La Botte Italian Restaurant

About this place

Nick and Caterina's story runs from Marsala, Italy to Chicago — where they opened their first Italian restaurant in 1969 — and on to Lompoc, where the family settled in 1981. Today La Botte carries that tradition forward on South I Street, and regulars come back for Nick's meat sauce and house dressing and for Mama Caterina's minestrone and desserts. The dinner menu is classic Italian cooking: calamari fritti, bruschetta, and caprese to start, then chicken piccata, veal marsala, lamb chops, rib eye, and baked salmon alongside a full pasta board — lasagna, gnocchi bolognese, manicotti, linguine alle vongole, and fettuccine alfredo. Gluten-free pasta is available, and the wine list pairs local bottles with Italian labels. La Botte welcomes large parties and often hosts events for community groups, and the kitchen travels too: meals and desserts to take home, plus pickup, delivery, or full-service catering for weddings, corporate events, and family celebrations.