Le Stanze in Bologna's Centro Storico is the cocktail bar built into a 16th-century frescoed chapel near Via Indipendenza, with aperitivo from 18:00 and the late-night carte to 02:00.
Food program: Aperitivo small plates
Tip: Walk-in works for the bar; book the dining room a week ahead for dinner. Aperitivo runs 18:00 to 21:00 with the small plates.
Address: Via Borgo San Pietro 1, 40126 Bologna BO
Nu Lounge Bar in Bologna's Centro Storico is the city's pioneering tiki cocktail bar from Daniele Dalla Pola, with a daily-changing tiki carte and the long late-night standing crowd.
Signature drink: Mai Tai, Pisco Sour
Food: Snacks, tiki small plates
Tip: Walk-in works; the late-night standing crowd takes over after 22:30. The Mai Tai and the Bolognesi-edition tiki cocktails are the order.
Caffe Rubik in Bologna's Centro Storico is the third-wave cafe-and-cocktail-bar with an aperitivo carte from 18:00, a daily small-plates board and a late-night cocktail crowd at weekends.
Signature drink: Negroni, spritz al Sangiovese
Food: Aperitivo, brunch
Tip: Walk-in only; the aperitivo crowd takes over after 18:30 and the weekend late-night cocktail crowd runs to 02:00.
Vino Vino in Bologna's University quarter is the long-running wine-bar with the Bolognese tagliere of mortadella, prosciutto and squacquerone, plus an Emilian-focused 200-label cellar.
Signature drink: Sangiovese, Lambrusco spritz
Food: Salumi tagliere, crostini
Tip: Walk-in only; the aperitivo crowd takes over after 18:30. The Lambrusco spritz is 6 euros and the tagliere is 12 euros.
Convivio in Bologna's Centro Storico is the small-room speakeasy bar one vicolo off Via Castiglione, with the daily-changing cocktail carte and the standing crowd of 20 from 21:00.
Signature drink: Bourbon Old Fashioned, Pisco Sour
Food: Snacks, cocktail pairings
Tip: Book three days ahead; the dining room seats 12 and the standing bar 8. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Il Rovescio in Bologna's Mazzini is the late-night cocktail bar on Piazza Aldrovandi with the vermouth-led classics, the daily-changing snacks carte and the late-night crowd to 02:00.
Signature drink: Vermouth-led classics
Food: Snacks, salumi
Tip: Walk-in works; the late-night standing crowd takes over after 22:30 and the kitchen runs snacks until 01:00.
Carmen Bar in Bologna's Centro Storico is the aperitivo room on Via Massimo d'Azeglio with the daily salumi tagliere, the rotating spritz carte and a 40-seat dining room and street terrace.
Signature drink: Spritz, Negroni
Food: Aperitivo, salumi tagliere
Tip: Walk-in works; the aperitivo runs 18:30 to 21:00 with the spritz at 5 euros and the tagliere at 12 euros.
