"Bottega is the best Italian splurge in Birmingham. Plan to get dressed up for this one, because it’s, without a doubt, a special occasion spot, and what’s happening on your plate here deserves that level of respect. Throughout this two-story neoclassical building, you’ll find people celebrating anniversaries and job promotions over plates of decadent rabbit pappardelle and a yellowtail tuna bolognese that defies everything you thought tuna could be. They sub in fish, curing it for days and then grinding it, which yields a convincing version of spiced ground beef. Capping off the meal: a towering slice of coconut-pecan cake made with an earthy pecan genoise and a housemade limoncello that offers just enough pucker. photo credit: Kelli Dirks photo credit: Kelli Dirks photo credit: Kelli Dirks photo credit: Kelli Dirks Pause Unmute" - Jackie Gutierrez-Jones