Bootlegging means to copy, imitate or rip off. And that’s exactly what chef-owner Sam Overton is doing with his plant-based eatery, Bootleg Italian. Everything from the pasta, to bread, cheeses, sauces and mock meats are made in-house.

Pastas are a menu highlight, and you’ll find classics such as cacio e pepe, spaghetti aglio e olio and an outstanding rigatoni alla vodka.

Other dishes might include dough balls drenched in garlic butter and finished with sea sal (Overton’s own recipe), truffle arancini, lasagne, “meatballs” in a slow-cooked sugo served with garlic focaccia, and a selection of salads. Overton is particularly proud of the tiramisu, which is astonishingly like the real thing.

The hefty cocktail menu is split into spritzes and classics. The Ginger Spice spritz is made with ginger syrup, Lillet, prosecco and ginger beer, while cocktail standards such as Whisky Sours, Margaritas and dirty Martinis fill the classics menu. There’s also a solid selection of minimal-intervention wine to keep the good times rolling.

Bootleg’s interiors are dark and moody, dimly lit with pops of colour accentuated by brass fixtures, velvet furniture, and classic black-and-white chequered flooring.

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Updated: May 5th, 2023

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