Da Cesari is a bolognese trattoria restaurant in Centro Storico, Bologna.
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.
Editorially verified May 19, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Signature dishes: Tagliatelle al ragu, Cotoletta alla bolognese, Tortellini in brodo
Must order: Tagliatelle al ragu, cotoletta alla bolognese, friggione on the side.
Tip: Book a fortnight ahead by phone; the family carte does not change and the wine cellar is run by Massimiliano Carati personally.
Address: Via de' Carbonesi 8, 40123 Bologna BO
Ristorante Donatello in Bologna from 1903 is the Fanciullacci-family Bolognese institution one street off Via Indipendenza, with the Liberty-style dining.
Signature: Tortellini, Tagliatelle al ragu, Lasagne al forno
Order: Tortellini, tagliatelle al ragu, lasagne al forno, the mortadella plate.
Tip: Book a week ahead by phone +39 051 235438; the kitchen runs lunch 12:00-14:30 and dinner 19:00-22:00, closed Tuesday.
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.
Signature: Tagliatelle al ragu, Tortelloni di ricotta, Lasagne verdi
Order: Tagliatelle al ragu, tortelloni burro e salvia, the Wednesday-only lasagne verdi.
Tip: The dine-in room takes walk-ins until 14:00; for take-away pasta, the queue thins after 11:30.
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.
Signature: Tortelli di erbette, Trippa with parmesan crust, Daily fermented vegetables
Order: The tortelli di erbette, the fermentation tasting plate, the trippa with parmesan crust.
Tip: Book 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.
Signature: Tagliatelle al ragu, Cotoletta alla bolognese, Tortelloni di zucca
Order: Tortelloni di zucca, tagliatelle al ragu, the Sunday-only bollito misto.
Tip: Book 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.
Signature: Tortellini, Tagliatelle al ragu, Lasagne al forno
Order: Tortellini, tagliatelle al ragu, lasagne al forno, the mortadella plate.
Tip: Book 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.
Signature: Tasting menu, Risotto with raw seafood, Sea-bass with Lambrusco reduction
Order: The seasonal tasting carte, the carbonara di mare, the slow-cooked guancia.
Tip: Book 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.
Signature: Tagliatelle al ragu, Tortelloni di ricotta, Lasagne verdi
Order: Tagliatelle al ragu, tortelloni burro e salvia, the Wednesday-only lasagne verdi.
Tip: The 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.
Signature: Tagliatelle al ragu, Crescentine, Sausage and friggione
Order: Tagliatelle al ragu, crescentine with the salumi board, sausage with friggione.
Tip: Walk-in only; arrive by 12:00 for lunch or after 21:30 for dinner to skip the line. Cash and card both fine.
