The medieval market grid east of Piazza Maggiore, with Tamburini, Atti, Paolo Atti and the salumeria-and-sfoglina spine of Via Pescherie Vecchie and Via Drapperie.
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.
Signature: Tagliatelle al ragu, Tortellini in brodo, Tartare of beef
Order: Tagliatelle al ragu, tortellini in brodo, the carpaccio of Chianina.
Tip: Book three days ahead online; the dining room is intimate and the Quadrilatero passeggiata is loud after 19:30.
Tamburini in Bologna's Quadrilatero is the 1932-founded salumeria-and-self-service operating from Via Caprarie, with cured-meat counters, a daily-changing carte and aperitivo from 18:00.
Signature: Mortadella tagliere, Tortellini in brodo, Cotechino
Order: The mortadella tagliere, the daily pasta plate, a tigella with squacquerone.
Tip: The self-service runs 11:00 to 22:00 daily; the salumi counter closes at 19:30 and the aperitivo crowd takes over after 18:00.
Salumeria Simoni on Via Drapperie in Bologna's Quadrilatero is the 1960s-founded family salumeria with a dine-in tasting room behind the counter, slicing mortadella and prosciutto to order.
Signature: Mortadella platter, Tigelle, Tortellini in brodo
Order: The mortadella platter, the tigelle with squacquerone, the prosciutto di Parma 24-month.
Tip: The dine-in tasting room behind the counter takes walk-ins for the tagliere; the salumi counter is busiest at 11:00.
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, crescentine fritte and cotechino.
Signature: Pizza al taglio rossa, Crescentine fritte, Cotechino
Order: The pizza rossa al taglio, the crescentine fritte, the slab pizza with mortadella.
Tip: Cash and card both fine; the counter runs 11:00 to 22:00 daily and the queue thins after the lunch peak.
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 and a 30-seat dining room.
Signature: Tagliatelle al ragu, Tortellini, Tartare of beef
Order: Tagliatelle al ragu, tortellini in brodo, the carpaccio of Chianina.
Tip: Book three days ahead online; the dining room is intimate and the Quadrilatero passeggiata is loud after 19:30.