8 Best Restaurants in Emilia–Romagna, Italy

Ferrara is a city of wine bars, beginning with this one (allegedly Europe's oldest), which opened in 1435—Copernicus drank here while a student in the late 1400s, and the place still has an undergraduate aura. The twentysomething staff pours well-chosen wines by the glass, and they serve cappellacci di zucca (pasta stuffed with squash) with two different sauces (ragù or butter and sage). Those in search of lighter fare might enjoy any of the salads or the grilled vegetable plate with melted Pecorino. Perfectly dusty wine bottles line the walls, and there are wooden booths in another small room for those who want to eat while they drink. No reservations.

Food, service, and ambience harmonize blissfully at this casual but elegant restaurant inside a 12th-century building. The chef shows a deft hand with area specialties and shines with the fish dishes. If they have the chestnut ice cream, don't miss it. There are tasting menus, and a terrific cheese plate complements the amazing wines poured here. Patrons enter through a tiny wine bar, some pausing for a glass of wine before proceeding into the restaurant.

Locals and other cognoscenti frequent this sleek eatery just minutes away from Piazza del Duomo, where chef Gabriele Romagnoli uses prime local ingredients to create gustatory sensations on a menu that changes daily. Fish and seafood figure prominently among his dishes, such as with a gratinato (similar to a French au gratin) with seafood. There are also Ferrarese classics like cappelletti pasta. The restaurant's tasting menus are well priced, its wine list is divine, and the service, led by gregarious hands-on proprietor Mara Farinelli, is always top-notch. Two small rooms festooned with works of art have linen tablecloths and jazz playing softly in the background.

In the back room of the Salumeria Giusti, established in 1605 and reportedly the world's oldest deli, you'll find just four tables in a room tastefully done with antique furnishings. You'll also find some of the best food in Emilia-Romagna—perfectly executed takes on traditional dishes such as gnocco fritto (fried dough) stuffed with pancetta or prosciutto, and tortellini in brodo di Cappone (pasta in possibly the most fragrant broth in the world). If you're tempted by too many things, half portions may be available. Just leave room for dessert, especially the sumptuous chocolate pudding budino al cioccolato. The wine list is divine, as are the staff. Reserve well ahead.

It's all about fish at this welcoming spot, and aside from vegetable side dishes and dessert there's little on the menu that wasn't recently swimming (or lurking) in the sea. Depending on what's in season you might find a starter like seppia in umido con fagioli (steamed octopus with beans), which provides a tasty introduction to more complicated delights. Pastas are made in-house, and the fish on offer is the catch of the day. The winning desserts include fresh fruit sorbets and poached pear al Sangiovese. If on foot you'll likely approach this trattoria via the Ponte di Tiberio, a bridge from the 1st century AD named after the ruling Roman emperor.

Chef-proprietor Massimo Bottura has done stints with Adrià and Ducasse, takes inspiration from music and literature, and pours all these influences into creating some of the fanciest plates in all of Italy while remaining true to his Modenese roots. The restaurant contains only 12 tables and it's possible to order à la carte; for the full haute cuisine experience opt for the seasonal tasting menu with the accompanying wine pairing (€590). Decor and atmosphere are muted (except for splendid floral arrangements). Reservations are not only essential, but must be made months in advance, online and at the beginning of the month.

The frescoed ceiling, parquet flooring, and live classical music are clues that this sophisticated restaurant (part of the hotel of the same name) occupies a former theater and café-chantant, or musical venue, from the late 19th century. It's the perfect setting for an evening of fine dining featuring mainly Emilian-inspired dishes with modern touches and the vision of chef Nicola Annunziata. The menus change seasonally, and three separate dinner tasting menus offer gustatory bliss.

Mercurial host Ermes Rinaldi greets you as you walk in and seats you wherever he happens to have room: it doesn't matter that you might be put with people you don't know, since the host feels this quasi-communal style of lunching encourages conviviality. In the kitchen, Bruna, Ermes's wife, turns out splendid versions of cucina casalinga modenesi (home cooking, Modena-style). Ermes recites the short list of primi and secondi on the set-price menu, which change daily and arrive promptly. The accompanying wine is local, simple, and inexpensive: most stick to Lambrusco. It's no surprise that this rough-and-ready place is favored by everyone from suits to construction workers to students. Come early to get a table, and note that bookings are not accepted.