Overlooking leafy Bourke Street Hill, Bottega serves some of Melbourne’s best modern Italian cuisine. The menu takes inspiration from regional Italian cooking, with several Sicilian influences. Dusty Treweek, formerly of Comme and Stokehouse, leads the kitchen team, using the highest quality produce across the entire menu. This includes lemons, oranges and nettles sourced from owner Denis’ farm in Rutherglen. Ditalini is made by hand and served with braised duck leg, smoked pancetta, lentils and broccolini. Twice cooked lamb shoulder is slow cooked, served with eggplant, almond and black garlic, while Tasmanian salmon very slowly poached and accompanied by shallot puree, squid ink crackers, watercress and confit lemon. Sommelier Ben Knight has crafted an exceptional wine list, with emphasis on regional Australian wines, and an extensive selection of imported wines specialising in Italian varieties.