As intimate as they come, this authentic Badolatese restaurant is run by a mother and son duo, with son managing the front of the house and mom commandeering the kitchen.  Quaintly filling what appears to be a former wine cellar in a quiet alley, this local gem not only doesn’t have a website, it doesn’t even have a menu! The only thing you really need to tell La Botte is how hungry you are, but you’re going to get a massive meal regardless. With everything homemade from local ingredients, meals will include an antipasti course (large), a pasta course (larger), a meat and vegetable dish (also large), and bread, dessert, and wine (homemade). If you’re lucky, you may get to try the owner’s homemade limoncello, and if you happen to speak Italian, you’re sure to hear some amusing anecdotes from the his life.  So how much for all of this? About 15 euros per person.

While they may not have a website, they’re popular on review sites like TripAdvisor. So popular, in fact, that some travelers take a detour and drive up the mountain to Badolato Superiore just to score a meal here—a meal that’s just like one at grandma’s house: inviting, cozy, delicious, and never-ending.

ProTip: While most of Badolato (and Calabria in general) takes a lengthy afternoon siesta, La Botte is one of the few establishments in the village that remains open throughout the afternoon, so you can pop in any time.

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Contributor Brandon Schultz |

Locale Calabria, Italy |

Topic Food | Travel |

Photo Gallery Calabria | Travel |