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.

Bologna is the epicurean capital of Italy. So when I've had all the required dishes, tagliatelle…read moreala bolognese, Tortellini in broth and Lasagne, it was time to hunt down the most delicious Gelato in town. All my sources pointed me to Cremeria La Vecchia Stalla, or in english, The Old Stall. I always start with Pistacchio. This is the standard by which I judge all gelato. I had the Pistacchio di Bronte and underneath the Cioccolata Extra Fondente. The flavor jumps out and it has little bits of granular pistacchio in it creamy and delicious in its own right, one of the best I have had in all of Italy. But the dark chocolate that came later was intense. Rich and a perfect compliment to the pistachio. A great combination. Staff were excellent and very friendly. If in Bologna this is a must for Gelato, you will not be dissapointed

The biscoff flavored one knocked my socks off. Just heavenly and rich. The salty pistachios was…read morehonestly way too much and salty to almost unbearable. But the biscoff was so life changing I'll let that slide.

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.

I tried the zeppole, which was delicious. My biggest regret was that I had just eaten and I was…read morenot staying in a place with a kitchen so that I could buy lots of the pasta to cook. Next time, I am going to make sure I have a kitchen so that I can partake of these amazing offerings like the spinach and pork ravioli, the pumpkin and meat tortellini and their tagliatelle. Basically, give me some of everything here. The shop workers were very patient as I investigated every item in the store. It's very close to the main Piazza, so stumbling upon the shop was easy.

Walking through the streets in Bologna, there were so many specialty shops and confectioners…read more What struck me about Paolo Atti e Figli was the wonderful sweets they had on display at the store window. The old-fashioned beautiful display reminded me of the winter holidays and enticed me to go in and try something. I decided to buy some sweet rice cake which was charged by the weight. Forgot exactly what is was called " Torta di Riso" but was something di riso as it has rice baked in it and was simply rich and delicious. They also have the famous certosino. it's a traditional Bolognese cake, which is also sort of like a western fruit cake with honey, candied fruit, stewed fruit, jam, almonds, pine nuts, cocoa powder, dark chocolate and wine syrup. The cake was not cheap but was so delicious and memorable that I vow to return when I visit Bologna again.

So.... you and your partner are running around Bologna, getting romantic under porticos, shopping…read morefor leather, shopping for things, shopping, shopping, shopping. Then you almost walk into FP Pallotti Franco Never mind that you just had a satisfying lunch a few hours ago but, you're in Bologna where everything screams deliciousness. We ogled from outside, we saw specialty coffees being served, more importantly we saw an oasis of sweets. Had to come in here. And when I did oooooh, ooooh. I honed in on the desserts. We tried the panna cotta, chocolate/pistachio bonbon and a tortina. Loved the bites we had so much we vowed to come back. I think you will too. Visits: 1 Tip: Close to the University of Bologna, they close early like 7pm.

A little bit off the beaten track, but there is no place like it in Bologna for an early morning…read moreCappucino and Brioche. Offering a wide variety of pastries snacks and coffee specialities this small café on the Via de Borgo has it all. The staff are really nice and it's worth tracking down here for a good start to the day.

I'll be honest this wasn't one on my list to try however I'm so glad we did. Being American it's…read moreintimidating to order when honestly Italian is not something I'm good at. Anyhow the service was nothing short of wonderful. They welcomed us and walked us through the whole thing. This gelato was so creamy, smooth, with the flavors being on point. Prices I thought were very reasonable considering what it was and compared to the US. Don't hesitate to try even if they say it's a chain.

Going to venchi in Italy is like going to Panda Express in China... overpriced and not that good.read more

From the owner: Produzione e vendita di biscotti, focacce, pizze, torte salate e dolci, pane, tortellini,…read moretortelloni e pasta fresca, con farine integrali, macinate a pietra e utilizzo di lieviti e procedimenti artigianali.

Got coffee in here, and it was alright, just normal. Nothing special nor anything bad about itread more

Al fresco lunch on a beautiful clear afternoon after a long morning of checking out the Bologna…read moresquare. I had a panini with prosciutto cheese and tomato and Joan had some different sandwich. A little stuffy on the server having to deal with tourists ordering things too early in the day. So no pasta for us! lol. Silly Italians. Topped everything off with Pistachio gelato's and all was well. No toilet. Or at least non that I found.

What a delightful cafe / bookshop! I needed to rest my feet after a long day of walking around…read moreBologna and the adorable Zoo caught my eye. The adorable decor was welcoming with a kid-friendly atmosphere. Located in the heart of the city, Zoo specializes in healthy food (with an impressive list of vegetarian and vegan options). There were vegan-friendly cakes, bagels, soup, cheese, condiments, and even tofu burgers on the menu. Coffees can be made with rice or soy milk. Meat eaters also have many appealing options. I wasn't hungry but I had a classic Italian macchiato (a shot of espresso with a dollop of foam on top) and it was quite tasty. I sat at a long communal table with cute stools. Tea lovers can find an excellent selection too. While the menu is written in English, the employees didn't speak much of it. We did a lot of pointing as a method of communication, but knowing a little Italian will get you far here. Thankfully we do! Take some time to browse the neat book shop and store in back. A nice place for a little break.