Photograph by Martha Williams
As the hour grows late, it takes the promise of something special to get this East Pointer to drive out to the northern burbs for a bite. But on a recent Saturday, hunger and curiosity won out, because, as my Italian boyfriend from Jersey says, “I’m hearing things.”
We made our way to the south side of Marietta Square, where a moonlit night led us to Bottega Italian Market & Pizza. We were welcomed by Italian music and warm greetings from behind the counter. Holding court was owner-chef Raffaele Crispino, a charismatic, espresso-fueled dynamo from Naples. Chef Raff, as he’s known, owns other Atlanta-area restaurants, including the charming Crispina Ristorante & Pizzeria in Vinings.
Here at his bottega, a vibrant mural of Sophia Loren adds cinematic glamour to a minimalist Italianate space defined by white subway tiles, wood flooring, tall ceilings with fleur-de-lis stamps, and stylish pendant lamps. A pair of nostalgic oversized clocks—one marked “Marietta,” the other “Roma”—hang above the imported Italian pizza oven. Along a stretch of tables and a dark-green banquette, a photo mural shows a scooter outside a cafe, while an actual red Vespa that belonged to Crispino’s grandfather sits across the way, on a platform above the front door.
In a similar vein, the food is a study in doing things simply and well, with lighthearted flair. The hybrid resto/deli/market offers imported meats, cheeses, and olives, plus prepared mains and sides, homemade desserts, and freshly baked focaccia and ciabatta. The fall menu holds the promise of lobster ravioli. The marketplace shelves are packed with Italian goodies, from pantry staples, snacks, and condiments to curated wines and pretty, gift-ready olive oils and vinegars, notably Briati Glaze with Balsamic Vinegar of Modena.
A recommended sampler for first-timers: Bruschetta Bella, caprese salad, squares of pepperoni and margherita pizza, and homemade cannoli and tiramisu. Each one perfetto. We took home marinated artichokes, grilled eggplant, and ribbon-wrapped bundles of amaretti cookies (lemon and chocolate). Memorable bites on a second visit: the pesto-slathered grilled vegetable sandwich and the dreamy affogato (salted-caramel gelato layered with a dense cream swirl and dusting of espresso powder). Sinatra crooning “Strangers in the Night”: bonus.
This article appears in our November 2024 issue.
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