If you are wandering the Bay Area, craving traditional Italian pasta fresca, it might be time for you to visit Michele Belotti. Throughout the quarantine, this young (33-year-old) chef from Bergamo has continued to work tirelessly at his restaurant and pasta shop in Oakland, still producing staples like bigoli, ravioli, and casonsei (traditional dumplings from Bergamo). Patrons can purchase fresh pasta to prepare themselves or they can order pre-cooked dishes, like Belotti’s luscious Agnolotti di Lidia, which are filled with beef shank, flat iron and escarole – topped with a reduction of arrosto, or “the most sensuous leftover” roasted beef sauce, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and butter.
Today, just as it was in the pre-pandemic days, you can recognize his restaurant from a line outside the door. Belotti has a bright talent: He makes classic dishes that have the power to transport diners to a traditional Northern Italian trattoria after just one bite.
Michele Belotti
Belotti opened his restaurant on College Avenue in the Rockridge neighborhood of Oakland just five years ago. Coming from a humble youth, he first worked at different Michelin-star restaurants, from Frosio in Bergamo to Guido da Costigliole in Piedmont. It was in those esteemed restaurants that he learned to cook the classic dishes of Northern Italy.
In 2011, when Gary Rulli offered him a position at Ristobar in San Francisco – Rulli met Belotti when he was just 16 years old – and the chef moved to California, ready for an adventure. He reflects, “My entire life, I’ve worked about 13 hours a day. I haven’t had much time to travel.”
Aside from its culinary scene, San Francisco has been good to him: It’s the city where he met his girlfriend (and future wife) after only one week.
Five years ago, Belotti decided to open up his own restaurant. “I had no money, no investors,” he recalls. “I rented the place and planned to open as soon as possible, painting the walls myself and sleeping on the floor. I couldn’t afford to pay for any other rent, so this dropped my costs.” Since opening, Belotti Ristorante has become the destination for pasta lovers wanting to satisfy their cravings for comforting carbs. He likes to make simplicity shine – as you can see in this famous Tajerin (thin egg pasta) with only butter and anchovies. And the wine list reflects his territory and spirit: The selection goes well with the food you’ll order.
Reflecting on the quarantine, Belotti commented, “During this lockdown, we’ve become a hybrid for the community: We are a grocery store, a place to shop for cocktail fixings, and a solution for people who don’t feel like cooking, but still want to eat good food.” His hometown in Lombardy is still dramatically affected by the virus. “It’s so sad to be on the phone with a friend and hear an ambulance approaching.” But Belotti is an optimist: “We’ll make it through one way or another. I personally cannot wait to go back to Italy to visit my wine-producer friends and eat at my favorite regional restaurants, which serve polenta all day, every day.”