Brothers Julian and Tomas Morana started Bottega Volo in 2021, when many restaurants in the city were pivoting to bottle shops to navigate the pandemic. They quickly got in on the trend and became one of the first bottle shops with a strong online presence, allowing them to ship to and import from all corners of the country.
They knew they were onto something and eventually set it up as an extension of Bar Volo and Birreria, the College Street hot spots they operate. But when the former Royal Jewellers space became available, the Morana brothers knew they had to have it. They recently turned Bottega Volo into a permanent fixture, operating it as a café, grocery and bottle shop just steps from the bars they already own, inside the Royal Theatre lobby.
“It’s now like an entertainment complex seven days a week, and the shows are still happening, and it’s truly quite beautiful,” Julian Morana says.
What makes the setup extra special is that the location allows snacks from Bottega Volo to be served inside the Royal Theatre, offering the same bites available at the café during the day. The menu includes cicchetti — Italy’s answer to tapas — such as arancini, antipasto, panini and calzones, along with Roman pastries like maritozzo, typically filled with lightly sweetened whipped cream. Guests can also order Volo’s house-brewed ales and the exclusive Volare wines fans have come to love..
Bottega Volo also pays homage to the history of the space. About a century ago, it operated as The Pylon, a café that played a role in shaping Little Italy into what it is today.
“Across both spaces, we’ve worked carefully to honour the building’s art deco character and its place within the neighbourhood. The new room carries an old-world charm, finished with cherry wood veneer, bianco Carrara marble and natural stone chequered tile floors,” Julian says.
But it’s the idea of bringing the neighbourhood together that inspires the spirit of the space.
“We want the bottega to be a one-stop shop for all your pantry or party hosting needs. We have a fabulous selection of natural wines from our in-house import company, and we’re bringing in specialty sauces, oils, olives and fish tins from all over the world. The curation is really colourful and pretty, and we try to bring in things you can’t find elsewhere, so the pantry selection feels pretty exclusive. We’re also continuing to grow our amaro, vermouth and aperitivo selection — one of the largest in Canada — while keeping prices fair. That’s really what Bottega Volo is about right now.”
Bottega Volo is located at 606 College Street.
