The best restaurants Emilia-Romagna

In the cellars of an 18th century building, at the foot of the stairs leading to the clock tower, La Sangiovesa is a local institution completely devoted to Romagna's gastronomy. Traditional dishes abundant and generous in taste and flavour. The menu evolves with the seasons and the beautiful products that the terroir offers, because here we want to promote the quality of raw materials and privilege the short supply chain: it is an agricultural estate 15 km away that provides meat, charcuterie and wine, and the cheeses come from local producers.

This osteria is a small jewel of Santa Sofia, a pleasant and charming corner where you can enjoy simple but tasty local dishes of high quality. The room is cosy with its vintage furniture and colourful and mismatched chairs. Nice garden for the summer. The menu varies according to the seasonality of the products, but there are always cheese and sausage platters, pasta and meat dishes. Very cordial family and personal atmosphere. A warm address, highly recommended.

This trattoria is a family story that began in 1974, when the parents opened the establishment, and continues today thanks to the children who have taken over. Lost in the Apennines, the restaurant offers traditional dishes from Romagna and the mountains: fresh homemade pasta, invigorating soups, game dishes, porcini and chanterelle mushrooms, cheeses and cold meats accompanied by piadine. The restaurant is part of the farmhouse L'Antico Frutto, which offers seven beautiful rooms for a quiet stay in nature.

Not far from the centre of Cesenatico, this restaurant is a real delight. Pleasant covered terrace in the summer, pretty room in shades of white and blue, and a kitchen both simple and refined that favors beautiful seafood. There is no fixed menu, each season has its own dishes and specialities; a meal à la Saluma is a surprise every time, depending on the catch of the day and the seasonal raw materials from local producers. Warm atmosphere guaranteed by the attentive reception of the staff.

Impossible to resist a good mixed fry from the sea, especially when you have the possibility to taste it directly sitting on the beach! This nice little restaurant offers fish-based dishes, to be eaten on the spot or to take away. On the menu, seafood pasta, fried foods, piadine and fish burgers, seafood pancakes and grilled fish. And finally, a homemade sherbet or ice cream. Pleasant terrace on the edge of the port-channel.

Magnificent pizzeria with minimalist decoration and bright blue and white walls evoking the colours of a Moroccan city. Pizza's really good there. The dough, made from organic yeast and flours, is left to rise for at least 24 hours, making it light and digestible. It is garnished with the best ingredients of the peninsula: mozzarella di bufala from Caserta, anchovies from Cetara, mora romagnola sausages (Emilia Romagna pig breed), seasonal vegetables... There is also an organic food store.

On the port of Rimini, this new street food restaurant in vintagestyle is very popular with the locals. In the large, lively room or on the large terrace, you can eat pasta, hamburgers, fried squid and piadine, all prepared on the spot in the open kitchen with selected products: fresh pasta, homemade sauces, cheese from a local farmhouse, bread from a bakery in Rimini... In the fast-food sector, a quality address at contained prices.

In the historic centre of Rimini, this small restaurant with its elegant and intimate atmosphere is a newcomer among the Michelin-starred restaurants: chef Mariano received his first star in 2019. The menu changes every month and offers two menus, one fish-based and one meat-based, as well as a tasting menu and some à la carte dishes. A refined and original cuisine, mixing flavours and textures, minimalist and refined plates. Prices are still low enough for a star, enjoy!

Located in a small street near the two medieval towers, this establishment has a very good reputation among the inhabitants. It offers a menu of traditional local cuisine, with platters of local cheeses and cold meats, tagliatelle, stuffed pasta and escalope bolognese, as well as a menu of international cuisine extending the range of dishes to include risottos, entrecote maître d'hôtel and kidneys. Tasty, fair and unpretentious cuisine; attentive and charming staff. It is advisable to make a reservation.

In 1924, Duilio Bergamini founded this café-drugstore and began producing Rosolio, a liqueur made from roses and spices, by hand. Today the fourth generation manages the establishment and offers some specialities such as tagliatelle al prosciutto crudo and a long wine and liquor list. The room with its walls covered with dark wooden shelves, filled with bottles, seems to have remained unchanged for a century. Nice family atmosphere.

A highly recommended gourmet stopover at the gates of Parma! In the country house that once belonged to the musician Nicolo Paganini, the two chefs Davide and Makoto combine their talents to create a cuisine that is both inventive and respectful of the raw materials and seasonality of the products. The plates are an explosion of colours and flavours, everything is done to flatter the senses. To accompany the meal, ask for a wine from the vast selection of vintages offered by the house.

This trattoria is part of the history of Bologna. Since its founding in the late 1950s, very little has changed. Rustic decoration, friendly atmosphere, red and white checked tablecloths, rigorously traditional cuisine, both simple and tasty, served in generous proportions. On the menu, mainly pasta (excellent tagliatelle al ragù) and meat. A meeting place for singers in Bologna, we often meet people who spend their evenings playing guitar behind a glass of good red wine.

This little address with its pretty flowery façade is worth a visit not only for its appetizing and copious local cuisine, but also and above all for its family atmosphere. Here, no pre-established menu, we let ourselves be guided by Ada, the mistress of the place, who divides her time between the kitchen and the dining room. In addition to taking care of her customers with cheerfulness and extravagance, she prepares good traditional dishes for them; the stuffed pasta, the shank and the pork cheeks are fantastic! An address full of generosity, in the welcome and in the plate.

This small Italian-style fast-food restaurant has been in existence since 1955. A counter, a few stools and lots of cordiality to eat delicious panini on the go. At noon, the gourmets invade the alleyway, bread stuffed in hand. In spite of the crowds, the service is fast and efficient. The most legendary panini are the spaccaballe, stuffed with roast pork, the carciofa, garnished with artichokes, parmesan, ricotta and spinach, and the panino polpette di cavallo, with horse meatballs and balsamic vinegar.

A restaurant set up in an old 19th century cinema, it's not common! Here, the tables have invaded the whole room, right up to the stage in front of the screen and, in fine weather, they overflow onto the terrace. Here you can enjoy excellent Romagna cuisine: passatelli, of course, but also homemade pasta and platters of quality charcuterie and cheeses (note that the piadine served as an accompaniment is not free!). The establishment sometimes organizes screenings, shows, concerts and parties with DJs.

For 50 years, Piadina del Mare kiosks have been offering delicious stuffed stuffed.

An original place for looking for a little American spirit in the city of Bologna. The menu offers excellent hamburgers, revisited fish & chips and delicious cocktails. 

A piadina kiosk run by the same family since 1958. The piadina is prepared according to tradition, with 140 different variations for stuffing. If you want to stay on the classic, take the one with raw ham, squacquerone (a creamy cheese) and arugula. Otherwise, you can opt for a sausage filling, fresh mushrooms, gorgonzola, porchetta, grilled vegetables, mozzarella di bufala, spicy salami... There's plenty to choose from! The house also offers homemade salads and desserts.

This restaurant is located in front of the port of Milano Marittima. He is specialized in fish fritures. Literally taken in summer, especially in the evening, if you want to enjoy its beautiful terrace it is better to come early enough because the restaurant does not accept reservations. A not miss.

Here you can find typical Romagna stuzzichini, based on piadina, vegetables, cheeses and meats.

This prétention bistro is ideal for a quick meal without having to try to taste Comacchio specialities. Enjoy the fritto fritto (fried fish). Here, there is a local beer produced in Much in Birrificio FM. Terrace on the water in summer.

A very good fish restaurant on site or to take away. In summer, beautiful terrace on the edge of the small Canal Mazzarini canal.

Just a stone's throw from the beach and on the edge of the Federico Fellini Park, this piadina kiosk relies on the quality of its raw materials: parmigiano reggiano from 24 months of maturing, formaggio di fossa, culatello di Zibello DOP, salami of mora romagnola, squacquerone from Cesena, all the excellent products of the region garnish these fine round wafers typical of Romagna. You can also taste the cassoni, large turnovers stuffed with cheese, spinach and cold cuts, and homemade desserts. Vast shaded terrace very pleasant.

Good fish restaurant in the centre of Milano Marittima, with beautiful wooden and garden veranda inspired by the theme of the sea.

Excellent wood fire pizza in this pizzeria-restaurant of the historic centre, still very busy. The map also offers several dishes from the local tradition.

Founded in 1925, this house has kept intact its attachment to the regional culinary tradition. Famous appointment of the gourmets of Parma, the restaurant seduces by its elegant atmosphere while remaining family, by its police and attentive service, by its noble dishes in their simplicity. Some specialities: savarin di riso, anolini in brodo (small pasta stuffed with broth) and, only from September to April, bollito misto, because it is during the cold and humid winter evenings that it reveals all its flavour. Outside the historic centre.

An address to discover, located in the ancient Conoscenti palace, where the delicate harmony of the place achieves the best marriage between the history of the walls and modern creativity, in a hushed atmosphere in the image of elegant Parisian bistros. Its bar-cocktail corner at the entrance is the best example. A concept of cuisine that stands out thanks to the mastery of its chef who has been able to give, through his recipes, his personal vision of an innovative, balanced and elegantly presented cuisine... A culinary experience that you will never forget.

A neighborhood trattoria frequented by locals, whose two halls and the terrace under the porticoes are regularly full, is a good sign. Here you can enjoy an excellent regional cuisine, made with quality products prepared with skill and respect for tradition. The menu offers the classics of Bolognese gastronomy and reserves some beautiful discoveries such as the baccalà ravioli, cherry tomatoes and capers or the stinco di maiale (pork shank) candied in the oven with its small vegetables.

This place is not located in the historical center, but it is worth a visit! It's an address known by all the Bolognese and one of the most convivial meeting places of the city, where to spend a lively evening. A really original idea: the traditional London bus has been transformed into a restaurant, pizzeria, pub... a real chophouse with an irresistible charm. Meat is the highlight, as are the burgers and pizzas, and the fresh homemade pasta. And to accompany it all, a selection of draft beers worthy of the best English pubs!

Inside an old building in the centre of the town, a stone's throw from the cathedral, in a refined and elegant atmosphere, chef Angelo offers a pleasant culinary journey between the tradition of his land and the innovation of fish-based cuisine. His recipes, in which the quality of the raw materials is essential, make him famous; traditionally pasta and bread are home-made, a definite plus. An intimate and warm place to savour the delights of this restaurant. In the summer, the terrace allows you to enjoy the lively streets.

Slightly off-centre in relation to the historical centre, this address is a must to discover and taste the home-made pasta and its various specialities. At the entrance of this small, warm and tastefully decorated room, a beautiful exhibition of fresh pasta welcomes the customer. Tasty recipes cooked with products, whose quality can be seen in the various proposals of the varied menu, can be eaten on the spot, ordered to be taken away or delivered at home, what more could you ask for?

We like its small terrace for a lunch break and its large warm room with its grey exposed beams. The checkered tablecloths remind us that the menu is traditional. The assortments of cold cuts and cheeses are particularly well assembled. One of the piatini 's specialties to try as an appetizer, the Gesseto carpaccio: salted beef in carpaccio with a parmesan fondue and sunflower seeds. We loved the soup of the day and the bolognese to eat on bread.

First of all, we appreciate the setting, both modern and warm, with the lines of the benches matching those of the ceiling beams, with the cubic lampshades providing diffuse light. As for the cuisine, it juggles between Ferrarese tradition, Venetian digressions (baccalà mantecato served on polenta toast) and creative notes. Try for example the gnocchi with smoked swordfish, almond cream and coffee jelly. The restaurant, which is popular with local customers, also offers very good value for money.

This family restaurant maintains its local traditions of good food. Don't be surprised by the decoration of antique furniture, chandeliers and photos of a singer, the wife of the chef in his youth. The very elegant setting lends itself to a romantic dinner. On the menu, we loved the assortment of Parma ham (Culatello PDO, the best) and parmesan, followed by Filomena pasta, prepared with four flours, almonds, cherry tomatoes, Parma ham, smoked ricotta and oregano. For dessert the semifreddo was divine. Good wines selected by hand.

This restaurant, located in the historic heart of Modena, near the main square next to the Duomo, is very popular with tourists and locals alike, both in summer and winter. Two cozy rooms - one is more dedicated to groups - are decorated with Parma hams hanging from the ceiling, bottles of red wine (with its name "golden grape", we suspected), and green plants. The Emilian cuisine offered is composed mainly of homemade pasta served in cassolettes. The tiramisu is to die for, as well as the other desserts on display.

A friendly address, the appointment for a pleasant moment in a warm atmosphere. Well known in Parma, it offers traditional local cuisine with well-balanced and well-presented dishes. The kitchen brigade perfectly interprets the marriage between tradition, innovation and transformation of recipes for the greatest pleasure of good forks. At the heart of this success, the raw materials of the soil, their freshness and their elaboration. All this is accompanied by a beautiful wine list. A very lively place.

A place of irresistible romanticism and charm where history seems to have stopped in the Middle Ages. The restaurant, which is part of the Gropparello Castle, has perfectly adapted its cuisine to the historical context, proposing a traditional local cuisine in order to make the best use of the fresh and seasonal food of the place. The result is delicious, authentic and well-balanced dishes; a tribute to the tradition and culinary excellence of this region, where the friendly atmosphere undoubtedly contributes to the appreciation of the cuisine.

An address with tradition and innovation! An existence that goes back to more than a century. Today, the kitchen is run by the owner Marco Dallabona, a renowned chef who has been able to add the right innovation and originality to traditional local cuisine to obtain dishes that are generous in their flavors, elegant in their presentation and balanced in their composition. The friendly welcome of the staff in this warm and elegant old house makes it a place not to be missed.

This national brand has several addresses in the region, and is a must in Parma, right in the historic center. Super original, it has a decoration of bicycles and books hanging on the walls, green plants and colored neon lights for a slightly crazy acidic universe. On the menu, there is an original choice of pizza doughs: classic, multi-cereal, or black, in lighter and more digestible vegetable carbon. The composition of the pizzas is either classic or "pop", they are rather daring in the assemblies, but always with a lot of taste, we love it!

This discreet address is a landmark for fine gourmets. Here, traditional recipes are subtly reinterpreted, with particular attention paid to seasonal products and a constant search for harmony of tastes. Everything is rigorously homemade, fresh pasta, bread and desserts. The plates are elegantly erected, the cooking of the meats is mastered and we rediscover the flavours of yesteryear. Possibility to get certain dishes in reduced portions, this allows you to taste more!

Here is an address as we like it, warm and where the meal keeps all its promises. How could it be otherwise with a proprietor whose philosophy is that to be a good restaurateur, you have to love food and love wine! He is passionate about his job and his land. He offers an à la carte menu with all the flavours of Romagna and the excellence of his products, with a selection of wines that allows you to discover some of the region's finest vintages. Fresh home-made pasta, meat of Romagna breeds of pork or beef, local cheeses.

This characteristic address tells the story of the flavors of Bolognese cuisine through its recipes and the many traditional dishes offered. It highlights the quality of the raw materials used, the pride of the owner, who buys exclusively from small local producers. The photographic exhibition of his suppliers on the walls is a testimony to this. The result is a well-balanced cuisine of character, with intense aromas. Once you know this address, you'll want to go back!

Along the Strada Farini, a good address for lunch, with a wide choice of panini, focacce, bruschetta, hamburgers and kamut breads. The varied fillings explore the entire repertoire of regional cold meats, with different cheeses, vegetables, sauces and condiments, and pesto di cavallo, chopped horse meat typical of Parmesan cuisine. Good choice of homemade beers and wines by the glass. Every evening, aperitivo with a large buffet where you can pick up appetizers to accompany your drink.

Under the arcades of the medieval via Sant'Eufemia, this pleasant place is always full! Delicious cakes for breakfast or snack, daily specials, salads and homemade pasta for lunch, generous platters of cold meats and cheeses at any time of the day, homemade beers and local and national wines, the establishment welcomes gourmets, epicureans and strollers of all kinds, from morning to evening. A very busy place, a cordial atmosphere. Aperitivo between 19h and 20h, with good little snacks to accompany your drink.

Situated in the heart of the historic centre, a stone's throw from the cathedral, Osteria Degli Ulivi offers traditional local cuisine with some classics of Pugliese cuisine, the owner's native land. A warm and comfortable restaurant in a historic building, where the cuisine on view gives it a modern touch. The recipes speak about the city and its land. An authentic cuisine that highlights the quality of its products, accompanied by a rich wine list. A pleasant and friendly place to spend the evening.

The historic pizzeria of Naples has opened a branch in Bologna to the delight of lovers of this culinary heritage of Neapolitan tables. Here you can enjoy a fine and elastic margherita or marinara with a bloated crust, in the purest Parthenopoean tradition. Unless you opt for pizza fritta, a disc of dough topped with cheese and salami, closed in a half-moon and deep-fried. A real treat!

Here, you will not be served a pizza, but a pinsa, which differs from its cousin by its dough composed of a mixture of three flours, which makes it particularly digestible. Alongside the classic side dishes (margherita, marinara), you can indulge in a gourmet pinsa, with parmesan cheese, mortadella and a drizzle of balsamic. And if there are several of us, why not order an assortment to share? An economical and unpretentious address in a relaxed setting, facing the Palazzo Ducale.

Located in the historical center, it is one of the most appreciated addresses in the city. A reputation that has been maintained for years thanks to the origin and quality of the food used. The restaurant's entrance is characteristic because the establishment has preserved its original grocery store décor with its retail outlet for cold cuts, cheeses and local products. A traditional cuisine with homemade pasta and tagliatelle and where meat and fish dishes are skilfully handled. It is difficult not to succumb to the homemade cakes.

Here, organic and dietetic gastronomy is king. Tradition, seasonality and authenticity are the key words of this cuisine which is attached to local products and which seeks to sublimate what nature gives it with great elegance. The agriturismo also offers hospitality with seven rooms with different colours, simple and comfortable. Cooking classes are organized, lasting 4 hours, with tasting at the end (upon reservation); you will be able to reproduce the gestures of Bolognese cuisine and treat your loved ones when you return!