Bottarga - Brighton, Victoria

Ian W.

A gem in Brighton (30 mins out of Melbourne's CBD.
Bottargo is a restaurant within a short drive from central Melbourne that offers good Italian cuisine.
It is located in a small shopping strip in one if the suburb's main streets.
Access is mainly via train (metro station within 5 mins walk) or by car (parking is challenging so best to opt for a nearby side street [eg Hamilton St] rather than competing for the few on-street parking bays.
Both indoor and alfresco tables.
On our visit the indoor area was really quite chilly from the air-conditioning so come prepared with a jumper / jacket!
The food is Italian and incorporates some local Australian flavours and twists.
A selection of 4 wines (both red and white - around $20 per glass - and can also BYO)
The menu is limited to a 2 course, 3 course or tasting menu and has a limited offering of vegetarian dishes and only 2 side dishes - chips or salad - but you should be able to find something you'd like within these options.
Two of the four mains - steak and fish incur an extra $25 charge beyond the $79 two course or $99 three course menu cost.
Our waiter was very chirpy and helpful but service got quite slow as the restaurant filled.. with a very long wait between main course and dessert.
People with mobility issues will be fine here as it's all on one floor with good bathroom access for wheelchairs.
The entrees were the star of the show (see pics) with very creative offerings. Mains were a little less interesting and quite small serves.
Desserts are playful. Hit the mark for my dining companion but not so much for me...my chocolate tart was very bitter from the cocoa powder and the Gorgonzola cheese flavoured sorbet was an odd accompaniment.
Worth a try if you find yourself in beachside Brighton.

Annie O.

The food was an experience in itself. We were blown away by the beautiful textures, colours and tastes. Every dish was an art piece without being a fluffy bit of mousse. Highly recommend.

Laura S.

A little and intimate fine dining experience that was one of the best meals I’ve had in a while. Had the Tasting Experience with Wine Paring. One dish better than the other. The arancini truffles cream was so spectacular it made me tear up - literally. The Sicilian DonnaFugata - Sedara red was incredible. Service was beyond impecable. A must in Melbourne.

munisara C.

We visited Bottarga for a 6 course meal. They provided us with a fantastic experience, with delicious and flavoursome food.

The staff were very kind and helpful. The wine pairing was perfect, plus the sommelier was very informed and provided us with information on each wine pairing.

Overall I would highly recommend Bottarga to any one looking for a fine dining experience.

Kelly W.

We celebrated my bday here and while it was very festive and the service was lovely, we had a few misses. The burratina came on caramelized onions and fennel but the onion was overpowering and all I could taste. And the cheese lacked seasoning and needed some olive oil. My friend is veggie and had the pasta (now only one veg main but they can accommodate by taking meat out of another which is helpful). It came out cold and not very tasty. The team rectified it and we appreciate the service save but would prefer a veg dish that is made for veggies so the flavour is better (and not roasted cauliflower which is everywhere). They served us some complimentary rum babas for dessert which was kind but not my cup of tea (too boozy). It felt too long between courses and the room gets really loud when it’s full. My fish was tasty but under seasoned. Good once I added salt. Still giving this a 4 though because the meal had good bones, my companions enjoyed the kangaroo tartare and chicken dish and I think it could’ve been better if we’s selected better/differently. As mentioned, service is lovely and clearly they take pride in what they do.

Larissa M.

Another incredible night at Bottarga! We have been to Bottarga on multiple occasions for their standard set menu so when we saw their Wine Dinner event we knew we were in for a treat! The food was above our expectations and the matching wines were great.

Shirley T.

Everything was perfect! Service was spectacular - staff were very polite and had intention with every move they made. The food was on another level - impeccable presentation and full of flavour, each dish complimented another. We were gifted a little ice cream for the three of us for our wedding anniversary which was sweet.
Thank you to all of you for the beautiful night!

Chan C.

I would give them 3.8/5 stars if I could. Fine ingredients, good food presentations but lack the flavor and chemistry. Attentive service. Intimate atmosphere. Brighton price range.