Bologna is known as La Grassa — the Fat One. The city is defined by a rich, deeply rooted culinary tradition that rewards visitors who take the time to eat well. Below you’ll find an introduction to Bologna’s food culture and some of the best places to experience regional specialties.

If you’re planning a short stay and want to combine restaurants, food traditions, and sightseeing efficiently, this 48-hour Bologna travel guide shows how to structure your time in the city.

The Best Restaurants in Bologna to Eat the Regional Specialties

Al Pappagallo is a historic restaurant serving classic Emilia-Romagna cuisine just steps from the Two Towers. Open since 1919, it remains known for its respect for local recipes, sometimes revisited with a contemporary touch.

Nearby, Trattoria Pizzeria delle Belle Arti sits inside a palace dating back to the fifth century, close to the university area. Run by the Favaro brothers, it offers traditional dishes such as lasagne bolognese, tortelloni with porcini mushrooms, and tagliatelle with meat sauce.

Just outside the old town, several excellent restaurants serve authentic local cuisine. In San Lazzaro di Savena, Antica Osteria dell’Oca is particularly well regarded. Award-winning and refined, it is known for hand-rolled pasta, tortellini with meat sauce, tagliatelle, and ravioli stuffed with guinea fowl and black truffle.

Another respected name is La Bottega di Franco, located in an old manor house just outside the city center. Diners come for dishes such as mortadella mousse, tortellini, ravioli with squacquerone cheese, pancetta, olives, and rosemary.

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In the surrounding countryside, Corte dei Molini in Castel Maggiore combines regional cuisine with an extensive wine list. Crescentine served with local meats and cheeses are a highlight, ideally paired with Lambrusco.

What the Bolognese Eat in the Best Restaurants in Bologna

The restaurants of Bologna are particularly famous for homemade pasta, whether stuffed or cut into ribbons and served with slow-cooked sauces. In some kitchens you can still find the sfoglina, the traditional pasta maker who prepares dough entirely by hand.

Bologna is the only city with a dedicated pasta school for tagliatelle: La Vecchia Scuola, run by chef Alessandra Spisni. The traditional recipe specifies that tagliatelle should be exactly 8 mm wide and less than a millimeter thick. In Bologna, they are almost always served with meat sauce, prepared slowly for at least three hours.

Another cornerstone of local cuisine is the tortellino, traditionally served in a capon and beef broth. Once considered a dish of humble origins, it is now one of the most iconic expressions of Emilian cooking.

Friggione, a slow-cooked onion and tomato dish, often appears as a side in traditional restaurants. And of course, mortadella di Bologna remains central to the city’s culinary identity, frequently transformed into dishes such as mortadella mousse and served with crescentine fritte.

This guide aims to help you choose where to eat and what to try in Bologna. It is a translated and adapted version of this original article.