Tortellini in brodo, tagliatelle al ragù, lasagne verdi, mortadella - Bologna gave the world its pasta vocabulary, and the trattorias here are a pilgrimage.
This is the city of 'la grassa' (the fat one): tortellini served in capon broth, tagliatelle with ragù, green lasagne, tortelloni, and mortadella, the great sausage that gave mortadella its fame. Lunch is the market meal - the Quadrilatero lanes and the historic food halls buzz at noon - and dinner belongs to the trattorias, which fill quickly and book out.
A beloved institution since 1976, serving tortellini in brodo and tagliatelle al ragù to students and locals at long shared tables. No reservations, great prices, huge portions - go early.
A warm, family-run trattoria off the tourist circuit, famous for homemade tortelloni and a short menu of Emilia-Romagna classics done exactly right. The kind of place locals keep to themselves.
A pasta laboratory with a few tables: watch the sfogline roll out sheets of dough by hand, then eat the results - tortellini, lasagne, tagliatelle - minutes later. The freshest pasta in Bologna.
A romantic trattoria in a former pharmacy with shelves of wine and preserves along the walls, serving refined versions of the classics in a candlelit setting. Book ahead for dinner.
A historic gastronomia since 1932 in the market district, where you can stand at the counter with a plate of mortadella, tortellini and a glass of wine. Perfect for a quick, delicious lunch.