What’s Clean
The flours and tomatoes at Bettola are imported from Italy and used to create their scratch-made pasta, bread, pizza dough, and sauces. Most of the produce is locally sourced and organically grown. The pork is pasture-raised at a local farm and supplemented with non-GMO feed. The seafood is wild-caught. The beef is not organic or 100% grass-fed and we were unable to find out specific information about the cheeses.
What’s Served
Bettola serves scratch-made Italian cuisine such as Wood-Fired Neopolitan Pizza, Pasta Plates, Salads, and Small Plates. Entrees include Oven Roasted Snapper which is spearfished, Bucatini Carbonara, and Cappelletti to name a few. You’ll also find a few Desserts, IPAs, Ales, Cocktails, and of course Vino.
What I Ordered
We ordered the Rigatoni Bolognese and the Arugula Insalata, served with housemade bread and EVOO. Cooked to a perfect al dente, the pasta had a firm bite and exceptional flavor, making this some of the best rigatoni pasta I’ve ever had. The housemade sauce was equally as good, mellow without the acidity often experienced, and loaded with clean local ground pork and a full-bodied flavor. Although the salad contained just a few ingredients – fresh arugula, spinach, radish, toasted almonds, roasted leeks, and shaved Parmigiano Reggiano, the medley of fresh produce, almonds bits, delectable cheese, and a vibrant lemon aioli created a savory salad for the record books. The housemade bread was less than impressive, after being blown away with the rest of the meal, I guess we expected more.
The Vibe
Bettola is situated in an old factory building in a marketplace known as Pepper Place. The open space with a wood-fired oven on one side and a large bar on the other, is inviting and warm. Tables are provided throughout with bench seating indoors, as well as a large dining space on the patio in front of the restaurant. Firepits and overhead string lights add to the brick-front charm with an urban flair.
The Takeaway
It’s a rare find when traditional Italian fare is scratch-made with so many clean ingredients. Big kudos to Bettola for going the extra mile, but beyond clean, the food is quite delizioso. Dinner at Bettola is often a memorable experience, it sure was for us. Plan on a visit when anywhere near Birmingham.
