Bologna Restaurant Recommendations

05/28/2012 - 09:59

Does anyone have a recommendation for a great, non-touristy restaurant in Bologna? We will be spending one day there before heading back to the States and would like to have a really memorable lunch.

Location

Comment

If you walk up the spectaular 2km portico to the Madonna San Luca you will get an unforgettable view of Bologna There is a bus or taxi option up/down too. You can have a pizza at the pizzeria Da Vito at the top near the church & there are plenty of caff茅 & bars at the bottom in Via Saragozza聽 there's a bar/pasticceria at the bottom of the walk which looks a bit underwhelming but you will get drinks & snacks there at local prices. If you go off the beaten track in Bologna it is hard not to find good food. Try rubbing shoulders with the office workers in the caff茅 at the Tamburini self-service restaurant! In bocco al lupo!

I thought that you were after something more formal, hence my recommendation to go to Osteria al 聽Papagallo, but for something casual... Bologna is a foodies paradise. I go to Tamburini to buy products, really worth a visit, but I have never been to their restaurant. 聽Try to have some tortellini....

Thanks so much for the suggestions everyone.聽 I will look into Papagallo.聽 We have always wanted to walk up Madonna San Luca and hopefully will have time for that.聽 We have visited Bologna in the past but never for more than a few days.聽 If I could break away from Le Marche, we would have more time to explore!

The Pappagallo is not bad but as frequent visitors to Bologna we prefer Il Bitone. It is a couple of km from the centre but easy to find - More centrally we like the Cesarina -聽 Watch out for closing days, often Mon and Tues, tho' Pappagallo says it stays open. 聽

Via San Rocco 16, is quite hard to find as it is in an old warehouse and the front door is at the side. The food is excellent, but I am not suer if they open for Lunch. This was the best place we ate in Bologna when we had a few days there.....see Trip Advisor.