Dad’s Day Eve
We arrive early for Father’s Day, Saturday, at Bottega Café.
By Jan Walsh
Bottega Café is a wildly popular place for holiday weekends. Families who come to town, have a tradition of congregating here. The café does not take reservations. So today we arrive 20 minutes before they open for lunch. And a man is already ahead of us, in line at the gate. He is proudly holding the spot for his family. This is what dads do! No wonder we celebrate them. And another couple walks up before we can get out of the car. Ross, Kev, and I are third in line. And soon the sidewalk is filled all the way to the valet. As we are seated at our table, I see the first man snagged the community table, which is now filled with three generations of his family.
We order bottled sparkling and still bottled Mountain Valley and cocktails of Sazerac, Icebox Martini, and Chocolate Martini. We also start with the Focaccia & Bottega infused olive oil and Marinated Olives. Dipping the bread in the olive oil and snacking on the olives, we look over the menu.
Ross is excited to see quail and remarks what a rare find it is on a restaurant menu. We start with Grilled Quail for Ross and Polpette al forno (baked meatballs) for Kev and me. The grilled quail arrives with Romano beans, in season blackberries, chili crisp, and balsamico. Ross describes the quail dish as the best quail he has ever had… “The bird’s herbs and spices really added nicely to the overall flavor of the quail, adding depth and making it rich and refined.” The meatballs are made of beef and pork and are smothered in marinara and finished with grated pecorino. And we pair our starters with a bottle of our favorite champagne, Delamotte. Happy Father’s Day to Kev!
By 11:20 all the tables are filled. It is starting to rain. So, people are two deep at the bar. I never understand why people don’t just leave home earlier. And by the end of the meal these same people will be eyeing us in hopes we don’t order dessert, which we will.
I mention that the Shrimp Risotto has mushrooms, which I can’t have due to allergy. Our server offers to ask the kitchen if they can make a risotto without them. I tell her that is too much of a bother, but she does anyway. And they happily accommodate the request. Perfect example of why Bottega was a Finalist for James Beard Outstanding Hospitality Award in 2026, the only Birmingham restaurant to make it to Finalists level. My own pot of risotto is huge in portion. Chock full of succulent Gulf shrimp, the rice dish is also brightened with in season sweet corn, lady peas, and leeks. Thank you to the kitchen. Catch it if you can.
Both the guys want the Duroc Pork Chop, and I comment on the similarity of their palates. Kev also orders a side of Crispy Potatoes and Romesco because he can never refuse Bottega’s potatoes. The thick, bone in chops are presented by scrumptious roasted squash, creamy polenta, and a gorgeous green tomato relish. The fat cap and deep marbling distributed evenly while cooking, and basting the chop from the inside out, resulting in a steak like texture. The melt in the mouth tenderness and juiciness boasts a sweet, clean premiere pork flavor. Highly recommended! The only thing that could make it better? The smoky, rich, comforting potatoes, plump, crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside.
As we get side eyed from the bar, we shamelessly order dessert. Ross and Kev have the same dish, Bottega Bar. I would have too if they had not. But I can’t lose with the Bing Cherry Semifreddo. I have had Bottega’s strawberry and blueberry versions but not the cherry yet. The chocolate bar incorporates, feuilletine, (foo-ye-teen) a French pastry ingredient of crushed, crispy, buttery crêpe-like wafers for a light crunch without getting soggy. Layers of chocolate mousse, caramel, and peanuts with a touch of salt atop, chocolate sauce, fresh whipped cream, and more peanuts aside put Snickers to shame. My elegant semifreddo is a towering génoise cake, with whipped cream, candied almonds, with a bing cherry on top. Luscious, airy, and fruity, bite after bite. And Father’s Day weekend is off to a sweet start!
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