The best restaurants Modena

Not recommended for those seeking privacy, Ermes remains the most convivial osteria in Modena. In the small room with panelled walls, you will be at the same table as other guests in a warm and characteristic atmosphere. No à la carte, the menu changes every day with a few proposals of primi and secondi and the meal ends with a dessert, an espresso and a limoncello or grappa. Local cuisine that goes around the regional specialities. A must-see address to savour a moment of authentic Modenese hospitality.

Located 50 m from the Duomo, this trattoria is one of the references of the local cuisine. It is a good place to eat in an informal atmosphere. The menu changes very regularly, almost every month, but keeps the basics like tortellini, fresh pasta and homemade desserts. Chocolate mousse is a staple of the house. Various meat dishes are offered such as pork chops, lamb, rabbit and tender beef.

Located in the heart of the city, the restaurant is housed in the premises of the former slaughterhouse of the Salumeria Giusti, a historic house in Modena, which has been open for almost four centuries and remained in the hands of the Giusti family since its foundation until the 1980s! On the walls, hams and culatelli welcome the customer in a promising way. It serves a traditional and refined cuisine, with fresh homemade pasta, meats and, of course, excellent cold meats. Don't miss a stop at the shop for a few gourmet purchases!

A real institution in Modena. If you had to choose just one restaurant, Danilo's is the place to go. The traditional cuisine of Emilia-Romagna is prepared with great care and passion and has been for several generations. High quality charcuterie, home-made fresh pasta, local cheeses, good choice of wines and typical desserts. In secondo, trolley of bollito misto or roasted meats served the old-fashioned way. Very caring staff. Attention, reservations are strongly recommended for this very popular address.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.