The Best Pizza in Bologna: Neapolitan, Al Taglio, and Everything in Between

Bologna is not a pizza city. It is a pasta city, a salumi city, a ragù city — and it takes all of these things extremely seriously. But the pizza scene here has developed considerably over the past decade, and Bologna now has a concentration of serious pizzerias that would hold up well against any city in northern Italy. Part of what makes it interesting is precisely the fact that pizza has to earn its place here: the local dining culture is not forgiving of mediocre food, and the pizzerias that have survived and grown have done so by producing something genuinely worth eating.

What follows is a guide to the best pizzerias in Bologna, split by style. Neapolitan round pizza and Roman-style pizza al taglio (by the slice) represent two distinct traditions, and Bologna does both.

Neapolitan Round Pizza

Bianco Farina

The most talked-about Neapolitan pizzeria in Bologna is Bianco Farina on Via Domenico Zampieri in the Bolognina district. The pizzaiolo is Pasquale Penne, a Campanian who ferments his dough for 72 hours using a high-hydration blend of carefully chosen flours. The result is a light, extensible base with a properly charred cornicione — the kind that collapses rather than bounces back when you fold it. The room is deliberately simple: paper tablecloths, no reservations, queue and wait. The Sfiziosa and Sciantosa are the signature options. It fills up quickly on weekends.

Berberè

Berberè is the Bologna-born pizza brand that has expanded across Italy and beyond, but its roots are here and the quality remains consistent. The approach is contemporary rather than strictly Neapolitan: sourdough leavening, wholegrain flours, seasonal toppings sourced from small producers, and a strong commitment to organic ingredients. The dough rises for 48 hours and the result is noticeably lighter than most pizzas of comparable size. There are several locations in Bologna — Via Petroni near the university, Porta Saragozza, and the newer Casa Madre — but the original spirit is best felt in the smaller rooms. Sauces are served at the table alongside the pizza, the idea being that you finish the crusts by dipping rather than leaving them.

DaZero — Pizza e Territorio

DaZero started in Basilicata in 2014 and brought a strong regional sourcing philosophy to Bologna when it opened on Via Malcontenti. The pizzas are Neapolitan in style but the ingredients lean heavily on the Cilento and southern Italian producers the brand has developed direct relationships with. The space is generous and well-maintained, with a proper fried section alongside the wood-fired round pizzas — the frittura here is worth ordering as a starter.

Porta Pazienza

Porta Pazienza on Via Luigi Pirandello operates a Neapolitan-tradition model with an electric oven rather than wood-fired, which allows for more precise temperature control. The dough ferments for 72 hours on Tuesdays (their dedicated long-fermentation night) and the toppings are carefully selected. The pizzeria also has a social mission, employing people from vulnerable backgrounds — something that has built it a loyal local following beyond the food itself.

Pummà

Pummà on Via Murri represents the more upscale end of the Bologna pizza scene. Sourdough base, quality flours, and a menu that pairs each pizza with a suggested olive oil. The atmosphere is more considered than a typical pizzeria and the pricing reflects it, but the product justifies the step up. Best approached as a proper evening out rather than a quick dinner, and best shared across a group who can try multiple options.

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Ranzani 13

Ranzani 13 on Via Camillo Ranzani has been a reliable fixture on the Bologna pizza scene for years. The dough uses stone-ground flour with a 36-hour maturation and the toppings lean creative — their Happy Pork pizza has become something of a signature. The craft beer selection is one of the strongest in the city, which makes this a natural choice for a longer evening. The room is lively and suited to groups.

Pizza al Taglio (By the Slice)

Roman-style pizza al taglio — baked in trays, sold by weight, cut with scissors — has established a strong presence in Bologna alongside the Neapolitan tradition. These are stand-up or take-away places, suited to a quick lunch rather than a sit-down dinner, and at their best they produce pizza that is genuinely complex: long-fermented, light despite its size, with toppings that change with the season.

Forno Brisa

Brisa is a Bologna institution that started as a bakery and has expanded into pizza al taglio, coffee, and a flour mill that now produces its own grain from a supply chain the owners control from field to oven. The pizza at Via Galliera uses wholemeal flours including Senatore Cappelli and rotates with the season — in autumn there are squash and cheese combinations; in spring, green vegetables and fresh ricotta. Brisa now has five locations across Bologna. The coffee is also excellent, which makes any of the Brisa spots a natural morning-to-afternoon stop.

MozzaBella

MozzaBella on Via del Pratello uses organic, high-hydration dough with wholegrain flours and changes its menu twice a year. The range covers classic Roman-style slices, fried pizza, and vegan options, and the quality of the dough itself — light, well-structured, properly fermented — is the constant. There is also a stall inside the Mercato delle Erbe, making it a natural stop during a market visit, and a further outpost at Modena’s Albinelli market.

CERTO!

CERTO! operates on Via Marsala and Via del Pratello and takes the al taglio format in a more experimental direction: around 30 flavours at any given time, priced by weight, including combinations like pear and gorgonzola (the G&P) that would be unusual in a more conventional pizzeria. For variety-seekers or for groups with different preferences, the pay-by-weight model works well — you can try three or four different slices for the price of one sit-down pizza.

’O Fiore Mio Pizze di Strada

’O Fiore Mio at Piazza Malpighi uses semi-wholegrain flour in a Roman sheet pizza tradition and has built a reputation around one pizza in particular: the Dotta, topped with mortadella and chickpea cream. The name references Bologna’s nickname — La Dotta, the learned city, home of Europe’s oldest university — and the combination of local mortadella with legume-based cream is a clever and genuinely delicious play on Bolognese ingredients. Worth ordering above everything else on the menu.

A Few Practical Notes

• Reservations: Bianco Farina does not take reservations — arrive early or expect to wait, especially on Friday and Saturday evenings. Most other sit-down pizzerias accept bookings and it is worth making them.
• Timing: Al taglio spots are lunch-oriented and often sell out of the best options by early afternoon. Arrive before 1pm for the widest choice.
• What to drink: Craft beer pairs better with pizza than most local wines, and several of these pizzerias — Ranzani 13 in particular — have invested seriously in their beer lists. That said, a glass of Pignoletto frizzante, the light sparkling white from the Bologna hills, works surprisingly well with a Neapolitan base.
• Context: Bologna’s best food is still its market-bought ingredients and its traditional trattorias. Pizza here is excellent but it competes with some of the best pasta and salumi in Europe — factor that into how you plan your meals.