23 upscale places in Bologna, editor-picked. occasion restaurants in Bologna: destination kitchens for celebrations and visits. All Bologna food.
Osteria del Sole ★ 4.8
Vicolo Ranocchi 1/D, 40124 Bologna BO
Osteria del Sole in Bologna's Quadrilatero is the 1465-founded wine-only osteria, the city's oldest, where regulars bring food from the surrounding.
Tip: Bring food from Tamburini or Paolo Atti; the osteria sells only wine. Cash only. Closed Sunday.
Ahime ★ 4.7
santo-stefano · Via San Gervasio 6/E, 40121 Bologna BO
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.
Tip: Book three weeks ahead online; the natural-wine cellar is the city's most-cited and the carte rewrites weekly.
Enoteca Italiana ★ 4.7
Via Marsala 2/B, 40126 Bologna BO
Enoteca Italiana on Via Marsala in Bologna is the 1958-founded enoteca with the long marble counter, a 1,000-label Italian cellar and the daily tagliere.
Tip: Walk-in only; arrive before 19:30 for the aperitivo crowd. The wines by the glass rotate weekly.
Camera a Sud ★ 4.6
Via Valdonica 5, 40126 Bologna BO
Camera a Sud in Bologna's Centro Storico is the natural-wine bar from Andrea Liguori, with a Sicily-and-Emilia-focused cellar, a small plates carte.
Tip: Book three days ahead for the seated dinner; the bar standing-aperitivo runs 19:00-21:00 walk-in. Closed Monday.
Ristorante Diana ★ 4.5
piazza-maggiore · Via dell'Indipendenza 24, 40121 Bologna BO
Ristorante Diana on Via dell'Indipendenza in Bologna is the 1909-founded room running the canonical Bolognese carte and the famous Sunday carrello dei.
Tip: Book a fortnight ahead for Sunday lunch; the carrello dei bolliti runs only on Sunday and Wednesday lunches.
Oltre ★ 4.5
santo-stefano · Via Augusto Majani 1/B, 40121 Bologna BO
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.
Tip: Book three weeks ahead online; the tasting carte runs 78 euros and the wine pairings are 45 euros more.
Nu Lounge Bar ★ 4.5
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-changing tiki carte and the long.
Tip: Walk-in works; the late-night standing crowd takes over after 22:30. The Mai Tai and the Bolognesi-edition tiki cocktails are the order.
Donkey Speakeasy ★ 4.5
Vicolo Broglio 1/F, 40125 Bologna BO
Donkey Speakeasy in Bologna's Centro Storico on the second floor of a dark alley near the Two Towers is the reservation-only speakeasy with the monthly.
Tip: Book via WhatsApp +39 349 1384953; entry is by password supplied with the booking and the room runs late, Sundays open until 04:00.
I Conoscenti ★ 4.4
centro-storico · Via Manzoni 6/A, 40121 Bologna BO
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.
Tip: Book a fortnight ahead; the ground-floor restaurant runs dinner only and the cocktail bar takes over after 22:30. Phone +39 051 232071.
Vineria Favalli ★ 4.4
Via Santo Stefano 5/A, 40125 Bologna BO
Vineria Favalli in Bologna near piazza Santo Stefano steps from the Two Towers is the small-room natural-wine bar from small artisanal producers.
Tip: Walk-in works for aperitivo; the wine list runs to the natural side and the staff will guide you. Reservations via +39 051 295821 for the back room.
Cantina Bentivoglio ★ 4.4
Via Mascarella 4/b, 40126 Bologna
Cantina Bentivoglio in Bologna's Mascarella from 1987 is the historic jazz wine bar and restaurant with a 500-label Italian cellar, the Bolognese carte.
Tip: Book three days ahead for the dinner-and-jazz seated set; the standing bar takes over after 23:00 and the cover charge is included with dinner.
Ristorante Donatello ★ 4.3
centro-storico · Via Augusto Righi 8, 40126 Bologna BO
Ristorante Donatello in Bologna from 1903 is the Fanciullacci-family Bolognese institution one street off Via Indipendenza, with the Liberty-style dining.
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 ★ 4.3
mazzini · Via Broccaindosso 63/B, 40125 Bologna BO
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.
Tip: Book a fortnight ahead online; the tasting carte is the value option at 75 euros and the wine pairings are a strength.
Ristorante Franco Rossi ★ 4.3
centro-storico · Via Goito 3, 40126 Bologna BO
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.
Tip: Book a week ahead; the Sunday carrello dei bolliti runs only at lunch and is the order to make.
Drogheria della Rosa ★ 4.3
santo-stefano · Via Cartoleria 10, 40124 Bologna BO
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.
Tip: Book a fortnight ahead online; the ground-floor room with the apothecary cabinets is the seating to request.
Le Stanze ★ 4.3
Via del Borgo San Pietro 1, 40126 Bologna
Le Stanze in Bologna's Centro Storico is the cocktail bar built into a 16th-century frescoed chapel near Via Indipendenza, with aperitivo from 18:00.
Tip: Walk-in works for the bar; book the dining room a week ahead for dinner. Aperitivo runs 18:00-21:00 with the small plates.
Ristorante Da Vito ★ 4.2
centro-storico · Via Musolesi 9, 40138 Bologna BO
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.
Tip: Book a fortnight ahead; the Friday-night seafood carte is the most-booked seating and the cellar is heavy on Trebbiano di Romagna.
Caffe Rubik ★ 4.2
Via San Giorgio 5/A, 40121 Bologna BO
Caffe Rubik in Bologna's Centro Storico is the third-wave cafe-and-cocktail-bar with an aperitivo carte from 18:00, a daily small-plates board.
Tip: Walk-in only; the aperitivo crowd takes over after 18:30 and the weekend late-night cocktail crowd runs to 02:00.
Vino Vino ★ 4.2
Via Mascarella 32/A, 40126 Bologna BO
Vino Vino in Bologna's University quarter is the long-running wine-bar with the Bolognese tagliere of mortadella, prosciutto and squacquerone.
Tip: Walk-in only; the aperitivo crowd takes over after 18:30. The Lambrusco spritz is 6 euros and the tagliere is 12 euros.
Lab 16 ★ 4.2
Via Zamboni 16/D, 40126 Bologna BO
Lab 16 in Bologna's Centro Storico is the modern cocktail bar on Via Zamboni with the herbal-twisted classics, the daily-changing snacks carte.
Tip: Walk-in works; the late-night standing crowd takes over after 22:30 and the bar runs until 02:00 Friday and Saturday.
Enoteca Storica Faccioli ★ 4.2
Via Altabella 15/B, 40126 Bologna BO
Enoteca Storica Faccioli in Bologna's Centro Storico is the historic family wine-shop-and-bar founded 1924, with a 1,500-label Italian cellar.
Tip: Walk-in works for the aperitivo; the cellar shop sells by the bottle from 17:00 onward. The Barolo flight is 35 euros.
Buca San Petronio ★ 4.1
Vicolo San Damiano 4, 40124 Bologna BO
Buca San Petronio in Bologna's Quadrilatero is the 16th-century buca cellar with the brick vaults and a 300-label Italian cellar, the daily tagliere.
Tip: Book three days ahead for the seated dinner; the buca dining room is intimate and the aperitivo crowd takes over after 19:00.
Freakout Club ★ 4.0
Via San Vitale 53/A, 40125 Bologna BO
Freakout Club in Bologna's San Vitale is the late-night cocktail bar with the rotating DJs, the modern Italian cocktail carte and the standing crowd.
Tip: Walk-in only; the bar runs 22:00-04:00 Friday and Saturday and 22:00-02:00 mid-week. Cash and card both fine.