Week No.7 | Lunch at Bottega Louie

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Week No.7 | Lunch at Bottega Louie

 

*once a week, every week, I embark on a new adventure to check off one of my many LA bucket list items. Follow along my journey being a tourist in my own town and get in on the action!*

 

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Known for their gorgeous high ceiling dining room and most importantly their infamous macarons and pastries, Bottega Louie is undoubtedly an LA institution. It’s also undeniably a favorite restaurant amongst Angelenos and travelers alike and there are few things more representative of Los Angeles than that classic Bottega Louie packaging wrapped in ribbon filled with some beautifully crafted treat. Laudree is to Paris as Bottega Louie is to Los Angeles. Bottega Louie opens every morning at 6:30 am (ouch) and serves breakfast, weekend brunch, lunch, dinner, alongside service at their bar and patisserie. Every day, practically all day, the place is packed to the gills with regulars, tourists, and Instagrammers, all looking to get a piece of the macaron.

If there were an origin to the saying “ladies who lunch”, it was probably created at Bottega Louie. Lunch here is an event, dinner is too of course, but there’s something truly special about this dining room in the light of day. It’s the type of place that makes you feel at ease sipping on a glass of French wine at noon, or indulging in some sort of decadent dessert before 5 pm. Bottega Louie is one hell of a special treat but without being able to make a reservation I’ve always tended to steer clear of the seated dining portion of the experience – hangry isn’t typically a good look for me. Last week though I took my chances, the sea parted, and I was seated immediately (sometimes you just get lucky); it seems to hinge on your timing and you can always at least pass time at the bar.

The lunch and dinner menu are the same so you won’t miss out on anything if you go one way or another, but it would appear (after speaking with our lovely waitress) that there are a few standout favorite dishes to consider. A pizza is an obvious must, and of course dessert – I say ‘dessert’ in open ended terms because you can’t go wrong with any of them at Bottega Louie. I also felt many lovely, warm n’ fuzzy feelings towards the portobello fries and the meatballs; you could easily make a whole meal just out of their small plates. When it finally came to ordering dessert it was a total free for all, “I’ll have one of everything” I think I said, and so one of everything they almost did bring. I have to admit though, when something edible is that beautiful and so perfectly crafted it actually looks fake, I don’t exactly expect it to taste beautiful or perfect. Bottega Louie however has proved to me that it’s actually something that can be done, that beauty on the outside can match the beauty on the inside. It’s magic, it’s as simple as that.

 

WhatBottega Louie 

Where: 700 S Grand Ave Los Angeles, CA 90017

When: 6:30 am – 11 pm daily (open till 12 am Fridays + Saturdays)

Tip: You can’t leave without dessert. Whether it’s something special off the menu like their famous chocolate soufflé (that takes 20 minutes to make) or a box of macarons from the Patisserie counter at the front, do not miss out on the best things Bottega Louie has to offer!

Bonus Tip: If you’re dining, order a pizza. Just trust me.

 

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