Pizzeria Altero on Via dell'Indipendenza in Bologna is the 1957-founded pizza-al-taglio counter, an old-school Bolognese fixture serving slabs of pizza rossa, pizza bianca and crescentine fritte.
Tip: Take-away counter only; the pizza rossa is 3 euros per slab and the queue thins after the 13:00 lunch peak.
Address: Via dell'Indipendenza 39, 40121 Bologna BO
Sfoglia Rina in Bologna's Centro Storico runs a take-away counter selling hand-rolled pasta by weight, with tortellini, tagliatelle, tortelloni and lasagne sheets sold to the locals.
Try: Tortellini, tagliatelle by weight
Tip: The take-away counter runs from 09:00; tortellini sell by the 250g bag from 6 euros. Take home and cook in salted water 3 minutes.
Casa Monica in Bologna's Saragozza is the piadina-and-crescentine counter with the Romagnola flatbreads stuffed with squacquerone, prosciutto and Bolognese mortadella, eat-in and take-away.
Try: Piadina, crescentine
Tip: Walk-in works; the piadina runs 4 to 7 euros and the take-away queue thins after 13:30.
Tigelleria Emiliana in Bologna's Centro Storico runs the hot-griddled tigelle counter with the cunza lard-and-rosemary paste, the salumi board and the daily-changing weekday lunch carte.
Try: Crescentine, tigelle
Tip: The tigelle arrive hot from the cast-iron pans; eat within 5 minutes or they go leather-tough. The cunza is the killer detail.
Piadineria da Bardo in Bologna's University quarter is the Romagnola piadina counter from Forli, with the rosemary-and-lard flatbread, the squacquerone-and-rocket filling and the late-night student crowd.
Try: Piadina Romagnola
Tip: Walk-in only; the piadine run 4 to 7 euros and the late-night counter runs to 22:00. Cash and card both fine.
Bottega Portici in Bologna's Centro Storico is the take-away counter for crescentine fritte and gnocco fritto, with the daily salumi tagliere and the after-aperitivo crowd.
Try: Crescentine, gnocco fritto
Tip: Take-away counter runs 11:00 to 23:00; the gnocco fritto is fried to order and best eaten within 5 minutes.
Kebab Mercato Zamboni in Bologna's University quarter is the late-night doner kebab counter on Via Zamboni, serving the lamb kebab in pita and the falafel wrap to the post-bar student crowd.
Try: Lamb kebab
Tip: Cash only; the counter runs 11:00 to 04:00 daily and the queue is steady after 23:00 with the student crowd.
