Caffe Bottega: Lunch with a twist
By Todd Lyon
From the New Haven Register
 | | Caffe Bottega’s located right on the corner of Chapel and Temple streets, right in the heart of downtown New Haven. |
Americans don’t take the time to enjoy their daily rituals," says Giuliana Maravalle, leaning back in a cushy chair at Caffe Bottega, her newest establishment at the corner of Temple and Chapel Streets in downtown New Haven.
"One of the reasons our lunch is so successful is that we can get everybody served in about seven minutes, and give them a little half-hour of heaven with a place to sit and rest."
Yes, the 4,000 square-foot Caffe Bottega offers Italian-style breakfasts, i.e. authentic Italian cappuccino, espresso and pastries; an expansive lunch bar where patrons can create their own salads, pizzas, panini and stir-fried meals; a laid-back dinner menu that encourages sharing among friends; a full bar with fine wines and libations; and gorgeous, house-made gelato available morning, noon and night.
At that significant corner, across from the New Haven Green, there is also live entertainment most evenings. "We have reggae, karaoke, games night with a magician, Mondays with martinis, manicures and a movie and much more," says Giuliana.
Much more, indeed.
Giuliana Maravalle makes my head spin. I’m in awe of her energy, her ambition; I’m amazed by all she’s accomplished. How often does one meet a natural-born entrepreneur that has brought contemporary European style, design and cuisine to New Haven for nearly 20 years?
Born on Italy’s Adriatic coast, Giuliana settled in Connecticut in the late ’50s. In the ’70s, she co-founded the Gal-Mar Academy of Hairdressing in North Haven; in 1986 she opened Bottega Giuliana, a shoe store that introduced high-end European footwear to downtown New Haven.
After moving Bottega Giuliana to ever-larger digs, Giuliana and her daughter, Carla, broke through the back wall of their Chapel Street boutique and launched Back Room @ Bottega, a two-story wine bar/cocktail lounge/Italian tapas restaurant that overlooked the Temple Street Plaza, a brand-new urban pocket park.
"Everyone thought I was out of my mind when I took over that ugly alley space," recalls Giuliana with a laugh. "You couldn’t even see it from the street."
Nevertheless, Back Room @ Bottega was a hit from the minute it opened. The combination of Giuliana’s authentic Italian cookery, plus a dreamy wine list and a sexy, colorful interior proved irresistible. The space has since expanded to include Bottega Lounge, a full-blown nightclub that rocks the Temple Plaza — ugly no more — all night, especially on weekends.
Last fall, Giuliana and Carla took over the important corner across from the New Haven Green. "People couldn’t figure us out at first," says Giuliana. That’s because the new Caffe Bottega was — and is — a loft-like space with cement floors, soaring ceilings, stuffed sofas, lucite tables, a stage area, a discreet bar, two serving stations and dramatic glass walls overlooking Chapel and Temple streets.
It also took a while for people to figure out that Caffe Bottega isn’t a traditional restaurant. "Breakfast" begins at 10 a.m., and consists of excellent coffees and random pastries — "Italians don’t really eat breakfast," explains Giuliana.
Lunch is a genius, self-serve arrangement that allows patrons to design their own meals. Salads, for instance, start with bases of baby greens ($4 small, $6 large) to which you and I can request three or more toppings plus our choice of dressings, which are tossed in a handy container and handed to us at the end of the line. You can also design your own personal pizza ($6 and up), stir-fry ($8-plus) or panini ($6 and beyond). "It’s fast food for healthy people," says Giuliana, who presently serves about 200 lunches per day. "When the weather changes, we’ll add lots of home-made soups," she promises.
At supper time, Caffe Bottega offers an assortment of casual entrees that include a savory pizzette with roasted tomato, mozzarella and fresh basil ($11); delightful meat and cheese plates (I recently sampled a bevy of upscale cheeses from Italy, France and England, a bargain at $12); plus supper-sized offerings of free-range chicken with artichokes, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes ($13), Pacific salmon with mustard cream sauce and arugula ($17) and pan-seared ribeye cubes with sauteed onions, carrots, celery and roasted potatoes ($18).
The food is lovely, but Giuliana wants to make sure that Caffe Bottega doesn’t morph into a full-fledged restaurant. "I want people to come here, even after they’ve had dinner somewhere else," she explains. "Instead of going to a bar or a nightclub, I want them to extend their evening with food and drinks and desserts and entertainment that isn’t average."
Speaking of desserts: Day and night, Caffe Bottega is visited by pilgrims who come for house-made gelato. "It’s our pride and joy," says Giuliana. Dozens of flavors are offered daily, and Bottega’s gelato has caused such a sensation that Ms. Maravalle is now gearing up to launch a company called Gelato Giuliana, which will produce her all-natural, high-flavor, low-fat desserts to be sold in small cafes throughout Connecticut.
Giuliana is excited. Carla is not. "Ma, one more thing you open, I’m moving to Mexico. And this time, I mean it."
So says the daughter of a true entrepreneur and ambassador who’s dedicated to bringing an infusion of Italy to our town, and our state.
Todd Lyon of New Haven is a freelance writer.
THE ESSENTIALS
• Place: Caffe Bottega, 910 Chapel St. (corner of Temple), New Haven.
• Phone: (203) 624-6200
• Web: www.bottegagiuliana.net.
• Hours: Food service, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays.
• Reservations: For parties of six or more.
• Credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, Amex.
• Food: A vast, Italian-style cafe in the heart of downtown New Haven offers casual meals in a contemporary setting to be enjoyed at a sea of tables and sofas. Breakfast and lunch is self-serve; dinner and late-night seatings feature table service, with a minimum of $12 per person; live entertainment is presented nightly.
At breakfast, and throughout the day, Caffe Bottega serves up cappuccino and espresso that’s been called the best in the city, served in stylish cups and saucers. A smattering of pastries is offered in the morning.
Lunch is the star of the show: a case to the right of the space offers salads, panini, pizzas, stir-fries and more, each made to your liking. Salads, for instance, begin with a base of baby lettuces ($4 small, $6 large); for no extra charge, you can choose three toppings and a dressing to be added to the mix, which will then be tossed and presented to you at the end of the line. Stir fries begin at $8; pizzas begin at $6.
At dinner, the Caffe offers appetizers and entrees in the $6-$18 range. Many of these are meant for sharing, such as an intriguing Cheese Plate ($12) and Meat Plate ($12). More traditional dishes include a Lobster Ravioli with tomato-based cream sauce ($13) and Pan-Seared Ribeye cubes with onions, carrots, celery and potatoes ($18).
Desserts include baked items, i.e. Pear Tartlet ($7) and Chocolate Fondant Cake ($6), but the crazy-good stuff is Gelato ($4.50), house-made in dozens of flavors such as Grand Marnier, Pistachio, Green Apple, Mango and Pear.
• Note: Soon, Caffe Bottega will start delivering in the downtown area.
• Drink: A full bar features creative martinis like Blue Man Group ($8), Root Beer Float ($8) and Key Lime Pie ($9). The wine list is much prettier, with international bottles starting at $22 and topping out at $105, and wines by the glass offered in the $6-$10 range.
• Wheelchair access: Through the front door.
• Parking: On the street. |
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