Where to Eat in Bologna: 17 Mouthwatering Recommendations

Wondering where to eat in Bologna, aka the foodie capital of Italy? I’ve been twice now, so I like to think I have a decent recommendation or two up my sleeve!

For quite a few years, I had Bologna on my long list of places to visit in Italy. Anytime I heard about it, it was in the context of its incredible food scene. After all, one of its nicknames is La Grassa, or hte Fat, thanks to its rich culinary history with meat and cheese. I feel like anytime a city gets a name directly related to his gastronomy, you know you’re going to be eating well!

Back in 2022, I spent a few days after my Tuscany road trip with the sole goal of eating my heart out!! Back then I was armed with my local friend’s recommendations and a stomach ready to continue my pasta consumption. Then last year, I returned as part of a film crew where we shot this episode of “Places to Love,” and I got to sample a few more places in my free time.

So, you know, like I said I think I have a few good recs to offer you if you’re also planning on visiting beautiful Bologna! Check out both what dishes to try and where to try ’em below.

Specific Italian Dishes to Try in Bologna

Tortellini en Bodo

Chances are, you’re already a little familiar with tortellini in its prepackaged form at the grocery store. I always just heated it up, added some sauce from a can, and called it a day!

That is not how you will experience tortellini in Bologna, aka the birthplace of this particular pasta. (Though, depending on who you ask, it could also be Modena). Like most pastas, tortellini is made fresh, and can expect a filly of some sort of meat and cheese as well. The most authentic way to eat it is en brodo or in a sort of chicken broth. I definitely prefer it with some sort of sauce or even a butter but the broth is pretty tasty and worth trying at least once while you’re here.

Tagliatelle al ragù

Listen, once you go tagliatelle you’ll never want to look at spaghetti again. Spaghetti bolognese is like the global bastardization of tagliatelle al ragù.

If you’ve never had it, tagliatelle are long flat noodles and, in my opinion, much better suited for a meat sauce than spaghetti. The noodles are best made fresh from scratch and the ragù is made with mainly with some sort of meat, sautéed vegetables, tomatoes. While I didn’t get it on my trip, I’ve made it in a cooking class in Florence and ate it a few times on my trips to Italy. Trust me once you have it, the stuff you can make with a can of sauce and spaghetti noodles just won’t taste that good every again.

Mortadella

Do you remember getting bologna growing up and wondering why the heck it was spelled as such when it was pronounced baloney? Well, like spaghetti bolognese is a bit of a bastardization of tagliatelle del ragú, our lunch meat bologna is a bastardization of mortadella.

I was on a hard pasta mission this trip so I never tried the mortadella, but you’ll notice a lot of restaurants have whole pages of charcuterie boards for sharing.

PS: I’m so sorry, but this song has been stuck in my head and I’m passing on the burden to you…”Oh I love to eat it everyday, and if you ask me why I’ll say, cause’ Oscar Mayer has a way with B-O-L-O-G-N-A!!!!”

Lasagne al forno

Hands down lasagna has always been one of my favorite dishes! It’s actually one of the oldest recorded pasta dishes out there – first appearing in a 1282 text called Memoriali Bolognesi.

As the name suggest, it’s very much tied to Bologna. While different regions take their own spin, lasagne al forno is probably the most similar to what we imagine – ragù, béchamel sauce, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Where to Eat in Bologna

Now where to eat! Lucky for you and me, I have a friend who’s from Bologna and also a huge foodie, so she sent me a list of recommendations. Unlucky for you, I was in a tortellini haze, so, you know, the pictures below might blend together just a bit. SORRY!

Travel Tip: CHECK the times when you plan your lunches and dinners. Most restaurants in Italy only open for lunch and then much later for dinner (no earlier than 7:30 PM). You’ll also want to see if you can make reservations during busier seasons.

The Old Market of Il Quadrilatero

I’m pretty sure every Italian city has its outdoor market, and in Bologna it’s in Il Quadrilatero. The whole area goes back to the Middle Ages and the market feels like a maze of vendors and shoppers. It also has different restaurants, including some on this list! If the thought of figuring out where to go feels overwhelming, I always recommend doing a market tour. That way you have someone who’s also fluent in Italian to help you navigate. Bonus: a lot of cooking classes usually start with a market tour. That’s what ours in Florence was like!

Anna Maria Trattoria

Via delle Belle Arti, 17/a

I managed to squeeze Anna Maria Trattoria in right before I had to catch my train back to Florence. I opted for the tortelloni al gorgonzola (different than tortellini!), and it was delicious. The restaurant has been around since 1985 and focuses on traditional Bolognese recipes, so it’s perfect if you want to dive into a full meal Bologna-style. They also have tons of outdoor seating for the warmer months.

Ca’Pelletti – Altabella

Via Altabella, 15c, 40125

Ca’Pelletti has two locations in Bologna, and I ate at the Altabella one. One major thing that sets them apart is that they believe “real Romagna is open all hours,” so you can literally come here for breakfast, lunch, an dinner all through the day from 8:00 AM – 11:00 PM. They also offer tons of authentic Bologna cuisine with a more modern setting. When I went I got the garganelli with cuttlefish ragù which was new to the restaurant and quite tasty.

Outdoor seating is limited but they have plenty of space inside.

Cocòa Bistrot

Via Altabella, 14/a

We came to Cocòa Bistrot for one of our crew lunches, and funnily enough it’s pretty much right down the street from Ca’Pelletti and La Salsamenteria Bologna! I remember the food being delicious and the restaurant vibes being nice. It’s set-up with indoor, outdoor seating and the entrance is wide open. Looks like it’d be a fun place for drinks later in the evening as well.

La Baita Vecchia Malga

Via Pescherie Vecchie, 3a

My friend specifically recommended La Baita Vecchia Malga, and I can see why! Right by the main square, it was founded back in 1969 by a husband and wife duo, it’s both a shop and a restaurant with a ton of outdoor seating that fills up quick. If you’re with people, this is THE place to do a charcuterie board. I went the pasta route the first time I went and then the mortadella route the second time, and was very happy both times.

Just a heads up when it’s super busy, you’re going to have to seek out your waiter. Otherwise you’ll be waiting for a very long time to order and/or pay.

La Salsamenteria Bologna

Via Altabella, 19/B

I think I found La Salsamenteria Bologna because I was hungry and looking for a place close to me with decent reviews. It focuses on Emilian cuisine and, as with pretty much every food spot in this list, is handmade.

Luckily it lived up to the reviews on Google Maps and is the first time I’ve ever had balazoni, which is a green type of tortellini (made with spinach) that also comes from Bologna. This one also has some pistachio nuts and let me tell you, it was freakin’ phenomenal. The serving looks small, but you really do not want to rush eating this dish.

Osteria dell’Orsa

Via Mentana, 1F

One my very first night I made my way over to Osteria dell’Orsa for a very late dinner. It’s a very casual place that’s super popular with the younger crowd in Bologna due to its university location. Don’t expect a quiet, restaurant-y type dinner but do expect a lively atmosphere with tons of people eating and waiting outside for a free table. I got the tortellini en brodo and can recommend it, though like I said above, I definitely prefer pasta with sauces over broth.

Ristorante Da Cesarina

Via Santo Stefano, 19/b

Located in Piazza Santo Stefano, we actually filmed right outside Ristorante Da Cesarina for the show. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to actually eat here but I went into the kitchen and got to try some of the ragù they were making for their lasagna. It was absolutely delicious, so I’m plugging it here if you’re in the area. If I get a chance to go back to Bologna, I’m trying it asap.

The restaurant has a long history going back 75 years, and the name comes from Cesarina Masi, who invented tortellini in cream!

Sartoria Gastronomica

Piazza Aldrovandi, 21b

Sartoria Gastronomica was the other place we went for our crew lunch, and might be my favorite for interior design on the list! It’s located in Piazza Aldrovandi, so not quite in the middle of everything but not very far. Lots of great menu options, and that lasagna was divine!

Sfoglia Rina

Via Castiglione, 5/b

After I descended the ridiculously tall towers of Bologna, I found myself starving. It’s a lot of work climbing up and down all 230 feet of the Asinelli Tower! Unfortunately, I got down at the awkward in-between time so most places were closed. The closest pasta option wound up being Sfoglia Rina which focuses exclusively on pasta.

This is another spot that takes a while to get service. I remember being seated and then the waitress told me she’d go get a menu… and never returned. I finally flagged a guy down who brought over a chalkboard with the menu of the day and service afterwards was normal/quick. The tortellini was delicious! There’s also a set-up where you can buy fresh pasta to go if you have a kitchen.

Antico Panificio Armando Priori

Via Clavature, 22a

Antico Pacifco Armando Priori is a super nice little bakery dating back to 1920. It’s close to the towers of Bologna and quite tiny and you may miss it on the first walk by, but don’t skip it if you want something sweet! I got myself a bag of cookies to take around as a snack.

Paolo Atti e Figli

Via Caprarie, 7a

Another bakery and shop to visit is Paolo Atti & Figli. At over 150 years old, it’s definitely a mainstay in Bologna and is still owned and operated by the family of its founder, Paolo Atti. They’ve even kept the original furnishings! I popped in here but didn’t have anything specific I wanted to buy. However, it did make me wish I had booked an apartment with a kitchen so I could pick up some of their pastas and sauces to cook myself.

La Sorbetteria Castiglione

Via Castiglione, 44d

Not only did my friend recommend La Sorbetteria Castiglione as her favorite gelato spot, I’m pretty sure it was on every single list I read for where to eat in Bologna. It’s a bit of a walk from where my hotel was, so I when I mapped out my big walking day, I used it as the turn around point.

This spot has been open since 1994 and takes a ton of pride in helping bring in better artisan gelato to Bologna. The use an open laboratory to craft their flavors and you can just tell they take pride in their production. It’s the perfect gelato stop while you’re exploring Bologna and they have plenty of seating right outside if you want to sit for a bit. Otherwise you can wander through the porticos as you lick away.

VERO – Gelateria Cremeria

Via Rizzoli, 1/2

We were slightly ahead of schedule after finishing lunch at Cocòa Bistrot, so I and some others on the crew decided we had enough time to look for some gelato! Lucky VERO was right around the corner and had high reviews. They have a few locations in Bologna, Milan, and soon in Verona. I thought the hot air balloon logo was super cute! And, of course, that gelato was incredible. I wish I could remember exactly what I got so I could recommend it!!

Stefino Organic Gelato

Via Domenico Zampieri, 4/2c

Stefino Organic Gelato is slightly out of the way but, hey, if you’re staying at Hotel Il Guercino like we were, it’s practically right next door! Organic ingredients, artisanal gelato, you know the deal. It’s tasty. Bonus? All their gelato is gluten-free including their cones and they offer vegan ice cream!!

Bonus: 2 Restaurants a Drive Away

As a bonus to this list, I’ve got two more recommendations from my friend that aren’t in Bologna but easy to get to if you have a car. I’m personally saving them for a future visit as I want to do some travel around the Emilia-Romagna region on my next Italy trip!

Trattoria da Amerigo

About 40 minutes away in the small frazione of Savigno, is the unassuming, Michelin star Trattoria da Amerigo. The name comes the current owner, Alberto Bettini’s grandfather Amerigo, who first founded the restaurant with his wife, Agnes, in 1934.

They use local ingredients from the Emilian Appennines and Samoggia Valley as well as traditional recipes to create their dishes. One fun aspect to their menu is that they put the year of introduction next to each dish. I’m already dreaming of trying their seasonal tasting menu.

Trattoria del Borgo

Also 40 minutes away but this time in the mountain frazione of Monteveglio Alto sits Trattoria Borgo. My friend describes it as traditional as it gets. Their terrace overlooks the hills and the menu just looks incredible.

And there you have it! A nice big list of where to eat in Bologna from restaurants to gelaterias to bakeries. Any to add? Let me know so I can go test them out on future trips!

For more food & drink travel inspiration:

• Fantastic Places to Eat in Florence, Italy
• Where to Find Excellent Croissants in Paris
• A Guide to Afternoon Tea in London

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