I was walking down Myddleton Road at lunchtime keen to find somewhere for a bite to eat. I stumbled upon La Bottega, and within minutes was transported to Italy! The owner Riccardo is welcoming & warm, full of enthusiasm. He explained his extensive culinary knowledge with a focus on his decades of experience in the farmers market field. I was invited to sample the homemade & artesian products. It's a tiny place bursting with flavours, character and flair. The food is authentic & delicious. I was alone, and with great music playing in the background & while savouring some Italian treats, it was the perfect place to people-watch & take my mind of my troubles for a couple of hours. Highly recommend!

If you’ve spent much time in London, you’ve probably noticed that the closer you get to the centre the harder it is to find independent businesses that haven’t been over commercialised in a way that results in a certain loss of spirit and authenticity. It’s expensive to open a bar or restaurant in London, and various pressures exist that make it hard for independents to succeed. They also often require investors, inevitably leading to watered down decisions and a partial loss of the dreams and passion of a visionary founder. Fortunately for us, Ricardo’s vision for La Bottega remains immaculate and alive. This one man band is in the “singer songwriter” genre of bars, not unlike the tiny Izakayas in Japan, but with generous outdoor seating that spills onto the street. A long way from Kyoto, Ricardo has set up shop on the storied and charming Myddlton road that bridges the meandering new river carrying fresh water from the countryside to the centre of London. We arrived on foot, squinting at fairy lights, to our host offering a firm handshake and hug, as if visiting an uncle we hadn’t seen in a year. He invited us into his cabinet of curiosities, part wine bar, part salumeria. Warm focaccia was radiating the fragrance of dry herbs throughout the space, competing for our attention with the fruity effervescence Ricardo eagerly poured into our hands as a token of hospitality - as if to say welcome home. Time to relax and have a good time. Ricardo comes from a lineage of experts in hospitality, which makes it unsurprising but no less impressive that he used to be the head mixologist at the renowned Sketch in Soho. True to his craft, Ricardo doesn’t ask you what you want to eat or drink, much less offer you a menu - he asks you who you are, what you like and how you feel. You get the feeling that Ricardo could take you on an adventure in any direction. You want a tasting menu of rare Italian wines, with a lecture on how they’re made - done. You want just a single fork of perfectly marinated oyster mushrooms - done. You just want the best negroni of your life, before tucking into a homemade aubergine parmigiana and lettuce dressed with proper olive oil, finishing with a perfect little apricot tart - done. We shamelessly opted for all of the above. It’s fair to say that I have a new favourite watering hole, and I’m really excited to see La Bottega in its summer prime hosting 2 live music events a month from April onwards. As the evenings get longer and warmer, I see no better place to take a date, celebrate with friends or just have a coffee taking in the afternoon haze as it descends on the lovely Myddleton road. Saluti Ricardo, and thanks for sharing your dream with us.

Really lovely Italian cafe, lovely atmosphere staff really nice. We loved the frozen glasses with the beer. The ingredients looked great and the coffee and the food looked excellent. We were sat out side on the market day. There was live music being played we really enjoyed it.

What a wonderful delicatessen to enjoy a lovely coffee and food in a very friendly atmosphere! Ricardo the owner is very keen to have the best Italian products and he takes great pride to provide you with the best Italian cuisine can have ! You must come and experience it !

Highly recommend! I have traveled for many countries and lived in Italy for almost an year . This is the closest thing that you will have from Italian grandmother if you have one . Food exceptional , fresh and tasty, the place is very charming and Ricardo is a show apart. Don’t waste time going somewhere else for Italian food 🤌🏻