40 mid-range places in Bologna, editor-picked. the comfortable everyday-good restaurants in Bologna, with real cooking and no surprise on the bill. All Bologna food.
All'Osteria Bottega ★ 4.7
saragozza · Via Santa Caterina 51, 40123 Bologna BO
All'Osteria Bottega in Bologna's Saragozza is the Daniele Minarelli and Valeria Tonelli room, a tiny dining hall running the canonical Emilian carte.
Tip: Book three weeks ahead by phone; the room seats 28 and the lunch service has the easiest tables.
Trattoria di Via Serra ★ 4.7
bolognina · Via Luigi Serra 9/B, 40129 Bologna BO
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.
Tip: Book three weeks ahead online; the lunch service is the easier seating and the kitchen runs the same carte at both meals.
Trattoria di Via Serra ★ 4.7
Via Luigi Serra 9/B, 40129 Bologna BO
Trattoria di Via Serra (Italian) in Bologna: Book three weeks ahead online; lunch is the easier seating and the kitchen runs the same carte at both meals.
Tip: Book three weeks ahead online; lunch is the easier seating and the kitchen runs the same carte at both meals.
All'Osteria Bottega ★ 4.7
Via Santa Caterina 51, 40123 Bologna BO
All'Osteria Bottega is saragozza's 28-seat osteria from daniele minarelli and valeria tonelli; the canonical emilian carte at full editorial precision.
Tip: Book three weeks ahead by phone; the room seats 28 and the lunch service has the easiest tables.
Trattoria Anna Maria ★ 4.6
universita · Via delle Belle Arti 17/A, 40126 Bologna BO
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.
Tip: Book a week ahead for dinner. Lunch is calmer and the sfogline still hand-roll pasta in the window between services.
Ahime ★ 4.6
Via San Gervasio 6/E, 40121 Bologna BO
Ahime is lorenzo vecchia's natural-wine fermentation bistro near via san vitale; the city's most-cited natural cellar, with a 30-seat dining room.
Tip: Book three weeks ahead online; the natural-wine pairings are 45 euros and the carte rewrites weekly.
Caffe Terzi ★ 4.6
Via Oberdan 10/D, 40126 Bologna BO
Caffe Terzi in Bologna's Centro Storico is the Manuel Terzi specialty espresso bar with a simple morning carte of cornetti and brioche, the long bar standing.
Tip: Counter-stand only; arrive before 10:00 to skip the queue. Cash and card both fine.
Sfoglia Rina ★ 4.5
centro-storico · Via Castiglione 5/B, 40124 Bologna BO
Sfoglia Rina in Bologna's Centro Storico is the 1963-founded sfoglina counter run by the Faccioli family, with hand-rolled pasta sold by weight.
Tip: The dine-in room takes walk-ins until 14:00; for take-away pasta, the queue thins after 11:30.
Salumeria Simoni ★ 4.5
quadrilatero · Via Drapperie 5/2, 40124 Bologna BO
Salumeria Simoni on Via Drapperie in Bologna's Quadrilatero is the 1960s-founded family salumeria with a dine-in tasting room behind the counter.
Tip: The dine-in tasting room behind the counter takes walk-ins for the tagliere; the salumi counter is busiest at 11:00.
Aroma ★ 4.5
Via Castiglione 25, 40124 Bologna BO
Aroma in Bologna's Centro Storico is the city's leading specialty roaster from Mauro Antoniazzi, with single-origin beans, a V60 cafe at Via Castiglione.
Tip: The Castiglione flagship runs cafe service from 07:30 with the V60 pour-over; the wholesale beans are sold by the 250g bag.
Zapap Taproom ★ 4.5
Via Mascarella 34, 40126 Bologna BO
Zapap Taproom on Via Mascarella in Bologna's university quarter is the outlet for Birrificio Zapap, with six taps of the brewery's beers Tuesday to Sunday.
Tip: Walk-in works; the brewery is in Castello di Serravalle and the taproom rotates roughly six of their own beers.
Sfoglia Rina ★ 4.5
Via Castiglione 5/B, 40124 Bologna BO
Sfoglia Rina is sfoglina counter with hand-rolled pasta sold by weight; the dine-in carte takes walk-ins for the same pasta the restaurant kitchens cook.
Tip: Walk-in for the dine-in until 14:00; take-away pasta runs from 5 euros per 250g and the queue thins after 11:30.
Osteria del Sole ★ 4.5
Vicolo Ranocchi 1/D, 40124 Bologna BO
Osteria del Sole: 1465-founded wine-only osteria where regulars bring food from the surrounding salumerie; the city's oldest tavern, never on a tourist guide.
Tip: Cash only. Bring food from Tamburini or Paolo Atti; the osteria sells only wine. Closed Sunday.
Da Cesari ★ 4.4
centro-storico · Via de' Carbonesi 8, 40123 Bologna BO
Da Cesari in Bologna's Centro Storico is the four-generation Carati family trattoria, operating since 1955, a steady room for the canonical Bolognese carte.
Tip: Book a fortnight ahead by phone; the family carte does not change and the wine cellar is run by Massimiliano Carati personally.
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.
Tip: The self-service runs 11:00-22:00 daily; the salumi counter closes at 19:30 and the aperitivo crowd takes over after 18:00.
Cogito ★ 4.4
Via Marsala 23/D, 40126 Bologna BO
Cogito Coffee in Bologna's Centro Storico is the modern specialty roaster from Niccolo Catarzi, with single-origin beans, a V60 cafe on Via Marsala.
Tip: The Marsala cafe runs filter brew and espresso side by side; the wholesale beans are sold by the 250g and 1kg bag.
Nu Lounge Bar ★ 4.4
Via de' Musei 6, 40124 Bologna BO
Nu Lounge Bar in Bologna's Centro Storico is the city's pioneering tiki cocktail bar from Daniele Dalla Pola, with a daily tiki carte, the late-night.
Tip: Walk-in works; the late-night standing crowd takes over after 22:30. The Mai Tai and the tiki carte are the order.
Camera a Sud ★ 4.4
Via Valdonica 5, 40126 Bologna BO
Camera a Sud is andrea liguori's sicily-and-emilia natural-wine bar with a 30-seat room; locals queue but tourists rarely find via valdonica.
Tip: Book three days ahead for the seated dinner; bar standing-aperitivo runs 19:00-21:00 walk-in. Closed Monday.
Aroma Caffe ★ 4.4
Via Castiglione 25, 40124 Bologna BO
Aroma Caffe in Bologna's Centro Storico runs the modern weekend brunch from 09:00-15:00, with avocado toast, granola bowl and the V60 filter coffee.
Tip: Walk-in only; the weekend brunch fills after 11:00. The avocado toast is 12 euros and the brunch sets 18 euros.
Gelateria Stefino Bio ★ 4.4
Via Luigi Serra 3, 40129 Bologna BO
Gelateria Stefino Bio in Bologna's Bolognina district is the 100 percent organic gelateria with the small-batch daily carte, the Bolognese gelato-in-brioche.
Tip: The gelato-in-brioche is the morning order; cash and card both fine. The pistachio rotates Tuesday through Sunday.
Trattoria Meloncello ★ 4.3
saragozza · Via Saragozza 240/A, 40135 Bologna BO
Trattoria Meloncello in Bologna sits at the foot of the 666-arch portico up to San Luca, a family room running the classic Bolognese Sunday-lunch carte.
Tip: Book a week ahead for Sunday lunch; the portico walk from Porta Saragozza takes 25 minutes and is the traditional pre-lunch passeggiata.
Vicolo Colombina ★ 4.3
quadrilatero · Vicolo Colombina 5, 40125 Bologna BO
Vicolo Colombina in Bologna's Quadrilatero is the small-room trattoria one alley off Via Drapperie, with the Bolognese pasta canon and a strong local cellar.
Tip: Book three days ahead online; the dining room is intimate and the Quadrilatero passeggiata is loud after 19:30.
Trattoria da Me ★ 4.3
centro-storico · Via San Felice 50/A, 40122 Bologna BO
Trattoria da Me in Bologna's San Felice is the Elisa Rusconi family room running the Bolognese pasta canon on a 35-seat porticoed dining hall.
Tip: Book a week ahead by phone; the lunch service is the easier seating and the Sunday bollito sells out by 13:00.
Antica Trattoria della Gigina ★ 4.3
centro-storico · Via Stendhal 1/B, 40128 Bologna BO
Antica Trattoria della Gigina in Bologna's Bolognina is the long-running family room with the canonical Sunday-lunch carte and the carrello dei bolliti.
Tip: Book a fortnight ahead for Sunday lunch; the carrello dei bolliti is the order to make and sells out by 13:30.
Vicolo Colombina ★ 4.3
quadrilatero · Vicolo Colombina 5, 40125 Bologna BO
Vicolo Colombina in Bologna's Quadrilatero is the small-room trattoria one alley off Via Drapperie, with the Bolognese pasta canon, a strong local cellar.
Tip: Book three days ahead online; the dining room is intimate and the Quadrilatero passeggiata is loud after 19:30.
Le Stanze ★ 4.3
Via del Borgo San Pietro 1, 40126 Bologna
Le Stanze in Bologna near Via Indipendenza is the cocktail bar built into a 16th-century chapel with the late-night cocktail carte to 02:00 Friday.
Tip: Walk-in works for the bar; the late-night cocktail crowd takes over after 23:00. The dining room closes at 23:30.
Trattoria Meloncello ★ 4.3
Via Saragozza 240/A, 40135 Bologna BO
Trattoria Meloncello (Italian) in Bologna: Book a week ahead for Sunday lunch; the portico walk from Porta Saragozza is the traditional pre-lunch passeggiata.
Tip: Book a week ahead for Sunday lunch; the portico walk from Porta Saragozza is the traditional pre-lunch passeggiata.
Vicolo Colombina ★ 4.3
Vicolo Colombina 5, 40125 Bologna BO
Vicolo Colombina is small-room trattoria one alley off via drapperie in the quadrilatero; locals dodge the quadrilatero noise after 19:30 here.
Tip: Book three days ahead online; the dining room is intimate and the Quadrilatero passeggiata is loud after 19:30.
Forno Brisa ★ 4.3
Via Galliera 34/B, 40121 Bologna BO
Forno Brisa in Bologna's Centro Storico runs the weekend bakery brunch with the cornetto integrale, the sourdough bread, the daily pastries and the filter.
Tip: Five shops citywide; the Galliera flagship has the widest carte and the brunch crowd fills after 10:00 on weekends.
Caffe Rubik ★ 4.3
Via San Giorgio 5/A, 40121 Bologna BO
Caffe Rubik in Bologna's Centro Storico runs the modern weekend brunch from 09:00-15:00, with eggs benedict, avocado toast and a V60 pour-over that draws.
Tip: Walk-in only; the weekend brunch fills after 11:00. The brunch sets are 18 euros and the avocado toast 12 euros.
Pappare ★ 4.3
Via De' Giudei, 2d, 40126 Bologna BO
Pappare under the Due Torri in Bologna's Centro Storico is the international-flair specialty coffee bar with the wholegrain pancakes, scrambled-egg toast.
Tip: Walk-in works; the shared convivial table fills first, the Galleria Acquaderni terrace seats are quieter. The Sunday brunch runs all afternoon.
Trattoria Bertozzi ★ 4.2
saragozza · Via Andrea Costa 84/2, 40134 Bologna BO
Trattoria Bertozzi in Bologna's Saragozza is the neighbourhood family trattoria on Via Andrea Costa running the canonical Bolognese carte. Priced at €€.
Tip: Book by phone two days ahead; the dining room has 40 seats and the kitchen runs the same carte at lunch and dinner.
Osteria Broccaindosso ★ 4.2
mazzini · Via Broccaindosso 7, 40125 Bologna BO
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.
Tip: Book by phone two days ahead; the 25-euro set carte runs at lunch only and is the value play.
Osteria Bartolini ★ 4.2
piazza-maggiore · Piazza Malpighi 16, 40123 Bologna BO
Osteria Bartolini on Piazza Malpighi in Bologna is the Romagna group's seafood branch with a courtyard garden, daily fritto and a Romagnola seafood carte.
Tip: Book three days ahead online; the garden seating is the spot to ask for in summer and the Friday-night carte is busiest.
Ristorante Da Vito ★ 4.2
centro-storico · Via Musolesi 9, 40138 Bologna BO
Ristorante Da Vito in Bologna's San Donato is the long-running family room blending the Bolognese pasta tradition with Adriatic-fish service.
Tip: Book a fortnight ahead; the Friday-night seafood carte is the most-booked seating and the cellar is heavy on Trebbiano di Romagna.
Manifattura Birre Bologna (MFB) ★ 4.2
Via della Salute 85/10/i, 40132 Bologna BO
Manifattura Birre Bologna (MFB) in Borgo Panigale is Michele Cantaluppi's 2016 craft brewery, with its own brewing facility since 2019. Booking recommended.
Tip: Borgo Panigale is a tram ride from the centre. The Kappa Kolsch is the house flagship; the brewpub seats 40 and the kitchen runs craft-beer snacks.
Tamburini self-service ★ 4.2
Via Caprarie 1, 40124 Bologna BO
Tamburini in Bologna's Quadrilatero runs the self-service food hall until 22:00 with salumi taglieri, the daily-changing pasta-by-weight tray.
Tip: Self-service runs 11:00-22:00; aperitivo starts at 18:00. The kitchen stops at 21:30.
Pizzeria Altero ★ 4.2
Via dell'Indipendenza 39, 40121 Bologna BO
Pizzeria Altero on Via dell'Indipendenza in Bologna is the 1957-founded pizza-al-taglio counter, an old-school Bolognese counter serving slabs of pizza rossa.
Tip: Take-away counter runs 11:00-22:00; the pizza rossa is 3 euros per slab and the queue thins after the lunch peak.
Astral Beers Pub ★ 4.2
Via Castiglione 13/B, 40124 Bologna BO
Astral Beers Pub on Via Castiglione one block south of the Two Towers is the small-room craft beer bar with a rotating tap of Italian micro-breweries.
Tip: Walk-in works; the tap list rotates and the staff will walk you through the IPAs, sours and stouts. Kitchen runs pub snacks only.
Osteria Broccaindosso ★ 4.2
Via Broccaindosso 7, 40125 Bologna BO
Osteria Broccaindosso is a italian room in Bologna. Book by phone two days ahead; the 25-euro set carte runs at lunch only and is the value play.
Tip: Book by phone two days ahead; the 25-euro set carte runs at lunch only and is the value play.