Bolognese Trattoria€€centro-storicoMon-Sat 12:00-14:30, 20:00-22:00; Sun closed
Trattoria Fantoni on Via del Pratello in Bologna is the long-running neighbourhood trattoria with the porticoed pavement seating and the canonical Bolognese.
Signature: Tagliatelle al ragu, Cotoletta alla bolognese, Tortelloni
Order: Tagliatelle al ragu, the cotoletta alla bolognese, the tortelloni di ricotta.
Tip: Book a fortnight ahead by phone; the Pratello passeggiata is loud after 19:30 and the lunch service is the easier seating.
Bolognese Trattoria€€centro-storicoMon-Sat 12:30-14:30, 19:30-22:30; Sun closed
Trattoria Leonida in Bologna's Centro Storico is the long-running family trattoria one street back from Piazza Re Enzo, running the canonical Bolognese carte.
Signature: Tagliatelle al ragu, Cotoletta alla bolognese, Bollito
Order: Tagliatelle al ragu, the cotoletta alla bolognese, the Saturday bollito misto.
Tip: Book three days ahead by phone; the dining room runs only the canonical Bolognese carte and the lunch service is the most-booked.
Bolognese Trattoria€€saragozzaWed-Mon 12:30-14:30, 19:30-23:00; Tue closed
Trattoria Belfiore in Bologna's Saragozza is the neighbourhood family room running the canonical Bolognese carte with a strong Sunday carrello dei bolliti.
Signature: Tagliatelle al ragu, Tortelloni, Bollito misto
Order: Tagliatelle al ragu, tortelloni burro e salvia, the Sunday carrello dei bolliti.
Tip: Book a week ahead by phone; the Sunday bollito carrello runs only at lunch and Sunday dinner closes.
Italian€€centro-storicoTue-Sun 12:30-14:30, 19:30-03:00; Mon closed
Osteria dei Poeti in Bologna's Centro Storico is the 16th-century buca cellar with live music on Friday and Saturday evenings, running the canonical.
Signature: Tagliatelle al ragu, Tortellini, Tigelle
Order: Tagliatelle al ragu, the salumi tagliere, the live-music Friday-night dinner.
Tip: Book the music nights a fortnight ahead online; the kitchen runs only dinner and the live music starts at 21:00.
Italian€€centro-storico
Trattoria da Pietro in Bologna's Centro Storico off Via Indipendenza is the long-running family-run trattoria with the meat-grill speciality.
Signature: Tagliatelle al ragu, Cotoletta alla bolognese, Tortelloni
Order: Tagliatelle al ragu, the cotoletta alla bolognese, the meat grill.
Tip: Book by phone on +39 051 6486240; lunch runs 12:00-14:30, dinner 19:00-23:00, closed Sunday.
Bolognese€€santo-stefano
051 Osteria Santo Stefano sits inside the Corte Isolani arcade off Piazza Santo Stefano, plating the city's fresh-pasta canon from a daily lab in Villanova that supplies the whole 051 family of osterie.
Signature: Tortellini in brodo, Tagliatelle al ragu, Tigelle with cured meats
Order: Tortellini in brodo, the tagliatelle al ragu, a board of tigelle with cured meats.
Tip: Open every day for lunch and dinner until midnight; arrive off-peak as the Corte Isolani tables fill fast on weekends.