Our Review Of Bottega 35 Kensington: A Brand New Italian Restaurant Serving Tuscan Plates And Cocktails

After the closure of Kensington High Street favourite Zuaya, there's been a lot of buzz about the restaurant taking its place. Part of the Emerald Hospitality Group, the team behind nearby Como Garden and Mayfair's Riviera, Bottega 35 is bringing a taste of Tuscany to West London. After having tried some of their other venues, I was keen to try out this brand new Italian venture from the group, and just a week after its opening in September 2025 I was able to secure myself a spot.

This chic Tuscan restaurant is brand new to Kensington.

DesignMyNight Review of Bottega 35 London

The venue has been totally refurbished since it was Zuaya, and it now features a Tuscan-inspired interior. It had a simple but elegant look, with clean white tablecloths and wooden shelves filled with glowing lamps and ornaments, and we were seated at a table in front of the large windows. At first glance, this seemed like a small, intimate dining space, but it soon became clear that there were lots more tables downstairs as the eatery soon filled up with customers. And despite how busy it was, the staff were speedy and attentive throughout.

Their cocktail menu is short but sweet, with both Italian classics and unique signatures to choose from. I was happy to see they had my all-time favourite: a Hugo spritz (£14), which was on the sweeter side and had a strong elderflower taste - just how I like it. My partner's Bottega Fizz (£15) was made from rum, blue curacao and Passoa, boasting a bold blue colour and a strong flavour, though we both found this one a little too sickly.

From spritz cocktails to gnocchi, you get a real taste of Italy at Bottega 35.

Up first were two antipasti, the first being fried zucchine (£7) - beautifully tender slithers of courgette in a crunchy batter, perfect for snacking on. We ordered this alongside the taleggio arancini (£6.50), a singular, mushroom-filled cone of risotto and unctuous cheese, surrounded by a crisp breadcrumb coating. This came on a bed of cheesy sauce, which I could have eaten straight from a spoon.

There were plenty more traditional flavours on the mains list, and I opted for their gnocchi pesto (£19). These perfectly plump bites were lathered in an earthy, basil-heavy pesto sauce, topped with shavings of parmesan and tomatoes. My only qualm with this otherwise delicious dish was that the menu listed Buffalo mozzarella as an ingredient, but I didn't detect any of this. My dinner date chose the tomato chicken (£23), a juicy cut of meat on a creamy mashed potato base, drizzled in a rich tomato sauce. This was served with a generous helping of mozzarella on top.

We were advised to order some sides too, as their plates were ideal for sharing. The melanzane parmigiana (£17) was beautifully presented: thin slices of aubergine rolled into cylinders and stuffed with a smoky cheese that added a unique element to this classic dish, topped with mozzarella and a thick tomato blend. We also devoured some oven-roasted potatoes (£7), flaunting fluffy insides and a crispy exterior.

Don't skip dessert: the pistachio cheesecake is unbelieveable.

Featuring a very trendy ingredient, their pistachio cheesecake (£13 each) called out to us both instantly. In hindsight, we probably should have shared this as it was a sizeable portion, but we couldn't resist ordering one each. This had a thick but not too firm base, underneath a mountain of chocolatey cream cheese filling - finished off with crumbled pistachios. As much as I enjoyed this and would recommend trying it, I did feel that the menu was slightly misleading, as it was more of a chocolate cheesecake topped with a pistachio than an actual pistachio-flavoured cheesecake.

Overall: Bottega 35 Kensington

This stylish Tuscan restaurant has transformed the Kensington space, with relaxed but elegant interiors. And when it comes to the Bottega 35 menu, there's so much to try out that I will definitley have to return for more. I particularly enjoyed the arancini starter and the pistachio cheesecake, but everything was full of flavour and cooked to perfection. And if it was all this good just a week after opening, I can't wait to see what else they think up in the future.

For more tasty picks, check out these romantic Italian restaurants in London.