La Bottega, a casual Italian chainlet with five locations across the Island, has added a sixth: Babylon Village can now share in the joy of oversized chicken cutlets, hand-pulled mozzarella and gently pressed paninis with the opening of the brand’s latest outpost.
La Bottega in Babylon. Credit: Newsday/Marie Elena Martinez
With just nine tables inside and four along the sidewalk, Babylon’s La Bottega is cozy and warm, with a counter to the left and sit-down dining room to the right. The menu is loaded with Italian-inspired fare — both light and heavy — from soups, salads and sandwiches, all popular at lunchtime, to hearty pastas, generous chicken Milanese variations, and entrees including chicken breast in a white wine and lemon sauce ($26), flank steak ($32) and grilled salmon served with shrimp ($30.50).
Start with classic Italian antipasti, including mini arancini or Fontina-cheese filled rice balls ($15.50) or a (very) generous portion of burrata and prosciutto ($16.50). There’s calamari — grilled or fried ($17) — pasta e fagioli soup, and bruschetta topped with mozzarella, which is made in-house, and roasted peppers (starting at $9). The Farmers Salad includes string beans, beets, potatoes, broccoli, toasted almonds, goat cheese and honey dressing ($17.50); meatier is the grilled chicken avocado with mozzarella and cherry tomatoes ($18). Panini choices run similar, with choices ranging from pork to steak to turkey, cured meats and seafood, and of course, their lauded chicken cutlets ($13-$18).
Giuseppe Ruta didn’t start La Bottega as a family business. Ruta, originally from Sicily, opened the concept in Garden City 23 years ago, following “the classic model of the American dream,” he said. He began franchising La Bottega when the Garden City restaurant had quick success. “I knew nothing about franchises when I started, but that felt like the right thing at the time,” Ruta said.
Two or three years ago, things changed. “I was in a period where I was not happy about the direction of where La Bottega was going,” he said. “I found myself thinking of closing more than opening.” Simultaneously, Ruta’s adult children — who worked in the restaurants at least two nights a week growing up — decided they wanted to be involved.
With their help, he streamlined with a rebranding, new logo and more stylish look at the restaurants. “We are four people; we had to start to focus better,” he said. Those four people are Giuseppe Sr., his wife, Marisa, his daughter, Melania, and Giuseppe Jr., who is in charge of front of house and wine. Melania runs the food side, including buying ingredients and menu development. And Marisa? “Oh, thank god for her. She’s in charge of all the finances. I don’t even know what bank we use,” Ruta said with a laugh.
While the Roslyn La Bottega shuttered last year, and the Syosset outpost recently rebranded to Moderna 57, the remaining six La Bottegas — Garden City, Glen Cove, East Norwich, Rockville Centre, Oceanside and, now, Babylon — are under the Rutas’ ownership. “If it says La Bottega on the front, it’s us,” Ruta said.
La Bottega, 238 Deer Park Ave., Babylon, 631-314-4805, labottegagourmet.com; Open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
A global freelancer who has checked her suitcase to raise her young daughter on her native Long Island, Marie Elena will always make time for good mezcal, even better tacos and killer conversation. Preferably, in a corner bar seat. She can be found on Instagram at @mariesworldeats.
Dining and Cooking