Bottega celebrates Unesco recognition of Italian cuisine
Italy has become the first country to receive Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity recognition for its cuisine. Distilleries and brands like Bottega view this recognition as a significant honour not only for the food and wine sector, but for the entire country.
An issue raised by prime minister Giorgia Meloni’s government in early 2023, the campaign for Unesco to recognise Italian cuisine for its cultural significance garnered immense support across the country and on social media.
One of the initiative’s advocates was Bottega, which expressed its support by displaying signs at its 20 Prosecco Bars in Italy and around the world. Additionally, the company shared targeted posts on its social media channels to promote the message further.
Sandro Bottega, CEO of Bottega SpA and creator of the Prosecco Bar project, says: “Various cuisines around the world have achieved levels of excellence and are an expression of millennial cultures, but Italian cuisine, compared to others, offers the incredible variety and multiplicity of regional dishes that form its backbone. Ingredients of the highest quality come from a diverse region spanning the Mediterranean Sea to the Alps. In short, it is a healthy, tasty cuisine that satisfies the palate while preserving health.
“Italian cuisine never bores, thanks to its almost infinite range of gastronomic offerings. A cuisine that has found an irreplaceable companion in wine, to be enjoyed in moderation to fully appreciate the combinations that satisfy the palate, making the time spent at the table a memorable experience.”
Following a positive technical opinion issued in November 2025, the official announcement was made on Wednesday 10 December, during the UN cultural body’s assembly in New Delhi. As a result, Italian cuisine – encompassing everything from pasta to wine – will be inscribed on the list of ‘intangible cultural heritage’.
Following the official recognition, Sandro shared his excitement, saying: “Excellent news from New Delhi for Italian cuisine, which the Unesco Intergovernmental Committee has recognised as an expression of our country’s culture and lifestyle. Once again, our cuisine has found an irreplaceable ally in wine. In fact, the various wines of the peninsula, when enjoyed in moderation and paired with the many traditional dishes, satisfy the palate and make the time spent at the table a memorable experience. I am certain that this well-deserved recognition will provide significant support and enhance the image of Prosecco and the world of Italian wine.”
The Prosecco Bar
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Far from siloing food and beverages, Bottega embraces both as essential to Italian culture. The company’s distillery and winery in Bibano di Godega, Treviso, is renowned for its diverse range of products, including grappa, liqueurs, spirits, and still, sparkling, and Prosecco wines. However, it has also fully embraced hospitality as a means to promote Italy’s entwined histories of food and wine.
In 2014, the company introduced its Prosecco Bar concept to showcase the excellence of Italian offerings and cater to the typical consumer’s palate. This concept revives the philosophy of the Venetian bacaro, an informal osteria where food is served as ‘cicheti’—small snacks to be enjoyed at the counter—or as more substantial dishes at tables.
According to Bottega, pairing Prosecco, valued for its versatility, with other Italian wines creates a full-circle experience. Every moment spent in a bacaro, whether short or long, becomes a delightful experience that “nourishes the spirit and refreshes the soul”. Bottega’s Prosecco Bar, with locations in Europe, Abu Dhabi Airport in the UAE, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, has rapidly become an ambassador for Italy’s food and wine culture, expanding its menu to include dishes from various regions of Italy and using locally sourced ingredients whenever possible.
Sandro comments on the impact of the new Unesco recognition on the brand and its bar concept: “I foresee a huge impact, especially in our Prosecco Bars, where we prepare the dishes of Italian cuisine, in full compliance with its dictates and recipes. In these venues, we promote our wines, accompanied by traditional food pairings and, in some cases, unusual variations.”
Additionally, the menus at the winery’s Prosecco Bars feature recipes from Sandro’s book, I 100 piatti del Prosecco (100 Prosecco Dishes), which highlights the versatility of Bottega’s sparkling wines alongside the gastronomic excellence of the region where they are produced.
Sandro shares some of the best pairings for Bottega’s wines: “In keeping with Venetian tradition and bacari, which inspired our Bottega Prosecco Bar concept, we suggest Baccala Mantecato (creamed cod) paired with Prosecco Superiore DOCG, Bigoli in Salsa (pasta with anchovy sauce) with Pinot Grigio del Collio, Sarde in Saor (fried sardines with onions) with a Valpolicella Classico, and, finally, Parmigiano Reggiano with a good Amarone della Valpolicella. To finish, Tiramisù or Panettone paired with Petalo Moscato or Pistachio liqueur.”
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