Looking for restaurant recommendations in Bologna (also gelato & espresso)
 

We will be spending 5 nights in Bologna in early July. Interested in all kinds of recommendations - neighborhood trattorias, great splurge meals, whatever you think was the best food. Also gelato and espresso recommendations are welcome! Amazed to see in my search that the most recent thread on this is 3 years old, so hoping to get an updated list.

Thanks!

You can do yourself no greater favor than to invest in the newly updated version of Fred Plotkin's "Italy for the Gourmet Traveller," just published this month.

Plotkin's introduction to Italian food was in Bologna, and he went on to write what really is the classic bible of good, soulful eating throughout Italy for visitors.

It's a big fat book, and you will only want to xerox the pages pertaining to Emilia-Romagna (and wherever else you are going in Italy), but it is one of the best investments you will ever make in your traveling life.

We're in Bologna for a couple of nights in late December. So I'll be interested to see what comes up on this discussion.

PS: I want to add that the word "gourmet" in the title doesn't mean expensive or haute cuisine, or formal or rarified -- or anything like that.

The recommendations in the book are for authentic, classic Italian dishes -- whether that be the humblest eatery or the gracious ristorante -- and where you can find them as a traveller. Most of the recommendations are for modestly priced restaurants. The book also contains copious information about markets and food vendors (so important in Bolgona) , local sweets and specialties.

Plotkin is American always values and considers essential to the enjoyment of Italian food is friendly people making it and serving it, so it is also a guide to getting a nice welcome as a traveller, in addition to the lovely authentic food.

Sorry a phrase dropped out:

"Plotkin is American, and what he always values and considers essential to the enjoyment of Italian food is friendly people making it and serving it, so it is also a guide to getting a nice welcome as a traveller, in addition to the lovely authentic food."

We were in Bologna to eat well, a goal we had no problem meeting. Osterie d'Italia led us to Serghei, Caminetto d'Oro and Meloncello, three wonderful tourist-free restaurants. We also ate at Cesarina,Diana and Tamburini but greatly preferred the other three. Trattoria Meloncello is half way up the 666 porticos to the church of Santa Lucia. After lunch we hauled ourselves up to the church and then back down again. Of course that only made us hungry and thirsty again...

We diligently sampled gelato at most of the places recommended on this site. Our favorite was La Sorbeteria on via Castiglioni. Fortunately, we first tried it the last day (had to make two visits!), otherwise I don't know how much gelato we would have consumed there.

Enjoy Bologna!

Caminetto d’oro; Cesarina; Trattoria Anna Maria

Marija & greg - thanks, this is what I'm looking for as we are in Bologna to eat well too!!

I liked this place a lot:


http://www.da-cesari.it/

It is a bit less "fancy" that Caminetto d"Oro, which I also thought was great.

Another great spot for local food, not fancy, is Da Gianni, on a little alley just off Pza Maggiore.

I enthusiastically agree about Fred Plotkin and his newly updated book.

Here's a great little blurb on Bologna, with all sorts of recommendations for things to see and do, and places to eat, including gelaterias. I put it to good use on our trip to Bologna a couple years ago.

http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/emilia...na/bologna.htm

Caminetto d'Oro operates a quite informal restaurant adjacent to its main restaurant.

It's called Twinside Trattoria.

Buon giorno, this is Fred Plotkin, writing from Vicenza, Italy...searching always for new gourmet treasures. You can find all my discoveries at a dedicated page at www.fredplotkin.com. In the meantime, here is a link to an article I wrote about Bologna that came out this week in the Daily Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/de...d-of-town.html

Thanks again everyone! Fred thanks for posting on this thread! Just ordered your book on Amazon - the new edition. We are also headed to Bellagio, Dolomites (Castelrotto) and Milan so really looking forward to the book.

Hazel - thanks for the SlowTrav link, very interesting and I've printed it out.

Getting more excited!!!

bookmarking

bookmarking for our next visit to Bologna...thanks zeppole!

I heartily agree with Marija - La Sorbetteria Castiglione has the best gelato in the city. You can still find people lined up out the door at 11pm at night, so what does that tell you? Highly recommend the combination of cioccolato & pistachio.

Bookmarking for my November trip to Bologna.

Jgg-

Can you tell me the cost of the food tour that you booked?
Thank you.

Ralstonian - I've cut and pasted below the email they sent me with all the info. on what we are doing and costs. We are doing option "a" (all four stops), but because we have our own car they lowered the price so it is 100euro/adult and 90euro/teen. We leave for Italy on Tues. and will do the tour on Friday and will report back when we return!

The email from Italian Days Food Experience (http://www.italiandays.it/):

Our food Experiences are available from Monday to Saturday
These are private Tours of max 4/6 people!!
We wont remember that to see how Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is made requires an early morning wakeup
Typical Schedule:
- 7:30 a.m. : Departure from your Hotel in Bologna or the Bologna train
station and we will be back around 4:30 pm
First visit is to the cheese factory, where you will see all the working
steps in the production of the Parmesan Cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano) - from
the untreated milk until the final product. At the end of the visit there
will be a cheese tasting at different stages of maturity accompanied with a
good Lambrusco Wine
Second Visit is to the "Acetaia" where the owners make the famous "Aceto
Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena" (Balsamic Vinegar minimum 12 years old)
and where they will reveal to you the secret to the art to making
traditional vinegar from wine, as well as the history of the Balsamic
Vinegar through the centuries . Afterwards there will be a tasting of an
"Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale", which has matured for 4-15-30 years in
special barrels. We will also have the chance to try a nice ice cream topped with Balsamic Vinegar Tradizionale .. mmmm : )

Afterwards we will get a special tour of the Liberty-Style Villa where the
owner of the Acetaia lives and where in 1976 the movie "1900" by Bernardo
Bertolucci , with Robert de Niro, Dominik Sandra and Gerard Depardieu was
filmed! Inside the Villa is a Stunning private collection of glass vases by
Gallè and Lalique, as well as many prized paintings and a private
collection of bronze animals from the best Austrian and French school...An
incredible glimps into the History of Italy!!!!!
Last but not least we will visit a Typical Italian Wine Cantina (winery) in
a XVIth Century monastery that is currently a wonderful Agriturismo with
fantastic views of the hills, here we will have a fabulous wine tasting and
a light lunch all while enjoying the beautiful view of the Valley...
After lunch we will meet a family that for over 3 generations has been
committed to the production of "Prosciutto di Modena, A Prosciutto equal
to the more famous Prosciutto de Parma, however it is produced in the city
limits of Modena instead of Parma!

Price per Person:
a)Parmigiano + Balsamic Vinegar + Winery + Ham factory + Lunch per person
Euro 130,00 include taxes and Insurances . NO additional charges!
b)Parmigiano + Balsamic Vinegar + Winery + Lunch per person Euro 95,00
include taxes and insurances. NO additional charges!
I look forward to welcoming you to the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and
treating you to a look behind the scenes of the famous and beloved Italian
food Culture!

I just booked the Italian Food Days tour for when I am in Bologna in November. I'm eager to hear how your experience will be be!

Have a wonderful trip! :-)