to address this issue as i am sure we are not the only people to notice the abhorent service of erin!

a birmingham classic.. i've been coming to bottega for years for one reason: great food. sure, the atmosphere is great and service is impeccable... but it's the food that is the perennial draw. my experience last weekend was nothing short of what i've come to expect.

i started with the beef carpaccio. it's prepared the same way here as it is at highlands, and for good reason. the beef was perfect, and accompanied by just the right amount of a fresh, creamy horseradish sauce and thin shavings of cheese. awesome.

for an entree i had the grouper, which was prepared with an assortment of the finest olives, pistachios, pine nuts, and a healthy dose of lemon zest. definitely one of the best pieces of fish i've had in town in a while, and the preparation was the epitome of what mediterranean should taste like.

i finished everything off with the white chocolate bread pudding. delicious, and certainly enough to put me over the top and into a food coma for the evening.

and, on a final note, the bar keep makes a mean old-fashioned.

very good yet very crowded atmosphere. we ordered 2 entrees. all were very good variety of food. the pizza was a little burned but they immediately brought out a new one once it was brought to their attention. a great place to eat!