The counters in Bologna worth queuing for: bread, pastry, and the morning ritual.
Bakery counters in Bologna worth queuing for: levain breads, laminated pastry, regional bakes and the morning ritual.
Atti in Bologna's Quadrilatero is the 1880-founded salumeria-and-pasticceria with two adjoining shops on Via Caprarie, slicing mortadella to order and baking.
Tip: The bakery counter runs from 07:30; mortadella slicing takes 5 minutes per order and the queue thins after 11:00. Cash and card both fine.
Worth the queue: Mortadella di Bologna IGP
Paolo Atti & Figli in Bologna's Quadrilatero is the 1880-founded sfoglina-and-pasticceria with hand-rolled tortellini sold by weight, plus the certosino di.
Tip: The pasta counter runs from 07:00; tortellini sell out by 12:30 on Saturdays. The Christmas certosino orders open in November.
Worth the queue: Tortellini and tagliatelle
Forno Brisa in Bologna's Centro Storico is the 2015-founded modern sourdough bakery from Pasquale Polito, with five shops across the city and the daily-baked.
Tip: Five shops citywide; the Galliera flagship has the widest carte and the Mazzini branch the longest hours. The sourdough loaves sell out by 14:00.
Worth the queue: Sourdough loaf, cornetto integrale
Regina di Quadri in Bologna's Centro Storico is the modern pasticceria with the sfoglia-leaved pastries, the Bolognese tradition of certosino di Bologna.
Tip: The morning pastries arrive at 07:30 and the gelato counter opens at 11:00. Cash and card both fine; the bar standing counter is locals' price tier.
Worth the queue: Sfoglia, Bolognese pastries
Pasticceria Impero on Via Indipendenza in Bologna is the 1920s-founded pasticceria with the morning sfogliatella ricciu, the Bolognese certosino at Christmas.
Tip: The sfogliatella riccia is the morning order; the Christmas certosino opens in November and sells by the loaf. Counter-stand and table both work.
Worth the queue: Sfogliatella riccia
Il Forno di Calzolari at the Via Marchesana shop in Bologna's Centro Storico is the city outpost of the Monghidoro Apennine forno, with the Pane di.
Tip: The Pane di Monghidoro arrives mid-morning and sells out by 13:00; ask for the crescente and a slab of focaccia for a walk-back-to-the-piazza lunch.
Worth the queue: Pane di Monghidoro
Gelateria Stefino Bio in Bologna's Bolognina district is the 100 percent organic gelateria with the small-batch daily-changing carte, relocated to the Via.
Tip: The gelato is small-batch and the flavour list rotates daily; the pistachio runs Tuesday through Sunday.
Worth the queue: Pistachio, mascarpone-fig
Cremeria Funivia in Bologna's Piazza Cavour is the long-running gelateria with the daily-changing carte rooted in Emilian produce, the strong pistachio.
Tip: The pistachio uses Bronte DOP and the carte rotates seasonally; the queue thins after 21:30 most evenings.
Worth the queue: Pistachio, ricotta-fig