The best restaurants Emilia-Romagna

Near the university campus of Bologna, this address was created by two friends who have embarked on the adventure of responsible street food. We discover a vegan cuisine, with organic and seasonal products. If you're in the area, this is the place to take a quick and healthy lunch break. The choice is between panini and piadine, but also soups, salads and dishes of the day. For breakfast and at any time of the day, buns made from unrefined flours, gluten-free muffins and smoothies prepared on the run.

This osteria, founded in 1989, promotes ancestral know-how and the generosity of a traditional cuisine, simple and full of flavours. The cream tortellini and tagliatelle are inspired by the recipes of Emilian grandmothers. Cold meats are on the menu, but also some fish dishes. Beautiful braised meats, excellent wine list. The room with its rustic decoration is very warm, as is the welcome.

Traditional trattoria in a pedestrian street in the city centre, near Piazza Garibaldi. A good address to discover the culinary specialities of Parma in all simplicity, such as fried gnocchi served with excellent regional charcuterie, tortelli and horse meat. Smiling and available staff. If the veranda at the entrance is a bit sad, the small rooms, which are spread over several levels, are more welcoming; have fun watching the cascade of hams hanging from the walls

As a host and true artisan of taste, Franco will guide you to discover the refined flavours of a simple cuisine that highlights the quality of the ingredients used, all from small local producers. The menu changes regularly according to the seasons and the products available, but the emphasis is on local produce: vegetables, pasta, cheese, salted meats and meats that are cooked to perfection. Moreover, the place is full of charm, with its stone vaulted room, its pretty little facade and its warm and authentic atmosphere. Not to be missed.

Close to the SS9, between Dozza and Imola, this restaurant offers a good choice of meat, fish, pasta and local specialities. Large contemporary room in shades of green and red, both friendly and warm, just like the plates, which are colourful and creative, with a touch of elegance. Upstairs, a mezzanine with a more muffled atmosphere and, outside, a green terrace for sunny days, very welcoming with its cushions, curtains and candles. Well stocked cellar and very good reception.

A southern enclave in the heart of Bologna! In a cheerful family atmosphere, you can enjoy generous portions of pasta - with a small preference for seafood - or one of the many pizzas on the menu. Vast room animated by the hubbub of families, tourists and locals who have come to get some sun on their plates. Smiling and cheerful staff. We would almost feel like singing an O' sole mio with the limoncello offered by the house at the end of the meal! Small terrace on sunny days.

In dialect, cherenta means crescentina or tigella, a round, flattened bun from the mountains of the Apennino modenese. Its characteristic shape is linked to its traditional method of baking: the dough pieces were stacked alternately with terracotta discs before being baked in a wood-fired oven. They are tasted here stuffed with local products: cold cuts, cheese, grilled vegetables or Modenese pesto, a paste made of bacon, parmesan, rosemary and garlic. Also available in a sweetened version with chestnut cream, Nutella, etc.

A former mill, 20 km from Bagno, in the middle of the Apennines, converted into a restaurant and guest rooms. The menu, which is strictly seasonal, changes every day and includes an entry, two types of pasta, meat, dessert and drinks. Hearty portions, traditional cuisine.

Small rustic restaurant with wooden tables, not far from piazza del Popolo. The kitchen is like that of yesteryear, simple, abundant portions, fresh ingredients.

Above all, let us look at the way before you embark on the assault of Tre Ville, lost in the northern suburbs of Parma. We come to this former post-hotel hotel for its delicious cuisine, both traditional and sought after. On plates, the best of the kitchen isn, of exquisite meats, a risotto radicchio rosso i parfait perfect and the tortelli to get mad, just like the duck-based dishes (acciughe)… An address that is worth the detour!

A little out of the historic centre, in the Renaissance quarter of the city, crossed by elegant avenues, the restaurant has kept the same name as a century ago: it was then an osteria with a game of petanque and its owner was called Provvidenza. Since then, the establishment, which reopened in 1974, serves both local and contemporary cuisine. It boasts of having welcomed many celebrities who came to discover the traditional dishes revisited. Small, very pleasant garden. A little expensive, though.

A family-run trattoria in the university district. Good quality cuisine with a good value for money. Wide choice of local pasta but also of good fish and seafood specialities. Taste the smooth tortellini neri all'orso tartuffo or the linguine Granseola, a real treat alla. The pizzas are very generous... Good wine list.

The owners of this restaurant have the ability to transform their clients into friends. A warm atmosphere, the kitchen overlooks the room. Excellent local cuisine, simple and generous dishes, large portions. A delicious place.

Specialized in fish, fritures are delicious! Take on or on the spot.

A five minute walk from the historic center, La Santa is the classic trattoria Bolande. The décor is simple, fast service and is known for its good tortelloni.

This gastronomic restaurant enjoys an international reputation. And for good reason! Massimo Bottura is the three-starred chef in the Michelin guide for this establishment, which has been crowned "best restaurant in the world" on several occasions. Every day, people passing through Modena are even photographed in front of the establishment! A meal here is an extraordinary journey into the world of taste and haute cuisine. Regional specialities revisited in a contemporary way. A unique experience, to be booked well in advance.

Situated between the saltworks and a small lake, this kiosk is the typical fast-food of Romagna: piadina, crescioni and other specialties to enjoy on-site or to take away. Famous for the quality of the products used.

A legendary piadina kiosk for an informal meal based on piadina and its derivatives. Rich musical programming. In the park. 

Parlor has recently entered the panorama of restaurants in Bologna. The owners, Giacomo and Andrea, play the card of originality and homemade. In addition to the traditional pasta dishes, the restaurant offers four different tartars on the evening menu as well as fresh fish. Refined cuisine and homemade preparation, even your jam on the cheesecake is made on the spot! Parlor is also a lively cocktail bar at aperitivo time and has a fine selection of wines from all over the peninsula

It is a pearl of the seas that you must try if you love fish and seafood in all its forms. The fish shop that sells its fresh wonders during the day has opened a small restaurant with a row of tables as a terrace under the roof of the Mercato delle Erbe. Here, only small dishes are served for a few euros each. On the menu: raw specialties (tartars, carpacci), fried (squid, prawns) and cooked. We loved the prawns with Greek Kataifi dough, this crispy envelope of fried filaments, a real delight.

The Posta restaurant takes our taste buds to the other side of the Apennines, to Tuscany, and rivals many establishments in the city of Medici. A traditional cuisine perfectly executed and well balanced. The pasta and cakes are homemade, a real delight. Don't miss: the ribollita and pappa al pomodoro, the rare and juicy bistecca alla fiorentina, the pappardelle with wild boar ragout and the offal preparations(lampredotto, sweetbreads). A family address, elegant and warm, very popular with the locals.

When passing through Torrechiara, a stop at this restaurant is a must, which, in addition to its exceptional location next to the castle, offers a cuisine of great quality. The menu combines traditional Parmesan dishes with more innovative suggestions. Everything is homemade, from fresh pasta to breads, desserts and ice cream. Interesting selection of wines. Finally, a particularity which deserves to be underlined in this region which is very attached to the land: the fish and seafood dishes are also of a very high standard.

Since 1946, this gastronomic restaurant facing the sea has been a true institution. Michelin-starred, it offers an exquisite fish-based cuisine. Rigorously selected and fresh raw materials, seasonal products, fresh home-made bread and pasta with organic flours, Guido restaurant combines the nobility of the products with a refined, high-flying cuisine. Very aesthetic, colourful and light plates, innovative menus. Nice terrace on the beach in good weather. Reservation recommended.

Somewhat off-centre, between the Basilica of San Domenico and Porta Castiglione, the osteria by Italian singer Cesare Cremonini delights the taste buds and enchants with its decoration. Good-natured atmosphere of a neighbourhood trattoria, with rustic furniture, vintage objects and diffused light. The welcome is warm and relaxed. Try the Cotoletta della Tigre or the saffron risotto. The restaurant is not very big, it is better to make a reservation. And, if you're lucky, Cesare Cremonini will play a little piece on the piano.

Merry little pink pigs are scattered all over this place in the historic centre where pork is celebrated. While the specialty remains the panino au roti, we will also appreciate other sausage fillings, porchetta, head-press, and sandwiches with names evocative of "coronary flu" and "chronic aerophagia". There are also slices of pizza, rice balls and doughnuts, in short, fat, fried, but good, to be enjoyed without complex ... not too often anyway! Friendly and talkative boss.

This medieval covered market stands in the middle of the Quadrilatero, behind Piazza Maggiore. Restored in 2014, the Mercato di mezzo offers an excellent solution for those who want to eat on the go, but without sacrificing product quality. On the ground floor there are the kiosks of major institutions of local gastronomy: Calzolari bakery, Pavaglione fishmonger, Gino Fabbri's Granarolo pastry shop, Emilia Romagna's regional wine cellar... On the first floor, good pizza from Eataly; in the basement, Baladin homemade beer.

You have to cross a small bridge over the canal to reach this restaurant specializing in fish dishes. On the few tables set up outside along the water, or in the large room covered by a frame, you can choose between seafood antipasti, raw fish, spaghetti with squid ink, fried fish and squid, and the inevitable eel of Comacchio, cooked with tagliolini, grilled or fried. The establishment also offers five rooms in Bed & Breakfast.

Here is a small and comfortable osteria 50 metres from the cathedral, with a white vaulted hall. This address will please especially carnivores with its selection of cold meats. It also offers some traditional pasta dishes such as tortelli with squash and tagliatelle al ragù. But its strong point is the horse meat, served raw in pesto (finely minced meat), tartar or roast beef. You hesitate between these three proposals? The house has thought of everything: opt for tris di cavallo!

In a XVIIth century palace, a friendly wine library, anxious to guarantee its customers quality products. The place is perfect for a snack based on local cold cuts and cheeses, accompanied by bread baked over a wood fire and a good bottle of regional wine. If culatello di Zibello and cured ham are to die for, set sail for Spain with a portion of Pata Negra: a delight! Beautiful selection of raw milk cheeses. Also some pasta, meat and fish dishes. Sale of regional products.

Along the lively Via Farini, this trattoria salumeria is located on the street. In addition to the restaurant, it is a delicatessen that offers a catering service. The restaurant has several rooms with different atmospheres. The one at the back with its exposed stone and brick walls, with its shelves lined with wine bottles, is very warm. Long terrace in front. On the menu, excellent cold cuts and parmigiano reggiano, pasta dishes and meat secondi. A recommended place to taste the specialities of Parma.

Traditional and plentiful cuisine in a rustic setting. In the summer you can eat under the pergola.

Just a few steps from the cathedral, this establishment has been awarded the title of "Modena's most typical restaurant". In rooms decorated without fuss, local and traditional dishes can be tasted. Among the house's specialities are excellent platters of cold meats accompanied by gnocco fritto and tigella, as well as homemade pasta from the mamma that can be seen in the kitchen. Taste the zampone di Modena IGP, a boneless pork trotter stuffed with minced and spicy meat: delicious and melt-in-the-mouth! Reservation strongly recommended.

A historic shop in Bologna, its window display undeniably whets the appetite: you can find the best of Bolognese cuisine! Tamburini is at the same time a grocery store, a restaurant and a wine shop. In the two rooms of the restaurant area, you can enjoy magnificent platters of cold meats, to be accompanied by tigelle or piadine, and fresh homemade pasta. You can also buy these beautiful products at the grocery store, which also offers take-away food, cheese, wine and preserves. An address not to be missed.

On the edge of the ghetto, this historic Ferrara trattoria, whose foundation dates back to 1897, has been run for twenty years by two brothers: Michele, in the dining room, and Maurizio, in the kitchen. They were keen to give the establishment a simple and authentic family atmosphere in the Ferrarese culinary tradition. The Estense pasticcio and the hand-made squash cappellacci are, together with the salama da sugo, the specialties of the place. Besides the classics, the menu also changes with the seasons. Nice summer arbor.

Traditional Bolognese cuisine well executed, quality raw materials, the art of hospitality: these are the three commitments of the Da Nello restaurant, and nothing has changed since 1948. The place has been visited by some of the biggest international stars, as can be seen from the photos along the staircase: from Roberto Benigni to Eric Clapton, all of them have graced the table at Da Nello. Here we work with truffles and game like nobody else. Numerous à la carte suggestions and always a few dishes of the day cooked with seasonal products.

In a large wooded room, decorated with tiles and wine bottles, Chef Giovanni is composed of traditional and traditional dishes and many other delicacies. It is a touch of inventiveness and presented carefully on the plate. Other good points: The map evolves over the seasons and we will advise you on the wine you need from a very wide choice.

Located in Piazza Grande in the heart of the historic centre, this sign is frequented at all hours of the day. The large lunch buffet attracts people for the quality and variety of its dishes; ideal for tasting some local specialities (cold cuts, tortelloni, pizzas, desserts, etc.). At aperitivo time, you sip your drink accompanied by good things to nibble on the large terrace facing the cathedral's chevet. Sunday brunch is gargantuan. A sure value, to satisfy all desires at any time.

Not far from the port of Gorino, this restaurant will delight lovers of fish and seafood: the products here are impeccably fresh and you can taste everything that the surrounding nature has to offer. Abundant platters of grilled fish, spaghetti that disappear under the quantity of mussels, antipasti of raw and cooked seafood, and of course the inevitable eel. Everything is good, served in generous portions, and in a good mood! The establishment also offers pizzas for those who have had enough of fish.

A historic address not to be missed if you want to discover the real Reggio Emilia cuisine. The story begins in 1968 when four brothers founded the restaurant. Since then, the family-run establishment has remained faithful to its culinary traditions and sense of hospitality, with room service as in the past, elegant, courteous and available. The specialities: the cappelletti al brodo (in broth), patiently shaped by hand, and the trolley of boiled or roasted meats, to be accompanied by a good local lambrusco.

Located in front of the port, a restaurant where fish and seafood are king. Chef Andrea's mission is to sublimate his products without distorting their taste qualities by using too many condiments and side dishes. Culinary minimalism, one might say, but make no mistake about it: the dishes are sought-after, the presentation is very elegant. On the menu, there are several proposals both raw and cooked (tartars and sashimis of fish and shellfish, seafood platters), pasta and risottos, grilled fish with Cervia salt, etc.

An excellent restaurant of local cuisine revisited in a more modern and creative version, in the centre of Ferrara. The dishes stand out for their originality, starting with the starters with bluefin tuna tartar with mozzarella and black sesame wafers or sautéed octopus and squid with chickpea purée and tapenade. The second courses feature fish, but carnivores will also enjoy lamb chops with lemon and onions and stuffed rabbit. The menu is often renewed and varies according to the seasons.

It is a baracchina della piadina, a kiosk where you can order a deliciously warm piadina stuffed in a thousand different ways. These establishments, characteristic of the Romagna region, are perfect for a quick snack on the go. In Chiosco del Tondo, you can eat your piadina on the long benches or plastic garden chairs in the wooded surroundings of the Tondo city park, or take it away. It's just delicious! Ten minutes walk from the historic centre.

This osteria has existed since 1862 and has been passed down from generation to generation, always remaining the property of the Pedroni family. After visiting the Nonantola Abbey, a stop here is a must. Here you can taste real homemade cooking with simple and tasty dishes of the Modenese tradition, such as tortellini in brodo (in broth) and poultry in lambrusco, a recipe jealously guarded by the family. And while you're there, take the opportunity to visit the acetaia where, since the 19th century, the Pedroni family has been making their precious balsamic vinegar!

This elegant restaurant of Bolognese cuisine has a wine cellar that dates back to 1200! A clean, white room, decorated with a few photographs and bottles of wine. Classic and well executed local cuisine, relying on the quality of the raw materials and their seasonality. Secondi exclusively meat-based, and some vegetarian suggestions. For the wine accompaniment, ask the staff who will taste a good regional vintage.

This address is an institution in the city. It is renowned for its wide selection of wines, with around 400 labels telling the story of Romagna's winemaking excellence. It is also known as the "balcony of the Romagna": from its terrace, the view embraces a vast expanse of hills and plains, with the sea on the horizon. Finally, the address is appreciated for its typical Romagna cuisine, prepared with raw materials from local producers and with vegetables from the restaurant's own garden.

Discreet restaurant with a cosy and intimate atmosphere, with old wooden furniture and shelves lined with bottles. The menu varies every month and offers a journey through Italian regional specialties. The traditional recipes are reinterpreted with finesse, carefully selected raw materials harmonize in beautiful plates. In addition to the à la carte dishes, you can choose from a five-course land or sea menu. Great choice of wines exploring all the regions of the Italian boot.

Located in an old building in the city centre, this family-run restaurant offers excellent local cuisine based on the quality and seasonality of the raw materials. Giancarlo, the father, works in the kitchen with his wife who takes care of the fresh pasta. The two sons, in the dining room, take care of their guests, but also of the wine cellar which has about 400 labels. On the menu, traditional dishes such as tortelli piacentini, and some more innovative creations such as tuna tataki or duck with garum revisited.

With its garden chairs and white plastic tables under the big canvas, or its wooden benches outside, the place doesn't look like much. However, the sign has a very good reputation among the locals who meet there to taste one of the excellent fish fries on the menu. The atmosphere is friendly and good-natured, the staff is smiling and cordial. There is also risotto and fish cooked over a wood fire, to be accompanied by an unpretentious little white wine. Very busy place, sometimes a little waiting.

This restaurant is located inside a former 18th century oratory, in a green setting. The large room under the frame, decorated with old objects, gives off a warm and slightly old-fashioned atmosphere. The cuisine is based on fish and seafood with guaranteed freshness. The dishes are very simple - it would be a sin to denature these quality products by an excess of primer! A must try, risotto all'anguilla. Even if the place is a little hard to find, it's worth the detour.

This osteria of the Borgo San Giuliano is the ideal place for those who want to savour typical dishes of the Romagna region. In the pretty rooms distributed on two levels and decorated with old posters, or on the colourful terrace laid out on a small square, you can discover the flavours of this terroir. Raw materials are supplied by local producers. On the menu, cold cuts and meat of mora romagnola, a native breed of pig, fresh pasta, cheese and seasonal vegetables grown on the gentle hills of the hinterland.