13 amazing places to eat in Bologna right now

17.10.2024 - 11:07 / lonelyplanet.com

Oct 16, 2024 • 8 min read

It's impossible to talk about Bologna without food dominating the conversation – the city (and region of Emilia-Romagna) arguably sits at the top of a long list of culinary nirvanas throughout Italy. Emilian specialties dominate gastronomic landscapes the world over (ragù, tortellini, lasagna, balsamic vinegar, parmigiano reggiano, mortadella – it's endless, really). As a native Atlantan that has lived in California, New York, Brazil and Portugal, among others, I can confidently say that nothing in those cities has carried the cultural weight that food does in Bologna. Eating here is divine and I have ferociously done so since 2019.

But a word of warning: Do not show up here looking for spaghetti and meatballs (no such thing) or spaghetti Bolognese (it doesn’t exist) or spaghetti at all (it's from the south). In Bologna, it's all about fresh, egg-based pastas (tagliatelle, tortelloni and so on) and, more often than not, pork-based sauces and stuffings. Buon appetito!

Being a savory sort of breakfast guy myself (and American, so give me a breakfast burrito, bagel sandwich or crab cake eggs Benedict any day), breakfast is my least favorite meal in Italy. Truth be told, it's the one meal in which the country isn't outrageously perfect (I mean, they can't win every culinary battle). Italian breakfast is designed to be quick and snappy. That's not to say what they do isn't wonderful, though. In the city center, the pastry case at Gamberini makes for painstaking decisions. Grab a cornetto (Italian croissant) oozing with pistachio cream (or anything with pistachio cream, really, it's my kryptonite).

How to get it: Walk in, anytime. Gamberini is open from 7am until 9pm every day (except Fridays).

Another favorite pasticceria requires your own wheels, but Gino Fabbri Pasticcere, 6km northeast of the city center, is a detour-worthy, internationally-awarded bakery. You can't go wrong with anything here, but the rosy-striped lampone (raspberry) and zucchero (sugar-iced) brioches are worth traveling for. If I am in dire need of savory, which is definitely cause for a treasure hunt here, options on toast at Papparè in the city center (bacon, avocado, feta etc) help tide me over until I can get stateside.

How to get it: You'll need your own car for this one. It's open six days a week (closed Sunday) on the outskirts of the city and requires a 20-minute drive. Alternatively, you can take the 88 bus from Stazione Centrale.

One of Italy's greatest attributes is that – with very few exceptions – a fantastic espresso or cappuccino is available anywhere and everywhere, including normal caffeine dead zones such as petrol stations and cheap hotels. Third wave coffeehouses exist in Italy, but they remain