The institution
Trattoria Anna Maria
Open since 1985, a wall of signed photos and a sfoglina rolling pasta by hand. Tortellini in brodo and tagliatelle al ragù the way a nonna would make them. Book a few days ahead.
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Eat & Drink
The best restaurants in Bologna
Bologna feeds you better than almost any city in Italy. These are the tables worth your time, the old-school trattorias, the student haunts, and a few rooms for a special night.
People call Bologna "la Grassa," the fat one, and they earn it. The food here is the point of the trip. Below are the restaurants I send friends to, sorted by what you're in the mood for: a classic sit-down trattoria, a fast cheap plate of pasta between sights, or a slower dinner you've planned around. Almost all of them sit inside the centro storico, a short walk from Piazza Maggiore.
One thing to settle first. The dish to order is tagliatelle al ragù, the real Bolognese. You will not find spaghetti bolognese on a good menu here, because it isn't an Italian dish. Order it and a Bolognese cook will quietly judge you. Go for the tagliatelle, the tortellini in brodo, or the green lasagne instead.
Book ahead
The best trattorias fill up. For dinner at the well-known spots, reserve two or three days out, more for a weekend. Italian dinner service rarely starts before 7:30pm, and lunch is usually 12:30 to 2:30. If a place doesn't take bookings, line up 15 to 20 minutes before it opens.
Classic trattorias (book a table)
These are the rooms that do the city's recipes the old way, with pasta rolled by hand that morning. Sit down, order the ragù, drink the house Sangiovese.
Chefs' favourite
All'Osteria Bottega
A small, famous room run by a legendary host, where Bologna's own cooks come to eat. Slow-cooked ragù, top salumi, deep wine list. Tiny, so reserve well ahead.
In the trattoria guide →
Rustic ragù
Trattoria di Via Serra
A short walk out of the centre toward the Bolognina, run by two owners obsessive about sourcing from small Apennine producers. Many locals will tell you it's the best ragù in town.
See all trattorias →Fast, cheap and very good
You don't need a reservation or a budget to eat well here. These are the everyday spots, perfect for lunch between churches and towers. For more in this vein, see where to eat cheap in Bologna.
Student classic
Osteria dell'Orsa
In the university quarter since 1979. Loud, quick, and you'll share a long wooden table with students. A plate of rustic ragù runs around ten euros. No bookings, so come early or queue.
Cheap eats guide →
Pasta counter
Sfoglia Rina
Part pasta shop, part canteen near the centre. Watch fresh tortellini and gramigna being made in the window, then sit down to a plate of it. Great for a no-fuss lunch.
More budget spots →
Market stalls
The Quadrilatero
The old market lanes east of Piazza Maggiore. Grab a tigella stuffed with mortadella, a plate of cured meats at Tamburini or Simoni, or a glass of wine standing up. Best mid-morning or mid-afternoon.
Bologna's food markets →For a special dinner
When you want to sit a while and spend a bit more, Bologna has charming old rooms and a handful of refined kitchens working Emilia-Romagna produce. Book these ahead, especially on weekends.
Old-school charm
Drogheria della Rosa
A former pharmacy turned candle-lit trattoria, where the owner often recites the menu at your table. Romantic, personal, and proudly traditional. Reserve two to three days out.
More classic rooms →
Quiet quality
Grassilli
A small, long-running trattoria near the centre, the kind of place locals bring family. Famously rough handmade tagliatelle and an aromatic, slightly spicy ragù. Limited tables.
See the full list →
Modern Emilia
Michelin-level tables
Bologna and the hills around it hold several refined kitchens reworking regional cooking. Worth it for a milestone dinner. Book weeks ahead and check current opening info directly.
Plan your eating →How to eat well in Bologna
A few habits go a long way. Order pasta as your first course and a meat or salumi plate as your second, rather than one giant main. Drink the local fizzy reds and whites, the Lambrusco and Pignoletto, instead of importing a Tuscan label. Leave room for gelato on the walk home, and start the evening with an aperitivo the way the city does. If you want to understand the food before you order it, a guided food tour or a hands-on pasta-making class is the fastest shortcut.
Curious about the ingredients themselves? Read up on real mortadella, the cured meat behind American "baloney," and the hand-pinched tortellini that locals eat in broth, not cream.
Eat like you live here
A small-group food tour walks you through the market, the salumi counters and a trattoria or two, so you taste the real thing and learn what to order for the rest of your trip.
Browse Bologna food toursStay near the good food
If eating is the plan, base yourself in or just off the centro storico so you can roll home after dinner. See where to stay in Bologna for the best areas, and use the search below to find rooms around the historic centre.
Find a hotel near the centro storico
Stay within walking distance of Piazza Maggiore and the Quadrilatero market and every restaurant above is a short stroll away.
Check hotels in central Bologna