My Recommended Restaurants in Bologna
Dec 1st, 2007 by admin
We’re planning a foodie trip to Bologna, Italy between Christmas and New Year. Of course, I couldn’t resist researching all the restaurants I want to visit, over three lunches and four dinners. The reviews will be coming in January on World Foodie Guide, but in the meantime, here is my wish list.
Unfortunately, we won’t be able to eat at all of them (only the first six!), but I selected these after reading many online reviews of amazing restaurants in the culinary capital of Italy. I also avoided all the Michelin starred ones. My husband didn’t think it was necessary in Bologna, where one is practically guaranteed excellent quality, whether we eat in a simple, family-run trattoria or a established restaurant that has been open for a century or more. So the list below ranges from cheap and cheerful to elegant and expensive.
- Trattoria Meloncello – tiny eaterie with no menu, run by two sisters (via Saragozza 240a, Bologna. Tel: 051 614 3947)
- Rodrigo - elegant restaurant, particularly recommended for its white truffles between September to December (via della Zecca 2, Bologna. T 051 220 445. Closed Sun.)
- Nicola’s - supposedly serves the best pizzas in Bologna (Piazza San Martino 9, Bologna. Tel: 051 232 502)
- Trattoria Caminetto D’Oro - Mario Batali loves it here! (4 Via de’ Falegnami, Bologna. Tel: 051 263 494)
- Montegrappa da Nello - classic Bolognese cuisine (Via Montegrappa 2, Bologna. Tel: 051 236 331)
- Diana – one of Bologna’s best restaurants, open since the 1920s (via dell’Indipendenza 24, Bologna. Tel: 051 231 302. Closed Mon.)
- Trattoria da Tony – small but popular traditional eaterie (via Augusto Righi, 1/8, Bologna. Tel: 051 232 852. Evenings from 7-11pm. Closed Sun + Mon)
- Antica Osteria Romagnola – offers local and regional cuisine (Via Rialto 13, Bologna. Tel: 051 263 699)
- Da Cesari - wonderful family-run restaurant (via de’ Carbonesi 8, Bologna. South of Piazza Maggiore. Tel: 051 237 710)
- Trattoria Fantoni – serves simple food, comes highly recommended by many (via del Pratello, 11, Bologna. Tel: 051 236 358)
- Al Pappagallo - historic and elegant restaurant, visited by Einstein and Hitchcock amongst others (piazza della Mercanzia 3, Bologna. Tel: 051 231 200. Closed Sun)
- Tamburini – unmissable gourmet delicatessen + self service bistro open for lunch (via Caprarie, 1 – 40124 Bologna. Tel: 051 234 726)
I found useful Mario Batali‘s personal recommendations on where to eat in the region.
We’re also planning a day trip to nearby Modena. I wanted to go to this little restaurant which is supposed to be excellent, situated in the back of a small food and wine shop. It’s apparently the oldest delicatessen in the world, dating from 1605. But it’s not open on Sundays, and our day trip is planned for Sunday. So if you have a chance to visit Modena, don’t miss out on Hosteria Guisti.
And here are the results of the trip – Where to Eat in Bologna, Italy
Great Site! I found the everything very interesting and will try some of the recipes when I get back to London. No chance of getting the ingredients here in Puglia.
Have you ever eaten chinese food in Italy? Sometimes my friends insist we go and I’ve always found the food to be pretty awful. The worst thing though, is their insistance on Antipasti-Primi-Secondi-Dolce. In other words, they insist on eating a plate of rice first (or ‘chinese’ spaghetti – and yes, it really is spaghetti) and when it is finished, everbody’s second course arrives.
Absolutely no sharing mind – strictly one each!
Ok, I know we Brits also take some liberties with chinese food, but I think that’s a step too far
So, once again, congrats on the site. Enjoy your trip to Italy
Thanks so much! Yes, the ingredients are most likely to be found in Chinatown rather than Puglia. Although you must be eating some amazing food out there. I’ve never had Chinese food in Italy. In fact, I’ve only had Chinese food in London, New York, Germany (where I grew up), China, Japan and Hong Kong. I know it can be atrocious! My parents live in Costa Rica and the Chinese restaurants in San Jose are horrible, apparently. I’ll be adding some more of my mum’s recipes soon, so keep checking back!…Helen Yuet Ling
Me and my husband attempted to eat one individual pizza topped with lardo in Modena. It was absolutely amazing – but we could barely finish it – it was so rich! I’m still in awe that if I want lardo in the states I have to spend $$$$$ in some fancy restaurant. I think we spent 9 Euros for this pizza COVERED in lardo. Ahhh, the memories. No wonder I gained 10 lbs.! Modena was a really nice city. Totally do-able as a day trip. Weird thing was, you’d think it’s crawling with balsamic shops. We only found 1 or 2 places selling it… but keep an eye out so you can grab a 25 or 50 year old beauty. Have a blast… I’m jealous! -amy
Hi Amy, I can’t wait! Not the bit about gaining weight, which I’m sure will happen, but for the food in Bologna and Modena. I’ll definitely be on the look-out for balsamic vinegar. All the restaurants have been booked by an Italian-speaking friend, so all I have to do is turn up. Will let you know when the reviews are up. Let me know about Madrid! Helen Yuet Ling
Very eager to read about your Bologna trip as I will be going there myself in three weeks. I tried to book Giusti but was told that they did not have a January calendar yet. I will be trying again very soon.
Hi Vic, just got back from Bologna and quite tired. Going to start posting about my restaurants tomorrow. FYI, in the end we went to Rodrigo (expensive), Diana (not so expensive), Meloncello (the best experience ever!, da Nello (pretty good), Caminetto d’Oro (fancy food) and when Nicola’s was closed at the time we booked it for, we found another pizza place called Ducale (OK). I’ll write about Meloncello tomorrow, just for you, as you musn’t miss this! Helen Yuet Ling
That’s fantastic! Meloncello is on our short list. I just got an email confirming lunch at Giusti’s and also confirmed at San Domenico in Imola for lunch a few days before that. Although we have 8 days in the region, we will just make reservations when we get there or else just wing it.
Vic, you’re so lucky to get to go to Guisti. You must tell me all about it! Check back later this evening for the Meloncello review. I’m sure you’ll love it, but afterwards you must do the walk up to San Luca too, to walk off the meal. All in all, we walked for over 15 km that day – from the hotel to the restaurant, up to San Luca, down again and back to the hotel! Helen Yuet Ling