During a day of walking around Bologna center, we stopped by for a bite to eat. We ordered a board…read morefor two people (we were 4), sampled meats, fruits, and spreads. We enjoyed beer and wine and sat at a high top near the door. The place was busy, enjoyed the busy and rustic aesthetic, friendly and prompt service. The food was fresh, delicious, and the generous portion was perfect for the four of us.

Love love this location of this popular chain charcuteria. I could eat only here for the 8 days…read morethat we were in Bologna. One night we even popped back in for cocktails and simply enjoyed watching all the groups of locals having such a good time. The one in Navigli or Brera Milan were not as fun looking, this one is situated on a corner that juts out and has lovely outdoor seating. They have these signature little wood boxes to sit on and gigantic boards of meats & cheeses...fun fun.

Simple, good, and at a cheap price point. We got the gourmet, and it was great. No complaints.read more

We stopped here during our food tour…read more There are a several options you can choose from but the mortadella was my favorite.

Really incredible cafe. I ordered both a glass of lambrusco and pignoletto and they were stunning…read more I love the array of salty snacks they give u. Such a nice spot to chill and read or chat w friends. Would love to try the food!

Great local cocktail bar. The focus is gin, but my wife and I had really tasty versions of a…read moremargarita and a Paloma. Service was friendly, and the place had a modern but inviting vibe.

Came here by the end of November 2025 and it was cold and we were hungry. We ordered the bread…read moresandwiches and they were amazing, the crust was crispy, the bread were freshly made, the fillings were delicious. The whole combo tasted amazing. It was so amazing that we came here multiple times. Would definitely recommend to anyone going to Bologna! The prices are incredible for the quality and the service is quick and friendly. Whenever I return to Bologna, this place will be at the top of my list!

Salumeria Simoni is located on Via Drapperie, a narrow street where there are restaurants,…read morebutchers, fresh seafood shops, and cheese shops. There are many places with tables outside, but I feel that Simoni is the best, plus it's always the busiest. I came here for a cold beer and some lunch and decided on Simoni, as they had a table outside available, but before I sat, I walked inside the store and looked at all the food, the hams hanging on the wall, it was wonderful! I was quickly seated and given a menu. I ordered a cold beer right away and perused the menu. My server brought me a cold beer and asked me if I was ready to order. I decided on the Charcuterie and Cheese, which had a selection of meats and cheeses as well as some bread. I was concerned if it would be enough for me. Well, this large plate of meat arrived and suddenly I was concerned if I could eat it all! I was worried for nothing, I devoured some of the best Italian meat and cheese that I have ever had. The Mortadela was especially tasty. Service was great, food was phenomenal, and it was so nice to sit there on the street watch all the people walk by. I can highly recommend Simoni, but be careful if you go by yourself! You will be full!

Fantastic piadina sandwich place located not too far away from the main historic square of Bologna…read more The staff spoke no English so we had to rely on what little Italian we knew and Google translate to help us order, but once we got our sandwiches, we were so happy to have come by here because it was arguably the best sandwich we've had during our time in Italy. I got their funghi freschi grana e rucola (fresh mushrooms, grana padano cheese, and arugula) sandwich and it was so delicious. The bread used for this type of sandwich was phenomenal and I'm now craving a piadina just writing this up. Well worth a visit, if you happen to be in Bologna.

This was a great late night food to get! So affordable and so many options. Since everything was in…read moreItalian and my family and I love to try new things, we just picked a random one on the board and ordered that. The piadina is kind of like a pizza dough folded in half and stuffed with ingredients so it's eaten like a quesadilla. It was absolutely DELICIOUS and so convenient to eat. We wished we were more hungry so we could've tried more of the savory options!

One of the most popular gelato spots in Bologna, but I thought Cremeria Cavour was better than this…read moreone. I appreciated how they had a lot more unique flavors, and I chose the speculoos and the classic pistachio. I thought the texture of the speculoos was a bit underwhelming and the flavor wasn't that precise either. The pistachio was solid, but nothing super memorable. either.

We walked past this gelato place, and in the name of science, we needed to test some flavors. This…read morewas the best gelato we found in Bologna, but the flavors were not quite as authentic as what we had in Florence. However, it was still very good and the staff has exceedingly friendly and helpful. I even was able to see them making the gelato in the back room. I would recommend this place for you to do your own scientific testing. There was no seating inside or outside, which would have been helpful as our gelato melted.

This is probably my favourite sandwich shop in the world. Actually, it's a tiny supermarket with a…read moredingy fluorescent atmosphere where sandwiches are made to order. I always get the prosciutto crudo which they cut fresh of a massive leg housed in a small glass cabinet with a load of other massive hunks of meat and the various other fillings - generous helpings of mozzarella and a variety of grilled vegetables so you can get some of your five a day - courgette, aubergine and sun dried tomatoes are all pretty tasty. I always used to get the 'salsa piccante,' which was a weird looking hot sauce that came out of a can, but apparently that is no longer available so now I only get mayo all over my face (one time I managed to get the salsa piccante onto my shoulder, it's pretty difficult to eat this sandwich delicately). By the way, the roll is incredibly huge, and all of the above cost €3.50. Couldn't recommend this place more!

01NOV2025 We had a…read moregood aperitivo here. Yes, it is only 50m from Neptune's statute, but we felt that we had decent value. Not a tourist ripoff place at all. Panino: mortadella, brie, onion jam. Excellent. + Friendly staff. + tablecloths + huge awning (in case of rain). There is only outside seating. 32 seats. + warm lighting - paper napkins €28 for drinks and sandwich for 2

Delicious vegan panini options or make your own. Also vegan cheese plates available. I was really…read morepleased. I also appreciated that they explained everything me.

We walked across the street to enjoy a late dinner on our first night in Bologna. We sampled…read moreBologna meats and round bread, ravioli, and chicken salad. The selection of meats and creamy spread was delicious, the ravioli was pillowy, soft and flavorful, and the salad was fresh and colorful. We added dessert to end the night and enjoyed two bottles of wine. The hubby and I returned again a few nights later (sans kids) and had pumpkin and potato balls on a bed of sautéed spinach and roasted chicken with rosemary potatoes. The chicken was flavorful and juicy and the potatoes creamy and delectable. Both times the service was friendly and attentive. The food and setting were great.

Need to write this now- best bolognese (beef) EVER.. then had a second plate of tortelli with…read moreGorgonzola cheese and ricotta... amazing but not as good as the bolognese. So happy I can enjoy the 5 euro glass of Moscato (without the GUILT)!! Will definitely be back....

Fantastic coffee, pastries, sandwiches. BUSY place with outside and inside dining. Perfect…read morecroissants - many varieties.

Stopped in to enjoy an apertivo and Impero's selection of complimentary tapas that you have…read moreunlimited access to as long as you order at least one cocktail. It's an interesting marketing concept that I wish would catch on in the U.S. :) The space is very large and features both indoor and outdoor seating. It was extremely busy when we arrived but we managed to snag a table for two outside. The tapas buffet selection was varied and interesting and included finger sandwiches, pastas, rice, pastries, and more. As an added bonus, they bring you a complimentary cheese pizza just make sure to ask for it. We only stayed for one cocktail each but mine was very delicious and packed a punch. The food was just good/ok. Nothing mindblowing in a country where mindblowing food can be found on every corner but worth a stop in for the money.