Bottega Deli

Bottega Deli is by the La Pegna sisters, Annabella and Victoria, and their father Albasio La Pegna (owner of longstanding Bellissimo Restaurant). It opened in 2023, but was in the works for years. The sisters grew up near the corner store, which used to be their local neighbourhood deli.

Today, Bottega Deli pays homage to the traditional and tasty Italian cuisine of Naples. Patriarch Albasio has experience running Italian eateries in Perth, and Victoria (ex-Red Cabbage) spent years cooking alongside him at Bellissimo. They’ve crafted a menu that celebrates the simplicity of Italian cooking and la cucina povera (which means “food of the poor”).

The deli’s display cabinet has a range of pre-prepared options, including takeaway salads, and marinated and prepared vegetable side dishes, all made with an emphasis on fresh ingredients with minimal intervention. There’s a rotating range of pastas and paninis – think mortadella with buffalo mozzarella, giardiniera and Calabrian chilli, or prosciutto with tomatoes, roast capsicum and olives – all made with bread from Il Panino, an Italian baker in Beaconsfield. Desserts – including crunchy cannoli and creamy tiramisu – are all made in house and there’s Pascucci coffee to keep you caffeinated while you shop.

The deli has a retail section selling the family’s favourite artisanal products and the brands they use themselves. Think spicy hot cream peppers; dried Sicilian oregano; and olives stuffed with anchovies, peppers or lemon.