The owner switched careers from chef to sommelier after becoming fascinated with Italian wine. In homage to the trattoria he once frequented, the owner named his restaurant ‘Bottegaia’, which means ‘shopkeeper’. There are no standard dishes, as the chef emphasises a sense of the season. He gives free rein to his creative urges, serving spaghetti with ayu and green chilli pepper in summer, and foie gras with daikon in winter.