Dinner at Bottega, Melbourne

Tonight is our last night in Melbourne and we are headed to Bottega, an Italian restaurant locate on Bourke Street and for over two decades, this Bourke Street institution has offered a slice of modern Italy, making it a beloved choice for both locals and visitors.

Bottega opened its door in 2002 and is located at the top end of Bourke Street, on Bourke Hill, which is known as one of Melbourne's most established dining precincts. The restaurant was established by restaurateur Denis Lucey, who has a long career in Melbourne's hospitality industry stretching back to the 1980s. He has been the owner and driving force behind the restaurant since its inception.

Bottega vision was to create a modern Italian diner with warm hospitality, intelligent service, and clean, fresh-flavored Italian cuisine. The name "Bottega" itself means an "art or craft workshop" in Italian, suggesting a continuous focus on new ideas and quality.

The atmosphere of the restaurant is intimate, relaxed, warm with cozy booths, timber, and marble accents.

Cheers!

Our table was next to a wooden wall separator topped with wine bottles which is a great way to add both visual interest and a sense of Italian cellar charm.

The bar with lots of bottles of wine on display, they highlight the restaurant's commitment to its wine program. Bottega is known for its carefully curated, award-winning wine list.

Sformato di zucca, red kuri pumpkin flan, new season walnuts, pate brisee crumb, dill.

Sformato di Zucca (Pumpkin Sformato) is a classic Italian starter, best described as a savory baked custard or flan. The word comes from the Italian verb sformare, which means "to unmold." The whole point of the dish is that it's baked in a mold (a ramekin, ring mold, or large dish) and then turned out onto the plate to hold its distinct shape

For starter we had the noisette sourdough baguette, whipped goat curd and the Sformato di Zucca. A great start to a meal.

Casarecce polpo all'Inferno-Tomato, chilli braised octopus, bottarga.

Casarecce polpo all'Inferno is a vibrant and intense pasta course that combines rich seafood flavor with a powerful spicy kick. Casarecce is a traditional Sicilian pasta shape, the name literally means "homemade." The shape of the pasta is excellent at trapping and holding the thick, chunky tomato and octopus sauce, ensuring every bite is full of flavor.

Flat iron steak (Gippsiand, pasture fed) , confit garlic butter, rucola, aceto balsamic.

The flat iron cut comes from the shoulder (or chuck) of the beef. It is the second-most tender cut of beef (after the tenderloin), which is why it's so prized. It gets its name from its uniform shape, which resembles an old-fashioned clothes iron.

Because it comes from the shoulder, which is a hard-working muscle, it's very well-marbled, giving it a rich, deep, "beefy" flavor that many prefer over the milder taste of a tenderloin. It was perfectly cooked to our liking and we enjoyed it a lot.

Sautéed cimedi rapa, anchovy, rye pangrattato.

Pasta, steak, and vegetable for our main course.

Citrus bavaree, Italian meringue,

What a beautiful presentation! It is also delicious, not too sweet, and very flavorful.

Homemade Limoncello

Over the past week, we immersed ourselves in the many sides of Melbourne. We explored its vibrant downtown, wandering laneways filled with cafés, street art, and history, from Southern Cross Lane and Federation Square to Gordon Reserve with its poet’s statue and fountain. We stepped inside the magnificent St. Patrick’s Cathedral, where soaring columns, stained glass, and the glowing half-dome sanctuary left a deep impression. From there, our walks led us into lively Fitzroy, with its heritage buildings, bustling Brunswick Street, colorful murals, and welcoming cafés like Arcadia, all reflecting the neighborhood’s artistic, bohemian spirit. We also admired the elegance of Melbourne’s architecture, including the ACA Building, whose extravagant Art Deco lobby with arches, marble, and glowing lamps spoke of another era of grandeur.

Beyond the city, we took a spectacular day trip along the Great Ocean Road, where dramatic cliffs, winding roads, and the iconic Twelve Apostles revealed the wild beauty of Victoria’s coast. Another highlight was our visit to Phillip Island, where we followed the wooden boardwalks to the beach and watched as the little penguins emerged from the sea at dusk, waddling back to their burrows. The experience was both magical and humbling with a glimpse of nature up close. On the way there, we stopped at the Moonlit Sanctuary, where we encountered animals we had never seen before such from kangaroos, wallabies, wombats to colorful native birds and nocturnal creatures. It was a close-up wildlife experience that brought Australia’s unique fauna to life.

Altogether, our seven days in Melbourne combined culture, history, architecture, food, art, and natural wonders, leaving us with lasting memories of a city and its surroundings that are as diverse as they are unforgettable.

NEXT... Hobart, Tasmania