Restaurants

The price bands are based on a two-course meal including a glass of wine, service and cover charge.

€€€ = over €40 €€ = €30-€40 € = under €30

Piazza Maggiore and Around

Ca’ Pelletti € Via Altabella 15 c/d; tel: 051-266 629; www.capellettilocandaitalia.it; daily 8am−10pm, Fri and Sat until 11pm. A busy little locanda, catering for all tastes all day: lavish breakfasts (served until noon), lovely cakes, local pasta dishes (including vegetarian), prosciutto, salads and sweet and savoury piadine (sandwiches). Take-away also available. Informal setting and welcoming atmosphere.

Da Gianni €€ Via Clavature 18; tel: 051-229 43; www.trattoria-gianni.it; closed all day Mon and Sun pm and August. Tucked down an alley in the ‘foodie’ quarter near San Petronio, this is one of Bologna’s best trattorias, popular with both locals and tourists-in-the-know. Menus are in Italian only but staff will help you choose from the Bolognese dishes. Try the melt-in-the-mouth tortellini in brodo, the tagliatelle or gnocchi with ragù Bolognese and the bollito misto (boiled meats – better than it sounds).

Eataly €−€€€ Via degli Orefici 19; tel: 051-095 2820; www.eataly.it; Mon−Sat 8am−11.30pm, Sun 10am−11.30pm. Part of the successful Eataly emporium, this is set inside a large bookshop with a variety of eating and drinking places on different floors. Excellent quality and choice and a popular spot for cocktails.

Enoteca Storica Faccioli €−€€ Via Altabella 15b; tel: 051-349 300 2939; www.enotecastoricafaccioli.it; Mon−Wed 5pm−9.30pm, Thu−Fri noon−9.30pm, Sat 11am−10pm. An historic, up-market wine bar with food, this place puts wine on a pedestal while serving unpretentious, genuine food, from cold cuts and cheeses to crostini, lasagne and tortellini.

Pane e Vino San Daniele € Via Altabella 3a; tel: 051-296 0540; www.panevinospa.it; open daily noon−4pm and 6.30pm−12.30am. This rustic, friendly place, part of an attractive Italian chain, is a central spot near the Cathedral for a light lunch of cold cuts, cheeses, pasta or a late-night revival over beer. Good value.

Pappagallo €€€ Piazza della Mercanzia 3c; tel: 051-232 807; www.alpappagallo.it; closed Sun. The Parrot (Pappagallo) is a charming old-world institution with fine dining, formal service and autographed photos of the many celebrities who have dined here (Sophia Loren, Gina Lollobrigida, Alfred Hitchcock, Frank Sinatra, Sharon Stone – just to name a few). The menu sticks strictly to Bolognese cuisine. If you haven’t tasted the local tortellini in brodo, make this the place to try it. Reservations recommended.

Rodrigo €€€ Via della Zecca 2/h; tel: 051-235 536; www.ristoranterodrigobologna.it; closed Sun. In a palazzo formerly occupied by the National Mint, this is a long-established restaurant known for home-made pasta, fresh fish and variety of funghi in season (porcini, chiodini, finferli and more). Excellent choice of wines.

Trattoria Battibecco €€€ Via Battibecco 4; tel: 051-223 298; www.battibecco.com; closed Sat lunch and Sun. Splash out on creative dishes such as pumpkin and ginger risotto with marinated duck breast or lamb in pistachio crust with caramelised yellow onion; there are also Bolognese specialities, a good choice of fish and an excellent wine list. Tucked in an alley, close to Piazza Maggiore, it has a smart, stylish interior and professional staff. Popular with locals, reservations recommended.

East of Piazza Maggiore

Clorofilla € Strada Maggiore 64c; tel: 051-235 343; www.ristorantenaturaleclorofilla.it; closed Sun. Bucking the Bolognese trend, the motto here is ‘Eat your way to good health’ and the dishes in this simple, wood-panelled restaurant are the perfect antidote to the rich and calorific local cuisine. Expect seitan steaks, couscous, tofu, vegetable drinks, vegan dishes and diverse salads.

Grassilli €€€ Via dal Luzzo 3; tel: 051-222 961; www.ristorantegrassilli.weebly.com; closed all day Wed and Sun pm. Close to the Two Towers this is an elegant and upmarket restaurant with the feel of an exclusive club. It was founded in 1944 and the many black and white photos (Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo among them) recall the times when it was a popular haunt of opera singers. The cuisine is primarily Bolognese, but with a few French touches. Limited seating, booking recommended.

Scaccomatto €€€ Via Broccaindosso 63; tel: 051-263 404; www.ristorantescaccomatto.com; closed Mon lunch. If heavy Bolognese cuisine is taking its toll try Mario Ferrara’s lighter dishes from southern Italy. He hails from Basilicata and founded the restaurant in 1987, bringing to the heart of Bologna an almost unheard of cuisine. His artfully-presented and often innovative dishes have proved very popular. Expect five- and six-course fish, meat or vegetable tasting menus.

University Quarter

Cantina Bentivoglio € Via Mascarella 4b; tel: 051-265 416; www.cantinabentivoglio.it; daily 8pm-2am, closed Sun in summer and all of August. Set in the lively university quarter this trusty tavern occupies the wine cellar of the noble Palazzo Bentivoglio. For over 50 years locals of all ages have been coming to soak up the live jazz, sound Bolognese food and informal atmosphere.

Trattoria/Pizzeria delle Belle Arti € Via delle Belle Arti 14; tel: 051-225 581; www.belleartitrattoriapizzeria.com; open daily for lunch and dinner. A family-run rustic trattoria serving local dishes as well as fish and paella, Calabrian cuisine and good pizzas from the wood-fired oven. Al fresco meals on the veranda in summer.

North and West of Piazza Maggiore

Al Cambio €€−€€€ Via Stalingrado 150; tel: 051-328 118; www.ristorantealcambio.it; closed Sun. Set outside the city walls, close to the Fiera district, this gastronomic temple serves Bolognese favourites with a creative twist. Choose from either the à la carte or one of the tasting menus (€35 and €45 including wine, cover charge and coffee). It is popular with local gourmets and foodie tourists in the know. Smart setting, professional service.

Altro? € Mercato delle Erbe, Via Ugo Bassi 23−25, tel: 351-014 4191; www.altrobologna.com, Mon−Fri 8am−11.30pm, Sat 8am−1am. Within the revamped Mercato delle Erbe this is a new concept of a dozen or so outlets offering an array of high-quality simple food, sourced from the market: delicious pizza, veggie snacks, fish dishes, soups and salads. There is waiter service for lunch and dinner when there is more substantial fare on offer, otherwise it’s self-service. At night it transforms to a cool spot for aperitivos.

Caminetto d’Oro €€ Via de’Falegnami 4; tel: 051-263 494; www.caminettodoro.it; closed Sun. This long-established family-run restaurant rustles up fine steaks and delicious desserts. Ingredients come fresh from the market and the bread and pasta is made in-house. There’s also a well-stocked wine cellar. Very popular, especially in the evenings, so be sure to reserve a table.

Dal Biassanot €−€€ Via Piella 16/a; tel: 051-230 644; www.dalbiassanot.it; closed Sun and lunch on Mon. Next door to the ‘secret window’ overlooking a canal, this is a warm, welcoming and very popular trattoria with top-notch local cuisine. Watch the sfolgina (pasta lady) rolling and cutting the pasta into perfect little shapes, then tuck into mouthwatering tortellini rosa con pinoli e prosciutto (pink tortelloni with pine nuts and Parma ham) or tortelloni di ricotta burro e salvia (with butter and sage), followed perhaps by roast rabbit or wild boar. If any space left, indulge in the chocolate cake with mascarpone cream.

Da Pietro €−€€ Via de’Falegnami 18; tel: 051-648 6240; www.trattoriadapietro.it; closed Sun. This welcoming, award-winning, family-run trattoria serves Bolognese, Emilian and Umbrian dishes from home-made pasta to grills, with truffles and mushrooms when the season permits. Summer terrace.

Del Rosso € Via Augusto Righi 30; tel: 051-236 730; www.trattoriadelrosso.com; open daily lunch and dinner. Between Via dell’Indipendenza and the university quarter, this is a cheap and unpretentious trattoria serving authentic Bolognese fare. Try the crescentine (savoury fried bread) with Parma ham, mortadella or squacquerone (fresh and tangy cream cheese) and wash it down with vino sfuso (wine on tap).

Ex Forno €−€€ MAMbo, Via Don Minzoni 14/e; tel: 051-649 3896; www.exforno.com, Tue−Fri 7am−2am, Sat−Sun 10am−2am. Come to see the art crowd in the modern MAMbo museum (for more information, click here). Decor combines vintage with the chic and contemporary. Daily specials, sumptuous salads, raw meats and fish are served at lunchtime, but it’s particularly popular for the cocktails and the excellent aperitivo buffet (from 7pm) with the likes of crescente (focaccia-style bread), couscous and tempura vegetables. Sundays are popular for brunch.

Franco Rossi €€€ Via Goito 3; tel: 051-238 818; www.ristorantefrancorossi.it; closed Sun. Set just off busy Via dell’Indipendenza, this elegant and intimate spot serves classic Bolognese and Emilian cuisine with a lighter and creative touch. Choice of meat or fish menus, and a fine wine list.

Le Stanze €−€€ Via Borgo San Pietro 1; tel: 051-228 767; daily 6pm−2am. A bizarre but fashionable bar-restaurant set in a deconsecrated chapel in the Bentivoglio palace. The food is fine but cannot compete with the frescoes.

Serghei €€ Via Piella 12; tel: 051-233 533; closed Sat and Sun. Set in the city’s secretive ‘canal street’, this homely Bolognese trattoria is strong on pasta dishes, especially tortellini and tortelloni in brodo. Popular too for cocktails.

Trattoria Da Me €−€€ Via San Felice 50/A; tel: 051-555 486; http://trattoriadame.com; closed Mon and Sun dinner. Previously Da Danio, this historic and homely trattoria was reopened in 2016 by Elisa, granddaughter of the celebrated original owner Danio. Like her grandfather she produces authentic home-made Bolognese cuisine such as tagliatelle al ragù, tortellini in brodo and cotoletta alla Bolognese at affordable prices. Expect a warm welcome and a charming vintage setting.

Twinside €−€€ Via de’ Falegnami 6; tel: 051-991 1797; Mon−Sat 12.30pm−midnight. Run by the owners of the neighbouring Caminetto d’Oro, this bistro, with an attractive modern interior, has tasty light modern Italian dishes along with Bolognese favourites. Beef tartare is a speciality, bread, pastry and ice-cream are all homemade. Excellent range of Italian wines by the glass.

South of the Centre

Biagi € Via Saragozza 65; tel: 051-407 0049; www.ristorantebiagi.it; open evenings only, closed Tues. Near the Saragozza Gate this family-run restaurant, now in the third generation, has been welcoming clients since 1937. Come for authentic home-made Bolognese cuisine: mortadella mousse, tortellini in brodo or tagliatelle al ragù, followed perhaps by the cotellata alla bolognese, washed down with Sangiovese wine.

Drogheria della Rosa €€ Via Cartoleria 10; tel: 051-222 529; www.drogheriadellarosa.it; open daily lunch and dinner. One of Bologna’s best-known trattorias, occupying an old pharmacy, still with its apothecary jars. The menu is short, the food simple but perfect. Pastas will include classic tagliatelle with ragù (meat sauce) and perhaps tortelli filled with stracchino and squacquerone cheeses with seasoned vegetables. Follow on with fillet steak in a dark sauce of aged balsamic vinegar from Modena.

Osteria de’ Poeti €€ Via de’ Poeti 1b; tel: 051-236 166; www.osteriadepoeti.com; closed Sun and Mon. This historic cellar-restaurant could be mistaken for a tourist trap but is equally popular with locals, enticed by the live music, the hearty regional cuisine and vast choice of wines. (Opt for the ‘quiet room’ if the music doesn’t appeal). The Osteria acquired its name in the early 19th century when it was a popular haunt of poets and artists.

Ferrara

La Provvidenza €€ Corso Ercole I d’Este 9;, tel: 0532-205 187; www.ristorantelaprovvidenza.com; closed Mon and dinner on Sun. This leading restaurant has a gentrified rustic interior and offers a range of Ferrara specialities, from pasticcio ferrarese (pasta with a mushroom and meat sauce) to fritto misto di carne (mixed grill).

La Romantica €€ Via Ripagrande 36; tel: 0532-765 957; www.trattorialaromantica.com; lunch and dinner daily. A suitably romantic inn, set in the former stables of a 17th-century palace. Regional pasta dishes include cappellacci di zucca, with pumpkin, walnuts and sage; and garganelli with asparagus and mushrooms. Leave room for bangers-and-mash, Ferrara-style.

Modena

Hosteria Giusti €€−€€€ Via Farini 75; tel: 059-222 533; www.hosteriagiusti.it; Tue-Sat lunch only. This little gem at the rear of a famous deli favours meat, from roast suckling pig to cold cuts and fried cotechino di Modena (pork sausage) with zabaglione sauce. Delicious home-made pastas and desserts. It is rustic but elegant, and very welcoming.

Osteria Francescana €€€ Via Stella 2; tel: 059-223 912; www.osteriafrancescana.it; Tue−Sat lunch and dinner. The brainchild of master chef Massimo Bottura, this Osteria has three Michelin stars and in 2015 was voted number two in The World’s Best Restaurants. Expect experimental, deconstructed versions of Italian classics served in ways you couldn’t imagine before you tasted them. Book a long time in advance and be prepared for a very hefty bill.

Parma

La Greppia €€−€€€ Strada Garibaldi 39a; tel: 0521-233 868; lunch and dinner daily. This elegant city-centre gastronomic temple creates the very best of Parma-style cuisine, from tortelli di erbette, vegetable-stuffed pasta, to culatello di Zibello, the prized cured meat.

Trattoria del Tribunale €−€€ Vicolo Politi 5; tel: 0521-285 527; www.trattoriadeltribunale.it; lunch and dinner daily. A welcoming and central but hard-to-find inn that serves tortellini stuffed with pumpkin and herbs, or ricotta and spinach, naturally coated in Parmesan.

Ravenna

Ca’De Ven € Via Corrado Ricci 24; tel: 0544-30163; www.cadeven.it; Tue−Sun lunch and dinner. As ‘the house of wine’ this quirky palazzo, with long communal tables, serves good regional wines with tasty rustic fare based on piadine (flat bread), cold cuts, cheese and, for dessert, caramelised figs.

La Gardela €−€€ Via Ponte Marino 3; tel: 0544-217 147; www.ristorantelagardela.com; Fri−Wed lunch and dinner. This friendly inn specialises in meat and fish grills as well as vegetable pasta dishes, including mushrooms and truffles in season. Summer terrace.