The southeast quarter around the seven-church basilica and Strada Maggiore, home to All'Osteria Bottega, Trattoria di Via Serra-adjacent picks and the bourgeois lunch trade.
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.
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.
Signature: Tagliatelle al ragu, Lasagne verdi, Stinco di maiale
Order: Tagliatelle al ragu, lasagne verdi, the stinco di maiale on Sunday.
Tip: Book 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.
Signature: Tortelloni with butter, Ravioli di parmigiano, Tasting menu
Order: The seasonal tasting carte, the ravioli di parmigiano, the daily fish service.
Tip: Book three weeks ahead online; the tasting carte runs 78 euros and the wine pairings are 45 euros more.
051 Osteria Santo Stefano sits inside the Corte Isolani arcade off Piazza Santo Stefano, plating the city's fresh-pasta canon from a daily lab in Villanova that supplies the whole 051 family of osterie.
Signature: Tortellini in brodo, Tagliatelle al ragu, Tigelle with cured meats
Order: Tortellini in brodo, the tagliatelle al ragu, a board of tigelle with cured meats.
Tip: Open every day for lunch and dinner until midnight; arrive off-peak as the Corte Isolani tables fill fast on weekends.