Must-see restaurants in Bologna

Often touted as Bologna's best restaurant by in-the-know culinarians – especially locals – this unassuming neighbourhood trattoria is both a rousing good…

Book at least three weeks in advance at this seemingly unassuming trattoria in Bolognina, just a step outside the city centre. Flavio and Tommaso came…

Bologna's most exciting reinvention is this formerly uneventful trattoria transformed by chef Elisa Rusconi, who triumphed on Italian television show 4…

At Bologna's temple of culinary contentment, owners Daniele and Valeria lavish attention on every table between trips to the kitchen for astonishing…

Offering a welcoming rustic-chic ambience, this locally recommended, family-run gelateria shakes things up among the usual Italian artisanal suspects and…

Hip Oltre (Beyond) bucks tradition with its trendy Instagrammable dining space, an absolute detour from Bologna down to nearly every detail. Chalk up the…

This lively, eco-focused Saturday market is a wonderful spot to escape fellow tourists and wander among booths of craft beer, wine, artisanal cheeses,…

Ask Bologna residents to name the best gelateria in town, and this place often comes out on top, though it sits well outside the city centre. Fill a cone …

Owner Valeria keeps an army of nonnas in line at this simple pasta lab tucked among myriad bars on Bologna's booziest street. Pasta is sold raw or cooked…

This all-organic gelateria uses natural Japanese kuzu and African baobob to thicken its award-winning gelato. It's not as creamy as usual, but flavours…

Just far enough off the culinary beaten track to feel like a find, this rustic osteria caters more to locals than tourists – for now! Start with the…

Hurry up and wait at this famous Casalecchio di Reno transplant – it's impossible to walk by without salivating over its fresh pasta. Started in 1963 in…

A convivial husband-and-wife team as generous with their portions as they are with their hospitality runs this somewhat off-the-beaten-path trattoria in…

Friendly Mirò's sandwich skills best his language skills, but he still manages to seduce you with over 50 versions of great-value gourmet panino. Pick…

Bologna's first plant-based bistro sits defiantly in the heart of ragú wonderland just off Piazza Maggiore. Vegan or not, it's a wonderful place for a…

This trendy pit stop under the shadow of the towers is great for high-quality Bologna specialities (such as tortellini in brodo or with sage and butter,…

Trade the packed-like-sardines Quadrilatero chaos for comparative calm in this revamped gourmet food hall, which was the town's original market after…

In the wine cellar of a 14th-century palazzo, this historic eatery is an atmospheric spot to delve into Bologna's much-lauded cuisine. Take a table by the…

A beloved Bologna institution since 1994, this temple to gelati is a bit peripheral to the centre but well worth the walk for decadently creamy flavours…

With its wooden shelves and apothecary jars, it's not difficult to picture this place as the pharmacy it once was. Nowadays it's a charming, high-end…