Well hello to you my reader chums! Bologna is the food capital of Italy and a place where everything you eat is guaranteed to be good. All food in the city is renowned for being made fresh and not for tourists like many other Italian cities, and that's why I'd advise eating as much food as possible whilst you're travelling around.

I was only in Bologna for 3 days, however, I ate at some incredible restaurants and eateries which I want to revisit again and again. If you're a massive foodie, here is my foodie guide to Bologna and everywhere to eat.

Breakfast

Breakfasts in Italy are my favorite thing. Most Italians start the day with a coffee and pastry or cake, it's always something sweet which is my love language. Bologna has more than enough coffee shops to tickle your fancy but there are a couple which I'd love to go back to.

Bar Aroma

Tucked away and renowned for some of the best coffee, Bar Aroma was the first breakfast I had in Bologna and one which I adored. The quaint little cafe had a family vibe to it and I could feel the heart about the place. The lady who ran it couldn't speak English and I loved that in a sense, as it felt like I was living like a local and embracing life in the city. The pastries were delicious in every way and the pure hot chocolate, mouth-watering and a great start to the day.

Bottega Portici

This had to be my favourite breakfast place in the city and somewhere I would happily revisit again and again. Located in the hub of the city, near the Torre Degli Asinelli, it's more than just a cafe. Bottega Portici offered the best selection of pastries and hot drinks, plus they make fresh pasta in the window for you to watch - and serve up sweet fried tortellini and it was so yummy.

Lunch

It's hard to pick a lunch place in Bologna as the cafes, eateries, and restaurants on offer all look so incredible, however, there were two favourites which stood out.

Mortadella Lab

Mortadella is famous in Bologna and the Emilia Romagna region as a whole, as home to cured meats. I heard this place raved about and as soon as I received my sandwich from the Mortadella Lab, I could see why. The sandwich wasn't just huge, it was insanely good. I had mine with mortadella obviously, mozzarella and tomatoes, and honestly, it's the best sandwich I've ever had. The mortadella was as fresh as anything and enough to serve at least 2 people.

Dinner

Dinner is the time to really embrace the Italian cuisine with the many classic dishes you need to sink your teeth into including tagliatelle ragu, tortellini in general (and in broth), meat platters, and more.

Osteria Del Podesta

This restaurant had the old-school charm and authenticity about it which I adored and the alfresco dining won my heart over. The best thing about the meal here was the meat platter on offer where I could sample the traditional meats known in this city. And also, I tried the traditional butter and ham tagliatelle dish which was so simple but scrummy in every way.

Trattoria La Finestrella

Trattoria La Finestrella had more of a fancier vibe to it but the price tag didn't match that and the food was super delicious. I indulged in another meat platter with mozzarella and then the classic tortellini with ragu. A completely wholesome choice and I really enjoyed every mouthful of it.

Bolpetta

This place was a random find and it was known for creating balls of meat which was a weird concept I have to admit, however, they were really nice in taste, not in texture though. Bolpetta did offer all the other classic dishes too and I finally got to try the tortellini in broth which I adored. And in the chillier Italian season, the best dish I could eat.

Gelaterias

I'm obsessed with Italian gelato, you can't beat it. Ice cream isn't the same anywhere else and whilst there, I found some gorgeous gelaterias.

Cremeria Cavour

I kid you not, this was the BEST gelato I've ever eaten. The chocolate flavour I could tell was made from pure chocolate and I adored every mouthful, I desperately wanted to go back for more if it didn't fill me up too much.

Oggi Gelato

This gelateria was a random find but the gelato was a great surprise. I went for something different here and their apple and cinnamon gelato was certainly interesting, and its chocolate flavour, superb too! I loved how they had slightly different flavours from the norm.

Cremeria La Vecchia Stalla

My favourite thing about this gelateria was the wide variety of different flavours on offer from all the chocolate ones you can think of to biscuits, fruits, and more. The variety matched well with the taste - it was so delicious! And, located near the Piazza Santo Stefano which was one of my fave squares.

Gelateria Delle Moline

This gelateria was located near the famous Via Delle Moline, a road of restaurants from all different cuisines, so a great place if you're looking for something unique. I found this on a late-night gelato hunt on the way back to the hotel and it had a traditional vibe about the place and was probably on the cheaper end to all the other places I went to.

Cremeria Santo Stefano

I came across this place the last night and it was tucked away from the main hub and I loved that. This gelateria was a great way to bid goodbye to the city with its fresh gelato and assortment of flavours on offer.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Do you have any other recommendations?

Thank you for reading <3