Ranked by TableJourney editorial score.
Gnocco fritto is Emilia's puffed pillow of fried bread dough, served hot with a board of mortadella, prosciutto di Parma, salame and squacquerone. Eat warm, pulled apart with the hands.
Gnocco fritto, also known as crescentina fritta or torta fritta depending on the Emilian sub-region, has been a peasant tavern food since the 16th century. The dough is lard-enriched yeast bread, rolled thin and deep-fried in lard or oil, served immediately while it still puffs. In Bologna and Modena it is served as antipasto with the salumi board; in Reggio Emilia it is wrapped around the meat. The dish travels with the local wine, Lambrusco, which the bubbles in the gnocco are said to imitate. Diana, Trattoria Anna Maria, La Vecchia Scuola Bolognese and many neighbourhood osterias serve it; the fresh-fried version arrives hot enough to burn fingers.
4 editor picks for Gnocco fritto in Bologna, ranked by editorial score. All Bologna signature dishes · Gnocco fritto across every city.
Also in: Modena.
All'Osteria Bottega in Bologna's Saragozza is the Daniele Minarelli and Valeria Tonelli room, a tiny dining hall running the canonical Emilian carte.
OrderTortellini in brodo, tagliatelle al ragu, the salumi board of Bonfatti mortadella.
TipBook three weeks ahead by phone; the room seats 28 and the lunch service has the easiest tables.
Trattoria di Via Serra in Bologna's Bolognina is the Flavio Fabbri and Tommaso Trifoni room, a 28-seat osteria with the city's most-cited tagliatelle al ragu.
OrderTagliatelle al ragu, tortelloni burro e salvia, friggione.
TipBook three weeks ahead online; the lunch service is the easier seating and the kitchen runs the same carte at both meals.
Trattoria Anna Maria in Bologna near Via Zamboni is the city's most-photographed sfoglia trattoria, run by Anna Maria Monari since 1985 with hand-rolled.
OrderTagliatelle al ragu, tortellini in brodo, lasagne verdi, gnocco fritto.
TipBook a week ahead for dinner. Lunch is calmer and the sfogline still hand-roll pasta in the window between services.
Osteria Broccaindosso in Bologna's Mazzini is the long-running neighbourhood osteria with a fixed-price set carte and pasta still hand-rolled daily on site.
OrderThe fixed-price set carte at 25 euros, tortellini in brodo, the salumi board.
TipBook by phone two days ahead; the 25-euro set carte runs at lunch only and is the value play.
Gnocco fritto makes more sense with someone from Bologna explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
Day trip · 10 hours
Do not miss this one-of-a-kind tour. In one day, you will visit the best production Italy can offer: a prosciutto factory, a Parmigiano Reggiano dairy producer, and a ...
Guided tour · 2 hours
Indulge in Italy’s food capital! Choose our deep-dive 3-hour feast for locals' favorites, or our punchy 2-hour express tour for iconic bites and wine. Savor pasta, age...
2 hours
Enjoy a fun pasta cooking class in a local home with a certified home cook. Learn local recipes and taste everything you make with some delicious wine.
