Bottega Louie Restaurant and Gourmet Market

I've been for many an evening meal (side note -- you MUST get the Portobello Fries), but never brunch... until last Sunday. It hits the same strides as lunch and dinner -- fantastic menu options, great server-to-patron ratio and excellent service and food. Go for the Farmers Market Breakfast and try a side of the berries with honey yogurt. The fresh juices make a great combo, and the on-the-house bread and jam while you wait is delicious. It's as busy and loud as any other time, but if you're a downtown resident you can't be but happy to see the place flourish.

Pros: Farmers Market Breakfast; Honey Yogurt

Posted 10/29/09

I love this place. The pizza is great. The assorted sandwiches at brunch are amazing. The coffee is pretty damned good. The bread is fantastic. And the prices are SO GOOD.

Plus, they're incredibly flirty. So you get to feel really attractive.

Pros: 10 food for 6 prices

Cons: LOUD! I CAN'T HEAR YOU, WHAT DID YOU SAY? I SAID IT'S LOUD!

Posted 10/19/09

Great space - high ceilings - this is how I imagine Prague - I felt like I was in another country - big room, lots of people, open kitchen, bakery off to the side - great for breakfast, lunch or dinner - I bet the people living in the area (or working) come here all the time.. we live in Santa Monica and we have made the drive in a few times ourselves - and that says something when you are willing to drive in to the belly of LA just to grab a bite to eat.... well worth it...

Pros: location, interior, food, staff, scene

Posted 09/14/09

Entering the space, I walked through the bakery, take-out portion of the huge space. Immediately I felt the weight of the spectacular downtown lofty ceilings. I was accosted by the wafting smells of pizza set against the classic, yet modern incarnation of the brick pizza ovens (in this case white brick). My first thought and last was I wished I lived nearby as this is the kind of place you would like to call yourself a regular for brunch with the sunday times.

Dinner was good, certain dishes verged on great and the experience was excellent for the price (3-4 courses with wine ended up coming out to $50/person) .

First the musts- the portabello fries. If you order one thing, make sure you don't miss out on these scrumptious, well seasoned, though still healthy (c'mon let me pretend, they are mushrooms after all!) small plate. The regular old potato fries were excellent as well, coated with perfect dusting of salt and crunch. The pizza, eggplant parm, branzino and beet salad where also quite good.

The chicken hero and calamari small plate were below average.

We enjoyed the assortment of macarons for dessert- my favorite was the chocolate passionate fruit, but all were good depending on your preference.

All in all good, service, nice atmosphere, appropriate but not overwhelming number of downtown hipsters and good food with a few occasional misses.

Pros: portabello fries, thin crust pizza, great value

Cons: loud

Posted 08/21/09

..................this is a true dining expierience! everything is so worth it, is not just good food, it is an expierience for the palate....the wait was so worth it...splurge , and order up , portabello fries, great steaks ,desserts,, its ALL so yummy......beautiful people without the ugly hollywood cheese factor .WAY TO GO DOWNTOWN ! and thanks Bottega Louie for a great expierience !

Pros: food

Cons: the wait

Posted 08/03/09

This a great place for an afternoon lunch with girlfriends. They have a great selection of gourmet sandwiches. Loved It ! definitely will be going there again. However finding a parking spot on the street was a real problem in downtown.

Overall, I reccomend it for the food and the wine. They also some great stuff for pick up !

Pros: Great quality

Cons: parking is a problem

Posted 07/23/09

Very impressive space and yet it's casual. Some very nice decorative flourishes, but best of all is the food. Their pasta is very, very good, and their pizza is the only "real" pizza Downtown. Now if they could just deliver...

Pros: Best pizza

Cons: They don't deliver ;)

Posted 07/09/09

Really enjoyed myself. I am was referred by a client and I am so happy I went. I will be bak many , many times.

Pros: Food & Service

Cons: Nothing

Posted 05/15/09

Im surprised there are not more reviews about this downtown jewel. This place is amazing. Its basically one huge, HUGE room. No real interior walls. There is a semi-bakery, small bar area, kitchen area, and pizza oven area - all are exposed so you can see everything. The restaurant is amazingly clean and service is wonderful. I went on a Wednesday night and it was packed but I did not have to wait for a table. Food is great and very reasonably priced. I will definitely go back!

Pros: Food, Atmosphere, Service

Posted 05/13/09

This is a great addition to downtown!! The food is delicious and the staff is wonderful! Try the lasagne or the petit sandwiches that surprisingly fill you up. The desserts are to die for as well. Everything is great about this place. Go and enjoy, you will not regret it!!

Pros: Food, ambience, staff

Cons: None!

Posted 05/13/09

OMG, this place is like walking into heaven. I swear! It is downright beautiful, gorgeous, stunning, palatial, breathtaking, and de-lish!

I love that the pizza oven is the focal point of the restaurant. I love the open concept of the kitchen, I LOVE the staff. I seriously cannot say enough about this place.

You can either have a casual experience where you sit in the market/cafe area or you can wine and dine in the restaurant dinning area for a hot date. Trust me, bring anyone here and they will be wowed.

Last but not least, I just adore the boxes for the baked goods and the gold cups that the cupcakes are in. Seriously, everything is just down to the detail.

Enjoy!!!!

Pros: ambience, great food, good prices

Cons: No cons

Posted 04/29/09