Certosino di Bologna is the city's Christmas spice cake: a dense honey-and-almond loaf studded with candied citron, pine nuts, pinoli and dark chocolate, glazed with honey and aged a fortnight before slicing.
Certosino, also called panone in dialect, takes its name from the Certosa di Bologna monastery, where the Carthusian monks baked it from the 14th century onward as a Christmas alms-loaf for the city's poor. The recipe codified in the 16th century: a dense flour-honey-spice base with candied citron, pinoli, almonds and dark chocolate, baked low and aged at least two weeks before cutting. The Confraternita del Certosino was founded in 1997 to defend the canonical recipe; Atti, Paolo Atti & Figli and Pasticceria Maccaferri all bake it from late November to Epiphany. The cake keeps two months wrapped; one slice with espresso closes a Bolognese Christmas lunch.
4 editor picks for Certosino di Bologna in Bologna, ranked by editorial score. All Bologna signature dishes · Certosino di Bologna across every city.
Atti ★ 4.7
Via Caprarie 7, 40124 Bologna BO
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 the certosino di Bologna.
Paolo Atti & Figli ★ 4.7
Via Drapperie 6, 40124 Bologna BO
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 Bologna at Christmas.
Tamburini ★ 4.4
quadrilatero · Via Caprarie 1, 40124 Bologna BO
Tamburini in Bologna's Quadrilatero is the 1932-founded salumeria-and-self-service operating from Via Caprarie, with cured-meat counters, a daily-changing carte and aperitivo from 18:00.
Pasticceria Impero ★ 4.1
Via Indipendenza 39, 40121 Bologna BO
Pasticceria Impero on Via Indipendenza in Bologna is the 1920s-founded pasticceria-and-cafe, with the long marble counter, the morning sfogliatella ricciu and the lunch tramezzini.