Restaurants in Emilia Romagna & San Marino
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Pizzeria La Brace
Neither pizza nor fish are considered Bolognese specialities but that's what they do here, and what they do well. If a pizza doesn't appeal, the carpaccio di pesce spada (thin slices of raw swordfish) followed by a fritto misto (mixed fish fry) is a fine alternative. Hanging football shirts and portraits of Hollywood icons provide an unusual décor.
reviewed
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Ca’ de Vèn
Yes, it’s touristy, but the atmosphere’s wonderful at this cavernous enoteca -cum-restaurant in a 15th-century palazzo with frescoed domes, vaulted brick ceilings and chequerboard marble floors. Regional specialities are complemented by an encyclopaedic wine list.
reviewed
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Drogheria della Rosa
With its wooden shelves, apothecaries’ jars and bottles, it’s not difficult to picture this place as the pharmacy that it once was. Nowadays it’s a charming, high-end trattoria, run by an affable English-speaking owner who will happily go through the day’s short, sweet menu of ultrafresh choices with you. Expect superbly prepared versions of Bolognese classics such as tortellini or steak with balsamic vinegar.
reviewed
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Trattoria Corrieri
Eat on the patio under a leafy trellis, or in the labyrinth of rustically decorated interior rooms at this convivial trattoria, under the same ownership as Gallo d’Oro. Everything’s top quality –from the tris di tortelli (pasta pockets with three different stuffings) to the torta di cioccolato e pere (pear-chocolate cake) for dessert.
reviewed
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Ristorante Pier & Gilberto Europe
Whatever you're paying here, rest assured that it's going on the food not the location. Once you've come in off the noisy road, you're in a world of silver candlesticks, cascading bouquets and seriously good food. Seafood is a speciality so play safe with spaghetti ai frusta di mare (spaghetti with seafood) followed by a fish grill.
reviewed
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Trattoria Fantoni
To the west of the centre of Bologna, Via del Pratello is a long-standing bohemian hang-out packed with pubs, trattorias and bars. One of the best, Fantoni is a much-loved eatery dishing up classic Italian food at welcome prices. The atmosphere’s jovial and the decor is an agreeable clash of clutter and modern art.
reviewed
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La Sorbetteria Castiglione
Locals queue up day and night at this award-winning gelateria, which focuses all of its creative energy on 18 flavours. Taste the gianduia (chocolate-hazelnut ice cream with whole hazelnuts inside) and you’ll be an instant convert.
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Trattoria da Omer
The stereotypical family-run trattoria, Omer's sets a lovely atmosphere for a meal of classic Modenese and Ferrarese food. Try the ossibuchi Estense, a regional take on the more traditional osso bucco (a veal stew) served with veggies and chopped almonds.
Like Bologna and Parma, Modena is an important gastronomic town. Its most famous product is aceto balsamico, considered the best in Italy by gourmets, but the centre also produces an excellent prosciutto crudo and zampone (stuffed pig's trotter). Tortellini is another speciality, as is Lambrusco, a lively, sparkling red, to be drunk chilled and with everything.
reviewed
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Ristorante Pizzeria Uva d'Oro
A bright, bustling restaurant-cum-pizzeria, this cheerful spot serves plate-sized pizzas and uncomplicated pasta dishes. The complimentary glass of prosecco ensures a good mood, as does the tempting antipasto buffet and kitsch fruit 'n' veg décor.
Like Bologna and Parma, Modena is an important gastronomic town. Its most famous product is aceto balsamico, considered the best in Italy by gourmets, but the centre also produces an excellent prosciutto crudo and zampone (stuffed pig's trotter). Tortellini is another speciality, as is Lambrusco, a lively, sparkling red, to be drunk chilled and with everything.
reviewed
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Don Giovanni
Open only for dinner, this highly acclaimed eatery specialises in fresh-caught fish from the Adriatic, vegetables harvested from the restaurant’s own garden, eight varieties of bread baked daily and a wine list featuring over 600 Italian and international labels. The menu is an imaginative feast of unconventional concoctions such as tortelli con faraona allo zabaione di parmigiano e prosciutto croccante (guinea fowl–stuffed pasta in a custard of Parmesan and crunchy ham) or anguilla arrostita con finferli e emulsione all’alloro (roast eel with chanterelle mushrooms in bay-leaf emulsion).
reviewed
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Al Grottino
Informal and popular, this is a good bet for a filling bowl of spaghetti or a delicious pizza. If undecided between pasta and pizza, go for the pizza - it'll be big, well cooked and full of bubbling, creamy cheese.
Like Bologna and Parma, Modena is an important gastronomic town. Its most famous product is aceto balsamico, considered the best in Italy by gourmets, but the centre also produces an excellent prosciutto crudo and zampone (stuffed pig's trotter). Tortellini is another speciality, as is Lambrusco, a lively, sparkling red, to be drunk chilled and with everything.
reviewed
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Pizzeria Orsucci
For a slice of Ferrarese culinary history, head to this hole-in-the-wall pizzeria, run by the same family since 1936. Choices are simple: do you want your pizza margherita small or medium-sized, with or without anchovies? Aside from draught beer, the only other menu item is padella di ceci (a chickpea-flour treat cooked in the wood-fired oven). If you ask, the amiable proprietor Giulio can tell you a story or two about the news clippings and photos that cover the walls, documenting Orsucci’s numerous awards and history as a film set.
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Godot Wine Bar
Don’t let the name fool you! Yes, there’s a great wine selection, with daily specials chalked up on the board and an emphasis on Italian vintages, but Godot has also emerged as one of Bologna’s premier restaurants, whipping up extravagant concoctions like rombo in crosta di patate, datterini semi-confit, olive nere e salsa al prezzemolo (turbot in a potato crust with semiconfit of dates, black olives and parsley).
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Casina del Bosco
For fast food, nothing beats a piadina, a toasted half-moon of unleavened bread with a savoury filling – Romagna’s retort to the wrap. This immensely popular eatery has built its clientele over 30 years by keeping things simple: piadine, salads, beer, wine and ice-cold desserts. Bask on the patio with a draught hefeweizen (wheat beer) while you wait for the guys at the grill to do their thing.
reviewed
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Hostaria Giusti
Accessed via its attached deli, which dates to the 1600s, this unassuming-looking hostaria at the far end of a back alley is one of Modena’s most beloved eateries. It hosts only private parties at dinnertime, but at lunch you can sit on the back patio and savour regional specialities like cotechino fritto con zabaglione al lambrusco (fried Modena sausage with wine-flavoured egg custard).
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Dal Teo
Bored with his day job, the enterprising Teo convinced his mum to help him open a pizzeria, using the same recipe he adored as a child. Mum is up at 4am making dough, and Teo takes care of the rest. Just across the bridge from Parma’s historic centre, it’s a popular hangout for evening beers and conversation, as well as for its incomparably delicious pizza crust – thick, light and crunchy all at once.
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Osteria de’ Poeti
In the wine cellar of a 14th-century palazzo, this historic eatery is an atmospheric place to enjoy hearty local fare. Take a table by the impressive stone fireplace and order from a selection of staples such as taglioline con fiori di zucca, zucchini e prosciutto di Parma (pasta with pumpkin flowers, courgettes and Parma ham). Evenings feature frequent live music.
reviewed
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Trattoria il Mandolino
The mandolin after which this charming trattoria is named is just one of the musical instruments adorning the cluttered walls. In tune with the old-fashioned feel, the food is traditional Ferrarese, so expect plenty of meat, cheese and salami. Signature dishes include formaggio con marmellata di cipolla (cheese with onion marmalade) and the classic salama da sugo.
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Ristorante da Danilo
Traditional food served in a warm, old-fashioned dining room is what you pay for at Danilo’s. Tuck into an antipasto of salami, pecorino cheese and fig marmalade before moving on to the house speciality – bollito misto (mixed boiled meat). Vegetarians can opt for risotto al radicchio trevigiano (with red chicory) or ai funghi (with mushrooms).
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Antica Trattoria Volano
A local favourite, this historic trattoria has been serving traditional Ferrarese food for more than 30 years. Menu stalwarts include the traditional cappellacci di zucca con ragù and salama da sugo served with mashed potato. For fish lovers, anguilla (eel) is an adventurous choice. In summer, relax in the attractive rear garden.
reviewed
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Quel Fantastico Giovedì
For fashionable food in a cool, bistro-chic setting, book here. Seafood specialities include baccalà mantecato con crema di peperoni dolci e polenta (Venetian-style codfish with sweet pepper-polenta cream), while the mouth-watering dessert menu features sorbetto di mela verde profumato al moscato (wine-scented green apple sorbet).
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Gallo d'Oro
Vintage magazine covers and artfully placed wine bottles lend the Gallo d’Oro a very agreeable bistro feel. But it’s not all image: this is one of Parma’s best trattorias serving consistently good Emilian cuisine. For proof, dig into a bowl of delicious tortelli di erbetta (pasta stuffed with ricotta and herbs). Booking is recommended.
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Osteria dei Mascalzoni
Cosy inside and out, this restaurant features a beamed dining room and outdoor tables that take over the adjacent alleyway on warm summer evenings. The menu emphasises grilled meat, plus an excellent selection of Parma’s famous cheeses and pork products, including culatello,fiocchetto and of course prosciutto.
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Trattoria Ermes
Here’s a fabulous, affordable little lunch spot, tucked into a single wood-panelled room at the northern edge of downtown Modena. An older couple runs the place – she cooks, he juggles plates and orders while keeping up a nonstop stream of banter with the customers. The menu changes daily depending on what’s fresh at the market.
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Osteria i Teatini
Described by its owner as a ‘free people’s place’, this artsy, atmospheric joint is part restaurant, part bar and part alternative nightspot, with eclectic jazz-classical DJ sets on Friday nights and live music on Saturdays. Drink in the wonderful vaulted stone cellar or eat on the outdoor deck in the leafy square outside.
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