La Bottega Red Hook

Came here for brunch on a Saturday afternoon. It was really quiet and we were the only table seated. We ended up ordering the smoked salmon, steak and eggs, and Nutella pancakes. The salmon was delicious. The steak was a bit cold. We had ordered it medium rare but it came out well done. The Nutella pancakes were perfect! Service was a bit slow considered we were the only table there. It took about 20 minutes for our food to be ready, but we were in no rush. Our waiter however seemed a bit bored. He was texting the whole time. No smiles, or any sign of friendliness. Another waiter that was there seemed very friendly though. The bottom line is, the food was good, service acceptable, and I would definitely come back again! My boyfriend also really liked the music and ambience of the restaurant.

I purchased a groupon knowing I’ll be in the area for some ikea shopping… Let me tell you — it was one of the best brunches I ever had!!! Staff attentive but not overwhelming. I never saw them until I needed them… A nice variety of music playing. Not too loud. Interior simple but elegant. Food — delicious!!! A nice nice surprise!!!

I came across this small neighborhood Italian restaurant last month after I heard about their tasty paninis. I decided to give it a try and I was immediately hooked. I have since tried a number of these crispy sandwiches, along with their salads.
Since it is in the neighborhood, I find myself doing take-​out for dinner a couple times a week. Some of my favorite paninis include the Hogans and Sardegna. As for salads, I love the Avocado and Susan. Regardless of panini or salad, you will definitely be satisfied — the portions are huge (I sometimes have leftovers).
Last week I decided to dine in for dinner with some friends and try their full menu. I was very impressed that it was just as good (if not better) as what I was having for take-​out. We ordered the brie in puff pastry, an assortment of bruschetta, orecchiette with sausage, mushroom risotto, paella and the roasted branzino. We took turns sampling all the dishes and found that they kept getting better. This was all paired with a couple bottles of Italian wine.
The service was very good and the staff was knowledgable of the menu. We were told that they are now offering a weekend brunch menu which I plan to try very soon.

This place took over another Italian restaurant that I really enjoyed. La Bottega is a small chain (a few NYC locations) of Italian eateries that happen to also cater to the gluten-​free crowd (they have separate menus for the regular vs. gluten free items). The fact that the restaurant is almost always empty shouldn’t deter you because the wonderful atmosphere, impeccable service, and fantastic food at great prices should keep you coming back. Most entrees are under $ 20, glasses of wine start at around $ 6, and they start every meal with a bag of freshly grilled artisan bread. I ordered the four cheese risotto with shrimp and my girlfriend got the rotini with sweet Italian sausage in red sauce. We were both thrilled with our meals and couldn’t have been happier with the portion size and quality of the food. For dessert I got the chocolate mouse cake which came with a few dollops of canoli cream on the side. This was the best mouse cake I may have ever had and would come back for that alone. As soon as I give up on my 2014 New Years resolution to eat better I’m coming straight here for some homemade gnocchi.

La Bottega is a chain of casual Italian restaurants on Long Island that has now made it’s debut in NYC in Red Hook Brooklyn.
La Bottega’s menu focuses on tasty and filling salads, paninis on crunchy crispy bread and many gluten free options.
When you walk into la Bottega on Columbia St, it’s warm & inviting. Service is friendly and at a good pace-​not too slow & not too fast. The offerings on the menu are vast-​you can eat there 50 times and not have the same thing twice!
Last night we had the calamari fra diavola (spicy!!) and then a Susan salad & a roast pork panini (forgot the name). All portions were substantial, tasty and freshly prepared. What’s nice about the place is that you can go there for a casual meal and spend less than $ 40 for two people and walk out stuffed.
Another cool thing is that there are many gluten free options including the pizza. All pizza is made with gluten free dough and is thin & crispy.
If you are looking for a place in Red Hook Brooklyn for a casual lunch or dinner, check out la Bottega. You will not be disappointed.