Every weekend, Peggy Spineli presents either her favourite restaurants across the island or the places that make it onto the wish list of her branding-victimised self. This week, she returns to Limassol to finally visit Sera by Botrini.
Returning to Limassol after years away is a shock to the system. I have been absent not only from its culinary scene, but from the city as a whole, and stepping back into it now feels like walking into a version of Limassol that grew up aggressively in my absence. New buildings everywhere, lights brighter than I remember, confidence overflowing, an extravagance that borders on attitude. It is as if puberty hit the city overnight and I am the startled parent of an overindulged teenager wondering when everything changed.
In a city that reinvented itself while I was looking elsewhere, the question is where to begin. I could have chased something entirely new, but instinct pulled me toward something familiar that has also evolved. So, for the first stop of my culinary return, I am choosing the old-by-new, the eternally polished Four Seasons. And within it, Sera by Ettore Botrini, a restaurant I have been meaning to visit since the day it opened.
After scrolling through its Instagram account, I can admit without shame that it immediately climbed to the very top of my weekend wish list. What I want this weekend is simple: the Filetto di Manzo, juicy, tender, carved at the table, the kind of dish that convinces you to sit a little straighter. The Tiramisù, prepared before your eyes, filled with espresso in the air and mascarpone so soft it deserves its own love letter. As for the rest, I have seen enough pasta options to understand that if there is steak, tiramisu and a damn good bottle of red wine, I will be perfectly fine.
The vibe that emerges from everything I have read so far is unmistakable. Sera comes across as elegant without trying too hard, with a dinner service that feels like an experience rather than a routine. The menu leans into seasonality and Italian refinement under the culinary direction of Ettore Botrini. It is a dinner-only restaurant, operating from Wednesday to Sunday, with a smart-casual dress code and reservations strongly recommended.
If I am to rediscover Limassol, this feels like the right place to begin. A return, a restart, and a good meal to mark the occasion.
Sera by Ettore Botrini
Four Seasons Hotel, 67–69 Amathountos Avenue, Limassol
Tel: +357 25 681 100