The restaurants worth a reservation in Bologna, from neighbourhood bistros to the new classics.
The restaurants worth the trip in Bologna. bistros, neo-classics, neighbourhood favourites, and the rooms locals book first.
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.
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.
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Ristorante Diana on Via dell'Indipendenza in Bologna has run the canonical Bolognese carte since 1909: tortellini in brodo and the carrello dei bolliti.
OrderTortellini in brodo, lasagne verdi, the carrello dei bolliti on Sunday lunch.
TipBook a fortnight ahead for Sunday lunch; the carrello dei bolliti runs only on Sunday and Wednesday lunches.
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.
OrderTagliatelle al ragu, cotoletta alla bolognese, friggione on the side.
TipBook a fortnight ahead by phone; the family carte does not change and the wine cellar is run by Massimiliano Carati personally.
Ahime in Bologna near Via San Vitale is the Lorenzo Vecchia and Filippo Pennestri room, a 30-seat natural-wine bistro rooted in fermentation and Emilian.
OrderThe tortelli di erbette, the fermentation tasting plate, the trippa with parmesan crust.
TipBook three weeks ahead online; the natural-wine cellar is the city's most-cited and the carte rewrites weekly.
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.
OrderTortelloni di zucca, tagliatelle al ragu, the Sunday-only bollito misto.
TipBook a week ahead for Sunday lunch; the portico walk from Porta Saragozza takes 25 minutes and is the traditional pre-lunch passeggiata.
Ristorante Donatello in Bologna from 1903 is the Fanciullacci-family Bolognese institution one street off Via Indipendenza, with the Liberty-style dining.
OrderTortellini, tagliatelle al ragu, lasagne al forno, the mortadella plate.
TipBook a week ahead by phone +39 051 235438; the kitchen runs lunch 12:00-14:30 and dinner 19:00-22:00, closed Tuesday.
Scaccomatto in Bologna's Mazzini is the Mario Ferrara fine-bistro running a sea-and-land carte that crosses Adriatic seafood with the Emilian land tradition.
OrderThe seasonal tasting carte, the carbonara di mare, the slow-cooked guancia.
TipBook a fortnight ahead online; the tasting carte is the value option at 75 euros and the wine pairings are a strength.
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.
OrderTagliatelle al ragu, tortelloni burro e salvia, the Wednesday-only lasagne verdi.
TipThe dine-in room takes walk-ins until 14:00; for take-away pasta, the queue thins after 11:30.
Osteria dell'Orsa in Bologna's University quarter is the canonical student trattoria operating since 1979, a no-reservations canteen for tagliatelle.
OrderTagliatelle al ragu, crescentine with the salumi board, sausage with friggione.
TipWalk-in only; arrive by 12:00 for lunch or after 21:30 for dinner to skip the line. Cash and card both fine.
Trattoria Bertozzi in Bologna's Saragozza is the neighbourhood family trattoria on Via Andrea Costa running the canonical Bolognese carte. Priced at €€.
OrderTagliatelle al ragu, the petroniana cotoletta, the tortelloni di ricotta with sage butter.
TipBook by phone two days ahead; the dining room has 40 seats and the kitchen runs the same carte at lunch and dinner.
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.
I Conoscenti in Bologna's Centro Storico in a 14th-century palace is the cocktail-and-cucina restaurant from chef Salvatore Amato, with the contemporary.
OrderTortellini in crema di parmigiano, the seasonal carpaccio, the chef's tasting carte.
TipBook a fortnight ahead; the ground-floor restaurant runs dinner only and the cocktail bar takes over after 22:30. Phone +39 051 232071.
Ristorante Franco Rossi in Bologna's Centro Storico is the family fine-bistro running the Bolognese banking-class carte with a celebrated Sunday carrello dei.
OrderTortellini in brodo, the cotoletta alla bolognese, the Sunday carrello dei bolliti.
TipBook a week ahead; the Sunday carrello dei bolliti runs only at lunch and is the order to make.
Ristorante Da Vito in Bologna's San Donato is the family room blending the Bolognese pasta tradition with Adriatic-fish service, on a 40-seat dining room.
OrderThe truffle tortelli in season, the fritto misto, the sea bass in salt crust.
TipBook a fortnight ahead; the Friday-night seafood carte is the most-booked seating and the cellar is heavy on Trebbiano di Romagna.
Drogheria della Rosa in Bologna's Santo Stefano is the Emanuele Addone fine-bistro built into a 19th-century apothecary, running the modern Bolognese carte.
OrderTagliatelle al ragu, lasagne verdi, the stinco di maiale on Sunday.
TipBook a fortnight ahead online; the ground-floor room with the apothecary cabinets is the seating to request.
Oltre in Bologna's Santo Stefano is the Lorenzo Costa modern-Italian room with a 28-seat hall and a tasting carte rooted in Emilian produce and natural wines.
OrderThe seasonal tasting carte, the ravioli di parmigiano, the daily fish service.
TipBook three weeks ahead online; the tasting carte runs 78 euros and the wine pairings are 45 euros more.
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.
OrderTagliatelle al ragu, tortellini in brodo, the carpaccio of Chianina.
TipBook three days ahead online; the dining room is intimate and the Quadrilatero passeggiata is loud after 19:30.
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.
OrderFritto misto, the Adriatic crudo plate, the spaghetti alle vongole.
TipBook three days ahead online; the garden seating is the spot to ask for in summer and the Friday-night carte is busiest.
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.
OrderTagliatelle al ragu, tortellini in brodo, the Sunday bollito misto.
TipBook a week ahead by phone; the lunch service is the easier seating and the Sunday bollito sells out by 13:00.
Amole in Bologna is chef Chao Zeng's Sichuan dining room on Via Riva di Reno, with an open kitchen, a tea and cocktail bar and a menu rooted in Sichuan food.
OrderGo for the Sichuan classics, and take a tea or a cocktail at the bar first.
TipClosed Wednesday lunch and Sunday dinner. Reserve through the booking page linked from the site; the info email does not take reservations.