Mention a city break in Bologna and everyone will tell you how well you’re going to eat. Often in the shadows of nearby Florence, Milan and Venice, Bologna benefits from the rich produce of the Emilia-Romagna region and is filled with traditional trattorias, cavernous osterias and the most insane delis you’ve ever seen.
Its nickname of “la dotta, la grassa e la rossa” (meaning “the learned one, the fat one and the red one”) tells you all you need to know about this left-leaning, food-loving university town. It’s unpretentious, affordable and sure to leave you deliriously satisfied as you feast on tortellini in brodo, mortadella and of course, the famous tagliatelle al ragù.
Here are some place you must try when visiting Bologna…
Quadrilatero
Bologna’s historic Quadrilatero area is pure food heaven, in fact, you won’t be able to believe your eyes! In the Middle Ages, it was the commercial heart for craft guilds such as butchers, fisherman, meat curers and furriers, and now it’s home to colourful outdoor markets and delis.
Baita La Vecchia Malga is adorned with hanging proscuitti and boasts an abundance of cheeses and cured meats from the Emilia Romagna region, as well as hand-crafted fresh pasta, wild mushrooms, artisanal olive oil and Balsamic vinegar.
Tamburini features an elegant counter of regional specialities and also has a casual self-service canteen where you can dine on chefs special at a reasonable price. However, my favourite shop in the Quadrilatero was Paolo Atti & Figli, a family-run bakery and pasta shop founded in 1880. The cakes and tarts in the window will lure you in and I can highly recommend ordering the Crostata all’arancia and a hearty slice of the Torta di riso – a creamy rice cake with aromatic candied orange and almonds.
Mercato di Mezzo is a restored 19th century market that offers Italian street food from a number of vendors. On the first floor is a pizzeria and the ground floor has everything from fresh pasta and seafood to coffee and cake. We tried a fish cutlet burger with the most yummy patates al forno and a mini folded pizza from Rossopomodoro – perfect for a quick lunch bite.
The Quadrilatero is also home to EATALY Ambasciatori – the famous Italian food store set across a three-floor bookstore.
It has two restaurants and a casual bar where you can warm up with thick, authentic Cioccolata calda and mini bomboloni.
Osteria dell’Orsa
Osteria dell’Orsa in the buzzing university quarter is a popular spot for students and academics, plus they also operate the pasta shop and Jukebox Cafe next door. It’s all about the pasta here and the Tagliatelle al ragù is out of this world. Every eatery has a different take on Bologna’s signature pasta dish and Osteria dell’Orsa’s was on the rich side with tender, slow-cooked beef and veal and thick egg tagliatele with an al dente texture.
The serving of pasta is satisfying but modest, so you might like to order some crostini, side dishes or if you’re really hungry a second course of grilled meat. Or, do like the clever couple next to us and order an additional pasta dish to share!
It’s worth noting that from 9.30pm onwards, the whole menu changes to just two daily dishes (one was lasagne), so arrive earlier to have more choice and avoid confusion.
Trattoria Anna Maria
Trattoria Anna Maria is a really charming, homely restaurant with black and white photos of Italian actors adorning the walls and friendly staff, some of whom may have been there since the beginning. The formidable Signora Anna Maria has been serving traditional dishes of the Emilia Romagna region for over 30 years and her trattoria is on every ‘must visit’ list.
Anna Maria’s delicious Tagliatelle al ragù had a light meat sauce punctuated with soft carrots and thin ribbons of fresh pasta and was very generously-sized. The Tortellini in brodo also impressed and we enjoyed tasty sides of Patate al forno and Friggione (a rustic mix of slow-cooked tomatoes and onions). We were also kindly brought a complimentary snack of vegetarian frittata with our basket of bread.
Trattoria Anna Maria may be priced above average for Bologna, but it’s still good value and one that you’ll want to tick off the list. Be sure to book a table, as it gets busy on the weekend.
Nicola’s Pizzeria
It might be surprising that this low-key Neapolitan pizzeria with red-check table cloths and lime green walls is recommended by Vogue, but Nicola’s has a big reputation in Bologna. We braved a snow storm, skidding across the city’s slippery porticos for 25 minutes to try this pizza and it was 100% worth it.
The enormous pizzas were exemplary – a chewy, blistered dough with a coarse base from the signature 00 flour, a juicy and simple crushed tomato sauce and creamy, flavoursome mozzarella. Our toppings of salsiccia, prosciutto crudo and artichokes were also high quality and plentiful.
Best of all, these classic pizzas are just 6 Euros and even the most elaborate gourmet pizzas cost just 12 Euros. You’ll definitely want to spend an evening at this lovely neighbourhood pizzeria, especially if you’ve overspent your Euros on truffles and Balsamico!
FICO EATALY World
The biggest thing to happen in Bologna recently is arguably the opening of FICO EATALY World. Labelled the ‘Disneyworld of Food’, this 25-acre park just outside the city is an ambitious collaboration between the Agri-Food Center of Bologna and EATALY founder Oscar Farinetti, with the purpose of educating visitors on the heritage and production of Italian food.
The sprawling complex features 45 trattorias, starred-restaurants and street food kiosks, 40 on-site factories and a large food marketplace, as well as two hectares of farmland with over 200 animals.
It feels overwhelming on arrival, but its doesn’t take long to get your bearings and the handy bicycles help you get around more quickly. Start by watching how Bologna’s signature Mortadella is made and then see cheese makers at work separating bubbling curds and whey and a robot helping to bake biscuits at the Balocco bakery.
There are plenty of samples to graze on, from truffle honey to the finest Aceto Balsamico, while deciding where to dine. Some of the eateries are surprisingly high-end, but we kept it casual to try a few different places. At Ruliano – Heinz Becker we enjoyed a delicious tasting board of three types of Prosciutto di Parma, aged for 20, 24 and 30 months. Another highlight was Bottega Renzini where we had the most incredible, aromatic Porchetta sandwich with Balsamico and mustard, using cured and matured pork from Norcia.
FICO EATALY World feels a million miles away from Bologna’s age-old delis with its shiny, IKEA-esque structure, and some of the vendors are quite mass-market, however you can get a lot out of it if you appreciate it for what it is.
Where to Stay
Bologna doesn’t have the same kind of design-led hotel scene as nearby Milan and Florence, however we were really impressed with our stay at Starhotels Excelsior. Right next to the railway station, this four star hotel is convenient for arriving in the city and taking the FICO shuttle bus, and is around 20-minutes walk into the historic centre.
By booking direct and joining the I Am Star rewards programme, we were given a free upgrade to a Deluxe Room, which we found spacious and comfortable with a separate walk-in wardrobe, high-end bathroom and a good king-size bed. The staff really stood out for being so friendly and helpful and we loved the breakfast curated by EATALY. Every morning we enjoyed fantastic scrambled eggs and Italian bacon, cured meats and mozzarella, natural yoghurt with fruit compotes and an impressive selection of cakes, crostata and Nutella-filled pastries.
I would definitely stay at Starhotels Excelsior again on a future trip, but might also be tempted to stay at nearby i Portici, which is noted for its restaurant and two delis in town.
Bologna truly lived up to its culinary reputation and I just loved how its youthful, rebellious spirit sat comfortably with a respect for tradition and heritage. No gimmicks or trying too hard, just a joyful sense of the good life. Every foodie should make a pilgrimage to Bologna at least once to discover just how special this city is.
All photos by Chérie City
