Bottega Fiorentina Expands Fresh Pasta Market From Coolidge Corner to South Boston

Vanessa Cannella and Felipe Angeline converted the former Thirst bar at 645 E 2nd Street in South Boston into Bottega del Sud this past fall, bringing the mix-and-match fresh pasta model they have run in Coolidge Corner for five years to a neighborhood that had no equivalent. Five months later, the shop has become a fixture on the block.

The original Bottega Fiorentina has anchored the corner of Harvard Street and Babcock Street since 1994, when Andrea and Christina Ferrini established what became one of Boston's most recognizable pasta counters. The Angeline Cannella family took over in 2019, with Cannella's Sicilian roots and Angeline's Brazilian-Northern Italian heritage lending new energy to a formula that stayed fundamentally unchanged: penne, gnocchi, or stuffed ravioli paired with a diner's choice from 14 rotating housemade sauces.

What differentiates the South Boston location is atmosphere more than menu. The Coolidge Corner shop fronts directly onto Harvard Street; Bottega del Sud sits set back from Broadway, painted sage green, with a yellow neon sign looping "#Pasta Is Life" three times over the counter. It reads younger and looser than the classic legacy shop, though the cooking discipline is identical. "Even if we are in the same ownership, the menu is the same and the culture of the business is the same, they both have their own personality because they're in different neighborhoods," Cannella said.

For anyone walking into 645 E 2nd for the first time, the ordering system is intuitive but rewards a little thought. Stuffed ravioli pairs best against lighter, herb-forward sauces like pesto (basil, parmigiano, garlic and pine nuts) or a clean pomodoro, keeping the filling from being buried. Gnocchi's pillowy texture suits a cream-based option: the gorgonzola with nutmeg or the prosciutto-and-mushroom in creamy pomodoro handle the weight without overwhelming. Penne holds up to full-bodied choices, bolognese (ground beef and pork in pomodoro) or the Pescatore (shrimps, scallops, sundried tomato, white wine and thyme), without losing bite. Cannella's top recommendation for first-timers is the Nuvole, whose name means "clouds" in Italian, and the one dish she consistently singles out as essential to the experience.

Taking a fresh pasta order home? Reheat in a covered pan with a tablespoon of water over medium-low heat. The microwave collapses the texture of hand-made shapes, which are nothing like their shelf-stable counterparts and should not be treated as such.

The shop also functions as a mercatino, a small market, stocked with housemade sauces by the jar, artisanal pastas, olive oil, and imported Italian grocery goods for anyone who prefers cooking at home. The pricing philosophy is deliberate. "It's all about being practical and easy and being part of your routine without breaking the bank," Cannella said.

Both Bottega locations are open seven days a week: 7:30 AM to 9:00 PM on weekdays and 9:30 AM to 9:00 PM on weekends. Delivery through major platforms is also available for orders that don't make it to E 2nd Street.

After three years of searching for the right South Boston space, the Angeline Cannellas landed a few blocks from their own front door. Whether that's coincidence or patience depends on who you ask.