Moonbow in Bologna's Centro Storico is the speakeasy cocktail bar from Antonio Lai, with a 12-seat bar standing crowd, smoked-and-aged classics and a no-walk-in policy after 23:00.
Food program: Snacks
Tip: Book three days ahead online; the bar seats 12 and walk-ins are accepted only before 22:00.
Address: Via dei Mille 25, 40121 Bologna BO
Freakout Club in Bologna's San Vitale is the late-night cocktail bar with the rotating DJs, the modern Italian cocktail carte and the standing crowd from 23:00 to 04:00 Friday and Saturday.
Signature drink: Modern Italian cocktails
Food: Snacks
Tip: Walk-in only; the bar runs 22:00 to 04:00 Friday and Saturday and 22:00 to 02:00 mid-week. Cash and card both fine.
Bukowski in Bologna's Centro Storico is the Charles-Bukowski-named cocktail bar one vicolo off Via Castiglione, with the bourbon-led classics, the daily snacks carte and the standing crowd from 22:00.
Signature drink: Bourbon classics, Old Fashioned
Food: Snacks
Tip: Walk-in works; the bar runs 19:00 to 02:00 Tuesday to Sunday. The bourbon flight is 25 euros.
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.
Signature drink: Negroni invecchiato, Aperol classico
Food: 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.
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.
