Aurora has a new dining destination, Bettola Bistro, helmed by Chef Samir Mohammad and his fiancée, Rachel Firestone. The 40-seat eatery opened late last month, taking the place of the former Cody’s Cafe and Bar, located at 10253 East Iliff Avenue.
Bettola translates to “hole in the wall” in Italian, which lends itself to the restaurant’s cozy space. Because of the small volume, Mohammad is using produce from his home garden and farmers markets. His menu is inspired by rustic Italian food. Cioppino (steamed mussels in pesto and white wine broth), spaghetti and meatballs, pan-fried ricotta gnudi with roasted cauliflower, oven-dried tomatoes, and Parmesan broth; and shrimp scampi are highlights. Desserts include flourless chocolate cake and tiramisu, and Mohammed bakes all of the breads in-house as well as making most of the pastas.
Mohammad previously worked in Denver at the Village Cork, Lala’s, Pesce Fresco, and Black Pearl. He most recently cooked in Breckenridge, where he was the opening chef at Artisan 206. Bettola is open from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday.