Osteria degli Orafi in Bologna's Quadrilatero is the long-running aperitivo room with the porticoed pavement seating, a daily-changing tagliere and a 60-label natural-wine cellar.
Food program: Salumi, tagliere, tortellini
Tip: Walk-in works; arrive before 19:30 to claim a porticoed seat. The Quadrilatero passeggiata is loud after 20:00.
Address: Via degli Orafi 3, 40124 Bologna BO
Lab 16 in Bologna's Centro Storico is the modern cocktail bar on Via Galliera with the herbal-twisted classics, the daily-changing snacks carte and the late-night crowd to 02:00.
Signature drink: Modern classics with herbal twists
Food: Snacks, cocktail pairings
Tip: Walk-in works; the late-night standing crowd takes over after 22:30 and the bar runs until 02:00 Friday and Saturday.
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.
Signature drink: Smoked Negroni, Penicillin
Food: Snacks
Tip: Book three days ahead online; the bar seats 12 and walk-ins are accepted only before 22:00.
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.
